Rural Vacations: Žd'ár Hills,Highlands
Explore and Enjoy!
Rural Vacations in the Czech Republic
The Žd'ár Hills, Jewel of the Highlands
The Žd'ár Hills, or
Žd'árské Vrchy , are a recreational gem. This verdant environmentally-protected area of the
Bohemian-Moravian Highlands boasts fresh clean air and water. Its ponds, streams, rivers,
peaks, hills, and meadows are the subject of painting and song.
Book yourself a place in a pension, a hotel room, or a cottage, and enjoy the sights and sounds
of this gentle land. When Czechs next sing their national anthem, you may better understand
the words:
Where is my home, where is my home?
Water burbles across the meadows,
Pine woods rustle among crags,
The orchards sparkle with spring blossoms
Earthly paradise appears to me!
Best Sights to See in the Žd'ár Hills
Skansen Veselý Kopec:
A superb outdoor folk architecture museum north of Hlinsko. A village has been constructed using actual buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries, They have been reconstructed and furnished in authentic style. The collection includes 2 water-driven mills, bee keeping and honey-processing cottages, flax processing, wooden shingle making, a traveling puppeteer's van, along with cottages and farmsteads showing all levels of countryside life.
No English tours available, only the usual abbreviated typed handout in English. Guides open the houses in the lower half of the village and give a tour of each, beginning about noon. The rest of the village is on your own.
If you prefer a quieter visit, plan an early arrival in high season and on weekends with special events. Check opening hours and special events with the Nove Mesto information center or in Hlinsko at the Betlem office if you can not read the Czech web page.
Betlem in Hlinsko:
Located in the historical center of Hlinsko, this mid-eighteenth century craftsmen's community (primarily weavers and potters)
is still partially inhabited by families. You can just walk through or you can buy a ticket to see the historic interiors.
Pernštejn castle:
A Gothic fortress not to be missed. It is huge and now has 5 different tours. For a first time visit, take
the basic and most comprehensive one, Tour A. Tours in English are only for groups of 30 or more, but you will get the usual "international English" handout for an extra 50 CZK.. Booklets with detailed history are available for purchase, too. Allow generous amounts of time to get there and to see it.
Located in Nedvedice, NOT in Bystrice nad Pernštejnem. Open April-October. Call ahead to double check opening hours and times of tours. It's best to arrive in the morning. Telephone: 505-566-101
Zelena Hora at the north edge of Žd'ár nad Sazavou:
A UNESCO heritage site. Some visitors are thrilled by this unusual 18th century star-shaped church designed by Santini. Others are put off by the emphasis on St. John of Nepomuk. If you have time, see it for yourself.
Museum of Books in the Kinsky Zamek at the north edge of Žd'ár:
Excellent world history of alphabets and printing and books.
Rare books. Printing presses. Part of the National Library.
Horacke museum in Nove Mesto na Morave:
Small but well-done local history and skiing exhibits. Cross-country and downhill skiing have been important sports in the area for many years. Nice for a rainy day.<
Scenic routes:
First you need to drive to the Žd'ár Hills: Driving Directions in Words and Photos
Once settled there in your hotel, pension, or cottage, these are some scenic routes to explore:
- Road 387 from Stepanov Svratkou to Nedvedice. This is one of the routes
to Pernstejn castle. It winds through the low valley, sometimes following the Svratka River.
Stunning on a sunny late spring afternoon.
- Road 387 to Vir. From there take the unnumbered backroad to Vesely and Dalecin, then 357 to Jimranov. The unnumbered
road from Jimranov to Vrist near Snezne is also recommended. The magnificent views from these tiny back roads of row upon row of hills, fading into a misty blueberry shade, make this ideal for a leisurely drive or day of
biking.
- Road 353 between Snezne and Borovnice en route to Policka. More high vistas of the hills.
Borovnice is a pretty little village.
Day Trips
- Caves in the Moravian Karst and Macocha gorge near Blansko and Boscovice.
Best cave:
Punkevni, because it
has a river running through it, on which you take a boat ride as part of your tour. Awesome!
Reservations well ahead are essential, especially in high season.
Have a Czech speaker help you if you use this site.
Or, you may just try to be there well before 8am to get a ticket.
- Boskovice: Jewish quarter, fortress, and chateau. The quickest route across the Zd'ar Hills is highway #19 from Zd'ar to Nove Mesto na Morave to Bystrice nad Pernstejnem to Kunstat. Then follow #150 to Boscovice.
Hedgie also has an apartment with garden and swimming pool for rent there.
- Brno: Hedgie especially recommends the Old Town, Spilberk Castle with its excellent historical exhibit,
and the Gregor Mendel Museum.
- Moravsky Krumlov: Alphonse Mucha's Slav Epic, 20 monumental paintings in the Renaissance chateau.
On road #413 south of Velka Bites and southwest of Brno.
- Vranov nad Dyji: Huge chateau perched picturesquely high over the village on the river. Best in
summer. West of Znojmo on road #398.
Activities
Glassworks:
- Svoboda in Karlov at #31. Factory and "seconds" shop with marvelous bargains.
Call ahead for a tour.The website will give you a preview and contact information. Morning tours in English may be arranged.
Don't forget the shopping at the Glass Galerie which Mr. Svoboda runs, adjacent to his restaurant 200 meters away.
In addition to all his art glass, he has brought in local crafts: leather work, wood sculpture, ceramics, paintings,
drawings, candles, ironwork, and baskets. Allow lots of time to browse.
- Beranek in Skrdlovice on the main street. The website
is excellent: easy to browse large categories, easy to zoom in on details, address and contact details provided.
- "Olda Glass" in Srdlovice at #191. An tiny family-run atelier in a garage. The three workers make
old-fashioned "green" glass and animals. Just stop by and knock on the door. No English spoken, but the artists
are very welcoming.
- Glass factory addresses and contact information
Click on "Czech Glass" and select "Highlands/Vysocina"
for the list. Click on the map symbol for a full-color map of the location.
Cultural events
Concerts, exhibits, special occasions in Jihlava. See announcements in national and local publications.
Information Centers and Websites
Maps
Map: The Vysocina and other regions of the Czech Republic
- BEST MAP of the Czech Republic: Once you get off the main thoroughfares you need an excellent map
with lots of detail. The foldout paper maps are extremely poor for this kind of exploration.
The best road atlas, in Hedgie's opinion is the "Ceske Republika Autoatlas"
published by Geodezie Cs a.s. under the "Marco Polo" label . The large format makes it
much easier to use than the pocket-sized atlases. It gives minute detail in an easily understandable
way, using icons for castles, hotels,service stations, etc. Even those who are "navigationally
challenged" can find their way with this! Ask for it by name in city center
bookstores or in some gas stations along freeways.
Note: Do not buy one of the German-made maps with Czech names changed to German ones.
Obviously, even if you speak German, this will be confusing, and the old Austro-Hungarian empire or Nazi-era
names will be resented if you ask for directions.
- Specialized maps of the Zd'arske Vrchy (Zd'ar Hills) showing cycling and hiking trails
are available in the Nove Mesto information center and in the Hotel 9 Skal.
Places to Stay
Rent a cottage as your base:
The typical visit to the Zd'ar Hills, for both Czechs and visitors, includes rental of a cottage.
Hedgie has cottages to rent by the week or for the weekend.
Hedgie's Rental Reservations
Pensions and Hotels
Information about other accommodations and good restaurants, along with our prickly reviews, may be found in
Hedgie's FAQ #10.
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