Still barely explored by tourists, the Chodsko borderland offers fans of active holidays hundreds of kilometres of varied and superbly signposted cycle trails. Resort Český les, opened only last year in the heart of the Český les Protected Landscape Area, is the ideal base for cycling with 52 spacious boutique rooms, a modern restaurant, a quiet terrace, a champagne lounge and a wellness area.
The wooded terrain of the Český les Protected Landscape Area is threaded with a mosaic of pastures, meadows, peat bogs and abandoned villages steeped in a mysterious atmosphere. This once strictly guarded border zone now invites you to unhurried bike rides in the middle of unspoiled nature. So where should you head?
Pan-European cycle route Prague – Paris
The pan-European cycle route, whose forerunner was the medieval Golden Road trade route, links the Czech Republic with Germany and France and runs 1,570 kilometres in total. The Czech section leads from Prague via Plzeň to the Železná – Eslarn border crossing, only a few minutes from Resort Český les. Guests therefore have any stretch of the route within easy reach; among the favourites is the Železná – Bělá nad Radbuzou leg, a comfortable 18 kilometres long.
The Iron Curtain Trail
This 10,400-kilometre cycle route, linking the Barents Sea with the Black Sea, stands for European history, natural beauty and cultural richness. It passes through the village of Železná, so guests can choose the length and direction of their ride themselves.
The Bavarian-Bohemian Friendship Trail
This 90-kilometre trail links Nabburg in the Upper Palatine Forest with Horšovský Týn. Half of the route follows a former railway line, and cyclists can admire unspoiled river valleys while getting a glimpse of the local history of glassmaking and blacksmithing. The trail climbs to the border near Schwarzach, where it crosses into the Czech Republic, and from there it opens up magnificent views over the surrounding landscape.
Bockl-Radweg
Often called the best cycle trail in the region, the Bockl-Radweg is ideal for families with children. It runs largely away from busy roads along a former railway line once used to haul timber, and its surface is half compacted gravel and half asphalt.