Together you will visit the glassworks and glass workshops, where, for example, you can try making your own wound glass beads.Then you’re sure to be entranced by the picturesque little village of Malá Skála, the timbered Bouček farm and the views from the Dubecko lookout point. On a short walk through the Hrubá Skála rock town you will see why the Bohemian Paradise is listed amongst the UNESCO European and world geoparks.
Itinerary: The town of glass Železný Brod - Lunch at the Bouček farm, Malá Skála - Dubecko viewpoint - Hrubá Skála rock town
We will pick you up from your hotel and a comfortable car will take you to the town of glass, Železný Brod. The journey will take one to one and a half hours. We will visit the local glass workshops in Železný Brod, and will see how wound beads, glass jewellery, glass stones, figurines and flowers are made by hand. We will visit a firm that makes traditional Czech decorative, gift and technical glass. Under the guidance of an expert assistant we will use a burner to try hand-crafting wound glass beads or the technique of blowing glass. In the oldest Czech glassmaking school we will take a look into the foundry to see the work of the master glassmakers. We will learn about the history and worldwide aspects of the art of glassmaking in the glass museum and gallery. In the workshops and the museum you can also purchase a wide range of glass products for very reasonable prices.
We will stop for lunch at the Bouček farm in the little village of Malá Skála. This timbered cottage attracts visitors not only for its excellent Czech cuisine, but also for its unique atmosphere. We can admire the masterful craftsmanship of the old builders, masons and carvers who built the farm in the 19th century. After a good lunch we can visit the art collections and the historical exhibits in Josef Jíra’s gallery, which is on the 1st floor of the farm.
Our journey will then continue past Suché skály, a one-kilometre-long sandstone ridge, which was on the bottom of the Cretaceous Sea millions and millions of years ago. Tectonic shifts gradually rolled it over 90 degrees, to form this unique rocky ridge. We then drive up to the Dubecko viewpoint, which offers a wonderful view of the rick towns, Kozákov mountain, Valdštejn castle, Hrubá Skála chateau and the ruins of Trosky castle.
The end of our journey takes us to the Hrubá Skála rock town. There, we visit the courtyard of Hrubá Skála chateau (now a hotel) and take a short walk along the forest trails and through the narrow stone passages right into the heart of the rocks.
Departure time: Depart from Prague in the early morning (approx. 7:30, to be arranged)
Return time: Late afternoon (approx. 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.)
Duration of trip: 11 – 12 hours
Further information: You will be driven from your hotel in a modern eight-seater car. The journey to the region takes approx. 1 – 1.5 hours. 3 – 5 km terrain walks along the forest trails. The length of the walks can be adapted to suit you. All day you will be accompanied by a local English-speaking guide.
