Giant mountain peaks rise sharply to the north providing a dramatic backdrop for your journey. The Hradec Králové region is the land of the **Krkonoše** range where the highest summit in the country touches the clouds. You can walk among massive sandstone pillars in the **Adršpach** rock cities where narrow paths wind through cold stone towers. Waterfalls tumble down rocky slopes into crystal clear mountain streams. The road to the Peak of **Sněžka** offers views that span across the entire northern border into the distant plains. Ancient legends of mountain giants are still told in the cozy timber lodges that sit high above the tree line. Rich fertile lowlands spread out south of the mountains filled with grand manor houses and military history. The massive fortress at **Josefov** features miles of dark underground corridors for you to explore. Grand white chateaus like **Hrádek u Nechanic** look like they were plucked straight from an English countryside. Large safari parks and quiet forest trails offer plenty of variety for your daily stops. Visit the riverside towns where old stone bridges cross the Elbe under the shadow of massive cathedral domes. The terrain is dotted with small craft shops where artisans still carve traditional wooden toys by hand. Traditional folk culture remains strong in the mountain villages where wooden timber houses line the roads. You can find local glass workshops and mountain huts serving hearty potato soup. The terrain is perfect for those who love high views and fresh mountain breezes. It provides a mix of nature and sophisticated history that keeps every mile of the trip exciting. Drive through the narrow mountain passes where the rock walls lean over the road in a dramatic display of stone. Every valley has its own small chapel with a bell that rings out across the silent pine forests at noon.

Hradec Králové (region) highlights

Part of these road trips

Follow the routes that cross this destination

The Scenic Route

The Heritage Drive

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History of Hradec Králové (region)

High above the northern plains the peaks of the **Krkonoše** mountains have long been the home of legends and the guardian of the kingdom's borders. For centuries mountain dwellers lived in isolated timber cottages surviving on what the rugged alpine terrain could provide while weaving tales of the mountain spirit **Krakonoš**. This high altitude wilderness became a cradle of early tourism as pioneers climbed the steep ridges to witness the sunrise over the misty Czech Matterhorn. In the valleys below the landscape was transformed into a masterpiece of baroque drama by ambitious noblemen who wanted to create a paradise on earth. Count **Špork** built the grand Kuks hospital as a sanctuary for veterans surrounding it with incredible stone statues that represent the constant battle between human virtue and vice. Driving through these river valleys reveals a striking contrast between the wild power of nature and the refined elegance of the eighteenth century. The strategic importance of this region led to the construction of massive defensive works like the Josefov fortress designed to stop invading armies with its labyrinth of brick tunnels. These military marvels sit alongside fairy tale rock cities where wind and water have carved sandstone into towering pillars and narrow labyrinths. It is a region where the history of human engineering meets the timeless beauty of a landscape that feels like it belongs in a book of old folk tales.

Hradec Králové (region)