Bechyně – Culture, Circular Trails and Spa

Bechyně between the Lužnice and culture

Bechyně combines historic buildings, unusual museum collections and trails through the Bechyňsko region. The monastery with the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary stands on a rock above the Lužnice. In the monastery garden, you will find seating and a view of the Lužnice Valley framed by the Bechyňská duha. The Bechyňská duha itself is also a prominent structure: it has an arch span of 90 m and stands 50 m above the water level of the Lužnice.

Historic trails and prominent structures

The Bechyňská duha, also known as the Rainbow Bridge, serves both road and railway traffic. Regular railway service on the Tábor–Bechyně line began in June 1903. In 1929, the line was extended across the Lužnice to Bechyně; in doing so, it crossed the Bechyňská duha.

Several described hiking and cycling routes through interesting places in the Bechyňsko region are available for exploring the surroundings. The Bechyňské vyhlídky circular trail is 4 km long, while the Okruh Židovou strouhou circular trail is 11 km long. At four kilometres, the Bechyňské vyhlídky circular trail is considerably shorter than the eleven-kilometre Okruh Židovou strouhou. You can therefore distinguish between the two options by the length of the trip: the shorter route fits into a more compact part of the day, while the longer one accordingly requires more time. For planning your day, the route length is therefore a clear point of comparison before you choose one of the two circuits and organise your trip accordingly.

Castle, monastery and museums

Bechyně Castle has been protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic since 1958. The guided tour already begins with a walk through the castle park. The monastery in Bechyně also contains the largest collection of cell vaults in the Czech Republic. St. Michael’s Church hosts concerts and exhibitions, complementing the historic sites with a programme of cultural events.

The International Museum of Ceramics in Bechyně displays the permanent exhibition “Porta Ceramica” from the collections of AJG. The Bechyně Town Museum offers a permanent exhibition on the history of the town and its surroundings. The Bechyně Tourism Museum opened in 2006 and is considered the first museum of its kind in the Czech Republic. It documents the development of tourism in the Czech Republic and Europe; it also includes a permanent exhibition on the history of Jewish communities in the Bechyňsko region. The gallery in the Town Museum presents seasonal exhibitions and holds workshops.

Spa and further destinations

At Bechyně Spa, natural peat from its own peat bogs near Bechyně is suitable for thoroughly warming and relaxing the body. This allows you to combine cultural discoveries, circular trails and a more peaceful stay thematically.

You can continue your research with further destinations: Zvěrotice, Radimovice U Želče, Běleč U Mladé Vožice, Kamenna Lhota, Skalice, Sudoměřice U Tábora, Chotoviny and Dudov.

To the main travel overview: Tábor District.