Prachatice District: Nature, History and Routes through the Šumava Region

Prachatice District combines the historic atmosphere of a Bohemian town with landscapes that transition from rolling hills into the Šumava Mountains. To the west of Prachatice lie the Blanice River and the Husinec Reservoir. When choosing where to stay, it is therefore particularly useful to consider whether you want to focus on historical discoveries, forest and moorland landscapes, family-friendly routes or cycling tours.

Prachatice and the history of the Golden Trail

The historic centre of Prachatice has been an urban conservation area since 1981. An important part of the town’s history is told by the Golden Trail, which connected Bohemia with Bavaria. In the Middle Ages, Bavarian salt was transported to Prachatice along it. Historically, there were also branches from Passau to Prachatice and Vimperk. Today, the Golden Trail offers 631 km of newly marked hiking routes, connecting history and active exploration in a special way. The cultural impressions in Prachatice also include the Prachatické hradby, which are classified as a cultural heritage attraction in Prachatice. Another excursion leads to Kratochvíle: an extended tour combines the Renaissance villa with the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. The chateau garden is accessible to wheelchair users and has paths with compacted sand. The Kratochvíle estate is connected to Netolice by a cycle path. Bicycles must be pushed in the garden; bicycle stands are located outside the chateau gate. This regulation is just as important for planning a day by bike as the possibility of combining a visit to the grounds with a circular walk.

Forests, moors and routes for different families

At the heart of Boubínský prales, the forest has been protected since 1858. The path to Boubínské jezírko is suitable for wheelchair users and families with prams. This destination therefore differs significantly from the Albrechtovice route: it is suitable for small children, but not for prams. Its starting point is near Pod Perlovicemi, where visitors can park a car. Jezerní slať is a raised bog in the Šumava Plain. Povydří is also designed as an educational trail with information panels; cycling is prohibited there. When choosing an excursion, this makes it possible to distinguish between quieter nature observation, an explanatory educational trail and routes with different practical features. A short, clearly themed walk is the Hornická naučná stezka Albrechtovice. The educational trail is around 500 metres long and has five stops devoted to historic mining activities. Those who prefer a longer circuit can choose the Vimperk Walking Trail, a circular route suitable for families with children. The options thus range from a short educational route and a family-friendly circuit to natural destinations with special access rules.

Places for further orientation

For further searches for a suitable starting point, you can open the following local pages directly: Borova Lada, Hracholusky, Außergefild, Lenóra, Micovice, Netolice, Prachatice, Pravetín, Stachy, Vacov, Vimperk, Vlachovo Brezí, Volary, Zdíkov, Ckyne, Repesin, Benesova Hora, Ktis, Smedec, Ceske Zleby, Nove Hute, Trhonin, Tvrzice, Nebahovy, Kristanov, Hradiště, Krtely, Buk Pod Boubínem, Bošice, Kratušín, Nicov, Libotyne, Bohunice U Tvrzic, Chroboly, Stožec, Radhostice, Malenice, Strunkovice Nad Blanicí, Němčice, Svatá Maří, Strážný, Vitějovice, Zbytiny, Babice U Netolic, Těšovice, Bušanovice, Bohumilice, Zálezly, Dub U Prachatic, Budkov, Drslavice, Žernovice, Dvory U Lažišť, Olšovice, Chlumany, Chvalovice U Netolic, Lčovice, Lužice U Netolic, Mahouš, Pěčnov, Želnava, Vrbice, Zábrdí, Žárovná, Kristanovice, Konopiste, Hrbov, Svihov, Arnostov, Račov, Řasnice, Nová Pec, Lhenice, Lažiště, Záblatí U Prachatic, Horní Záblatí, Šumavské Hoštice, Horní Vltavice, Kubova Huť, Husinec U Netolic.

For the broader travel overview: South Bohemian Region.