When we acknowledge and accept that by slowing down we are not giving up on the world, but rather we are truly perceiving it, travel ceases to be an escape from the reality of the workday. We cease to just move from place to place, but we journey from moment to moment, and travel becomes a return to ourselves, a return to life, to a world that we don’t need to conquer, but to discover. With openness, generosity, humility towards the stories we perceive in both the landscape and the people. We acknowledge the Way. Slow travel is closely related to sustainability. Ecological and human. In this concept, it is not just about flying less or choosing the train instead of the car, but also about not wanting to tire the place where you find yourself with your presence, you are trying to understand it, not exhaust everything that is available. Slowtravel is also to some extent about the courage to lose control. It is a challenge to let yourself be guided by moments, intuition and unexpected conversations. It can also mean establishing a relationship, not only with what you see, but also with your own pace.

My name is Irena. My husband Aleš and I travel in the Czech Republic and around the world in various ways. We also own the family guesthouse Bohemian Cottage in Bohemian Switzerland. Aleš is a guide in the Bohemian Switzerland National Park and I lead movement retreats abroad several times a year. We look at the topic of slowtravel and responsible tourism from several angles. As a married couple for whom travel is a great enrichment, we look at travel with children through the eyes of accommodation and service providers, as guides to other people. We want to inspire you and show you with concrete examples how we think about travel, what contexts play important roles for us and what feedback we have from our clients, guests and friends. 

How to plan?

Find information in time, compare it and connect it.

Since we work in the service sector ourselves, we plan our own vacations quite a long time in advance. It is good to seek inspiration from like-minded people. Given the overall climate change, we do not go south in the summer due to high temperatures that prevent us from seeing anything, on the contrary, our travel efforts are directed towards finding an air-conditioned space. We are not those for whom an all-inclusive resort at a low price is an option. Our setting is such that we do not need to consume as much as possible for as little money as possible and in the most advantageous way. We look at who we support with our travel, which is why we try to find accommodation directly, for example, not through global platforms. A good accommodation provider pays attention to good presentation, it is his calling card. We most often look for accommodation via Google Maps, so you can also see the surroundings in detail, which is an undeniable advantage. Drive through the streets, roads, places you want to see virtually on Google Maps, perhaps you will discover interesting accommodation. You can also use the information from the accommodation provider for tips for trips, food, a good café, a small gallery or a route that the locals go. We always communicate with the accommodation provider. We also look for a destination agency that operates in the place and look at its information.

We do not use articles recommending top places, we mostly read where not to go this year: for example: https://www.ecoista.cz/kam-radeji-nejet-10-evropskych-mist-ktera-uz-maji-dost-turistu

We have a good habit of finding a local literary author before we go to a destination, reading a book that is set in the given environment, and getting in the mood.

What do I need and why?

The place where you sleep has a big impact on your travel satisfaction. It is therefore important to take the time to choose, a quick trip through booking.com may not always be the right way. Accommodation providers who are exceptional, offer originality, have requests from guests from their own information channels, are not on booking.com and similar platforms. Because they often do not have a philosophy or conditions that the user does not know about. If they are listed there, they release last-minute dates to cover cancellations or low occupancy. If you are looking for something exceptional, search early and directly.
Choose a destination, search in the search engine by entering words in the language spoken in the destination. or in English. And even here. The good ones have a website in English. Skip the advertising items, go to other pages in search engines. Each destination also has local websites. Please note, I don’t mean to say that when we go to Milan for the weekend, we completely eliminate quick selection. But it’s not the only source we use.

We are increasingly seeing guests looking for accommodation based on the eco-friendly approach of the accommodation provider. Does it offer regional products? Can it provide transport from the train, does it use renewable resources? In the Czech Republic, there is no unified rating system for the quality of services, nor do the so-called stars have a unifying character, and there is no system of so-called eco-friendly accommodation providers. So if you are looking for eco, responsibility/sustainability, there is no choice but to read the accommodation providers’ websites.

Our guesthouse is a member of several accommodation communities in Germany that accept “eco” members, or use renewable resources, have an energy label: A, are built from natural building materials, food waste is minimized, waste sorting is a matter of course, no single-use plastic, no single-use plastic water bottles. Organic waste is reused, they have a water-efficient shower, natural cleaning and cleaning products and cosmetics. Rainwater is used for the garden, toilet and a wastewater filtration system is used. This is a list that 80% of members must meet. In our country, it goes a bit naturally, the water from the gutter goes into the natural biotope, we do not have a sewer system, so we had to build our own root treatment plant. We would like it if a similar eco-friendly selection were implemented in the Czech Republic and guests were presented with the importance of such operations, their advantages and responsible selection.

Where to go on trips?

We don’t go on trips to destinations that most tour companies organize.

If we still want to see something from the top list, we choose these places outside the main tourist season or at a specific time so that we can be there early in the morning or later in the afternoon. For example, this is how we managed to be at the pyramids in Giza in Egypt from 7:00 to 9:00 all alone. Miracle! After the ninth hour, the circus started.

If we find most travel articles about how to travel Cuba in 14 days, we won’t do it either. Specifically in Cuba: We chose three places: Havana, Bay of Pigs, Trinidad and we stayed in each place for a week. After three days, most people in the village around the bay were surprised that we were still there, they started talking to us more even though they don’t speak any language except Spanish, it doesn’t matter. Our son played soccer with the local boys, we saw the rare supply of a restaurant by horse-drawn carriage, which also drives there on the highway, we saw children at school and the local chirping when I took nylon tights out of my suitcase and handed them out to women in the village.

If you want to experience authenticity, or avoid tourist traps, don’t be fooled by Instagram photos. No tourist takes 100% reality photos, full beaches in photos or sitting in traffic on the way to the most beautiful beach in Europe. Look for photos from guests when booking your accommodation, not every accommodation provider will post a photo of the road outside the windows from one side of the hotel. Then you just close the windows for the night and draw the curtains to get some sleep. For example, we have a photo of the view from the window for each apartment. We try to update the photos when something changes in the interior or exterior.

Also check the topicality of texts and photos. As accommodation providers, we know that it is important to mention specifics, such as steep stairs to the bedroom, and then we eliminate the complaint that an elderly person with mobility problems is booking an apartment. Being transparent about this simply pays off in the long run and on the nerves.

A good accommodation provider will also direct you to a concert that is taking place tomorrow. We often also look at the websites of the city or region we are heading to before leaving, and we usually discover something interesting that will be happening. For example, we visited a concert by the band Blood Harmony in Akureyri in Iceland and it was an extremely beautiful experience. Finally, we were able to take off our winter jackets in public and wear special T-shirts with the inscription in Icelandic: Truth and love will triumph over lies and hatred. The locals were interested. Even though they are rather introverted and it didn’t encourage frequent debates, we were simply on a mission Planning is also related to our belief that by how we behave on the road, how we communicate, what we choose, we represent our nation in a certain way among people. We also bring something typically Czech with us as gifts.

Inspiration for the publication:

Recently, we have been delighted with the publication Rare Places. It is about trips to unusual architecturally interesting places, smaller locations in less exposed areas. Those interested in modern architecture will be thrilled.

We are part of the European community GoodTravel.eu, which published the publication Good places for good people. It is about interesting accommodations and the stories of the people who create it.

Inspiration Bohemia:

Our country is small, but beautiful and there is something to discover everywhere, in any season. The regional diversity is amazing. In the Czech Republic, we also travel to unknown destinations: the Slavkov Forest, where we went cross-country skiing in the winter, Horšovský Týn, where we were surprised by the beautiful castle, the Novohradské Mountains, the Rychlebské Mountains, the Moravian Karst… We are also greatly influenced by the driving distance, we simply do not drive across the entire republic for 2 nights. If we go further, we choose at least three nights.

In more detail: The Lusatian Mountains and the surrounding area are our home: the smallest mountains in the Czech Republic, several beautiful 700-meter peaks without crowds and fences. The iconic train station restaurant in Jedlová, the unique Nová Perla gallery in Kyjov, a guided tour of Schindler’s Knitting Factory, a region of small sacral monuments, a region of glassmakers who do honor and glory to their craft, former textile factories that attract creative people to breathe new life into them. A “secret” tip for winter, you can reach the glassworks in the Lusatian Mountains and Polevsko in winter along long cross-country skiing trails and you will be warm inside.

In more detail: The Broumov region, where we will gladly avoid the crowded Adršpach, but we will take a trip around Zdoňov and end it with a gastronomic experience at the Kovářova kobyla restaurant, which is an absolute border revelation. We will stay right in the Broumov monastery in a monk’s cell and the next day I will go buy towels for Veba and a Laiva skirt from local creators, whose piece was also brought by Mrs. Eva Pavlová.

Inspiration for abroad: last year we chose a not-so-well-known destination near Berlin, the Sandugkensee Nature Reserve, for a family vacation. The flat landscape is perfect for cycling and swimming in forest weirs. Sometimes the proximity of a nature reserve or national park or protected landscape area is our criterion.

Planning for groups:

When I was looking for suitable accommodation for my yoga retreat on the island of Mauritius, the key search words were eco, sustainability, local. I found The Good life Mauritius and with it a young, friendly French couple who do a simply wonderful service there in cooperation with the locals. You are part of a concept where food is not wasted on all-inclusive and towels are not changed every day, we don’t do that at home either, right?

An interesting place away from the main tourist stream usually has some buts. Not everything is right next to you, you need to walk or drive to the shop or accept that a few steps are not enough to get to the beach. That is often the key to not finding yourself on a beach full of sun loungers in a crowd. But your reward will be the village, the opportunity to talk to people who actually live there, you can see daily rituals, a rhythm that doesn’t tire you.

Going to Greece with your family?

For the same in Europe, I can mention the Greek island of Corfu. The islander Pavla Smetanová writes books about life under the olive trees, I recommend contacting Pavla for individual travel, because she has local knowledge. She will be interested in what your preferences are and will choose suitable accommodation for you based on that and recommend places to visit. She herself says that the stay recommended by her may not be cheaper than with a large travel company, but you will have a completely different experience. Pavla also once recommended Zuzana Stavroulaki to me, who lives in Crete. Simply put, once you start creating a network of like-minded people, contacts and opportunities pile up.

Planning is a gesture…

Planning is a way to listen to your needs before you set off on a journey. You can choose a destination according to your values, your relationship with nature, the cultural rhythm that is close to you, your hobbies and interests. In slowtravel, the goal is not to “make the most of your time”, but to give time space. Letting the day unfold as it needs to — even if it takes you somewhere else than you imagined. And right there, when you stop trying to “catch up,” something profound can finally meet you…

When plans change and the art of taking risks

The plan for our trip to Iceland changed when we started listening to the audiobook Kalman during our vacation. The gripping novel of the Icelandic north so captivated us that we started traveling to places that were essential to the novel. We were introduced to the book by a traveling couple we talked to after climbing the crater. It’s good not to get attached. Sometimes we also set off somewhere without a clear destination. Unexpected surprises are then remembered and something simply needs to be discovered, like this place in the middle of nowhere. A lake, a “hobbit” house, two Icelanders and hot chocolate and pancakes…

When to go?
And that’s a big challenge. Holidays, weekends, holidays. A large number of people travel on the same days and times there and back. Everyone wants to relax at the same time, everyone wants to ski or lie on the beach at the same time. Prices are skyrocketing because accommodation providers know this, but it doesn’t matter, other times they don’t have time, so they pay twice as much for the same services. Slowtravel gets busy, or due to circumstances you get to a state of Mindfulness zero.

We both work in tourism and services, so we can plan our holidays and work from elsewhere in a modern workaction way according to our workload, sometimes even the occupancy of our guesthouse. And our free time works out the opposite way to everyone else. But we have two children who have compulsory school attendance and that groups us with other families with children. So the two of us go outside weekends and holidays. We all go together to destinations where there is no holiday pressure. We make a lot of use of spring break. These are different in each district. It’s a shame that it’s not like that in the summer, like in Germany. It would help both hosts and guests. As hosts, we often tell guests to add at least a Thursday or Monday to the weekend. The quality of time will change significantly and an excused day at school will not be a problem. We are not surprised that weekends are more expensive for hosts. Try to eliminate this fact, plan at a different time than others. Arrive on Sunday, when others are leaving. We always melt when we see how our guests enjoy their time from Sunday to Wednesday, well, even Tuesday is good. First of all, there are significantly fewer of them in the accommodation facility, which means greater comfort in the common areas and the energy of leisure on weekdays is simply unique. The residents will also be friendlier because there are not crowds of people passing by their windows every day. Have any of you been to Croatia in October or November? We do, and you are surprised by how much sun there is, what the prices are and how the country breathes differently. That is real relaxation for us.

How much does it cost?
The price difference between the so-called high season and the low season can be huge.
The price is controlled by supply and demand. It’s easy when there is a high demand, the prices of accommodation, services, and air tickets are higher than the prices for the same services at a different time.
The game with last minute/all inclusive and discounts is unsympathetic to us. Do I want to meet hotel guests in cheap resorts every day who just lie around and drink? Discounts play a marketing role in tourism. But is the price reduced by 50% really that much lower? How is that even possible? Or can I get the same service elsewhere for a similar price without a discount?
You can travel cheaply on foot with a backpack, there are many pilgrimage trails crisscrossing Europe. They are newly being created in the Czech Republic, for example Hřebenovka in Bohemian Switzerland.

Inspiration: Trail through the Czech Republic www.viaczechia.cz, Hřebenovka: www.hrebenovka.cz

How to get there?

The journey is part of the experience

You can also save a lot on transport and slowtravel really encourages this. Have you ever tried a seven-day train ticket for the summer?
When we go somewhere, we try to enjoy the journey itself. Stop at a place we would never go directly to. For example, we drove to Lefkada with a stop in Macedonia. We allowed the children to sleep in a hostel with other travelers, it was an experience for them, we explored the city of Ohrid, swam in the lake and continued on. For us, the journey is part of the experience.

We traveled to Iceland for 3 days by boat, it was incredibly beautiful. Some would consider it a waste of time. In our opinion, not. We had time for ourselves, time to do nothing, we just drove, we managed to calm down and prepare for the adventure. We read Icelandic novels and poems and studied the necessary travel information.

Transportation at the place of travel is important. Experience how the locals travel. Sometimes it is a greater experience than the place we want to reach. Some guests, cycling enthusiasts, come to us by bike from Prague. We often wonder how and if it is possible to travel in an original way, for example. There is now a night train on the route Prague-Děčín-Brussels-Amsterdam

Inspiration Berlin:

Sometimes it’s easier to ride a bike than to look for a parking space. Berlin by bike with kids was great for us. This city is ideal for bikes. You can get around Berlin safely and stress-free on bikes, even with small children.

We noticed that many people living in Berlin come to us by train. They don’t have a car. They don’t need one. We offer to pick them up at the station.

A different way to take a familiar route

When we take a car, we don’t park at point A and, like everyone else, we then go to point B and back. Try to find point C on the map and walk from point A and/or B. It may be a longer journey, but… you’ll break the stereotype that most guidebooks recommend. Here’s an example: we wanted to see Dettifoss. It’s one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland. They say the second one is no better in Europe Simply TOP. You will arrive at a large parking lot offering 500m signposts this way there and back. I look at the map I found at the gas station and find out that there is a tourist sign crossing the entire National Park, connecting the individual waterfalls, I look at mapy.cz and I can’t find an interesting circuit, how to get to the waterfall in 3 km. We walk and just stare, no one anywhere. Just a waterfall.

I will share my inspiration from Bohemian Switzerland with you, only in person, otherwise we will meet here, where we would never meet in so many people

Stays with a positive trace on the spot…

My own experience: We have had several stays in our guesthouse, during which the guests spent a few hours of their time doing useful work in the area. Once a group of men cleaned the Křinice River, walked along the riverbed, talked and did a good deed. At other times, they helped restore an old factory building, where the Nová perla gallery was created, or they participated in the demolition of an old house near Schindler’s Knitting Factory. The owner then showed them around the unique premises of the knitting factory with a 170-year tradition.

Sommerjob is an activity of young people who come to villages or cities at the beginning of the holidays. After agreement, the city allows them to stay in, for example, a school. Young people offer their help for a week to anyone who needs it: they paint fences, chop wood, clean up the gardens of the city’s citizens, and there are intergenerational meetings. In the afternoon and evening they have their own program, culture, trips. Summerjob is an established project with a significant impact on the regions and social mood.

Experiences:

Food/culture/sports/exercise/nature/technology

Slow food – enjoying local cuisine without rushing. Sometimes you get into it unintentionally, and that’s when you’re really hungry, but the southern pace is simply the southern pace, you should have more time for food, at least according to the walking speed of the waiter on the set. In Cuba, the food preparation took forever, and we drank mochittos, which the waiter topped up with rum after a small sip, so after a while we didn’t care at all that we were waiting for an hour…

The courage to try something new is connected to everything. Sometimes, under the influence of the experience of the trip, I taste something in conditions that I would probably have missed otherwise, but hunger is hunger. On the way from the mountains in Sri Lanka, eating with my hands at a simple roadside stand, pancakes on the fire, dhal, but it was just hunger and fun. The lady didn’t have enough tea cups, she creatively solved it with one cup for two people. Going to a local market in Bali and then being happy with a plate for 30 crowns, sitting on a plastic chair and perceiving the natural bustle of this evening… simply an experience

From the guide’s perspective: It can be really hard to convince an American tourist in the Czech Republic to have sirloin steak. They simply travel differently and very quickly, they want to see as many of the most famous places as possible during the day. If you take them to a less well-known similar place, they will be happy to go, but they still want to see the top and eat quickly, just fast food. But for example, Aleš took Japanese tourists to a brewery, ordered them tlačenka, utopence and toast, and the fun was only in explaining the names. Sometimes Asians spread sauce on dumplings in the same way as on bread. In Iceland, we tasted hákarl, which is fermented shark meat, enough for hardened personalities. But we talk about it everywhere, because we earned recognition among the locals by eating it.

But how do I choose a good gastro restaurant in a place I don’t know at all? Be sure to ask the accommodation provider if they recommend anything. If that’s not an option, local guides are available in leaflets or online. Be careful, their relevance may not be 100% accurate. You still have to look at Google Maps and look for stars and, above all, read current reviews (both positive and negative). Check the date the review was posted.

Finding a good café can be a challenge. In Milan, you just have to go out on the street. Even in the remote Sudetenland, where we live, those who look for it will find it. Even in the regions, café culture is gradually changing for the better, try the Atelier café in Krásná Lípa, Bohemian Coffee house in Rumburk or Hosana café in Varnsdorf. For many people, visiting a good place for food or coffee is an essential part of a successful trip. We love to discover and be inspired. When we were in Podyjí, in the border village of Čižov, we came across a self-service shop, more like a garage (it’s not even on Google Maps). You simply have to buy that apple from the garage. Because rarities need to be supported.

 
Swimming
If you are hardy, you have an advantage if you find a blue spot on the map and go explore it. For example, in the Lusatian Mountains there is the always cold and crystal clear Naděje reservoir. The name itself suggests that it would like to be discovered.

Sports and exercise
I think that we have a huge range of sports activities in the Czech Republic, all year round. Mountains, rivers, courts, golf courses, rocks, and even cycle paths. Have you tried football golf or Czech skittles, for example? Every town or village in our country still lives with some kind of sport through active clubs. There is excellent basketball in Děčín, football is played in Líšen again, and handball in Dvůr Králové. When the weather is not conducive to long trips, we now visit football stadiums, for example, because our son likes to play football.

Culture
Be brave, check out the city’s website and go to a local band, even if you don’t know how it plays. Community cultural life opens up another door to the unknown. Here in Bohemian Switzerland, for example, the small village of Doubice has around 100 inhabitants, there is the Cifra gallery and the Fabrika music club, and they always have some aces up their sleeves. A concert or exhibition by the famous rapper Vladimír 518 right after the trip will surprise you, maybe even encourage you, that even in smaller towns great culture can have its leading place.

Nature
Even in “quiet” nature, you can meet a lot of tourists in exposed places, you can eliminate their number by choosing the right time, for example, getting up early or, conversely, arriving late. Finally, it will come in handy one day.
The popularity of places is caused by marketing. Visit the largest sandstone gate, the oldest pyramid, etc. But you can find similar objects nearby, without tourists, they just don’t have a sticker. For example, in Bohemian Switzerland we also have the small Pravčická Gate and behind another hill is the northernmost point of the Czech Republic, which you definitely can’t reach by car. An interesting concept and thinking about movement in nature is presented by architect Ondřej Machač, for example. His diploma thesis Fragments of Silence, which you can find publicly, encourages you to explore the landscape of Broumov off marked paths, sometimes even off the path. He presents interesting concepts of real elements in the landscape, putting something extra into them that can interest a pilgrim or tourist. Did it arouse your curiosity? Find Fragments of Silence.

Technology
I think that every country (locality) has its own travel enthusiast, local creator, interesting application. Search for information in the place where you want to stay. Newly, AI will help you. Specify what you are looking for, add slowtravel and write specific goals.
We like to use mapy.cz for hiking, even when I am looking for a hiking or cycling trail, not only in the Czech Republic, but also abroad. For a place to park overnight, I use Park4Night and Google Maps.
To connect the unconnected, I combine technology with local paper maps, with tips for trips that I find, for example, at a gas station.

 A FEW terms in bubbles

Slowtravel – emphasis on the quality of experiences instead of the quantity of places visited

Digital detox – limiting technology for a deeper travel experience

Responsible travel – reducing carbon footprint, supporting local businesses

Minimalism – light travel with minimal luggage, minimal demands on the environment

workaction – work and vacation in one

wellness & self-care stays – vacation as a reboot

Authentic travel & tourism – focuses on gaining deeper and authentic experiences that allow participants to get to know and understand local culture, traditions and way of life. This form of tourism tries to avoid commercialized and tourist-overloaded attractions and instead focuses on the real and natural aspects of the destination.

Voluntourism – combines vacation with active help in the areas visited. It involves active involvement in projects that have a positive impact on the local community, environment or other area where the tourist is located.

Farm to table is a model that emphasizes the direct sourcing of ingredients from local sources, thereby minimizing the distance between the place of production and the final consumer. The goal is to support local farmers, reduce the ecological footprint associated with the transportation of food, and ensure its freshness and quality.

Community-based tourism is a form of tourism whose development concept is based on the needs of the host community. It is based on the activities of local residents and its implementation reflects local economic conditions and organization. This type of tourism is one of the forms of sustainable tourism and contributes to its implementation by providing economic benefits to the local community and supporting local businesses.

Published in Heroine Magazine in 2025.

The post Slowtravel as a freedom first appeared on Accommodation Bohemian Switzerland - apartments, wellness, guide, yoga, rental.

When the landscape is shrouded in fog and the days get shorter, we instinctively seek safety and warmth. At Bohemian Cottage, we believe that the cold months and winter silence are the most precious time to return to ourselves. We are open all year round because we know that you don’t need to recharge your batteries in the summer, but right now.

Warming rituals for cold days

Imagine the contrast: it’s freezing outside or raining lightly and you’re sitting in a wood-scented sauna. The heat permeates every muscle. Then all you have to do is immerse yourself in a hot open-air bath – the steam rises to the sky and you just observe the sleeping garden. This is the medicine that our body really needs in winter.

The light within us When the sun is missing outside, we seek it in movement and breath. Our Meditation Linden Hall is your refuge. Yoga in the warmth of your home, accompanied by a cup of herbal tea from our meadows, will dispel winter fatigue and restore your lost energy.

The scent of home and quiet walks Winter mornings here start slowly. A breakfast basket full of honest flavors will wait for you until you get a good night’s sleep. And if you feel like moving, the surrounding forests of Bohemian Switzerland are at their quietest in winter – no crowds, just you, the crunch of snow or frozen leaves, and clean air that will clear your head.

Come and take a breath. Winter here is not grey, but soothing and warm.

The post Bohemian Wellbeing first appeared on Accommodation Bohemian Switzerland - apartments, wellness, guide, yoga, rental.

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Otuzovarna – natural hardering

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Forest path

Czech Switzerland

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Bohemian Switzerland, at the eighth stop, The Lusatian Mountains – a perfect trio dedicated to a quiet holiday without crowds and with activities and places to top it all off, which children will appreciate, where they will definitely not be bored. It is, of course, fundamentally important, where the family sets up base camp. The Bohemian Cottage guesthouse is sought after all year round for its breathtaking tranquility, a wonderful environment as well as a friendly and natural background. Getting a place here is not easy, the interest is really great. But because the family Kubica are, above all, family, the holiday period is mainly dedicated to parents with children.

From Kamenná Horka in Krásná Lípa, you can easily reach most of the most attractive places in all three mentioned regions. Let’s go on foot, by bus, by train, by car or perhaps on snowshoes, and literally in any direction, your children will be delighted. Why? So let’s discuss it…

Sparkling snow, the sun is not warm, but paints the sky azure, the air is like a saw and the snow drift is more perfect than the best bobsleigh track. Just sit on the sled, or slap yourself on a plastic bob and rush down and scream and yell beautifully and uninhibitedly. It doesn’t matter at all, how old are you…

Or completely ordinary walks, which are always extraordinary here. There are dozens of forest paths in the immediate vicinity of the Bohemian Cottage, that will take you to places, where you won’t meet a living soul, except perhaps a few dog walkers or a falconer, who trains his predators here. Maškův vrch is one of them. Driving in the snow is so different, beautiful and alluring. And if perhaps the walk became ordinary for the children, just make a single inconspicuous ball… and start an uncompromising ball game.

Is evident, that no one will guarantee you, that there will be snow – you can’t be sure of that even in the Alps. Charles výšina, but she is stunning, whatever the weather or season. The rock wall hidden in the forest offers views into the depths of the Czech Netherlands and is another easily accessible destination.

Not even when nature starts to take shape, that spring vacations belong to spring after all and there is no sign of snow, forest paths will take you to incredible places. And because there are no tourist signs leading to many of them, it can happen to you, that you will turn onto an inconspicuous country road and out of nowhere a fairy-tale horizon will open up in front of you and you will gaze in amazement at the whole of Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland and in the distance Queen Milešovka herself will rise majestically in front of you.

Brtnické icefalls That the walk must have some promising and consequently stunning goal? Well then, head down the Vlčí potok valley from Brtniky to the famous icefalls. These do not arise depending on severe frosts, on the contrary, they often form surprisingly even in mild winter, because the water from the melting snow runs down the edge of the rocks and slowly freezes, creating icicles and ice cascades of incredible sizes and colors. And if you take the children to the cave behind the ice curtain and leave the sun, to conquer behind you, it will be simply unforgettable.

But let’s be optimistic, winter includes snow, endless plains and clear horizons. Who has never worn snowshoes and walked through a snowy meadow, he did not experience the miracle of walking on water. In this breathtaking place, on the meadows stretching to the saddle between Studenec and Lipnický vrch, where it is almost certain to see a huge herd of fallow deer with a few hefty stags, Czech Switzerland meets the Lusatian Mountains, and in this borderland you won’t find anyone… not even ghosts.

at the eighth stop? No, so you will be really surprised, until the elder of the ghosts here rises up out of nowhere in front of you, Hejkal himself. In the year, you are in the land of legends and fairy tales, and there is absolutely nothing to stop a child’s imagination. And if you accept children’s invitations to a world of wonderful improbabilities, you will be surprised, that it is actually still your world.

And now we’re going to kick things off a bit – we’ll have a Krásnolipský children’s triathlon. This jack is tried and tested, just go after it. It starts at Vlčí Hora, in the former school, where the company’s visitor center is located today Nobilis Tilia, which produces natural cosmetics in the adjacent factory. Here, in a charming shop full of fragrances, moms can smell and smell and try and sample in peace, daddies to sit and watch chirping – and children?

The local fairies will take care of them here, which will introduce them to the realm of scents and their meanings. At a very special dressing table, children can make their own and original perfume here. And don’t think, that only girls enjoy it! Boys usually take it as a scientific discipline. Everyone is guaranteed to enjoy a bottle containing a fragrance just for them.

Full of fragrant experiences, we will now move to the square in Krásná Lípa, where he winks kindly at us Mana chocolate shop. Buy that delicious hot chocolate or some chocolate treat, everyone can do that. In addition to the store, Mana also offers a chocolate workshop, and we’ll head for it. Here, children can try working with chocolate and make a chocolate souvenir – for example a lollipop or a chocolate souvenir with the motif of one of the tourist destinations.

It’s a bit of alchemy, but above all fun. Even the biggest slobbers will fall into serious creative concentration here. Finally, the finished work needs to be saved, so that it can harden. And wait. what? Wait? Children hate that! No worries – just a few tens of meters away, the waiting room is a sight to behold!

You cannot miss the House of Czech Switzerland. A playful and interactive exhibition awaits you on its ground floor and basement, where it is possible to learn a lot, but above all, the children literally have a blast here – and the chocolate can harden in peace. I would like to see the observation deck under the roof?

You can research here, examine, discover…

…as well as chasing a badger into its mysterious burrow. So far, the chocolate has solidified into a perfect shape, and excited children proudly holding their products logically get a taste for something good, which desire can be satisfied immediately in the neighboring house called U Frinda, where the cozy cafe offers delicious soups as well as cakes and desserts. Half the day flew by like water – but there were really a lot of experiences.

If you feel like going on a trip to more distant places, another round is a possibility. For example, Print Walls, that’s a guaranteed adventure. You can find anything you want here – rocky streets and squares, rocks of the strangest shapes and even stranger names, path along the very edge of the rock wall, ladders and endless staircases. And watch out for sprites! They are just teeming here, and how sneaky they are! They will put stray spices in your pocket and you won’t be able to get off the rocks!

But if you untangle yourself from the Velké Tiské walls, the Little ones are still waiting for you. They start with a climb to one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the region. No, try to beat this one! Below is a labyrinth of smaller rocks and crags, where in truth there is nowhere to fall, and so the children run around enthusiastically, without any danger to them.

When the dignified Mushroom says goodbye to us for all the rock creatures and monsters, It is clear, that this trip was worth it. It takes about an hour to get here from the guesthouse, and you won’t find anything like it far and wide.

A completely different experience awaits children, on the other hand, literally around the corner, in picturesque Doubica. Here, on the vast space behind the Old Inn, wooden sculptures spread out in all directions, mysterious castles, slides and climbing frames, so it’s really all-you-can-eat more for hardened adults, but children don’t solve these things – they either enjoy something or they don’t. And this Obludarium will not bore them to the concrete.

A trip to Doubice – if you manage to get the children out of the previous attraction – can continue to very unusual places. Specifically, to the Narrow Stairs, which truly live up to their name. More corpulent people also have a problem here, on the other hand, the children climb the rock crevice on ladders like squirrels. which simply cannot be described otherwise, if there is a meter of snow and it is freezing cold, it is not advisable to attempt this path through the rocks, but in milder weather it’s a sensational idea.

It is surprising for many inland people, how obvious it is to find yourself here, often unexpectedly, in neighboring Saxony and Upper Lusatia. And going here with a clear goal is an even better idea. There is so much to experience. For example, a thoroughly adventurous journey by steam train in historic wagons to Oybin station.

The path leads upwards from the station, to the romantic and mysterious ruins of the castle and monastery. Find yourself in a Gothic cathedral, whose ceiling is the sky itself… How often do you experience something like this?

The path leads upwards from the station, to the romantic and mysterious ruins of the castle and monastery. Find yourself in a Gothic cathedral, whose ceiling is the sky itself… How often do you experience something like this?

But let’s go back to Bohemian Switzerland. There is a place between Jetřichovice and Rynartice, which is simply mandatory when traveling with children. The famous Dwarf Rock with the rock elves and the poor widow, which the pidimen saved, when she got stuck in a rock gap, is an attraction almost two hundred years old. It was carved by a local chronicler, typist and also a bit of an entrepreneur Eduard Vater. Of course he would be happy, if he could hear the high pitch of today’s children, because the search for and especially the finding of more and more men does not take place in silence.

To be in Jetřichovice and not climb Falkenštejn, that wouldn’t make sense. The famous Jetřichovick viewpoints can be quite difficult to access in a snowy winter (if there is no snow – hooray for them!), on the other hand, you can reach the remains of Falkenstein castle at any time. Raven rock is simply impressive from here and you will never get tired of looking at it.

From Jetřichovice to the river Kamenice, this is another almost mandatory trip. A silent river shrouded in snow ghosts is so different from a singing whimsical summer stream, that it is definitely worth walking around the breathtaking Jetřichovická Běla to its mouth in Kamenice and a little further, because that’s about it, what is hiding behind a massive rock, You simply cannot deprive your children of that.

Dolský mill. The most fabulous place in the country. However, fairy tales have already been filmed here. As it seems, that a few of those devils simply had to stay here somewhere and play cards with Kamenický waterman after evenings in the mill.

What do you say? That I should give the devil a break, those that make you want warmth? So let’s warm up! Literally a few steps from the boarding house, children will roll their eyes at a live blacksmith in a real forge. Kovář Míla will be happy to show them, how the hearth is lit, how they hammer with a sledgehammer and a blacksmith’s hammer, and you and the children in the adjacent Barn will marvel at the gallery of magical angels, candlesticks, birds, fish and other triumphs of human creativity.

Where else could it be so warm and at the same time extraordinary things could be experienced there… Well, in the glassworks after all. And that there are! How about going to Kunratic near Cvikov to Jiří Pačinek’s glass factory? Why? Maybe because of the magical garden, which is in full bloom even in winter, because the glass does not deteriorate even in the coldest weather.

In the heat, even in the heat of the glassworks, children can try something from the art of master glassmakers. Who could resist…

Just a little further, in Lindava, the longest village in the world (at least that’s how it always seemed to me), under the mysterious hill of Ortel, you will also find the Ajeto glassworks with a glassmaking pub and a glassmaking operation, which can be viewed from the observation deck. Of course, it is necessary to drive here in the morning, during, when do glassmakers work?.

You’ll see things here too, over which your mind will stand. Children are usually amazed by it immediately, what glassmakers can do with hot glass, how the most fragile of fragile beauties are born under their hands.

A few kilometers further, in Nové Bor, in the Novotný glass factory, in addition to the gallery and shop, a very decent restaurant awaits you, but whose greatest advantage does not lie in the mind of the cooks, but in that, that while you are debunking tenderloin, you are looking through a giant glass wall directly at the glass furnaces.

Quiet strength. Order. Championship. Imaginativeness. One would look at that endlessly, because if someone can do something perfectly, it’s captivating and addicting.

Only, you know it. An adult could stand watching the clock for hours, but children must be constantly excited, change, something new, something else… Just no boredom! So let’s go out again, for example to the longest avenue in the Czech Netherlands leading from Krásná Lípa to the defunct village of Skřivánčí pole.

Maybe we’ll be lucky for a robin or a buzzard here, ravens, dates… (Photo by Václav Sojko)

… or even a herd of roe deer, a frightened badger or a fox looking for something to eat in the meadows. This is unlikely to happen to children in a city park – and here it is almost a common thing.

If you are surprised, how varied the offer is, what to interest and entertain children during their spring break, save the surprise for later, because now we will go to the tops of the hills and climb the stairs to the observation decks of countless lookouts. This is one of the most beautiful, stone lookout tower on the third highest peak of the Lusatian Mountains, Jedlová .

Admit it yourself – she’s not a beauty? And next to it, a pleasant restaurant operates year-round. Now you might be thinking – and it’s worth clawing your way up to? So watch…

I think, that it is totally worth it.

For all lookouts, how many are around, let’s look at two more. But you can also go to Děčínský Sněžník, Smoker, Dancers, Weifberg… and it opens a few more viewpoints until the summer season. The country looked around, just. So first Wolf Mountain.

She is beautiful, whether there is snow or not.

It is the oldest in the region and the ascent to it is not difficult at all, one short sharp climb – and you’re there. And the view?

No comment.

We were already hanging around Studenec. So why not go all the way to the top and climb the spiral stairs of the observation tower leading to the next view, which penetrates the soul and excites even cynical creatures, what children are like, let alone adults and teenagers. (Photo by Václav Sojko)

And carefully when descending! Spotting a herd of chamois on the stony seas of Studene is nothing extraordinary – after all, there are already two hundred and fifty individuals living here. (photo by Václav Sojka)

To recommend the Way of the Cross… well, that is perhaps even unnecessary. After all, we are already on this path

The scapulars graduated once. Only in the summer. And winter is a great graphic artist and painter.

Walk all the way to Tolštejn, it’s a double experience. Firstly, from the beautiful journey itself, and then – the terraces built in the ruined castle, it’s not exactly a lookout point, but the views from here are spectacular.

Although the list is far from complete, it’s time to take a last walk through the snowy forest.

The sun is slowly getting stronger, but the evenings are still hungry and come earlier, than one would wish. But the evenings here… hmm, it tends to be a bewitching adventure of light and dark, fog and shadows, earthiness and that, which is beyond us. (photo by Václav Sojka)

So come. Make a call, write, book a spring holiday stay and offer your children things, which they may not even have dreamed of. Because… how long will they be kids? you say, much shorter time, than we and they would like. A, if you will allow one personal experience, there is nothing stronger in human life, more beautiful and meaningful, than when your grown child tells you one day: “I had a beautiful childhood. Thank you.”

For an idyll, friendly welcome and hill experiences, Irena and Aleš Kubic. And it is, believe, very solid warranty.

Wrote: Rostislav Skrivánek

The post WINTER: Mom and Dad I would like to go there on holiday? first appeared on Accommodation Bohemian Switzerland - apartments, wellness, guide, yoga, rental.

Here I was approached by a young woman with a striking accent, obviously a foreigner, and she said: “Where do you go to this Crystal Valley?” It’s very difficult to explain. CRYSTAL VALLEY is a very large area. It starts near Kamenický Šenov (and could easily be in Chřibská) and continues for another seventy kilometers as the crow flies to Harrachov. So it makes sense that it is not one real valley, but, similar to Silicon Valley in California, an area connected by a phenomenon, in this case glassmaking and glass in general. We can find the most glass and costume jewelry companies in the world here.

It is a chain of glassworks, design studios, museums, galleries, but also glass schools.
All of them operate independently, although some of them only decided to open to the public by joining the Crystal Valley project. Several times a year, a weekend takes place when people can visit places they would not otherwise be able to visit. For example, the private studios of glass artists, often literally in their living rooms. Waiting for such a weekend is a gourmet’s delight.
My Radunka and I manage to visit six destinations in a day – and we live off those experiences for a long time. Well, and if someone wanders into Crystal Valley at another time, there are still plenty of places left with clearly declared opening hours. So accept the scapular insight, a flight through several remarkable places in Crystal Valley. For comprehensive information, including dates of weekend events, visit crystalvalley.cz or www.facebook.com/visitcrystalvalley/. And when you’re on the Crystal Valley website, don’t forget to check out the Stories section. Here you’ll find my stories about the focal points of the glassmaking phenomenon in northern Bohemia.

Let’s start unconventionally – with what is not in Crystal Valley (but should be). Since the project was taken over by the Liberec Region, Crystal Valley has come a long way and great work has been done. However, it does have one disadvantage – the borders of the region have also become the borders of Crystal Valley. And so the oldest continuously operating glass factory in Central Europe, the one in Chřibská (1414), was left out. Well, you might say, but the glass factory was closed in 2007, of course, for economic reasons. So what would we probably see there…

But it is a flash in the pan. Efforts to revive glassmaking in Chřibská are most visibly manifested by the holding of the Glass Festival. There are also rumors about the creation of a museum glassworks in the reconstructed rectory near the church of St. George, and perhaps even that glassworks will not remain completely deserted… Anyway – it is simply impossible to ignore Chřibská in the history of glassmaking in northern Bohemia. (And what’s more – Chřibská is a magical village that is worth walking through and discovering, for example, a cascade of waterfalls, meadows full of orchids, breathtaking folk architecture…) Photo Ivo Šafus

The second missing phenomenon is Šluknov, which was put on the glassmaking map by the unique glass artist JAN FRYDRYCH when he settled here in a beautiful villa called art, which he saved from extinction.

You can find his works in prestigious museum collections around the world, including the Guggenheim Museum, and if you were invited to visit by one of the world’s celebrities – for example, Elton John, Prince Albert of Monaco or the Clintons, you would certainly be proud of Jan Frydrych’s works.

So – enough about what is not in the Crystal Valley, let’s get to the many amazing places that are there. It is not the ambition of this part of the Scapular to cover everything. That would have to be really packed.
Let’s focus on (some) places within reach of Krásná Lípa, or rather Kamenná Horka, or more precisely, the Bohemian Cottage guesthouse. The closest is Kamenický Šenov. Here, the center of our interest would logically be the GLASS MUSEUM, which focuses on engraved and cut glass from the 17th century to the present. However, reconstruction is underway and the reopening of the museum has not yet been specified.

Kamenický Šenov is still a very remarkable town. It is definitely worth visiting the oldest functioning glassmaking school in the world – the SECONDARY SCHOOL OF GLASSWORKING. It was founded in 1856 and still educates glass designers today.

You will succeed here even if the school is not currently involved in any Crystal Valley event. The school gallery, the shop with students’ works are accessible and, by arrangement, it is also possible to visit the school workshops and studios and watch the students at work.

uch sadder, but also extremely interesting, is the walk to Eliáška. Probably the most famous glass entrepreneur here was Eliáš Palme, who made the Kamenickošenov chandeliers famous all over the world. When he died on the last day of 1893, his sons took over the company, who built a beautiful Art Nouveau factory building on Skřivánka in 1905, which is still called Eliáška, but in its time the locals also nicknamed it the Chateau.

And even though it’s now just a wreck, it’s still somehow breathtaking. There’s been talk of saving it for decades. But the ravages of time continue to gnaw away brick by brick.

Still not enough? Then take the Palme Glass Trail. It starts at the Kamenickošenov train station and runs through the entire city.

Kamenický Šenov also includes Prácheň. Here you will pass one of the biggest tourist magnets in the Czech Republic, the legendary Organ, or rather Panská skála, a spectacular proof of columnar basalt separation. Just a few hundred meters further, the attentive wanderer will spot a house with a studio, Studio BYSTRO DESIGN.

The creative duo Dagmar Pánková and Leoš Smejkal are celebrating twenty years of joint work this year. During Crystal Valley events, it is possible to try out the Tiffany technique, glass cutting and, above all, admire selected works. And believe me, that is a great experience.

Here, as elsewhere in the Crystal Valley, the layman (and often the expert) is left speechless by the astonishing combination of talent, creativity, experience, and use of technology.

Some works are downright intimate, so close to the person that they leave with the need to be surrounded by such beauty and to touch it daily.

lthough the Crystal Valley is so vast and long, it is usually no more than a quarter of an hour from one glassmaker to another. You can reach Nový Bor from Práchne even earlier. Right on the edge of the town, on the slope of Borský Hill, stands a monumental art deco villa, home to one of the most important glass artists in the region, the former director of the Kamenickošenov Glass School, whose students today hold the banner of glory for Czech art glass. But he himself still belongs among them. He came up with a unique technique of carving glass with a hammer and chisel.

The resulting works are extremely exclusive and have an extraordinary, unusual effect.

The front side is polished, the back is rough and chiseled. The result is stunning. The light in this colorful fish reveals strange and intoxicating shapes and colors…

This relatively new egg is breathtaking. It’s worth standing all day at this sculpture.
It changes every moment. Vladimír Klein started it, the light finishes it and metamorphoses it.

It is actually a great privilege to be able, as a complete stranger, to walk into an artist’s studio and talk to him about his story, his work, his inspiration. In the case of Vladimír Klein, the conversation is so natural that after a while you feel like you have known each other for years. A wonderful person.

The GLASS MUSEUM is located on the Novo Bor square, in a Baroque house with a mansard roof, which was built in 1804 by a prominent Novo Bor glass merchant. Here you will learn about the stylistic and technological development of glass from northern Bohemia, you will encounter painted, engraved, molded and cut glass, and you will also see exhibits from historical glass workshops.

In addition to modern exhibition spaces, there are also exhibitions located in the natural spaces of the historic house. But you can be sure of one thing right now – glass, especially art glass, looks good everywhere.

Nový Bor is a city of glass, you will feel it on every corner. When you come to the NOVOTNÝ
GLASS area, you will not know what happened before. You can eat here in a restaurant with a comfortable view of the glassworks.

While debouching and drinking, it is possible to watch men with pipes inhaling strange shapes into the glass, exactly according to the wishes of the artists, who have long since become accustomed to being able to trust them, that even what they did not hope was possible can be born here.

On the main street of Novo Bor you will also find a very inconspicuous shop of the group NATĚLO – ŠPERKY.
Here you can buy glass jewelry from four glass artists – ŠÁRKA BARTKO, KAROLÍNA KOPŘIVOVÉ, EVA RANŠOVÉ and BOHDANA VYDROVÉ. They are amazing, original and extremely imaginative.
But where to wear it – you might ask yourself. A small example – my wife loves large jewelry and wears it to work quite regularly. Well, look… (This one is from Bohdana Vydrová.)

And this one from the wonderful Karolína Kopřivová – we even went to Mrs. Kopřivová’s studio to see it. That’s what’s great about Crystal Valley – no one is making fun of you here, the craftsmen are pleased with your interest and are happy to show you what they do.

And this one from the wonderful Karolína Kopřivová – we even went to Mrs. Kopřivová’s studio to see it. That’s what’s great about Crystal Valley – no one is making fun of you here, the craftsmen are pleased with your interest and are happy to show you what they do.

And one more beauty of Novobork you must not miss. The Glass House. It is part of the headquarters of the LASVIT company. It is a unique combination of traditional timbered buildings, in which glassmakers worked already in the Baroque period, and contemporary architecture using the material that this Scapular is all about.

Just to put it mildly, Nový Bor is half an hour by car from Krásná Lípa. And it is exactly the same distance to Kunratice near Cvikova. Here is Pačinkovo. I mean, this is where the PAČINEK GLASS company of the artistic glassmaker JIŘÍ PAČINEK is based. You can go here all year round, tours of the glassworks, glass gardens and church galleries are held regularly. The glassworks also has a large shop where you can buy glass in a really unusual range, and it just depends on your taste. For example, I love Pačinkovo’s sea paperweights.

The Glass Garden surrounding the smelter is also diverse. Despite the immutability of the glass sculptures, it changes from month to month as nature, sun, clouds, rain, etc. coexist with the glass.

Right next to the smelter is the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, which has been converted into the Crystal Temple Gallery. I have seen several exhibitions there and it has always been remarkable.

The sacred environment creates an unusual and very captivating platform for glass artifacts

Going to the area of ​​Sloup in Bohemia and neighboring Svojkov is a good idea anyway. Whoever hasn’t seen and experienced this hasn’t been to the Lusatian Mountains. Amazing places: rock towns and castles, the mysterious Prayer Mine, the lookout tower, the wonderful Na Stráži restaurant, the castle ruins, incredible views – but more about that in one of the next Škapulířy. We are still within a quarter of an hour of Krásná Lípa. At the end of Svojkov, another gem of the Crystal Valley awaits us – the HAIDL A SYN Glassworks. Glassmaking has been carried out in family clans since time immemorial, fragile beauty was created by glassmaking families. Today, it is no longer so obvious – getting descendants to catch fire for the passion of their ancestors is not so easy. But it works perfectly here.

Father and son Haidl focus primarily on replicas of medieval glass, and they also collaborate a lot with filmmakers. One by one, glowing glass tears flow down the glass, becoming typical “growths” of medieval cups. What were they for? Perhaps so that the glasses would be easier to hold with greasy hands and not slip, perhaps so that the decorative elements would cover the imperfections of the glass. Glowing glass in its liquid state is an unimaginably beautiful material.

Here too, the glassworks has a small shop. If you come here on a weekday morning, they will welcome you and let you watch their work. And it is quite easy to choose from the glassworks’ range.

You can also easily get to Lindava, where you can find one of the most famous and most visited glassworks – AJETO. Here too, you don’t have to wait for the Crystal Valley event, they are ready to show you around the glassworks itself – during the glassmakers’ working hours.

If you have more time, you can go to the Szklarská pub opposite…

…where you can try out your hand at blowing, do some beadwork, satisfy your hunger and thirst,
sit…

…and then head to a garden full of water, glass, free-running nutria, peace and natural beauty.

The charming village of Slunečná is only a few kilometers away. It is a somewhat secret place, a narrow road leads here, which at times may feel like it will probably lead you nowhere. And then you are suddenly in a magical nest surrounded by the last spur of the Bohemian Central Mountains and the undulating foothills of the Lusatian Mountains. There stands a house full of love and glass.

You can only really get here during Crystal Valley events – unless you have a special interest and request a visit from a remarkable creator who lives and works here. RICARDO HOINEFF is a Brazilian who, enchanted by Bohemian glass, settled far from Copa Cabana beach and became one of the indispensable members of the local glassmaking community.

Ricardo’s massive sculptures amaze, captivate, and enchant.

For example, this dragon head is simply breathtaking.

This does not mean, however, that Ricardo cannot work with smaller formats. Here he was able to materialize the heart of glass, which became fatal to his life, in a completely original way.

This does not mean, however, that Ricardo cannot work with smaller formats. Here he was able to materialize the heart of glass, which became fatal to his life, in a completely original way.

We will end our journey through the easily accessible places of the Crystal Valley in Jezvá, a village near Horní Police or Žandov. Be careful – this does not mean that there are no more glass-making sights in the area – this Scapular would just be unbearably long. So let’s go to the ZLATOHLÁVKOVÝCH family glass factory, which you will find (anywhere in the world) like EVPAS GLASS.

This is something else entirely – utility glass in every conceivable form, because, as the owners told us, they sell all over the world and every country has different tastes, different drinking habits, different obsessions with design.

And so you will find almost everything here – from classic and inherited designs to new decors to unexpected and completely original patterns.

At the Crystal Valley events, workshops are opened here, in which visitors try out glass drawing, grinding and other techniques. For some, it is their first experience with glass, while others welcome the opportunity to create something that may one day be their profession or calling. For example, this student from the Kamenickošenov Glass School… But we know her well! You can easily meet her at Bohemian Cottage, she belongs here. Ema Kubicová.

There is someone to copy from, local master painters and engravers are happy to advise, demonstrate, inspire…
The Covid shadow is gone. Glassmakers are no longer in despair, no longer crying, they are laughing again. And that laughter echoes
from Chřibská to Harrachov.

If you are captivated by the Crystal Valley, you will not know when to stop your fragile journey. The possibilities are endless – just click on the website www.crystalvalley.cz – and you will have goals for several years. For example, the glass ladder in the tower of the Liberec Museum, or the UNESCO pearl in Poniklá, the Jablonec Museum of Glass and Costume Jewelry, the entire Železný Brod area, the Harrachov glassworks of the Novosad family… Enough, or I will start posting more photos again. Have a happy crystal journey!

Author: Rostislav Křivánek

The post Crystal Valley – way to brittle of beautiful first appeared on Accommodation Bohemian Switzerland - apartments, wellness, guide, yoga, rental.

Adventure-filled excursions

1. Tiské Stěny is one of the most remarkable natural treasures of Bohemian Switzerland. The labyrinth of rock passages and formations resembling animals and figures provides endless fun for children, who can explore the hidden corners of this rock city
   
   
   
2. Trip to Mount Klíč. The fourth-highest peak in the Lusatian Mountains is an ideal destination for a family outing. It offers stunning views and an easy trail suitable even for young children. The route takes you through beautiful nature and rewards you with breathtaking vistas of the surrounding landscape.
   
   
   
3. Cycling Trip to Olbersdorfer See. For families who enjoy active holidays, a cycling trip along the Mandava River is an excellent choice. The route leads to the town of Zittau and includes the opportunity to swim at the sandy beaches of Olbersdorfer See.
   

Fun and Creative Activities

1. Mana Chocolate Workshop in Krásná Lípa
   Children can create their own chocolate souvenirs at the Mana Chocolate Workshop, an experience that combines creativity and fun. After crafting their unique chocolate creations, you can visit the House of Bohemian Switzerland, where kids can explore interactive exhibits about the region’s nature and history. For more information, visit the Mana Chocolate Workshop page.
   
2. Perfume Making in Nobilis Tilia. Another intriguing activity for children is the perfume-making workshop, which blends science and art. Kids can create their own signature scent while learning about essential oils and their uses. Details about this activity can be found on the Perfume Making page.
   
   
   
3. Tour of the Textile Factory
   Discover the remarkable tradition of the textile industry in Krásná Lípa, still thriving at the Schindler Knitting Factory. Established in 1854, it is the last operational industrial knitting mill in the Czech Republic.
   

Swimming and Relaxation

1. Cimrák Pond
   If you’re looking for a place to cool off, Cimrák Pond is a great choice. This natural pond is perfect for family relaxation and picnics. Find more information about this location on the Cimrák Pond page.
2. Olbersdorfer See
   During your cycling trip to Olbersdorfer See, you can enjoy not only swimming but also relaxation on sandy beaches reminiscent of the seaside, along with playgrounds and other activities. Learn more about the lake and its surroundings on the Cycling Trip to Olbersdorfer See page.
3. Private Community Club Otužovárna
   Enjoy year-round swimming with facilities that include a wood-fired Finnish sauna and a picnic area.
   
   

History and architecture

Jiřetín pod Jedlová
This picturesque village with half-timbered houses and the Church of the Holy Trinity is an ideal place to learn about the history of the region.

1. Educational trail Czech road
   This trail connects nature and history and is a great choice for an easy walk or bike ride with children. Along the way, you will discover places of pilgrimage, an old coal miner’s house and other attractions.
   

The post Summer 2026: Discover the beauties of Bohemian Switzerland and the Lusatian Mountains with your family first appeared on Accommodation Bohemian Switzerland - apartments, wellness, guide, yoga, rental.

Did you come here to live right away, or was it just a test drive at first? When was that?
Jump! Two work meetings and a few things that fit in a Skoda Forman It was in 2006, we were 26 years old.

Your first secluded home (as I read) was offered to you by an acquaintance. Is that true?
Yes, it’s true. Thanks to an acquaintance, we had the opportunity to try out solitary living in the forest, with everything in between. Frozen water, wet wood, naivety, an army of mice, and a desire to overcome obstacles. We are quite resilient and don’t like to give up.

When you started putting together your own home in Kamenná Horka, which is part of Krásná Lípa, was it already with the idea of ​​​​business, or did you still stick to your original professions?
We lived in the solitude of Brtníky for 4 years, during which time we both worked as employees. I (Irena) as a pharmacist and Aleš at the National Park Administration as a construction officer. We were looking around for a lolality for our own house. Kamenná Horka is one of the most beautiful places in the region. Here we built not only a house, but mainly a home. We love it here immensely. We know how important a place to live is for its quality. We don’t want to look out the window of an expensive panel apartment on the outskirts of Prague and think about where we will go for the weekend and when, so as not to spend an hour in traffic jams on the ring road. Our advantage is that we can walk or ride a bike and everything we need is within reach: the forest and a café.

When did you decide to buy another cottage for today’s guesthouse, and was it easy?
The decision to buy a building for a family guesthouse came around 2015. The journey to its realization was then three years long. We considered the concept and location for a long time and our options and direction of energy. We did not just want to create an accommodation facility, but a place that would be inspiring, would have a vision, would embrace you when you walk in, would not only take from the brand of the National Park, or the protected landscape area of ​​the Lužické Hory, but would contribute to its good name, nature protection, sustainable tourism, slow travel. The energy of the intention is important to us.

0ur private house and the guesthouse have a similar “touch”. Did the same expert help you with it, or is it just your identical vision and work?
Both are the result of conversations between us and Acad. Arch. Josef Matyáš, who has a cottage nearby. He is now a “retired” architect and has become a close person to us. Every year we visit each other, discuss homemade plum brandy, invite him to the guesthouse for neighborly feasts. We have close relationships with most of the people who were involved in the guesthouse in some way. We wanted both objects to look harmonious and fit into the surrounding nature. Our family house and guesthouse are about 300 meters apart. We collaborated with local craftsmen and artists, you will not find things from chain stores here, but quality Czech products and applied art.

When you were creating the guesthouse, what was your idea: rustic, stylish, simple… And its surroundings too?
Our vision was to create elegant spaces, a simple yet sophisticated place that would respect the natural character of the area. We were inspired by traditional architecture, which we combined with modern elements. We need our guests to feel harmony from what they touch, what they see and perceive. A biotopic pond and natural wellness are therefore a completely obvious choice. The guesthouse is surrounded by a rugged garden, places to relax, hammocks in the trees. Everything is lined with forest and stately beech trees. From the garden you can go straight into the beautiful forest.

The building is located in a protected area, so the reconstruction and further construction was probably complicated, how much more?
Yes, we fall under the Lužické Hory protected area. Our intention was more or less in line with the requirements of nature protection. And we have rather forgotten about the paperwork over the years. We are proud that we can live and do business in such an exceptional place.

How is the heating in this very friendly-looking space, fully wood or even electricity?
Thermal and visual comfort are important for the guest. The guest is welcomed by a double-sided fireplace in the hallway. The other side of the fireplace is in the yoga room. So the hall has natural light and heat from the fire. The central heating is connected to an Air-Water heat pump. There is underfloor heating in the wellness area.

Who is the creator of warm-looking interiors?
My husband and I have similar tastes and ideas about where interior design should go, what it should represent. Visuality, functionality and an emphasis on Czech creators are what unite us and we harmonize this world of comfort and beauty together.

By the way, most of them are made of wood… Spruce, pine, oak on the floor?
Wood is a traditional building material in the Lusatian Mountains. After all, this landscape is nicknamed the landscape of Podstávky chalets. That’s why we also have traditional long spruce floors. We’ve already had to renovate some of them. Long, massive spruce beams hold up the first floor. You can also sit on spruce everywhere, except in the Finnish sauna on alder.

Speaking of wood: its red color on the exterior gable is also imaginative. Who chose the color here?
The choice of red for the gable was inspired by the traditional architecture of this region. We wanted the house to fit into the surrounding landscape, but at the same time have its own unique flair. But some inspiration came from Finland, where Aleš studied. The company that produces this durable exterior paint is also from Finland. The tribute must survive the harsh Nordic winters.

You state that sustainable functioning and living are important to you. Does this mean that you also chose Czech materials for the house and in the house?
Yes, wherever possible, we used Czech materials and cooperated with local suppliers. Sustainability for us also means supporting the local economy and having the least possible impact on nature.

What is the living area of ​​the guesthouse? And how long has it been operating?
The guesthouse has a living area of ​​approximately 200 m² and has been operating since 2018.

You offer wellness in the guesthouse, you rent bikes, you arrange trips… and you also offer home-cooked meals. So your “grandmother’s” kitchen! She must be a significant driving force, right? When did she join?
Here I would change the question.
The benefit is that we not only do business in our region, but we live here. We can recommend something to our guests that they cannot find in the info center or on the Internet, we support them in visiting local events, sometimes we go with them or we simply take them with us to somewhere we are going: to a concert, an exhibition. Last year, there were guided tours of Schindler’s Knitting Factory, a unique factory that has been doing our region honor for 170 years. We enjoy connecting with those who create something interesting in our region. We also have a new concept for groups who want to make a positive social impact on their vacation destination, volunteering a short time for a beneficial project, for example: cleaning a river or restoring monuments. We also provide stay packages focused on health and beauty. Health diagnostics according to traditional Chinese medicine, treatments and recommendations. We cooperate with the local manufacturer of natural cosmetics Nobilis Tilia. The services are provided by sensitive people, experts in their field. As for our grandmother, she prepares breakfast baskets full of goodies for our guests. She has been with us since the beginning of our operation and we are very grateful to her for that. Our guests like to see her in the kitchen, because then the pension smells of apples and cinnamon.
We organize neighborhood feasts and small cultural events, we also like workshops, you can learn to bake sourdough bread, prepare healthy snacks or come to floristry courses or various cooking courses. Painters find the facilities here, we support their work in the open air.
Irena teaches yoga, the hall facilities are used for courses and lessons. Aleš is a guide to the national park. We will cover a lot so that everyone can choose if they want to spend their time with us.

Don’t you ever feel like moving all the guests out and relaxing in this cottage for a week by yourself?
(laughs) We can enjoy the moments when everything is ready for our guests, we sit in the garden and tell ourselves that even after years this place continues to appeal to us with its atmosphere. It is a beautiful space inside and out and we feel a responsibility towards it. Moments of great commitment alternate with waves when we are not so busy, it is so okay and it helps to keep our strength in balance. We can relax. Without that, it would not be possible to do it in the way we have chosen.

And yet… have you completely abandoned your professions?
Yes, we both focused fully on running the guesthouse and taking care of our guests.

What else do you dream about? We both love to travel. We prefer places like the ones we create to large hotels and the consumerist way of tourism and travel. We have two children and, like any parent, we want them to be happy and healthy. We are experts at dreaming of all kinds, we dream small, but we are also not strangers to big fantasies. So we have travel goals, we dream of going on a trek to the Himalayas, we dream of traveling on pilgrimage trails, we still have enough places to explore. But we also dream of a better environment, of harmony between people. We dream of our region as a renowned place, where people here know how to provide services in tourism well with values ​​that are inspiring to others. We dream of a media world filled with truly brave people whose thoughts influence the social climate for good. We dream of little things, like slow mornings and evenings under the stars. We dream and imagine… because if we can’t imagine or dream of something, it probably won’t happen. We dream and celebrate, not ostentatiously, but celebrating within ourselves, sometimes with friends. Dream and celebrate too. It reminds us of the non-obviousness of our lives.

The interview was created for the magazine Venkov a styl

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We are open to give you private time and we can write some story together.

Contact me: info@cottage.cz

Ales and Irena

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About the fact that you can’t buy love and it doesn’t pay to cheat…

Once upon a time in North Bohemia, a miller and his daughter Anetka lived in an old building. One day, an unknown guest called Pumpot, who falls in love with Anetka, arrives at their pub on a straw horse. However, nothing is that simple, let alone forcing the love of an innocent beauty. So the strange guest offers the miller a bargain. Will he win her heart? Will the miller pay off for his dubious business? That remains to be seen. It is definitely true that “God’s mills grind slowly but surely”.

Author: František Dečmar

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Before the “drought” period I knew that it would be nice to use the rain and not just let the rain to water, respectively. to the channel. Natural ponds at that time were not so in and companies to create a pond was scarce. I had a budget from the company, but it was hundreds of thousands of investment was beyond our possibilities. I decided to let the pond with my own “amateur” forces. Seven years ago I created the first pond at our family house. A few years later his second at our family guest house. In this article, I would like to share with you my experience of an amateur, a pioneer of deducting collisions in the garden pond.

How to start or what is needed?

No money into the water. Count the investment of tens of thousands of crowns depending on the size of the water area and design elements (stairs, terrace, rocky dam, …)

There is no need for permission for a water area of up to 40m2. So that the water does not spac and can be cleaned it is necessary to buy pond foils (strength: 1-1.5mm), the offer at FLOBAL is black or green. I bought the foil as a whole (welded on two meter belts) through the eshop. To avoid damaging the pond foil it is good to place geotextile (300g grammage) under it. Geotextile is also suitable under the plant of the zone where there is a duck. For calculating the size of the foil area, remember the sides of the bathing zone. For the calculation I recommend rounding up (even to the even number). For water plants is suitable duck (construction aggregate fraction 16-22 mm). The bathing area is suitable to frame beech wood. With a handy excavator you can pick up the pond in one day with the transport of the material.

Here we go

Plan the size of the pond, our bathing zone in the pond is 18m2 (depth 2.20m (I recommend a depth of over 2 meters, deep means clean), 6 meters long (to swim a little) and 3 meters wide. The other plant zone has an area of 32m2. There is no small sketch, including where the water to the pond flows and where it will flow (where the zero point will be), see. Photo.

Draw space for excavating and plan where with dug clay and stones. There will be a lot of clay. For example, it can be used on the dike of the pond (if you have a sloping terrain) or donate friends who build and need to align the garden. Keep stones somewhere nearby, it will be useful to adjust the perimeter of the pond.
The excavation takes all day, the parties of the bathing zone should be vertical. If the closet sides are not straight, align with a spade or add wet clay back for the holes. The nicer sides, the better the foil is to place and the wooden frame to sit better. But nothing happens when the shore breaks. The tribute will need to support the frame at this point. The bottom can be slightly sloping, respectively. The lowest point is good to place the pump.
Stretch the geotextile and foil as soon as possible after the excavation. First, groundwater will soon appear. Secondly, when it rains, the sides may be rushing. Stretch the geotextile, the belt next to the belt, both in the bathing zone and into the plant zone. You will need helpers to stretch the foil. The foil is heavy for handling. In the corners of the bathing part it bends and it does not look aesthetically well. When the pond is filled, it will not be visible. Do not cut the overlap of the foil, it will be useful when creating a pond dam and then hides under the soil. Check the lowest pond point (zero point) well. If the foil is below, the pond level will not reach the zero point and the water from the pond will drain in a place other than you want. You will not reach the desired level above the frame!
Prepare the drain from the eaves so that you can start filling the pond at the first rain, or do not release from other sources (streams, water registers, firefighters).
Measure the length of oak planks for the frame. I used a length of 3m and a width of 20cm, a thickness of the 4cm frame of the planks sits on the edge of the bathing part, so it is slightly larger than the hole in the ground. To make the frame look visible, add another plank to it to form the shape of the letter T. The height of the letter T will be duck.
Put the geotextilia on the foil at the plant zone and attach it to the bottom of the frame so that the duck does not fall into the bathing zone.

Tips at the end

• Take advantage of all the downspouts from the roof, if the pond is full, it is possible to fill the tanks in the area and in the summer without rain pump to pump water into the pond
• At the eaves you can have a barrel on the rainwater and from it the garden leaving hose into the pond.
• Cleaning bacteria are always needed to sprinkle in spring (water over 10C) to start the self -cleaning process in the pond. There are more and more bacteria manufacturers, according to experience it is necessary to test the products that work with you. The bacteria need to be dispensed with the entire bathing period.
• Frequent use of the pool net removs leaves from the surface before sinking to the bottom equals a clean pond even in several years.

Guaranteed

Praise from his wife and year -round bathing, in summer to cool, in winter for hardening.

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