Šumava

For large, tranquil forests, unpolluted and undamaged by acid rain, you can’t go past the Šumava Mountains, which stretch along the border with Austria and Germany. The only wildlife left behind by past hunting are birds, though deer have been re-introduced. Wildflowers abound throughout the range.

The oldest mountains in the Czech Republic, the Šumava - two rounded ranges with high plains and moors between them - are ideal for walking or trekking, and although the mountainous terrain rules out cycling on most hiking trails, the many dirt roads are good for an adventurous and challenging ride.