The Prague to Dresden Cycle Tour 2008 | ||
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This tour follows the
route of the rivers Vltava and Labe/Elbe north
from Prague to Dresden. You spend 4 nights in
the Czech Republic and 2 nights in Germany. You can add extra nights along the way, or at the end, as you wish. |
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Day 1. Arrival in Prague. Day 2. Leave Prague cycling through the Garden of Bohemia along the River Vltava. First pass the castle of Troja, where Kafka worked as a gardener, then the castle of Nelahozeves (Dvořak was born in the village). Then you enter the wine country before ending at Mĕlník, the centre of Bohemian wine growing. Mĕlník's renaissance palace offers superb views over the confluence of the Vlatva with the Labe (about 30 miles). |
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Day 3. Leave Mĕlník for Roudnice nad Labem and Libechov,
with its bizarre palace.
Here Kafka met his wife in 1918. The next place of significance is the fortress town
of Terezín, sadly better known under its German name of Theresienstadt. During the
2nd World war this was a transit camp and ghetto for Jews and other Nazi prisoners
en route to extermination camps. The lesser fortress is maintained as a monument to
their memory. The last couple of miles bring you to Litomĕřice, which with its superb
houses is the political and cultural centre of the region (about 28 miles). Day 4. Today you start to leave the vineyards behind, During some 14 miles of cycling, passing en route the ruins of Strekov Castle on a rock high above the river, you come you to the town of Ústí nad Labem. Continue to Dĕčin, the gateway to Bohemian Switzerland with its strange sandstone rock formations (about 30 miles). Day 5. Today is a short day, following the river through woodland and past the impressive sandstone outcrops of the Bohemian and Saxon Switzerlands to the German border and onward to Bad Schandau (about 13 miles). Day 6. The final day sees you first cycling through the towering Elbe Sandstone Massif of Saxon Switzerland, climaxing with your journey below the Bastei high above Rathen, then through delightful water meadows to Dresden (about 27 miles). Day 7. Stay an extra day or two in Dresden to explore the museums, churches, art galeries and opera house, or return to Prague and enjoy a day or two visiting there. As most people on this trip will fly to Prague, the price includes rail travel back to Prague at the end of the cycle tour. You can also return home via Berlin. |
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