From Moravia to Bohemia: Mikulov - Hradec Králové
Duration: 9 days / 8 nights
Length: 345 km /
216 miles
Trip rating: Moderate
Highlights: The town of Mikulov, Lednice Chateau (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Valtice Chateau (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Čejkovice Chateau, Milotice Chateau, Austerlitz Memorial, Macocha Abyss, the town of Moravská Třebová, the town, castle and Portmoneum of Litomyšl (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Start your cycling in South Moravia in
historical Mikulov and ride on through
the breathtaking Lednice-Valtice Area,
to the area around the town of Slavkov
(also known as Austerlitz). Here, in 1805,
the outnumbered troops of Emperor Napoleon
of France were victorious against the
combined armies of Austria and Russia. After
Austerlitz, continue to the region called the
Moravian Karst and its incredible cave
systems. The next destination is the
charming town of Litomyšl, home of the
legendary Czech composer Bedřich Smetana.
Finish in Hradec Králové, the main town of
East Bohemia, traditionally the seat of the
Czech queens.
| SELF-GUIDED TOUR |
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| Price (based on double occupancy) what's included |
2020 Dates |
| 1690 EUR per person |
Daily from April through October |
| Single supplement: 400 EUR |
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| 15% supplement for single travellers on a self-guided tour* |
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*The car and luggage transfers are calculated based on a minimum of two
people. If you go solo on a self-guided tour, you will pay a 15% tour
supplement to cover the cost of the extra person not going.
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| Road bike or e-bike supplement:
15 EUR / bike / day |
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| GUIDED TOUR |
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| Price (based on double occupancy) what's included |
2020 Dates |
| 2620 EUR per person: Group size 4-7 people |
June 13 - 21 (includes Smetana's Litomyšl) |
| 2330 EUR per person: Group size 8+ people |
July 11 - 19 |
Single supplement: 400 EUR
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Contact our partner if you would like to request a custom, guided bicycle tour on different dates |
| Road bike or e-bike supplement:
15 EUR / bike / day |
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Day 1:
Mikulov
Arrival at Mikulov (easily reached by train from Vienna via Břeclav). Sightseeing around
this historical town famous for its longstanding connection to wine-making and its Jewish
monuments – synagogue and old cemetery.
Overnight in Mikulov.
Day 2:
Mikulov – Lednice-Valtice Area – Čejkovice (57 km / 37miles)
The first day on the cycle route takes you to Valtice with its renowned Baroque chateau
(in its cellars the National Wine Salon serves only the very best wines in the Czech Republic). On to the fairy-tale, Neo-Gothic chateau in Lednice with its outstanding park and
greenhouse. Finish the day in Čejkovice with accommodation in a hotel situated at Čejkovice Chateau.
Overnight in Čejkovice.
Day 3:
Čejkovice – Kyjov (35 km / 22 miles)
Today is one of the less demanding stages, the route of which leads you through the
fertile, wine-growing landscape to Milotice. Here you have the possibility to visit its Baroque chateau and French-style gardens with waterlily ponds and wetland areas. The exhibition of Moravian Baroque sculpture in the chateau orangery is also worth a visit. The
last, short part of the route goes straight to Kyjov.
Overnight in Kyjov.
Day 4:
Kyjov – Slavkov (42 km / 27 miles)
Overcoming the hills of the Ždánický Forest is the main part of the route from Kyjov to
Slavkov. On the 2nd of December 1805 the then largest battle in the world was fought by
the French army (73,000 men, 250 cannons) lead by Napoleon against the allied Austrian
and Russian armies (87,000 men, 350 cannons). Although outnumbered and outgunned,
the French army had time to pick the terrain. They emerged victorious but at a terrible
price. 12,000 French troops died with the allies loosing 27,000 men and all of their artillery.
To this day, the crop fields on the former battleground are more fertile due to the number
of bodies in the ground.
Overnight in Slavkov.
Day 5:
Slavkov – Moravský Kras (50 km / 32 miles)
The route today leads over demanding hilly terrain but the destination is worth it – the
Moravian Karst – a famous cave system and a popular tourist destination
in the Czech Republic. Today's stage could finish with a boat trip down the underground
river Punkva in one of the caves along with a trip to the bottom of the deepest Czech
abyss called Macocha (depth 187,5 m).
Overnight in Moravský Kras.
Day 6: Moravský Kras – Moravská Třebová (62 km / 38 miles)
While being a long stage, your reward is that the trip from Moravský Kras to Moravská
Třebová leads mostly downhill. Moravská
Třebová offers a series of interesting monuments
as well as the chateau, which contains the oldest renaissance monument found above
the Alps – the chateau gate from 1492.
Overnight in Moravská
Třebová.
Day 7:
Moravská Třebová – Litomyšl (36 km / 23 miles)
Today's short stage is designed to allow you more time to explore the charming town of
Litomyšl. You have here the possibility to extend your stay for a night because of the
sheer amount of interesting architecture and monuments that Litomyšl has to offer.
Litomyšl is one of the main towns containing the most famous Renaissance monuments in
the Czech Republic. You can start with the Litomyšl Chateau with its arcade, protected
as a national cultural monument and also protected under UNESCO. Walking around the
historical town square with its many arcades and valuable Baroque and Renaissance houses
is an experience indeed. Visit also the Portmoneum – the museum of Josef Váchal - a painter,
graphic artist and writer whose interest in philosophy, religious icons, theology and
demonology makes this museum a wonderfully bizarre experience and difficult to describe.
Litomyšl also hosts many well known cultural events; perhaps the most famous is the
annual International Opera Festival – Smetanova Litomyšl, named after the celebrated local
composer Bedřich Smetana.
Overnight in Litomyšl.
Day 8:
Litomyšl – Hradec Králové (63 km / 39 miles)
On this last day the cycle route passes through Choceň, Vysoké Mýto and Třebechovice
pod Orebem. This last town is known for its museum of nativity scenes. A collection of
more than 400 are presented as well as a valuable mechanical nativity scene which is
protected as a national cultural monument. Today's destination is Hradec Králové, which
was known as the seat of the Czech queens. At the beginning of the 20th century, Hradec
Králové was changed by the best Czech architects into a showcase of modern architecture. A building of European importance is the newly reconstructed museum of the
architect Jan Kotěra.
Overnight in Hradec Králové.
Day 9:
Departure
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