Every one of our national parks has its own "best of," and Bohemian Switzerland is no exception. Among its four siblings, it is the youngest, having turned only 19 this year. However, its main treasures are not gold, silver, or diamonds, but sandstone! Let's take a virtual walk through vast rock cities, among sandstone palaces and skyscrapers, which are connected to the world of flora and fauna by a very unique "lifestyle." Total route length (loop): 38 km (route map) The wild Kamenice River flows through Bohemian Switzerland, and we will begin our journey at its confluence with the Elbe in Hřensko. In Hřensko, you will find only a few houses and a few permanent residents, but many tourists. It is the lowest-lying settlement in the Czech Republic (115 m a.s.l.) and has a very distinct charm due to its unusual location (on the banks of the river in a narrow valley lined with high cliffs).
Let yourself be carried by the current
We will head upstream along the Kamenice directly to the famous Edmund "Silent" Gorge. After less than three kilometers of trail, which is carved into the rock in some places, our path will be blocked by water. Do not despair, we will continue by boat! The cruise through the picturesque gorge is definitely worth it, just make sure to choose the right month and time of day. Once you disembark, another stretch of walking awaits, followed by another ferry, this time through the shorter Wild Gorge. Both boat trips take 15–20 minutes.
We will soon leave the gorge, but we will return to the river shortly. The blue tourist trail will lead us past the Ptačí kámen viewpoint and through the village of Vysoká Lípa to the mysterious ruins of Dolský Mill, where several famous fairy tales were filmed. We will then say goodbye to the Kamenice at one of the oldest Czech bridges from 1902. The Jetřichovická Bělá stream will be our next guide, and along its course, we will reach Jetřichovice, where you can find a pleasant and proven campsite.
A small detour from the route is undoubtedly worth it for the ruins of Falkenštejn castle. It was carved into a massive solitary rock, and even though basically nothing remains of the castle itself, I highly recommend the carved chambers and the view from the rock.
Up to the heavens!
Further views await us at the Jetřichovice Walls. You will find three impressive viewpoints here: Mariina skála, Vilemínina stěna, and Rudolfův kámen. By now, we are fully immersed in a vast sea of sandstone rocks that stretches north into Germany, where the national park continues as Nationalpark Sächsische Schweiz (Saxon Switzerland).
Along the shore of this imaginary sea, we will travel to another ruined rock castle – Šaunštejn, nicknamed the robber castle.
The climb up ladders and ramps to the massive rock block will literally take your breath away, as will the far-reaching views from the 70-meter-long summit plateau. The next stop on the route will be the Small Pravčická Gate, a teaser for the main attraction of the entire park. However, we have a bit of a walk before we get there. You won't regret it, though, as we will be admiring the fantastic shapes of countless sandstone rocks every step of the way.
The journey begins to peak on Gabriela's Trail, which climbs from Mezní louka up a steep slope to the Dlouhodolské stěny. Here we will see the legendary Pravčická Gate, which is arguably one of the most famous natural formations (not only) in the Czech Republic. With a height of 16 meters and a span of 26.5 meters, it is the largest sandstone rock gate in Europe.
The location offers many other impressive natural wonders, especially massive rock towers (Křížová, Václavská, Malý Pravčický kužel) and amazing views of the untamed, eternal, yet transient kingdom of sandstone. Below the gate, we will also find the Sokolí hnízdo excursion chateau from 1881, built in the Alpine style. From here, we are just a few kilometers away from completing the loop, i.e., returning back to Hřensko.
I hope that Bohemian Switzerland has already caught your interest and that you will soon set out to be enchanted by it face-to-face. But ahead of us now is the last national park – and the biggest bite for the end – Šumava!
