Though a really tiny village, Ostrov is a place in Bohemian Switzerland you should not miss. Surrounded by sandstone towers, gorges and small canyons of Elbe Sandstone Highlands the village of Ostrov is a paradise for people who like being closer to nature and enjoying active vacations outdoors.
The small village in Bohemian Switzerland in the North of the Czech Republic lies about 1 hour and 20 minutes by car from Prague and thus it makes for the perfect one day trip from the capital.
As there are so many things to do, I would recommend you to stay at least over the extended weekend.
Ostrov Rocks | photo credit: karel
5 Things to Do When Camping in Ostrov, Bohemian Switzerland
Ostrov is a remote village hidden in a peaceful valley surrounded by Ostrov Rocks and Volské Stones. When you pass the village of Tisá and drive down the narrow road towards Ostrov, you feel like you are coming to the end of the world.
Actually, you are not far from the truth, but where the road ends, hiking trails and climbers' paths start.
photo credit: karel
The camping site is called Pod Císařem and it is basically a starting point for most of the climbers coming to the area. It is exciting to meet them all in the evening in the local restaurant and listen to them talking about their adventures in the rocks.
The camping site offers both plenty of space for tents and dozen of small cabins for rent. It has toilets, warm showers, kitchen and washing machine. Local restaurant offers great beer and a variety of great food including #vegetarian dishes.
Ostrov Rocks | photo credit: karel
The surrounding is absolutely stunning. You will definitely enjoy beautiful views of the rocks peeping out of the woods, a nearby pond in hot days, slack lines set among the trees, or wild blueberries in the woods.
1. Go Climbing on Elbe Sandstone
If you are a climber, you will definitely enjoy a beautiful rock #climbing on sandstone towers in the area. There are thousands of mostly traditional routes with some better equipped, but harder sport lines.
Rock towers in Tisá, Rájec and Ostrov reach up to 30 meters and the climbing there has mainly wall character. Tisá Rocks are the busiest ones with tourists, so if you feel like something more quiet and equally beautiful, I would recommend either Ostrov or Rájec Rocks.
Tisá Rocks | pixabay.com
If you are looking for a bouldering area, Děčínský Sněžník dotted with hundreds of great boulders is a great place to go.
In the #Elbe valley, there are amazing possibilities to climb on both left and right bank of the river. The impressive rock formations stretch from the town of Děčín to the borders with Germany. The right river bank is more popular for climbers. The walls can reach up to 80 metres and offer many beautiful climbing routes.
Elbe Sandstone | photo credit: pixabay.com
If you need to buy some extra gear, you can do it in the local climbing store in the village of Tisá. The store is very well equipped with all you need for climbing including climbing guidebooks for the area.
When climbing on sandstone, please, remember that climbing is forbidden when rock is still wet soon after the rain. Metal gear and chalk is prohibited in all circumstances. This applies to all sandstone areas in the Czech Republic and the Czechs are pretty strict about that.
2. Hike the Trail from Ostrov to Tisá Rock Town and Back
For #hiking in this area, you will need a topographic map of the Czech Tourist Club number 12 (Národní parky České a Saské Švýcarsko).
A four-kilometre green hiking trail will lead you directly from the campsite Pod Císařem to the Tisá Walls. The hike is not difficult, however, I recommend you to take good shoes, as you will be walking on uneven path and up and down the rocky terrain.
Tisá Rocks | photo credit: karel
Tisá Walls are sandstone formations overlooking the small village of Tisá. Once you reach them, you will be able to make a nice loop that will take you through the maze of sandstone towers.
This loop can be really fun for kids. The ground is covered with sand and you will see that there are always some boulders to climb on, narrow crevices to sneak through and holes to hide in.
For the more family friendly hike, I recommend you to take a car, go to the village of Tisá, park the car by the church and make the loop from here.
3. Have a Lunch, Coffee and Homemade Lemonade in Refugio
You can't leave Tisá without having a lunch or a quick refreshment in local #restaurant. There are not many places in or around Tisá but Refugio definitely stands out from all the rest.
photo credit: pixabay.com
Refugio Restaurant and Mountain Equipment Store are located at the gateway to Tisá Rocks in the village of Tisá and it is definitely a great place to go to eat. They have enough vegetarian meals on the menu, they make great coffee, yummy cakes and homemade lemonade.
photo credit: pixabay.com
The Staff is really friendly and speaks both English and German. Playground in the garden makes for a great entertainment for kids. Mountain Equipment Store is well-equipped in terms of both outdoor clothes and climbing gear.
The owners, climbers themselves, can give you also useful hints on climbing in the area.
4. Go Wild Blueberry Picking and Taste Blueberry Dumplings
#Blueberry picking is the sweetest summer experience and forests in the area around Ostrov are great place for this activity. Wild blueberry bushes are everywhere and if you come to the area in the right season, I guarantee you will not be able resist this blueberry madness.
Wild Blueberry Bush | photo credit: pixabay.com
So, if you feel like having a lazy day, just go to the nearby woods to snack on the delicious berries. Soon, you will find out that forest blueberries are much more tastier than those in the farms.
During the blueberry season, some restaurants, including the one in the campsite Pod Císařem, offer the authentic Czech sweet dumplings with blueberry filling.
They are usually served with grated tvaroh (a typical Czech dairy product that does not really have an equivalent in Western Cuisines, the closest being the curd), icing sugar and melted butter.
photo credit: pixabay.com
5. Hike to Pravčice Gate and take a boat through the Gorges
The trail to the Pravčice Gate is one of the most popular hikes in this part of the Czech Republic. You hike through beautiful forests, you pass by sandstone rocks and cliffs and you boat the stunning gorges.
Pravčice Gate | photo credit: pixabay.com
For hiking in this area, you will need a topographic map of the Czech Tourist Club number 12 (Národní parky České a Saské Švýcarsko).
As cars cannot really go too close, I would recommend you to park your car on the parking lot Pod Skalou.
To save yourself some time and strengths, take a bus two stops to the northeast and get off at the #Pravčická brána stop. The beautiful part of the trail starts here and takes you upwards to the absolutely stunning Pravčice Gate and nearby #chateau.
Falcon's Nest Chateau | photo credit: pixabay.com
The hike uphill is reasonable and even pretty easy for kids.
Pravčice Gate is the biggest natural rock bridge in Europe and it is considered to be the most beautiful natural monument in the Bohemian Schwitzerland.
Falcon's Nest Chateau | photo credit: pixabay.com
The holiday chateau at the top is called #Falcon's nest (Sokolí hnízdo) and it was built in the 19th century. Nowadays, there is a nice authentic restaurant.
Edmund Gorge | photo credit: pixabay.com
When you continue further and follow the marked trail through Garbrielina stezka and Mezní louka you get to the Edmund #Gorge. Once you get there, prepare yourself for embarking on a small boat. You have two short boat rides ahead of you.
After debarking again, you have to make another 20 minute walk to get back to Hřensko.
Wild Gorge | photo credit: pixabay.com
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