The Pleasing Hilltop Town of Tabor, Czech Republic

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There seems no end to the number of pretty towns that dot the countryside of the Czech Republic. That was my feeling anyway after visiting the town of Tabor. I though I’d done quite well to find the best places to visit in the Czech Republic beyond Prague, but my last trip to the Czech Republic proved there’s definitely much more.

Visiting Tabor, I was delighted to learn about another picturesque town, full of architecture, history and character. In fact, there are just the right amount of things to do in Tabor that the town would make for a great day trip from Prague. With all that in mind, let’s dig into all the places to visit in Tabor.

Old Town of Tabor

Visiting Tabor, you’re likely to begin in the downtown area in the eastern half of town. While not ugly or anything, there are few places of interest there really. You’re better off just making a beeline for the historic centre of Tabor. Walking up Palackého street you should be able to tell when you’ve reached the historic centre. Right around the police station, you should spot what looks like an old tower gate to the right and start to see historic houses dead in front of you.

Dating from 1420, much of the Old Town feels like it hasn’t changed much over the centuries. Most of the streets here are narrow and mostly for pedestrians. Despite its size, Tabor is definitely a place to go wandering, as there are plenty of picturesque spots hidden away in its back streets.

To me, many of the best sights to see in Tabor were either panoramic views out along the river or quiet street scenes out of the way. Speaking of the river, take a walk along Na Parkánech to see the peaceful green banks of the Luznice river below.

Kizka Square

As is so often the case in Europe, it’s best to start a visit with the town’s main square. In Tabor that’s Zizka Square, a small but scenic plaza in the heart of the old town. The square is named after Jan Zizka, a warrior who made a large impact in the town’s early days. Running on a slope and with a road through it, the square itself isn’t much to look at. The buildings that surround it though? They’re another story altogether.

Zizka Square has a superb collection of buildings around it, from the Town Hall to the many burgher houses that have been lovingly preserved. Each of these gabled houses have their own distinct design making for an interesting jumble to look at. Watching over all this are the two towers, one from the Town Hall and one from the Dean Church at the highest point in the square.

Among all this, my favourite spot on the square is the small tunnel passing through the buildings of the Town Hall. With a fantastic sgraffito ceiling, it definitely makes a powerful first impression.

Tabor Town Hall and Hussite Museum

With its design and tower, the Town Hall of Tabor is hard to miss. But while the outside is nice, inside you find one of the town’s most important museums. The Hussite Museum explores the history of Tabor and its close relationship to the Hussite movement. The Hussites were protestant reformers who followed the teachings of Jan Hus and fought against the Catholic church for years. They actually founded Tabor just as the Hussite Wars with the Holy Roman Empire and Pope began to erupt.

The museum does a good job of explaining the Hussites to those unfamiliar with the movement. It may not be a huge museum, but it nicely covers the town’s origins and gives context to Tabor’s impressive fortifications. There are also underground tunnels for you to explore, but with several school groups going through, I decided against it. For information on ticket prices and opening hours for the different museums of Tabor go here.

Old Town Walls

It’s fair to say that Tabor was a particularly well-defended town. Not only is it found on the top of a hill with steep valleys either side, but it as also protected with fortified walls. Naturally, not all of the town walls have survived to this day age, but enough have to show you what it must have been like.

Head to the northern end of town and you’ll find a park that runs directly beneath one section of defences. With the walls looming over you and a decent gap below as well, you’ll agree that Tabor was pretty safe back in the day.

Even more impressive though is the Bechyne Gate seen above. This gate guarded the southwestern end of the Old Town and together with the nearby Kotnov Tower, it really builds the town’s medieval character. Where Kotnov Tower stands there was actually once a castle, but it actually got converted into a brewery of all things. I suppose, it is the Czech Republic after all! Neither were open when I went because of the time of year, so it’s best to check the opening hours before going.

Holečkovy Sady Park

Curving around the Old Town from the north to west lies Holečkovy Sady Park. From the town walls, this park cascades down the hillside to the stream at the bottom of the valley here. Walking trails run along and connect different sections of the park that are almost like terraces at some points. It’s a very peaceful place and occasionally has views of the old town if you find the right angle.

Jordán Dam

Moving away from the historical centre, one place that’s nice to visit is the Jordan Dam. A scenic lake, it’s found near the downtown part of town. Jordan Dam is quite a pretty place to walk, with plenty of green trees lining the lake. Move far enough around the lake and you’ll also get a nice view back towards the town centre. Seeing Tabor Old Town from afar really makes you realise how high up it is.

Visiting Tabor

Now that we’ve gone through what to do in Tabor, let’s look at how you can go about visiting there. Whether you choose to stay overnight or do a day trip, you’re going to need to get there somehow. When coming from big cities like Prague or Ceske Budejovice, you have the choice of Flixbus or the train. Both are quite similar and timing may be the deciding factor there.

For those planning on staying overnight in Tabor, there’s two things worth noting. One, Pension Alfa & Whisky Pub is a great affordable place to stay based on my time there. Great location, nice owners and no problems with noise from downstairs. The second is that there aren’t many places to stay in Tabor, but still more than enough given the town’s size. Don’t discount staying in Tabor just because of how close it is to Prague. It’s a nice enough place to warrant a night or two there.

Have I shown you enough of the town to make you want to visit Tabor? Apart from visiting Tabor, where else in the Czech Republic interests you? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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