Treasures of Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic
Vienna to Prague: Country Walks and Czech Castles
Overview
In the heart of Central Europe, we invite you into a walker's paradise of hilltop castles, deep woodlands, and gorgeous Baroque towns. From elegant Vienna to romantic Prague, we discover this realm on castle-to-castle hikes across poppy-filled meadows and through fern-blanketed forests. Between hikes, we'll explore the Renaissance villa at Lednice, medieval Telc, with its wedge-shaped Renaissance square, and magical Ceský Krumlov (with a private backstage tour of the town's 17th century theater). Our expert Trip Leaders bring us an insider's perspective and a journey through history, with a grand finale in magical Prague.
Arrive: Vienna, Austria
Depart: Prague, Czech Republic
Highlights
- Enjoy country walks to out-of-the-way hilltop castles and classic Baroque towns
- Visit three historic capitals: Vienna, Bratislava, and Prague
- Explore the Renaissance gem of Telc and Baroque city of Ceský Krumlov, a World Heritage Site
- Stay in historic hotels and boutique inns that reflect the local heritage
- Travel with our exuberant and expert Czech Trip Leaders, who love to share the best hikes and rich history of their country
Itinerary
After a walking tour and overnight in Vienna, we take an atmospheric 1.5-hour cruise along the Danube right into Bratislava’s intact Old Town for a wonderful city walk. In the countryside, we’ll hike up to the picturesque ruins of Devin castle, where views stretch over the Danube, then enter Czech wine country to explore the luxuriant grounds of Lednice Castle, one of the largest designed landscapes in Europe. Our first castle-to-castle hike starts at the ruins of a 10th century castle and brings us through Pálava Nature Reserve to another crag-top ruin, with lunch at the castle-town of Mikulov.
After a picnic at 14th century Castle Roštejn, we hike to Telc, one of the best-preserved Renaissance towns in all of Europe, now a World Heritage Site. No building in Telc is less than 250 years old, and the main square, with its Renaissance arcades, looks like a stage set. The next day, we’re off through pristine woodlands to remote Slavonice, with its triangular-shaped Renaissance plazas.
Crossing into southern Bohemia, we immerse ourselves in magical Ceský Krumlov, with its dreamy pink and green castle. In Sumava Forest National Park, we hike from a 13th century Cistercian monastery to the castle-town of Rozmberk.
Prague We’ll explore the Baroque lanes of Prague’s Old Town and visit the medieval Jewish ghetto, which holds Europe’s oldest functioning synagogue, a magnificent place of worship. Depart on Day 10 or extend your stay in this historical city with its Bohemian allure and cultural highlights.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated a Level 2+ (Easy to Moderate) according to our trip grading system. You will need to be comfortable hiking 8 miles a day and being on your feet for up to 5 hours a day.
Average Hiking Day
Review Trip Level Details
Average Hiking Day
- 5 miles
- 3-4 hours
- Day 3: 7-8 miles, 3-4 hours; includes short, steep sections
This trip includes both easy hikes and walks, traversing across historic towns, through forest trails, and over gently rolling hillsides. You will need to be able to hike over sections that contain rocky steps, uneven surfaces, and occasionally downhill over loose scree. There are some tight staircases in the castles, and trails may become muddy and unstable with bad weather. While this is not a challenging trip, it is active and you will need to be able to keep up with the moderate but steady hiking pace of the group.
The weather in the Czech Republic and Slovakia in the summer is usually very mild and pleasant, with temperatures in the 60s°F and 70s°F during the day and in the 50s°F and 60s°F at night. Cool breezes and showers can occur at any time, so layers and raingear are recommended.
Our accommodations are in small, charming hotels that have been selected for their character. While they are not the most luxurious options in the area, they are clean and comfortable and in the optimal locations. Since they are often in historic buildings, the rooms are not always of uniform or international size. Our leaders do their best to assign rooms in a fair way so that all participants experience an equal advantage throughout the trip as a whole. Single rooms can be requested but are not always available, due to the limited space in the hotels. If you prefer a single room, please make your request as early as possible.
Lunches and dinners will be picnic-style, at local restaurants and cafes, and at the hotels. Please note that in Europe, the dinner hour is considerably later than what it is in the US. We do our best to secure early reservations for our groups, but most often the evening meal will be at 7:30 pm.
Our bus will transport the group's luggage, so you only need to carry a daypack for items you need during the day (rain gear, sweater, camera, water bottle, etc.). Trip members are always free to skip a day's hike and travel to the next destination in the support vehicle (or remain at the hotel if we are not transferring that day).
Client Testimonials
"I thoroughly enjoyed this trip. The guides were outstanding and there was a fine mix of hiking and cultural exploration."
Anne P.
Urbana, IL
"The Czech Republic is a beautiful country and the hikes that were selected were always scenic. Everything was very well organized and professionally handled by our guides and van driver—no glitches!"
Barbara K.
Santa Fe, NM
"We enjoyed the beautiful countryside and the castles. The guides really made the trip fabulous. They were great!"
Bob P.
Denver, CO
"This trip was another example of what a first class operation you have at Wilderness. The entire trip went seamlessly from start to finish."
Cathy S.
Charlotte, NC
"Truly an exceptional trip that allows you to experience the culture, history, and outdoors of the Czech Republic!"
Chris R.
Denver, CO
"Very enjoyable, with excellent Trip Leaders."
David H.
Poway, CA
"I enthusiastically recommend this trip. The combination of the beautiful walks, the ancient castles and chateaus and the preserved villages with their Renaissance architecture and cobbled streets, make this a special trip. Prague was magical."
Gary B.
Hanover, NH
"A great trip—an excellent mix of culture (castles and architecture), hiking, and the chance to see the highlights of the Czech Republic."
Gary J.
San Francisco, CA
"We just loved the whole trip—the Trip Leaders were the best!"
Ginger R.
Gualala, CA
"Absolutely one of the best trips we have ever taken. No hassles, no worry, just wonderful experiences. Each day we thought that nothing could be as good, and then the next day was even better."
Jan K.
Titusville, NJ
"Our trip was terrific. We found the Czech Republic fascinating and enjoyed every minute of it."
Jeff B.
Newton, MA
"Our guides provided us with experiences off the tourist track that allowed us to see their country through their eyes. We were able to see a Czech Republic beyond Prague and Cesky Krumlov."
Kathleen C.
Minneapolis, MN
"For our first guided adventure, we couldn't have asked for a better trip. Loved the fact that the focus was on the smaller towns, and we were taken to out-of-the-way castles I'd never have found on my own. Having two personable guides was quite a luxury—we felt very at home with both of them."
Lisa S.
Los Gatos, CA
"The itinerary was very well crafted, full of unexpected delights, and each venue was clearly thoughtfully planned to highlight the culture, history, and beauty of the area. Bravo! Zuzana and Jiri were a great team and went out of their way to make everyone feel special. It was great fun to spend the time with them and we will miss their infectious love of their country."
Liz K.
Madison, WI
"There was just the right mixture of walking and sightseeing. Everything was well thought out and planned."
Mary P.
Bedford, NY
"We really can't say enough about Zuzana and Jiri—they make an excellent team! They have great pride in their country and it shows in everything they do—whether it's hiking through beautiful forests, visiting wonderful castles and exceptionally charming towns (with Cesky Krumlov the jewel in the crown), recounting the history of the Czech Republic and their own personal memories of growing up under the Soviet occupation—everything they said and did was with love and passion for their country. We were fortunate to have superb guides, a very cohesive and fun group, and another wonderful trip from Wilderness Travel."
Midge M.
Alameda, CA
"It was a fabulous trip; we were able to see the beautiful countryside, share some time with the people (thanks to Zuzana), and learn so much about Czech culture and the history of this little known country."
Nancy M.
Orleans, MA
"A wonderful trip, great pacing, and the guides obviously truly loved their country. We all enjoyed their depth of knowledge and attention to all the details."
Neill A.
Napa, CA
"It was a good balance of hiking, dining, sightseeing, learning local history, and other activities. Both guides' personal stories they shared of World War II and the communist era were memorable and wonderful."
Rick K.
Madison, WI
"Our eighth Wilderness Travel trip. Well designed with two great trip leaders who spoiled us rotten. Everything went so smoothly, thanks to them. A fun trip."
Ron K.
St. Simons Island, GA
"Our guides made this trip extra special with their attentiveness to detail, their enthusiasm, and their delightful personalities. The areas we were in were beautiful, accommodations and food very good, and the sights quite interesting."
Russ F.
Sarasota, FL
"We were totally delighted with this trip. It had the right amount of hiking and towns and cities. We got a wonderful understanding of the Czech Republic history (especially 20th century with World Wars, Nazis, Communism, and independence), culture, and food. The best part was the guides, who made the trip fun and interesting."
Sallie W.
Cincinnati, OH
"This was a special trip with two exceptional Trip Leaders."
Sandra G.
Wayne, PA
"Our Trip Leaders did a wonderful job. I’m so glad we chose the Czech Republic—a beautiful country with ease of travel."
Sharon M.
Poway, CA
"This was an amazing opportunity to get to know an area of the world I had never visited. The combination of hiking, guides, and great conversations will live with me forever. I feel privileged to have experienced this very personal adventure."
Sonya M.
Cary, NC
"Our trip was perfect. As I’ve told many people, there isn’t a thing I would change. Especially loved our two guides."
Teresa K.
Colorado Springs, CO
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Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult.