Liberec

Czech_Republic

Liberec (German: Reichenberg) is nestled in the Jizera Mountains, at the foot of Ještěd mountain in the Bohemia region of the northern Czech Republic.

  • City Hall, Náměstí Dr. E. Beneše. The pride of the locals, a luxurious neo-Renaissance architecture built in 1888–93.
    * Dr. Edvard Benes Square. Main city square, named after the wartime president, Edvard Beneš.
    * Tourist information center, Náměstí Dr. E. Beneše 1 (next to the city hall. M–F 08:00-17:00, Sa Su 09:00-12:00.
    * Theatre of F.X. Šalda, Zhořelecká 5 (behind the city hall. Built in 1883 (same year as the National Theatre of Prague), named after František Xaver Šalda, an avant-garde playwright.
  • Church of St. Anthony the Great, Železná Street (behind Hotel Praha. A neo-Gothic church, no public access to the inside.
  • Liberec Castle, Felberova Street. A Renaissance chateau with glass collection, but no public access to the inside.
  • North Bohemian museum, Masarykova 11 (tram stop „Muzeum-výstaviště”. Tu–Su 09:00-17:00. Closed until November 2019 for renovations. 30 Kč. The stop
  • Regional Gallery, Masarykova 723/14 (next to the North Bohemian Museum. Tu–W 10:00-17:00, Th 10:00-19:00, F–Su 10:00-17:00. 80 Kč (Admission free on Thursdays).
  • Zoo, Masarykova 31 (tram stop „Botanická-Zoo”. Daily 08:00-17:00. The first zoo in former Czechoslovakia, founded in 1919. 90/120 Kč (depending on the month).
  • Botanical garden, Purkyňova 1 (next to the main entrance to zoo. Daily 08:00-18:00 (summer) or 08:00-16:00 (winter). 140 Kč.
  • Bus stop - sculpture Feast of Giants by David Černý. A table set with, among others, a carnivorous plant, knocked over menorah, German and Czech beer mugs and head of Konrad Henlein on a plate (all allusions to Liberec complex history).

City Hall, Náměstí Dr. E. Beneše. The pride of the locals, a luxurious neo-Renaissance architecture built in 1888–93.

* Dr. Edvard Benes Square. Main city square, named after the wartime president, Edvard Beneš.
* Tourist information center, Náměstí Dr. E. Beneše 1 (next to the city hall. M–F 08:00-17:00, Sa Su 09:00-12:00.
* Theatre of F.X. Šalda, Zhořelecká 5 (behind the city hall. Built in 1883 (same year as the National Theatre of Prague), named after František Xaver Šalda, an avant-garde playwright.

Church of St. Anthony the Great, Železná Street (behind Hotel Praha. A neo-Gothic church, no public access to the inside.

Liberec Castle, Felberova Street. A Renaissance chateau with glass collection, but no public access to the inside.

North Bohemian museum, Masarykova 11 (tram stop „Muzeum-výstaviště”. Tu–Su 09:00-17:00. Closed until November 2019 for renovations. 30 Kč.

Regional Gallery, Masarykova 723/14 (next to the North Bohemian Museum. Tu–W 10:00-17:00, Th 10:00-19:00, F–Su 10:00-17:00. 80 Kč (Admission free on Thursdays).

Zoo, Masarykova 31 (tram stop „Botanická-Zoo”. Daily 08:00-17:00. The first zoo in former Czechoslovakia, founded in 1919. 90/120 Kč (depending on the month).

Botanical garden, Purkyňova 1 (next to the main entrance to zoo. Daily 08:00-18:00 (summer) or 08:00-16:00 (winter). 140 Kč.

Bus stop - sculpture Feast of Giants by David Černý. A table set with, among others, a carnivorous plant, knocked over menorah, German and Czech beer mugs and head of Konrad Henlein on a plate (all allusions to Liberec complex history).

Summit of Jested in Liberec

  • Ještěd Mountain. A well-known landmark of Liberec city with a famous tower on the top. The tower built in the 1960s has a unique hyperboloid shape, naturally extending the silhouette of the mountain. It serves as a hotel and TV transmitter. By good weather you can overlook most of northern Bohemia as well as part of Germany and Poland from the summit. Take a tram No 3 to Horní Hanychov and then either by hiking one of the trails or by cableway (60 Kč) to the top.
  • Cross-country skiing The city is famous for winter sporting events like FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 or the Jizerské Mountains, where you can enjoy the majestic beauty of the Nordic nature on 115 km of cross-country paths.
  • Centrum Babylon, Nitranská 1. Rebuilt from an former textile factory, the Babylon is one of the largest Czech entertainment complexes. It offers aquapark, lunapark, 3D motion simulator, golf simulator, laser game, wellness center and many others.
  • Golf at two golf resorts with an unforgettable atmosphere.

Ještěd Mountain. A well-known landmark of Liberec city with a famous tower on the top. The tower built in the 1960s has a unique hyperboloid shape, naturally extending the silhouette of the mountain. It serves as a hotel and TV transmitter. By good weather you can overlook most of northern Bohemia as well as part of Germany and Poland from the summit. Take a tram No 3 to Horní Hanychov and then either by hiking one of the trails or by cableway (60 Kč) to the top.

Cross-country skiing The city is famous for winter sporting events like FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 or the Jizerské Mountains, where you can enjoy the majestic beauty of the Nordic nature on 115 km of cross-country paths.

Centrum Babylon, Nitranská 1. Rebuilt from an former textile factory, the Babylon is one of the largest Czech entertainment complexes. It offers aquapark, lunapark, 3D motion simulator, golf simulator, laser game, wellness center and many others.

Golf at two golf resorts with an unforgettable atmosphere.

  • Duli, Moskevská 4. Pizza and pasta on the 1st floor, more on 2nd.
  • Kavárna Pošta, Náměstí Dr. E. Beneše 24. Viennese cafe, dances on Friday nights (with extra admissions)
  • Café Praha, Železná 2. Belongs to Hotel Praha, with some veggie dishes.
  • Om Restaurant, Husova 23/9, +420 485 111 293. For Indian and Nepalese & Himalayan foods.

Duli, Moskevská 4. Pizza and pasta on the 1st floor, more on 2nd.

Kavárna Pošta, Náměstí Dr. E. Beneše 24. Viennese cafe, dances on Friday nights (with extra admissions)

Café Praha, Železná 2. Belongs to Hotel Praha, with some veggie dishes.

Om Restaurant, Husova 23/9, +420 485 111 293. For Indian and Nepalese & Himalayan foods.

  • Hotel Radnice, Moskevská 11. Bar and restaurant.

Hotel Radnice, Moskevská 11. Bar and restaurant.

  • Jizera Mountains (Jizerské hory) are a true island of Scandinavian nature in central Europe. The central plateau with endless forests is ideal for hiking and cycling in summer or cross-country skiing in winter. Although in recent years crowds of tourists head there and the nature park authority issues too many car entry permits, you can find there a lot of quiet deserted places where only birches, pines and long grass whisper between rocks and boulders. Good start points to Jizera mountains are:
    • Bedřichov, easily reached by bus from Liberec, but also full of tourists
    • Josefův Důl and Kořenov train stations
    • Harrachov train station, ideal for exploring the Polish part of Jizera mountains
  • Lusatian Mountains (Lužické hory) are lower than Jizera mountains but also less touristy and surely worth to visit. Military enthusiasts will be interested in remnants of interwar Czechoslovak fortification system with a lot of deserted concrete bunkers. Good start points are Rynoltice, Lvová and Jablonné v Podještědí (train stops) or Jitrava (bus stop).
  • Ralsko is a center of former military area, formed by vast plains with pine forests, quiet ponds, sandstone rocks and mysterious dilapidated military structures. Take a bus to Stráž pod Ralskem and get off in Osečná or Hamr na Jezeře.

Jizera Mountains (Jizerské hory) are a true island of Scandinavian nature in central Europe. The central plateau with endless forests is ideal for hiking and cycling in summer or cross-country skiing in winter. Although in recent years crowds of tourists head there and the nature park authority issues too many car entry permits, you can find there a lot of quiet deserted places where only birches, pines and long grass whisper between rocks and boulders. Good start points to Jizera mountains are:

  • Bedřichov, easily reached by bus from Liberec, but also full of tourists
  • Josefův Důl and Kořenov train stations
  • Harrachov train station, ideal for exploring the Polish part of Jizera mountains

Lusatian Mountains (Lužické hory) are lower than Jizera mountains but also less touristy and surely worth to visit. Military enthusiasts will be interested in remnants of interwar Czechoslovak fortification system with a lot of deserted concrete bunkers. Good start points are Rynoltice, Lvová and Jablonné v Podještědí (train stops) or Jitrava (bus stop).

Ralsko is a center of former military area, formed by vast plains with pine forests, quiet ponds, sandstone rocks and mysterious dilapidated military structures. Take a bus to Stráž pod Ralskem and get off in Osečná or Hamr na Jezeře.