Take your bike (Czech Republic)

Member Name: ChrisCC

Product:	Czech Republic
Date:	10/02/02 (48 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beautiful countryside, Stop and stare easily, See a lot

Disadvantages: Take big bike locks, No room to carry beer, Husband moaned at hills!

After falling in love with Prague and visiting it several times, we decided to take a look at some of the rest of the country. So in summer 99 we packed our camping equipment and toured round, starting at Karlovy Vary, then heading south. We had a great time, and never unpacked our camping equipment once, as hotels were so cheap. One thing we noticed was that the countryside was beautiful, there were lots of little roads, and lots of people cycling.
So, in summer 2000, instead of burdening our car with useless camping equipment (which only took up room more profitably given over to beer, vodka and Becherovka) we strapped our bicycles onto the back.
Mostly we drove somewhere, stopped overnight (or for 2 or 3 nights), and did day trips on our bikes. We did one longer ride, leaving the car at Dacice (fascinating small town off the tourist trail, but very pretty, handy for cycling to Slavonice and Telc, and home of the Sugar Cube - with monument to prove it) and cycling to Moravsky Krumlov to see Mucha's Slav Epic.
Although Czech drivers seem bent on death in Prague, in the countryside we found them very courteous, giving us lots of room when overtaking. Maybe this is because everyone seems to cycle - either to the shops or to work, or as a sport, sometimes touring as we were, and frequently to the nearest hostelry.
Nearly all small towns had bike shops (where we could buy very reasonably priced accessories), and all hotels were very helpful with bike storage. I must particularly recommend the Sport Hotel in Hrotovice, a luxury hotel for hardly any money.
The cycling was great, the countryside so interesting and attractive, and we were able to stop and look at things that caught our eyes whenever we wanted, without all the bother of parking etc.
The caves around Balnsko were incredible, as was cycling around the weird and enchanting Karst countryside around them.
We did take excellent bike locks, and used them whenever we left our
bikes, even for a short while.
A brilliant holiday! Wish I was doing it now!

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