SANDSTONE TOUR

Valdštejn castle, sandstone engraving close to Kopic´s farmhouse, local atmospheric restaurant Abel´s mill, famous rock town Besedice, Kalich, Suché Rocks

Escape the crowded Prague city center on this exclusive private tour and see the amazing highlights of Bohemian Paradise – UNESCO Geopark

You will be picked up in your hotel and driven to the Bohemian Paradise - Český Ráj, situated about 100km northeast from Prague. The journey takes approx..1 - 1,5 hour.

We will start at Valdštejn castle, which is the oldest castle in the Bohemian Paradise area, and was built by the predecessors of the Lords of Wallenstein (Valdštejn). The castle was deserted in the 16th century. In the Baroque period it was a popular pilgrimage destination.

The premises have distinctive Romantic style features as well (19th century). There is an extremely valuable access bridge built of stone, decorated with Baroque sculptures. Another rarity is the Chapel of St John of Nepomuk with a portrait of John the Baptist.

A pleasant forest track runs to Kopic farm where you can admire amazing engraving in the sandstones. The Kopicův Statek (Kopic Farmhouse) is situated on the platform of Hruboskalsko, 1 km to the south from Valdštejn, near Kacanovy. The house was built in 1787 by Jiří Jiroš, a farmer. Vojtěch Kopic, one of the later owners, was interested in national history and was a keen lay artist. During the Second World War, he was helping with renovation work on an old cottage, and a neighbour - stonemason - taught him to cut stones. From the forties until the time he died, Vojtěch Kopic then carved relief sculptures in the rocks, depicting heroes and events from our history (St. Wenceslas, Jánošík, Duchess Libuše) and nature motifs.

The Kopicův Farmhouse is considered one of the most remarkable monuments of folk architecture in the Jizera region.

Lunch time you will spent in local atmospheric restaurant Ábelův mlýn – “Abel´s mill” where you will have occasion to taste typical czech cuisine. After delicious lunch you will be driven the Kalich.

The romantic labyrinth of sandstone rocks is situated above the left bank of the Jizera River near Besedice in Český Ráj. You can go along a round trail to see the most important places in this area. The main group of the rock formation is called Chléviště. It is known for a cave of an exile, Václav Sadovský from Sloupno, and for spectacular views.The group of rocks named U Kalicha hides in the middle of five rock gaps an altar with a carved chalice and date of 1634.

The Chléviště rock maze is located on a hill above the Jizera River. The name (in Czech, cow barn) is derived from the fact that local people used to hide cattle here during troubled war times. There are several lookout points in the western part, such as Zátiší, Kde domov můj, Hořákova and Kinského. All of these offer beautiful views of the Jizera River valley.