Špindlerův Mlýn
One of the largest and most modern ski resorts in the Czech Republic, with more than 25 km of slopes. You can rent equipment on site, leave the kids at the ski school and buy skipasses online.
Surroundings
We live here all year round, so we know where to find groomed trails in winter and where to go for a summer walk. You will find the basics below and we are happy to recommend more in person.
Where to find us
The apartment is at Peklo 543 in Vrchlabí. The map also shows nearby ski resorts, cross-country areas and the trip ideas we recommend below. Start navigation in Mapy.cz or Google Maps.
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Skiing
Špindlerův Mlýn is just around the corner and the surrounding hills offer smaller resorts where you never queue for a lift. We choose based on the weather and on who you are travelling with.
Kněžický Vrch
A small local resort on the hill opposite, nice for families with small children. You will not find a black slope there, but our guests love going there with their kids.
Herlíkovice
The resort sits lower down, but in a good winter it finds its fans and the slopes are framed by typical Giant Mountain timbered chalets.
Cross-country, ski touring and sledging
Cross-country
There are plenty of groomed cross-country trails all around us. Five minutes from the house is the Vejsplachy area with artificial snow, and the trails at Strážné and Benecko are also good.
Ski touring
From the ridges you can head anywhere where there is snow and a view. Even just behind our house, onto the meadows.
Sledges and bobs
Hills for sliding down are all around. If you forget your gear, let us know. We have some extra and are happy to lend it.
Trips nearby
You cannot see all of the Giant Mountains in one holiday. These are the places we recommend to our guests most often. Most are within half an hour of the apartment, by car, by bus or on foot.
Views and ridges
Žalý lookout tower
The oldest stone lookout tower in the Giant Mountains stands on the hill right above Herlíkovice. A chairlift runs there in summer, mainly during the school holidays, but the walk up is worth it. On a clear day you can see as far as the Bohemian Paradise.
Source of the Elbe and Pančava waterfall
A popular full-day loop from Špindlerův Mlýn. A stone well decorated with the crests of towns along the Elbe, and close by the highest waterfall in Czechia, tumbling down the rocks into the Elbe valley.
Sněžka
Pec pod Sněžkou is less than an hour away by car. A cable car takes you to the top, or you can hike. It is best early in the morning and outside the main season, when it is less crowded.
With children
Lifts in Špindlerův Mlýn
The lifts to Medvědín and Pláň also run outside winter. There is a playground at the top of Medvědín and several nature trails start at Pláň. Operating hours change during the year, so check the current timetable before you go.
Treetop walkway
In Janské Lázně a wooden walkway leads from the forest floor up above the treetops. The loop is about one and a half kilometres long and along the way children solve questions about who lives in the mountain forest.
Kejnos in Benecko
A summer chairlift close to us, with a maze and a bike trail at the top. A good afternoon trip for when the kids do not feel like walking much.
When it rains
Museum of the Giant Mountains in Vrchlabí
A modern national park exhibition right in town, a few minutes from the apartment. It shows how the mountains were formed, what lives in them and why we protect them. Fun for adults and kids alike.
Swimming pools
There are indoor pools in Vrchlabí and in Špindlerův Mlýn. If you want warm water, head to the thermal pool in Janské Lázně.
Giant Mountains Museum in Jilemnice
A Renaissance chateau with a moving nativity scene and an exhibition about how skiing began in the Giant Mountains.
For adults
Giant Mountains Beer Trail
A trip for a group of friends: about thirty kilometres through the mountains, five small breweries and two nights in mountain chalets.
Tourist buses
In season, buses run through the mountains to take you up high, and you walk or ride your bike back down. Many of them also carry bikes.
In summer
In summer we walk the Giant Mountains and look for their prettiest corners. Ten minutes from the apartment stands the Kněžická chalupa mountain inn, where we love to head for good coffee, yeast buns and a crackling stove. We wrote a blog article about this local gem. More tips can be found in the articles Summer trips from Peklo,Where to ski nearby and Where to eat.