Adventure travel: Take a scenic seven-day road trip through Czechia

See the best parts of Southern Bohemia and Moravia with our itinerary that includes castles, 20th-century history, cave exploration, and much more.

Marcus Bradshaw

Written by Marcus Bradshaw Published on 03.08.2023 14:51:00 (updated on 15.11.2023) Reading time: 5 minutes

Travel
Collage using photos from iStock/Lumir Pecold, Sanga Park, CCat82, Castka, narvikk, VOC Znojmo
Collage using photos from iStock/Lumir Pecold, Sanga Park, CCat82, Castka, narvikk, VOC Znojmo

in cooperation with

ExxonMobil Partnership

One of the great things about a road trip is being able to stop off whenever and wherever the fancy takes you and do things on your own time, without having to worry about the schedule of buses and trains. 

This seven-day road trip adventure offers a varied glimpse of Czech life and highlights some of the best bits of South Bohemia and South Moravia. The route is designed to maximize the flexibility a car offers while limiting the individual driving time for each day.

Day 1: Prague to Tábor via Konopište (91 km)

Konopiště Castle
Konopiště Castle

Drive time: 1 hour 15 minutes

  • Setting off from Prague, today’s itinerary includes a ramble around Konopište Castle, and an overnight stay in the historic town of Tábor.
  • Pitstop: Tour the grandeur of Konopište Castle, once home to Archduke Franz Ferdinand, whose assassination in the summer of 1914 plunged Europe into the First World War.
  • Don’t miss: Try on a suit of chainmail for size in the Hussite Museum in Tábor. This is one of the best museums in the country and it’s a great place to learn about Prague preacher Jan Hus and his followers, and the religious wars that were fought after he was burned at the stake for heresy in the 15th century.

Day 2: Tábor to Český Krumlov (85 km)

Sunrise in Český Krumlov. Photo: iStock / mammuth
Sunrise in Český Krumlov. Photo: iStock / mammuth

Drive time: 1 hour 5 minutes

  • Driving south, our destination today is the fairytale town of Český Krumlov. Krumlov is the busiest spot on our route, and you can expect to see similar numbers of tourists traipsing through its beautiful cobbled streets as you would in downtown Prague.
  • Don’t miss: Escape the crowds by hitting the water. Rafting on the Vltava is a rite of passage for many Czechs, and there is no more beautiful place to do it than in Český Krumlov. Rent a raft for a few hours, and gently make your way downstream, shooting the weirs and stopping for beers along the way.
  • Pitstop: In use until relatively recently, Krumlov’s former Graphite Mine is now open to tourists. Kit up in overalls and wellies, don a hard hat and a mining lamp and board the little miners’ train that chugs into the hillside, where your guides will explain the mining process. It’s an authentic experience in an otherwise tinsel town.

Day 3: Český Krumlov to Telč via Třeboň (116 km)

Drive time: 2 hours

Main square in Třeboň, South Bohemia. Photo: iStock / narvikk
Main square in Třeboň, South Bohemia. Photo: iStock / narvikk
  • Beginning and ending in UNESCO heritage towns, today's drive will bring us eastwards from Krumlov past the carp ponds and forests of Třeboň and into the highlands of the Vysočina region, where we’ll spend the night in Telč.
  • Pitstop: Stop off in Třeboň and take a stroll around one of its famous carp ponds (this is where Czech Christmas carp comes from) and try the local delicacy – carp chips – battered morsels of carp fried in oil. Castle lovers have three to choose from today, as Třeboň, Telč, and Jindřichův Hradec each boast an impressive chateau.
  • Don’t miss: Much quieter than Český Krumlov, Telč has been awarded UNESCO status due to its outstanding architecture which has survived, almost untouched, for centuries. Enjoy a beer on the town square, against the backdrop of pastel facades of the Renaissance houses that make this town so special.

Day 4: Telč to Znojmo via Vranov nad Dyji (105 km)

Participant at a previous festival in Znojmo. (Photo: VOC Znojmo)
Participant at a previous festival in Znojmo. (Photo: VOC Znojmo)
  • Today’s drive will take us out of the highlands and down to the border region, where we’ll have a chance to walk along the old Iron Curtain, before relaxing for an evening in Znojmo, the largest town in the Moravian wine region.
  • Pit stop: The castle at Vranov nad Dyji is perhaps the most spectacular in the whole Czech Republic. Improbably perched on a rocky outcrop, with the river Dyje winding its way far below, the interiors of this castle are just breathtaking, especially its grand ballroom. If you only visit one castle on this trip, this is the one to see!
  • Don’t miss: You’ll find the last remaining Czech section of the Iron Curtain in the Podyjí National Park, where it has been left to stand as a memorial. It’s a rare chance to walk along a 350-meter stretch of the barbed wire fence, complete with watchtowers, that serves as a grim reminder of the communist government that spent 40 years keeping its own people prisoner.
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Day 5: Znojmo to Mikulov via Aqualand Moravia (60 km)

iStock / Castka
Mikulov via iStock / Castka

Drive time: 55 mins

  • Today’s drive will take us through the heartlands of Moravian wine production, stopping off at an amazing aquapark for some watery thrills and spending the night amongst the vineyards in the picture perfect town of Mikulov.
  • Pitstop: Nestled amongst the vineyards just outside of Znojmo, you’ll find (despite its camouflage) a large concrete bunker built in 1938 to defend Czechoslovakia from Nazi aggression. Although ultimately never called into use, the bunker has been fully restored and offers visitors a glimpse into the tense days that preluded the outbreak of WWII.
  • Don’t miss: Set in beautiful countryside overlooking a lake and the Palava Hills, Aqualand Moravia is the largest aquapark in the Czech Republic. The complex is vast, offering more than 20 indoor and outdoor slides that are loved by adults and children alike, as well as a large wellness center where the adults can retreat for a while after all of that splashing around!

Day 6: Mikulov to Brno via Punkva Caves (120 km)

Punkevni cave in Moravian Kras (iStock - CCat82)
Punkevni cave in Moravian Kras (iStock - CCat82)

Drive time: 2 hours

  • Today’s drive will bring us north, towards Brno, Moravia’s capital and the second-largest city in the Czech Republic. After a pitstop that includes a boat ride on an underground river, we’ll have the rest of the day to relax and soak up Brno’s atmosphere.
  • Pitstop: Explore the Punkva Caves in the Moravian Karst, just outside of Brno. Nestled in a beautiful forest, this cave complex tour includes a trip through spectacular caverns and chambers, a jaw-dropping view of the Macocha Abyss, and a 20-minute boat ride on an underground river.
  • Don’t miss: Climb up to the fearsome Špilberk fortress, which sits brooding on a hill overlooking Brno. Take a wander along its massive brick walls, with the city spread out at your feet, and drink in the views from one of its terraces.

Day 7: Brno to Prague (205 km)

Illustrative image of Brno city scape: iStock - Sanga Park
Illustrative image of Brno city scape: iStock - Sanga Park
  • After a relaxed day exploring Brno city center, we’ll hit the road for the final time, heading northwest of the D1 highway, back to Prague.
  • Don’t miss: Villa Tugendhat is one of the 20th century's finest pieces of architecture. Designed by master architect Mies Van Der Rohe, the Villa Tugendhat is a sublime and timeless piece of design (visitors are often shocked to learn that it was built in 1929). The building has UNESCO protection, and it was right here, in the dining room of Villa Tugendhat, that the Velvet Divorce was signed in 1992, which split Czechoslovakia into two separate countries.

This article was written in association with ExxonMobil. See our partner content policies here.

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