DATE: 8th July 2024
COMMENTS:
The weather in the western part of Czechia was really beautiful today and far too nice to be in the city! I decided to take a drive to Hřensko and to spend the day walking around the area.
Hřensko lies approximately 120-130kms from Prague to the northwest and very close to the border with Germany and the city of Dresden. Travelling to Hřensko by car is much the easiest form of travel although it is possible to take the train from Prague to Děčín and then a bus from Děčín to Hřensko.
Trains to Děčín depart from Praha Hlavni Nadrazi and arrive at Schöna Bahnhof via Děčín hlavní nádraží. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2h 18m and tickets cost between Kč172 and Kč1,067 depending upon time and class of travel. The journey requires a change of trains at Děčín Hlavni Nadrazi, for the connection to Schoena or Schöna station at Hřensko.
However, as I have mentioned already, I would recommend a car as the preferred option and if your budget will allow, a one-day car rental from any of the numerous car hire companies in Prague will be easier for you and allow for you to see more of the area. In addition, and depending upon what time you arrive, (I recommend arriving at around 9am in the morning), there is ample parking with parking fees of about Kč35 per hour or EUR8 per day depending upon which car park you choose.
Hřensko is a very pretty village and is actually located in the Ústi and Labem Region, very close to the border with Germany. The village sits at the confluence of the Elbe and Kamenice rivers, and can be considered as a gateway to the "Bohemian Switzerland National Park."
The national park is very famous for its amazing sandstone formations, several deep gorges, and scenic hiking trails, including the famous Pravčická brána, the largest natural sandstone arch in Europe. The hiking trail to Pravčická brána is a round trip of approximately 13.5kms. I regret that today I was not able to visit Pravčická brána but will do so again shortly and will update this entry accordingly. However, please do not make my mistake, and if you have made the effort to visit Hřensko, you should make very effort to go that bit further to Pravčická brána. Please see the website: https://pbrana.cz/en/
PLACES TO EAT
As you walk through the village of Hřensko and along the river, you will find many restaurants the menus of which tend to focus on traditional Czech and German dishes. In addition there are several "rest rooms" available as well as those linked to individual restaurants.
SOME CRITICISM
If like me, you park just off the main road and therefore walk through the whole length of the village, you will note that the first part of your walk through Hřensko will take you past stall-upon-stall selling mainly cheap, tasteless and shoddy items. This for me was a great a shame. Hřensko is a an area of outstanding natural beauty, (including the village), and in my opinion such stalls selling a range of such garish items, simply do not "fit" within the area in which they are located. A great shame, but there we are - they certainly will nit ruin your enjoyment of the area!
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