Bohemian Paradise: Discover Exciting Winter Escapes
Enjoying Fun Beyond Castles and Chateaus
For instance, during the weekends, you can explore several castles and chateaus that are open to visitors. Every Saturday in January, Dětenice Castle offers regular tours, which now include a tasting of their Dětenice beer. Staré Hrady Castle and Chateau is also open on weekends and provides fun activities for both children and adults. Another option is Sychrov Castle, operational all year long, which you might know from fairy tales like Goldilocks and The Immortal Aunt.
In winter, many fascinating museums and galleries welcome visitors, open at least on weekends. For example, you can check out the Garnet Gallery, which showcases jewelry made from Czech garnets. At the Customer Centre, there will be exhibitions about Czech garnet and garnet jewelry. The tour starts with how garnets are mined in the Bohemian Central Highlands and includes a look at how stones are cut on both old and new machinery. You also get the chance to watch a goldsmith at work, and everyone can participate in demonstrations of how jewelry is made i even try out making some themselves.
Caves, Rocks, and Skiing Adventures
In the vicinity of Semily, there’s an attraction that is actually more enjoyable in winter than in summer – the Bozkov Dolomite Caves. These caves operate year-round and allow for a more relaxed visit without the long waits typical in summer. However, they are open only Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. A lovely hiking route can take you to rock formations, such as the Klokočské rocks, the Postojna Cave, or the Besedice Rocks.
If the weather is nice, you can indulge in various winter sports. For downhill skiing, there are plenty of ski lifts available at locations such as Kozákov, Tábor in Lomnice nad Popelkou, Struhy near Turnov, above Líšný, Semily – Podmoklice, Koberov na Hamštejně, and Nová Paka. If conditions are good, you’ll also discover cross-country routes near Turnov, Kozákov, Kopanina, Nová Paka, and other places. Over 50 km of groomed cross-country ski trails are set up near Lomnice nad Popelkou, which also has ski jumps.
You can also enjoy ice skating, not just at numerous indoor and outdoor rinks in Jičín, Lomnice nad Popelkou, and Mladá Boleslav, but this year, when the temperatures drop, you can skate on some frozen ponds as well.
