How to Go Hiking in Bohemian Switzerland, Czechia

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It’s hard to know what to expect from a place called the Bohemian Switzerland when you first hear it. But see photos of this incredible place in the Czech Republic and you’ll be dying to go like I was. That’s because hiking in Bohemian Switzerland, a national park north of Prague, is an absolute dream. The park is one of the country’s natural highlights and definitely among the best places to visit in the Czech Republic.

What makes the Bohemian Switzerland National Park so special is the rock formations and gorges that define its landscape. Rarely flat and with plenty to see, it was the highlight of my time hiking in Czech Republic. Best of all, I decided to hike their independently. Before going I’d assumed, like many international visitors do, that you needed a tour to properly see the park. While it’s certainly a more convenient way to visit, a tour is far from necessary. So, if you want to go and visit on your own, here’s how I did it.

Getting to Bohemian Switzerland National Park

Since this is all about visiting Bohemian Switzerland independently, let’s start by getting there. The national park is found up the German border almost due north of Prague. Now, getting to Bohemian Switzerland from Prague isn’t too hard with a car, as it’s a 1 hour 45 minute drive. You also could theoretically take the train there, with it taking 2.5 hours, although the schedule is a bit limiting.

It’s why many people do a day tour from Prague to Bohemian Switzerland if they don’t have a car. But there is another way. Stay near the national park and you’ll have a lot more time to spend there exploring. The town of Hrensko acts as a gateway to the park at its western end. It’s from Hrensko that you can reach all of the above on foot, as well as go to the Tourist Centre to pay the 75 czk park entry fee.

However, I actually stayed a little further in the small city of Decin. Although there are places to stay in Hrensko, I couldn’t find many when I looked. The city of Decin however has quite a lot more, including the affordable and secluded Hotel U Kaple where I stayed. Best of all, Decin is much easier to access by train from Prague or Karlovy Vary.

To get from Decin to Hrensko, there’s local bus 434 to Krásná Lípa that continues on into the national park. You can get the bus from the train station, with the trip to Hrensko taking 20 minutes. Buses are seasonal though and most frequent during summer and on weekends. I had some trouble getting the bus back to Decin, which meant a lot of waiting.

Bohemian Switzerland National Park

Before you visit, you’ll probably want to learn a little more about the national park itself. First, let’s tackle the name, because it’s understandably confusing. The name Bohemian Switzerland was given to the region by a pair of Swiss artists in the 18th century. Visiting this place in the northern Bohemia region, they were reminded of their homeland, hence the name.

It’s the same story for Saxon Switzerland across the border in Germany. That’s because together both “Switzerlands” cover the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and share the characteristics that make these parks so special. Because of that similarity and proximity, many people visit both parks in the one trip. However, seeing both in a single day will leave almost no time for hiking, if that’s what you’re after.

Bohemian Switzerland was made a protected area in 1972 and later a national park in 2000. This makes it the newest of the four Czech national parks.

Kamenice Gorge

Coming from Hrensko, the first place you can explore is Kamenice Gorge. This is one of two adjoining gorges, the other being Edmund’s Wild Gorge further along. The path leading into Kamenice Gorge is quite obvious just at the eastern edge of the town. Following the Kamenice river, the trail is incredibly gentle and gives you time to appreciate the vibrant nature all around you.

Walking along the dirt path listening to the river trickling helps you ease in to what can be quite a big day of hiking. But it also begins to show you why the Bohemian Switzerland is so special. The further you go along the path, the greater the walls of the gorge become. You’ll start to see some interesting rock formations and overhang here, giving you a sense of why this national park is so adored.

Edmund’s Wild Gorge

Eventually, you’ll reach several man-made rapids at the top of which lies a ticket booth. This is the dock for the small boats that ferry visitors through to Edmund’s Gorge. It might seem strange to take a boat ride this early on, but it’s the only way to get through. The boat ride through lasts about 20 minutes and costs 80 czk. It’s quite a calm experience, even when a waterfall is triggered right by you.

At the end of the boat ride you reach one of the park’s most iconic sights. It’s a single log cabin secluded within the gorge and makes for one hell of a photo. You can see it above and I just love that spot. Then it’s back to walking again, following the fairly flat river through Edmund’s Wild Gorge.

However you’ll soon reach a bridge which you can take to leave the gorges behind and head up to Mezni Louka. Fair warning though, it’s a pretty steep climb up, but worth it to carry on with your Bohemian Switzerland hiking adventure.

I should mention that you do have another option when you reach the bridge. If you stick to the river you’ll soon reach Divoka Gorge, which has its own boat ride as well. Apparently, you can also walk up to Mezni Louka from the far end of Divoka Gorge. I just wanted to save a little money and see the rest of the park.

Trail to Saunstejn Castle

After reaching the village of Mezni Louka, it’s a good spot for a break. There’s one or two places to get food or beer there, but you may want to wait until later. Either way, it’ll soon be time to continue your adventure hiking in Bohemian Switzerland. When you’re ready set out east along the road in search of Saunstejn Castle. Ten minutes walk out of the village you’ll find an intersection with a gravel road off to your left.

This road will begin to lead you into the forest and is actually marked on Google Maps. What’s not shown is that you can branch off quite soon onto a trail to the right continuing east. This was the path I took, bringing me to the southern approach of Šaunštejn Castle. The trail will be marked by signs with yellow and white horizontal lines.

It’s important to understand that all of the Saunstejn area is completely off the small tourist map you’re given and I wasn’t looking at Google Maps. Nowadays I’d use a proper hiking app like OsmAnd, which actually shows the trails on it. Otherwise, I’m afraid you’ll just have to wing it like I did. Anyway, taking this route you’ll walk about 2km from the main road.

Saunstejn Castle

Soon you’ll reach the rocky base of what is known as Saunstejn Castle. While it might just look like a large rocky outcropping today, there once was indeed a castle here. The castle was built on the rocks here back in the 14th century to protect a local trade route. For the castle they used the rocks as a foundation, building its structure with wood and carving out rooms. Only the carvings and a few foundations now remain.

The fun part of Saunstejn Castle though is the experience of climbing to the top of it. To reach the top you need to scramble up multiple ladders, often getting through very tight squeezes as you do. It’s a whole other challenge than hiking, helping the experience stick out in your mind.

Ultimately though, you want to reach the top for its views. Up there you’ll be able to gaze out over the region’s forest, plus the beginnings of fields and meadows nearby. Worth the climb, trust me.

The Better Saunstejn Trail

Having experienced Šaunštejn Castle and its views, it’s time to take the other trail back to Mezni Louka. I don’t know if this is actually the main trail or not but it’s definitely the more interesting one. Leaving north from Saunstejn you’re immediately treated to a cliff-side trail with fantastic views. After a while you’re also able to look back to Saunstejn and see its rocky mastiff poking through the trees.

Honestly, this may well have been my favourite Czech hiking spot I experienced during my trip. The trails were never straight and boring; you had stellar views; and there was plenty of ups and downs along the way. It was during this part of the day where I first really felt like I was doing a proper hiking day.

The meandering trail northwards will bring you to a trail running east which you’ll want to take. But first you need to find the Malá Pravčická Brána or Little Pravcicka Archway. I say this because I completely missed it, being off the map as I mentioned. Photos of the arch look cool, so I’m mildly disappointed by only knowing about it after the fact.

Anyway, take the new trail east and soon enough you’ll reach a major intersection and start to see signposts. While there were some simple paths to take, I opted for the dirt track up over the ridge line. It not only had fewer people on it, but you’re up among the trees and the wind as it loudly rushes through. Another perk is that the main route brings you back to the 25861 road, while this way curves around to bring you into Mezni Louka from the north.

Visiting the Pravcicka Arch

Again back in Mezni Louka it’s time to set out for out last destination, which just so happens to be the park’s most iconic. The Pravčická Arch is easily the main attraction here and as such is where the park is most busy. You’ll likely notice this as soon as you step on Gabriela’s Trail that leads north west out of Mezni Louka.

The trails here are quite gentle and better maintained than over near Saunstejn. That’s obviously due to the increased traffic they see. Following the Lynx Path brings you to the main part of Gabriela’s Trail that’s up by the German border. It was only upon reaching the trail that I began to see the tour groups and large families. Granted it was the May Day public holiday which could explain why it was so busy.

The trail to Pravčická Arch is 5km long but really was some of the easiest hiking in Bohemian Switzerland I encountered. Getting to the bus stop or even Hrensko is considerably easier, so don’t worry too much if you arrive tired. The first real clue that you’ve arrived is the sight of the historic Falcon’s Nest hotel. This grand old building dates from 1881 and is quite a look all on its own. It’s here that you’ll need to pay the entrance fee of 95 CZK to continue up the hillside to see the arch.

Past the Falcon’s Nest is where you’ll get to properly admire the Pravčická brána. One look and you’ll believe that it’s the largest natural sandstone arch in Europe. While the arch has been off limits for a while now due to erosion, you can sit under it or climb to a nearby observation deck. Up on the narrow terrace you get a great view of this icon, not to mention the entire region. I especially liked all the rock formations visible in the valley on the far side of the ridge.

Now all that’s left to do is get down to the road and get the bus back.

Things to Bring for Your Hike

Whenever you’re hiking, it’s always best to think about what you’re bringing with you. Even though this national park isn’t especially remote, packing the right stuff will make your day more enjoyable. This means the usual essentials like water, sunscreen and proper footwear.

Having cash with you is wise as well, especially as there’s food available in Mezni Louka and Hrensko. That being said, I recommend bringing snacks like muesli bars or trail mix to keep you going. I also suggest bringing some sort of camera as you’ll want reminders of your time in Bohemian Switzerland National Park hiking.

Finally, having a hiking app like OsmAnd really is handy when navigating less common routes. That was the app my friend and I used in Kosovo, and it proved really useful.

Would you like to go hiking in Bohemian Switzerland when you visit the Czech Republic next? Have you visited the Saxon Switzerland National Park across the border? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.