Czech cycle tourism
1. Introduction
Just a few decades ago the bicycle was regarded as no more than a means of getting from one place to another, for example, as a way of getting people and their lunchboxes to work. Then someone came up with the bright idea that bicycles could also be used as a source of enjoyment. All sorts of different bikes appeared on the market and part of the population took up biking as a hobby.
As of 10/2008 there were more than 37,000 kilometres of cycling tracks and routes in the Czech Republic. The territory of the Czech Republic has excellent conditions for the development of this active way of spending holidays. It offers diverse and picturesque landscapes, great natural beauty as well as a wealth of historic monuments that can be visited. Cyclists can use accommodation facilities of all categories. There is no shortage of cycling guides and maps and bikes can be hired at both bike rental centres and in many hotels.
2. Cycling route markings
You can ride your bike on common car roads or on cycle paths in the Czech Republic. Cycle paths are signed by blue-white circle traffic sign with bike. Some cycle routes go on the pavement as separated lane for cyclists behind the lane for walkers; there is one lane for cyclists & walkers only on the other places - both walking and cycling people can use it together. Discretion is necessary! There is a posibility to use rural or forest roads in many places. The surface quality and marking in the maps are usually not very good.
There is relatively high density of cycle routes network in the Czech Republic - cycle routes are usually signed by yellow-black signs with direction (left arrow, right arrow, straight arrow), destination (city, village, interesting place) and number or mark of the cycle route. The number of the cycle route gives it meaning:
One digit - international long distance cycle routes (f.i. cycle route No 3 Prague - Pilsen - Regensburg goes via Pilsen)
Two digits - transregional long distance cycle routes (f.i. cycle route No 31 from Pilsen to Nepomuk and Blatná, No 35 from Pilsen to Manětín and Žlutice and cycle route “Přátelství” No 37 from Pilsen to Stříbro and Neustat, Norimberg and Paris
Three digits - transregional long distance cycle routes
Four digits - local cycle routes (most of local cyclo routes in Pilsen region starts on digit 2. Circle cycloroute around Pilsen city is signed by the numer 2125, only long distance cycle routes or direction to part of the Pilsen city such as Centrum, Doudlevce, Doubravka, Bory are signed inside of this circle)
If there is no arrow on the yellow-black sign cycle route continues straight.
Cycle routes going via national parks (such as National park Šumava) are signed by stripe signing similar like for walking people. This stripe signing is composed of three horizontal strips. Upper and lower stripes are yellow and middle stripe has color of the cycle route. There are yellow label signinig on the crossroads.
Cycle routes are usually marked out in maps by the violet colour.
3. Greenways in the Czech Republic
In the Czech Republic the Greenways program is coordinated by the Partnership Foundation which provides assistance and support to organisations and projects contributing to sustainable development along trails and natural corridors. The main objective of the program is to create a network of organisations and projects for exchange of experiences and cooperation. Czech greenways yet do not offer such a good level as Spanish or French ones nevertheless they belong to the most worked out trails in the Czech Republic. The most famous Czech greenways are Moravian wine trails, the Greenway Prague – Vienna and Krakow – Moravia – Vienna Greenway.
Greenways is an assistance and grant making program of the Czech Environmental Partnership Foundation. Through this program the Foundation provides support to organizations and projects aiming at sustainable development along the trails and natural corridors. Creation of a network of organizations and projects that can share experience and exchange ideas nationally and internationally is an important goal of the program as well.
Greenways bring benefits for nature conservation and heritage protection and interpretation, provide opportunities for better mobility, recreation and tourism, and challenge lifestyles and sustainable use of natural resources. Greenways inspire citizens, local politicians, authorities and businessmen for joined planning and enhancing quality of life in their community.
Greenways Program focuses on projects that integrate solutions for several issues with the aim to enhance quality of life for inhabitants of towns and villages. The main themes of the Program are the following:
- local and regional development;
- sensitive and safe transportation;
- soft tourism;
- conservation of natural and cultural heritage;
- healthy life-style.
Moravian Wine Trails - www.vinarske.stezky.cz
The Moravian Wine Trails are a long-term project for the development of viniculture and sustainable tourism in South Moravia. The project has been implemented by the Czech Environmental Partnership Foundation (Nadace Partnerství) in collaboration with 280 wine-growing municipalities and other partners since 1999. Each of the 10 wine-growing regions in Moravia is connected by its own wine trail loop, with all loops connected to the arterial Moravian Wine Trail. Visitors can thus choose from one-day trips or longer tours on which to discover local culture, wines and monuments, all from a 1,200-km network of cycling trails.
Praha–Wien Greenways - www.pragueviennagreenways.org
Praha–Wien Greenways is a network of bicycle and hiking trails between Prague and Wien. The trail is 470 km long and wonders through historical towns and romantic villages, along beautiful castles and chateaus or monasteries. The trail goes through fascinating landscapes of fish ponds and marshes in South Bohemia or wineyards of South Moravia.
Other regional loops give tourists enriching opportunities to explore Rozmberk Heritage Greenways, Lichtenstein Heritage Greenways or Handicraft Greenways.
Praha–Wien Greenways was established by civil association baring the same name in 1992. Czech Environmental Partnership Foundation (Nadace Partnerstvi) manages the project since 1998 as part of its assistance program. Friends of Czech Greenways in New York City are the official partner in the USA.
4. We are preparing tips for biketrips.
For the prezent you can download here a brochure on cycle tourism in the Czech Republic: “Cycling free and easy”
