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Day 1: Join tour Prague
We join our tour in Prague, a city of superlatives, once described as the most beautiful city in the world it straddles the Vltava River, its relaxed charm at once evident. Twelve centuries have adorned it with a labyrinth of old streets, wonderful palaces and bridges and architectural styles which cover everything from the Medieval through to Art Nouveau. This is a city that has, over the centuries, echoed to some of Europe's most dramatic events, from the Thirty Years War to the 'Velvet Revolution' that finally saw the end of communist rule, and the past centuries have left an indelible mark on the city, one that UNESCO has recognised as a jewel of cultural heritage.
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)
Day 2: Cycle to Melnik via the 'Garden of Bohemia'
Taking to the saddle after breakfast this morning we begin our journey by following the river towards the rolling landscape of the 'Garden of Bohemia'. Travelling across a countryside of undulating hills our destination for today is the small town of Melnik, located on a hill above the confluence of the Vltava and Elbe rivers. This is the centre of Bohemia's wine growing region and the town lies in the shadow of the impressive church of SS Peter and Paul and the magnificent adjoining chateau, which dates from the 16th and 17th centuries (The original castle was destroyed by Swedish troops during the Thirty Years War). (Total cycling distance approx 50km)
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 3: Cycle to Litomerice via Terezin fortress
Crossing over the Elbe we cycle along the left bank, towards the town of Roudnice, where we may stop for lunch. Roudnice is a small town, built on the banks of the Elbe and nestling around its impressive baroque castle. We then continue on to the fortress town of Terezin, site of the so-called Small Fortress of Terezin, once part of a neoclassical defensive complex constructed during the 18th century by Joseph II. The fortress received notoriety during the reign of the Habsburgs as a political prison, a notoriety that went on to reach new heights under the Nazis, who turned the town into a Jewish ghetto and the fortress into an internment centre. Today the fortress remains a memorial to those atrocities, with a symbolic cemetery in front of the main entrance. A short distance from Terezin lies the town of Litomerice, our final destination for today. Originally founded in the 13th century the original medieval town was destroyed during the Thirty Years War. Today though its centre contains a number of Baroque and Renaissance buildings, as well as an excellent art gallery. (Total cycling distance approx 41km)
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 4: Cycle via Strekov castle to Decin
Following the river out of Litomerice we wind our way along a narrow valley, where steep rolling hills tumble down to the water's edge, whilst high above looms the mysterious fortress of Strekov. Begun in the 14th century this most atmospheric of castles, shrouded in myths and legends, stands on a precipitous basalt crag high above the river and its ideal setting proved a powerful attraction for many of the great Czech Romantics, as well as the German composer Richard Wagner. It is believed that his visit to the castle in 1842 inspired him to write his opera Tannhauser. Stopping for lunch in the town of Usti nad Labem we then continue to Decin, passing the Neo-Renaissance chateau of Velke Brezno enroute. Built in the mid 19th century and set within its own landscaped park, the chateau was home to Count Karel Chotek, a powerful politician who contributed much to the development of Bohemia during the 19th century. We eventually arrive at our evening's destination, the town of Decin, close to the German border. (Total cycling distance approx 48km)
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 5: Cycle to Pirna via Konigstein fortress
Taking riverside cycle paths out of Decin we head for the German border this morning, crossing close to the spa towns of Schilka and Bad Schandau. Following the Elbe River we continue west, passing bizarre rock formations as we head for the dramatic fortress of Konigstein, the largest fortification in Europe. Sitting 240m above the Elbe, on a high plateau, this enormous fortress has to be one of the most dramatic in Europe and a circular walk along its walls reveals some amazing views of the Elbe River snaking through a landscape of bizarre rocky outcrops that make up the breathtaking Bastei region. Continuing through the wild and rocky terrain of the Sachsische Schweiz (Saxony's Switzerland) we continue on to Pirna, a small town just to the south of Dresden. Founded in 1233 the town's name come from the old Czech word berne, meaning tax or duty, on account of the town's original function as a customs post on the Elbe. (Total cycling distance approx 44km)
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 6: Cycle via Dresden to Meissen
From Pirna we follow a route that takes us past sandstone hills and broad riverside meadows, as we continue through this beautiful region, to the city of Dresden, the "Florence of the North" as this Saxon capital was once known, before the devastating firebomb raids of World War II. Our journey takes us past the restored Pilinitz Castle, once the summer retreat of the Saxon royalty and the Blue Wonder, the first suspension bridge built in Germany in 1893. As we enter the city we head for the Old Town, where we plan to stop for lunch. Regarded as the centre of the German Baroque period the heart of the old city boasts a remarkable collection of fine buildings, including the Zwinger Palace, the Semper Opera House, the Royal Palace and the Cathedral. There will be some free time in the city to wander through its streets before we continue our journey along the river, through the rich wine-lands, to the lovingly preserved town of Meissen. Famed for its porcelain and dominated by the magnificent medieval fortress of Albrechtsburg and the adjoining Meissen Cathedral, the town is the perfect place to end our cycling tour and enjoy a celebratory glass or two of the local produce. (Total cycling distance 46km)
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 7: Drive to Prague; afternoon walking tour
This morning we return to Prague by charter bus and, after checking into our hotel, we have an afternoon orientation tour of this most enigmatic of cities. Among the many points of interest in Prague are the Old Town Square and City Hall, set amid antique houses and arcades, the Astronomical Clock, Powder Tower and Prague Ghetto, which includes the Jewish Cemetery and Synagogues. We see the Charles Bridge; the oldest and most handsome bridge over the Vltava River and the area of Hradcany with the castle of the Bohemian Kings. There are also many classical music concerts to be found and, if the timing is right, you may be lucky to see a performance in one of the old atmospheric churches (optional).
Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast
Day 8: Tour ends Prague
Included meals: Breakfast
