In 60 seconds
Rising dramatically along the Elbe River canyon where northern Bohemia meets Saxony, Bohemian Switzerland National Park (České Švýcarsko) is a primeval wonderland of soaring sandstone towers, mossy ravines, and whisper-quiet pine forests. Its crowning icon is Pravčická brána—Europe's largest natural sandstone rock arch, with a span of 26.5 metres and a height of 16 metres—overlooked by the romantic 19th-century Sokolí Hnízdo chateau clinging to the sheer rock face. Down in the shadowy Kamenice River gorges, wooden punting boats propelled by long poles glide between sheer 150-metre canyon walls. Named by 18th-century Swiss landscape painters who found their alpine homeland mirrored in its mystical crags, this is Czechia's most awe-inspiring wilderness.
Best for
Known for
Skip if
You have significant mobility impairments; experiencing the best sandstone arches and gorges requires steady uphill walking on forest trails and stone stairs.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Bohemian Switzerland fits them. Choose interests
See
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Europe's largest natural sandstone arch, spanning 26.5 metres, with a historic 1881 alpine hotel chiseled beneath it
Hike up through scented pine forests to stand beneath the staggering monumental stone span that inspired Hans Christian Andersen.
Deep, moss-covered sandstone river canyon traversed exclusively by traditional wooden punt boats
Float silently between dripping mossy rock walls as the boatman steers with a long wooden pole past hidden waterfalls.
428-metre sheer sandstone pinnacle topped with a wooden gazebo overlooking an ocean of Bohemian forest
Climb iron ladders up the needle-like rock to reach the tiny wooden pavilion for the park's most breathtaking sunrise panorama.
Eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Where to eat the food this city is actually known for.
Fabulous 1905 stone former acetylene gasworks built into the gorge cliff face serving hearty Czech cuisine
Dine on rich beef goulash and potato pancakes inside an extraordinary fairytale stone cottage wedged against a vertical rock wall.
Acclaimed rural tavern in Chřibská celebrating farm-to-table Bohemian cooking and regional game
Feast on slow-roasted venison with juniper sauce and sourdough dumplings in an authentic wood-beamed farmhouse.
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Cozy alpine-style café in Krásná Lípa serving rich hot chocolate, local fruit pies and espresso
Warm up after a rainy trail walk with hot spiced cider and a generous slice of homemade blueberry crumble cake.
Beyond the obvious
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
14th-century robber baron stronghold carved into a precipitous sandstone rock labyrinth
Scramble up near-vertical ladders through narrow rock crevices to reach cliff-top chambers once inhabited by medieval outlaws.
Interactive national park visitor centre and cinema in the historic timbered town of Krásná Lípa
Learn about the ancient Cretaceous sea that laid down the sandstone beds before tasting craft beer on the town square.
After dark
Beloved local craft microbrewery on the Krásná Lípa town square brewing unpasteurised mountain lagers and ales
Order a pint of unfiltered Falkenštejn 11° pale lager brewed with soft local mountain spring water and Saaz hops.
Practical
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
Prince Edmund of Clary-Aldringen begins opening the rugged rock city to travellers, constructing trails and the Falcon's Nest chateau.
The Kamenice River Gorges open for commercial tourist boat punting, instantly becoming a premier destination of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The territory is officially designated as Bohemian Switzerland National Park, preserving 79 square kilometres of pristine sandstone ecosystem.
