Bohemian Paradise & Liberec

The Czech Republic's first protected landscape area, where sandstone rock towns meet clifftop castles, with Liberec and the Ještěd TV tower to the north.

Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj in Czech) lies in northern Czechia, about 90 km northeast of Prague. In 1955 it became the country's first protected landscape area, and in 2005 it was designated a UNESCO Global Geopark. Its trademarks are sandstone 'rock towns' eroded into forests of towers, gorges and mazes, and the medieval castles perched on top of the rocks: the twin-towered silhouette of Trosky Castle is the region's symbol, the Prachov Rocks and Hruboskalsko rock town have well-developed viewpoint trails, and Kost Castle is one of the best-preserved Gothic castles. The most convenient base is Turnov, a centre of garnet jewellery set in the middle of the main sights; Jičín to the south, the 'fairytale town', is the gateway to Prachov. About 30 km to the north is Liberec, capital of the Liberec Region, home to a neo-Renaissance town hall, the oldest zoo in the Czech Republic and the iQLANDIA science centre; outside the city, the summit of Ještěd is crowned by a hyperboloid TV tower and hotel, an architectural landmark acclaimed on a par with Pritzker-level work, with views across all of northern Bohemia. The best season is May–October, with autumn foliage and sandstone scenery at their finest in fall; most castles are closed or open only at weekends from November to March, while in winter you can ski on Ještěd. Trains and buses run hourly from Prague to Turnov (about 1.5 hours), and red, yellow, blue and green marked hiking trails plus the 'Golden Trail' link the main sights, though a car gives more flexibility. Plan on 2–4 days; the rock-town trails have many steps, so wear hiking shoes with good grip.

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Where to eat

Itineraries