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Jewels of Bohemia Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary

October 14 - November 6, 2021

Our Journey

Eastern Europe’s Bohemian heartland – an enchanting world of fairy-tale castles, Gothic cathedrals, and picturesque towns. Starting in Prague, we drove north to the Bohemian Switzerland region bordering Germany before circling back with stops in the Bohemian Paradise, Kutná Hora, České Budějovice, and Telč. Driving nearly 900 miles with many day hikes along the way, we visited numerous castles, cathedrals, and monasteries for independent travel before joining our group tour in Prague where we spent three days taking in all the sites that the Czech Republic capital has to offer before a three day stay in the medieval splendor of Český Krumlov. Next, our journey takes us to the Renaissance village of Slavonice for a two day stay in a hotel with a Medieval wine cellar by way of České Budějovice to visit the famous Budweiser Budvar Brewery. From there, we travel to Bratislava, Slovakia’s forested country’s historic capital, for a two day stay before wrapping our group tour up in the grandeur of Budapest, the lovely Hungarian capital on the Danube by way of a short visit in the Roman city of Carnuntum in Austria. We conclude our journey with more independent travel, driving nearly 1,000 miles around Hungary taking in as many castles, cathedrals, and monasteries that the country has to offer, including an overnight stay in the Sopron Monastery on the Austrian border. With over 4,000 photos shot on this trip, it was difficult to select the ones worthy enough to be in this book. The ones that did make the cut best represent the highlights of our trip as well as each of the places we visited. To view all the photos taken on this trip (and other trips), please visit our website, www.floydandjodi.com.

Bohemian Switzerland

AKA Czech Switzerland

Upon landing in Prague, we drove our rental car north towards the German border to visit Bohemian Switzerland, also known as the Czech Switzerland, a picturesque region in the north-western Czech Republic filled with many hiking opportunities. Our first hike snaked around the Tisá Rocks, a well-known group of rocks not far from its topographical boundary with the Ore Mountains. The region, with its rock pillars up to 30m high, is one of the major tourist attractions of Bohemian Switzerland. Next, we hiked to the Pravčická Archway, the largest sandstone arch in Europe, adjacent to a beautiful château called the Falcon’s Nest which was built in 1881. We top off this part of the Czech Republic with visiting the State Castle Bezděz, a Gothic castle dating back to 1264, the Kost Castle, the Kostel svatého Jana Krtitele, a church built between the 13th and 16th centuries that exemplifies Bohemian Gothic architecture, and the Trosky Castle, a 14th century castle ruin.

Tisá Rocks; Bohemian Switzerland; Czech Republic
Pravčická Archway Trail; Hřensko, Czech Republic
Bezděz Castle; Bezděz, Czech Republic
Kost Castle; Libošovice, Czech Republic
Kost Castle; Libošovice, Czech Republic
Kostel svatého Jana Křtitele; Újezd pod Troskami, Czech Republic
Trosky Castle; Troskovice, Czech Republic

Bohemian Paradise

Českýráj Region

Bohemian Paradise, known in Czech as Českýráj, is a region and a protected landscape area about 90 km northeast of Prague and belongs to the most popular tourist destinations in the whole of Czechia. Thanks to the spectacular beauty of the landscape and the high concentration of historic landmarks, the region has been very popular among artists of all kinds. Of all the hiking we’ve done, none can compare to this. With impressive towering sandstone rock formations and narrow passageways between rocks with tons of nooks and crannies, we felt like mice in a maze. We also visited the Frýdlant Castle, which was extended in the 16th century to a Renaissance Château

Bohemia Paradise; Ceskyraj Region; Czech Republic
Frýdlant Castle; Frýdlant, Czech Republic

Castle, Cathedral and Monastery Hopping

From Kutná Hora to Prague

Before joining our group tour in Prague, we drove nearly 900 miles seeing as many castles, cathedrals, and monasteries as we possibly could, including the following pictured in this section: St. Barbara’s Cathedral, a Roman Catholic church in Kutná Hora and a UNESCO world heritage site; Konopište Castle, a late 13th century Gothic castle; Castle Blatná, a 14th century Gothic castle surrounded by a moat; Water Castle Švihov, a water castle built in the Gothic period; Klatovy, a town in the Plzeň Region; Rabí Castle, a ruined castle in Southwestern Bohemia on a prominent hill by the River Otava; Hluboká Castle, a 13th century Gothic castle that is considered the most beautiful castle in all the Czech Republic; Telč Château, located in the fairy-tale village of Telč, it was converted from a Gothic castle in the late 1500s; Church of St. John the Baptist, a Roman Catholic church built in the 13th century; Mary Magdalena Church, a Baroque church built in 1733; Třešť Castle, created by reconstruction of a fortress from 1513; and Krivoklát Castle, founded in the 12th century, belonging to the kings of Bohemia.

Saint Barbara's Cathedral; Kutná Hora, Czech Republic
Kostel sv. Havla; Poříčí nad Sázavou, Czech Republic
Konopiště Castle; Benešov, Czech Republic
Castle Blatná; Blatná, Czech Republic
Water Castle Švihov; Švihov, Czech Republic
Klatovy; Plzeň Region, Czech Republic
Rabí Castle; Sušice, Czech Republic
Hluboká Castle; České Budějovice District; Hluboká nad Vltavou, Czech Republic
Telč Château; Telč, Czech Republic
Telč Château; Telč, Czech Republic
A Street in Telč; Telč, Czech Republic
Church of St. John the Baptist; Urbanov, Czech Republic
Mary Magdalena Church; Růžená, Czech Republic
Třešť Castle; Třešť, Czech Republic
Křivoklát Castle; Křivoklát, Czech Republic

Our independent travel ended when we returned to Prague and joined our group tour. Our highlights in Prague include the following pictured in this section: Charles Bridge, a medieval stone arch bridge that crosses the Vltava River built in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV; Church of Saint Francis, the landmark, green-domed church built in 1688 with baroque music concerts featuring an organ dating to 1702; Clock Tower, a medieval astronomical clock attached to the Old Town Hall, first installed in 1410; Church of Our Lady before Týn, a 14th century Gothic church that is the dominant feature in the Old Town; Malá Strana Bridge Tower, also known as the Lesser Town Bridge Tower, is where the aerial shots of Prague were taken from; St. Vitus Cathedral, built in 1344, is the largest and most important temple in Prague where religious services and coronations of kings and queens took place; and Havelské tržište Market, a fruit and vegetable market.

Clock Tower; Prague, Czech Republic
Church of Saint Francis; Prague, Czech Republic
Clock Tower; Prague, Czech Republic
Karlova Street; Prague, Czech Republic
Charles Bridge; Prague, Czech Republic
Charles Bridge; Prague, Czech Republic
Charles Bridge; Prague, Czech Republic
View from Atop the Lesser Town Bridge Tower; Prague, Czech Republic
St. Vitus Cathedral; Prague, Czech Republic
Prague Castle; Prague, Czech Republic
Havelské tržiště Market; Prague, Czech Republic

Český Krumlov

A UNESCO World Heritage Site

Nestled inside a narrow loop of the Vltava River, this romantic town with its hilltop castle was once a wealthy trading center and a favorite of European nobility. Today, its confection of red-gabled roofs, elegant bridges, and storybook castle lures lovers of history, culture, and architecture alike. Established in 1250 by the Lords of Krumlov, the 14th through 16th centuries brought a period of great splendor to Český Krumlov, which became a stop along one of the main trading routes to Italy. We walked the winding, cobbled streets to admire the splendidly preserved historic buildings of the medieval town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and ascended to the top of the hill to stroll through the courtyards and gardens of Český Krumlov Castle, a Renaissance jewel that encompasses more than 40 buildings, a castle brewery, and live bears who roam the castle’s moat, and the St. Vitus Church.

Church of St. Vitus; Český Krumlov, Czech Republic
Church of St. Vitus; Český Krumlov, Czech Republic

Slavonice

A Historic Town

Located on the Moravian side of the South Bohemian Region is the historic town of Slavonice, dating back to 1260. Here, we stayed in the Hotel U Růže which has a medieval wine cellar, hand carved in the 13th century, that is connected to the Slavonice underground tunnels. Owned and operated by Pavel, there are more than 3,000 bottles of young and very old wines of which we were allowed to sample. Also pictured is a stone Baroque fountain with a statue of St. Florian.

Statue of St. Florian; Slavonice, Czech Republic
Pavel’s Wine Cellar; Hotel U Růže; Slavonice, Czech Republic

Castle Lednice

A Fairy-Tale Looking Palace

Our last stop before departing the Czech Republic was the Lednice Château, dating back to the year 1222. The Liechenstein family from Austria bought a part of the building, and between 1371 and 1945, they were the owners of the whole castle. Lednice Castle has served as a summer residence for several ruling princes during the years, who have during time improved the property. The château as it looks today dates from 1846-1858, when Prince Alois II decided that Vienna was not suitable for entertaining in the summer and had Lednice rebuilt into a summer palace in the spirit of English Gothic. The hall on the ground floor would serve to entertain the European aristocracy at sumptuous banquets, and was furnished with carved wood ceilings, wooden paneling, and select furniture, surpassing anything of its kind in Europe.

Castle Lednice; Lednice, Czech Republic

Bratislava

Beauty on the Danube

Just as in the Czech Republic, the Velvet Revolution spelled the end of Communism for Slovakia, a densely forested country with towering mountains in Central Europe’s heartland. Its capital, Bratislava, is situated along the Danube in Slovakia’s southwestern tip, close to the border with Hungary and Austria. Here, we visited the St. Martin’s Cathedral, a Gothic coronation church where several Hungarian Habsburg kings and queens were crowned. We also walked the Most SNP (UFO Bridge), the world’s longest bridge to have one pylon and one cable-stayed plane, several times to photograph it in various lighting conditions. Also pictured are the Bratislava Castle, which dates from the 9th century, and the Grassalkovich (Presidential) Palace, a Rococo-late Baroque summer palace with a French garden.

Bratislava Skyline; Bratislava, Slovakia
Most SNP (UFO Bridge); Bratislava, Slovakia
St. Martin's Cathedral; Bratislava, Slovakia
Bratislava Castle; Bratislava, Slovakia
Čumil (Watcher) The Sewer Worker; Bratislava, Slovakia
Grassalkovich (Presidential) Palace; Bratislava, Slovakia
Most SNP (UFO Bridge); Bratislava, Slovakia

Carnuntum

A Roman Legionary Fortress

In route to Győr, Hungary, we stopped for a short visit to the Roman city of Carnuntum. This began as a Roman army camp along the Danube River in what is now Austria. At its peak, some 50,000 people lived here, and after 1,700 years, Carnuntum’s ancient glory is currently being recreated from the site’s extensive ruins.

Carnuntum Roman Fortress; Petronell-Carnuntum, Austria

Benedictine Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola

Győr, Hungary

In route to Budapest, we stopped to take a stroll to admire the Baroque and Neo-classical structures in Győr’s pedestrian-only historic core, including the Benedictine Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola. This is the oldest Baroque church in Hungary, which has preserved the oldest and most beautiful original monuments of Hungarian Baroque and was built between 1634 and 1641. The Tyrolean painter, Paul Troger, painted the main altarpiece and also the ceiling mural in the sanctuary in 1744; the ceiling of the nave in 1747 and the murals of the vault pendentives of four Prophets and four Evangelists in 1744. Győr is situated at the confluence of the Danube, Rába, and Rábca Rivers.

Benedictine Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola; Győr, Hungary

Budapest

Queen of the Danube

Dubbed “Queen of the Danube”, Budapest is divided by the river, with Pest (the left bank) to its east and Buda (the right bank) to its west. A popular destination for international traveler’s, we visited many of Budapest’s iconic landmarks, including the following pictured in this section: the Hungarian Parliament Building, which is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary, was designed in neo-Gothic style, opened in 1902, and is the largest building in Hungary; Matthias Church, a Roman Catholic church, is located in the Holy Trinity Square in front of the Fisherman’s Bastion, a Neo-Romanesque lookout monument; St. Stephen's Basilica, a Roman Catholic Basilica, is named in honor of Stephen, the first King of Hungary; Szabadság Híd, also called the Liberty Bridge, connects Buda and Pest across the Danube; Párisi Udvar Hotel, which is one of the few buildings that was undamaged during World War II, incorporates elements from Arabic, Moorish and Gothic design, representing Hungary’s fascinating past; Elisabeth Bridge, the third newest bridge, also connects Buda and Pest; and the Shoes on the Danube Bank Memorial, consisting of 60 pairs of 1940s style shoes and sculpted out of iron, depicts the shoes left behind by the thousands of Jews who were murdered by the Arrow Cross.

Matthias Church; Budapest, Hungary
St. Stephen's Basilica; Budapest, Hungary
Szabadság Híd (Liberty Bridge); Budapest, Hungary
Párisi Udvar Hotel Budapest; Budapest, Hungary
Elisabeth Bridge; Budapest, Hungary
Elisabeth Bridge; Budapest, Hungary
Fisherman's Bastion; Budapest, Hungary
Hungarian Parliament Building; Budapest, Hungary
Shoes on the Danube Bank Memorial; Budapest, Hungary

Castle, Cathedral and Monastery Hopping

From Budapest to Boldogkováralja

After saying goodbye to our group in Budapest, we embarked on more independent travel, driving nearly 1,000 miles around Hungary taking in as many castles, cathedrals, and monasteries that the country has to offer, including the following pictured in this section: Pannonhalma Archabbey, a monastery complex settled on top a hill in 996; Basilica of Esztergom, the largest church in Hungary and the seat of the Catholic Church; Sopron Monastery, a Pauline-Carmelite Monastery where we spent the night; Sümeg Castle, a 13th century castle in the Lake Balaton area; Bory Castle, a self-built castle by a Hungarian sculptor between 1923 and 1959; Tata Castle, a mid-14th century castle built on the northern tip of Lake Öreg; Minorite Church, the second-largest church in Eger and built in 1773; Immaculate Conception Franciscan Church of the Assumption, a late Baroque style church in Eger; High Castle, a 13th-century castle atop a hill in Visegrád; Saint John the Baptist's Church in Visegrád, a church dedicated to St. John the Baptist and built in 1756; Church of John the Baptist in Szentendre, consecrated to Saint Andrew and built in the 18th century; Blagovestenska Church, a Serbian Orthodox church in Szentendre; and Boldogko Castle, built after the Mongol invasion, sits atop a north-south elongated andesite mountain top.

Basilica of Esztergom; Esztergom, Hungary
Sopron Monastery; Sopron, Hungary
Sümeg Castle; Sümeg, Hungary
Bory Castle; Székesfehérvár, Hungary
Tata Castle; Tata, Hungary
Minorite Church; Eger, Hungary
Immaculate Conception Franciscan Church of the Assumption; Eger, Hungary
High Castle; Visegrád, Hungary
Saint John the Baptist's Church; Visegrád, Hungary
Church of John the Baptist; Szentendre, Hungary
Blagovestenska (Annunciation) Church; Szentendre, Hungary
Boldogkő Castle; Boldogkőváralja, Hungary
Boldogkő Castle; Boldogkőváralja, Hungary
Boldogkő Castle; Boldogkőváralja, Hungary
Created By
Floyd Schleyhahn
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Credits:

Floyd Schleyhahn Photography www.floydandjodi.com