česky  english 

Advanced search
na_celou_sirku
Photo: CzechTourism
Article notification Print Decrease font size Increase font size

Along the Iron Curtain on a Bicycle

The Iron Curtain, running from the Barents Sea to Bosporus, divided eastern and western Europe for almost a half a century. Next year, we will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its fall. The Iron Curtain was not only a political and ideological barrier, but also a physical one that, however, inadvertently contributed to the preservation of important ecosystems and valuable natural environments.

The Iron Curtain Trail is a cycling trail that is almost 10,000 kilometres long. The Czech part runs from Aš along the south border with Germany and Austria, all the way to the confluence of the Dyje and Morava rivers below the municipality of Lanžhot.

In the Czech Republic, the cycling trail leads through the Karlovy Vary region, passing through the royal town of Cheb, close to where the Svatý kříž memorial to the victims of the Iron Curtain is located. Visit the famous and charming spa towns of Karlovy Vary and Mariánské Lázně. Remember to try out the oldest beer spa in the Czech Republic in Chodová Planá, or visit the medieval Loket Castle with a local microbrewery.

From the Karlovy Vary region, the trail gradually moves to the area of Český les and to the Šumava National Park where, in addition to beautiful nature, you can find an outdoor exposition on the Iron Curtain. There are two national parks there on an area of 920 km2: the Bavarian Forest on the German side, and Šumava on the Czech side. Šumava covers an area of 680 km2 and it is the largest national park founded since 1991. In 1990, it was registered as the Šumava Biosphere Reserve in the UNESCO list.

Through Šumava to Český Krumlov

The trail continues to the main Šumava cycling trail, which was completed in 2015. This cycling trail leads through never-ending forests and grazing meadows, passing dozens of defunct settlements. This arterial cycling path is 163.5 kilometres long and passes along regular as well as private roads. There is a completely separate cycling trail from Gerlovy Hutě near Železná Ruda to Srní in the Klatovy region.

When you pass Šumava, you can continue along the Schwarzenberg navigational canal, followed with a descent to Vyšší Brod. Make a stop there and enjoy the beauty of South Bohemia. Visit one of the most beautiful Czech cities, Český Krumlov, and the scenic Třeboň region.  

South Moravia: bunkers, fortresses and the Trail of Freedom

From South Bohemia, past the Renaissance town of Slavonice, there is South Moravia, with the least difficult part of the trail as far as the hills are concerned. This region is famous for its vineyards. When you enter the Podyjí National Park from Hardegg in Lower Austria, across the restored bridge, you will arrive at the visitor centre in Čížov, where you can see 350 metres of the preserved Iron Curtain, including a guard tower. From Podyjí, the trail will take you to an important historical and vine-growing centre – Znojmo. The sad history of the Nazi reign in Europe is documented along the trail by dozens of bunkers and fortresses built before WWII.

Mikulov is a dominant town, not only in the Pálava region, where you can see the new Trail of Freedom, telling the stories of people who tried to cross the Iron Curtain. After Mikulov, the trail enters the Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape Area, registered in the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage. The history of the Iron Curtain is documented in the Valtice Museum, in the building of a former customs house. Remember to visit the national wine centre there. The Iron Curtain Trail leaves the Czech Republic near Břeclav, at the confluence of the largest two rivers – the Morava and Dyje.

Krušné Mountain

Krušné Mountain