Exploring Prague (Day 2)

We woke up to a crisp sunny day which is perfect for starting a hiking trip. After a breakfast that was fitting for Olympic hikers- which we are not- we headed to the Bohemia Hotel to meet up with our group from BACKROADS. Immediately, we were welcomed by our tour leader Steffi who made us feel like we were best friends forever. We were introduced to the rest of our group and headed for the bus that was to take us on our two hour bus journey to Zlata Koruna. wove through the little streets of Prague until we reached the highway toward the countryside.

The Czech countryside is quite beautiful. Due to all of the rain, the fields are a beautiful emerald green and the plantings are just starting to spring up. The Czech Republic grows mostly the products that go into making their beers and the seeds for canola oil which they use for fuel. What did seem strange to me was the lack of live stock in this area. There were some, but a very small amount for the amount of grazing land that was available.

Lunch was a lovely picnic on the grounds of an old monastery called Zlata Koruna. Which is also the name of the town. The food was prepared by our hiking guides and was incredible as you can see in the photo. We were then briefed on what to expect on our hike.

Our hike started in Zlata Koruna and ended in the beautiful historic town called Cesty Krumlov. We hiked almost six miles into the Forrest and ended in the Medieval town center. Coming down from the mountains, the awesome sight of the valley, the town center and the Vltava River spread out in front of us in a magnificent panoramic scene.

From there we visited the old castle and the newly restored theater; spending the rest of the afternoon exploring the quaint narrow streets of the old city.

Dinner was spent with our hiking group in a lovely hotel that was converted from an old theater. Tomorrow, hopefully will be another beautiful day like today.

Written by Beth Robbins

Robbins is a Philadelphia native who grew up loving culture and the excitement of city life. She attended undergraduate school at the University of the Arts and received a master’s in Fine Arts at Temple University and The Tyler School of Art. Robbins taught art history for 16 years and sponsored off-campus trips for high school and college students. Her interest in travel sparked when she backpack and trekked on her own throughout England, France, Spain and the Mediterranean for five months. She later started an interior design business and art consultation company. She has two children and currently lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado within the Rocky Mountain high country.