As if created specifically for ski lovers, the Krkonoše ski resort in the Czech Republic welcomes guests with the cleanest air, amazing nature and excellent tourist infrastructure. It is therefore not surprising that not only foreigners, but also locals prefer to relax in this GLC to trips to other Czech resorts.

In addition to the advantages of the resort, its popularity is also facilitated by its convenient location: the resort is located not far from Prague, which means it is quite possible to combine a cultural program in the capital with active leisure in the mountain range. It makes sense to visit the ski resort both to improve your skiing skills and simply to relax surrounded by fantastic landscapes, see local attractions and climb the highest mountain – Sněžka, whose height is 1602 meters.

The Giant Mountains can rightfully be called one of those places where respectable businessmen, students, couples and other categories of tourists are equally comfortable. Those who have been here at least once claim that there is a special peace here and you can not worry about safety, skiing for pleasure and spending time in local restaurants.

Krkonoše Ski Trails

This resort is not a ski resort in the usual sense. This is a center that unites several ski resorts:

Pec-pod-Snezhkoy;

Špindleruv Mlyn;

Harrachov;

Karpacz;

Szklarska Poręba;

Rokytnice nad Jizerou;

Jablunytnice nad Jizerou.

Characteristics

The distance from the capital to the center is about 160 kilometers (3-3.5 hours drive).

The categories of trails are blue, green, black and red.

Average altitude: from 1100 to 1400 meters.

The length of the trails is about 100 kilometers (the total length of the trails of all resorts).

Artificial snow system

There is a ski pass admission system, equipment rental and 7 ski schools, as well as cable cars and lifts.

The busiest tourist season is from early December to late April.

The surface of the slopes is combined and natural.

The main attractions are the cogwheel railway, the Chapel of St. Elizabeth, the Glass Museum, the Church of St. Wenceslas, etc.

Weather

The Krkonoše ski resort is located in a temperate climate zone, so the weather in winter is not very cold – up to minus six degrees, with the lowest indicators observed in January. The average annual temperature is +11 degrees, and the snow cover varies depending on weather conditions from one to three meters. Going here, you can count on pleasant climatic conditions, which is especially important for those planning a trip with children.

Trails

Local ski resorts are a reduced copy of the Alpine ones. The service is on par with them, but the choice of trails and the difference in altitude here is less.

The average difference in altitude is 500-600 meters. “Advanced” skiers and boarders, as well as those who have been to Alpine resorts, this place in terms of trails may disappoint.

The maximum total length of trails in one resort is 25 kilometers. At the same time, moving from one resort to another is quite difficult. It is not everywhere that you can quickly move to another place in an hour.

The Krkonoše slopes are quite suitable for family holidays, beginners and those who are not very demanding on skiing. Almost all resorts have slopes of all difficulty levels (but some, for example, may only have black).

There are a minimum of dangerous places on the slopes (cliffs, gorges, etc.). There are slopes with interesting terrain, but not everywhere. Some resorts have a bright town focus. Coming there from afar is a lot of money to overpay.

The condition of the snow on the slopes depends heavily on the weather. Many resorts have an artificial snowmaking system. But resorts cannot fully operate purely on artificial snow. There may be little snow, although it usually falls out quite a bit.

There are 8 slopes in Harrachov. The total length is 9 kilometers. The resort itself is considered small. There are ski jumps here. One is among the largest in the world. The slopes are groomed. Difficulty levels are blue, red, green.

Špindlerův Mlýn is one of the largest local ski resorts. The total length of the slopes is 25 kilometers. The elevation difference is about 500 meters. Two skiing areas. The resort itself is considered one of the best in the entire Czech Republic. All difficulties. By lunchtime, the slopes break up in places.

The Karpacz resort is already in Poland. 17 kilometers of slopes. 7 slopes. Two half-pipes. Elevation difference – 530 meters. Skiing area from 830 to 1,350 meters.

Szklarska Poreba is another ski resort. The elevation difference is about 600 meters. The total length of the slopes is 15 kilometers. The number of slopes is 7. The average length of the slopes is about 2 kilometers, although there is one for 4.5 kilometers. There is artificial snow. There are slalom slopes.

Rokytnice nad Jizerou – mountain ski resort in the Czech Republic. Quite a large center. Two separate skiing areas. The first is located at altitudes from 657 to 1315 meters. Contains 14 kilometers of slopes. The main difficulty of the slopes is blue. The second slope is located at altitudes from 620 to 933 meters. The category of slopes is mostly green. There are 24 slopes in total.

Jablunice nad Jizerou is a relatively small Czech resort. 9 kilometers of trails. The difference in altitude is from 650 to 1320 meters.

Climbers

To deliver tourists to the start of the trails, Krkonoše is equipped with special chairlifts and tow-bar lifts, the number of which is constantly increasing as the hotel base develops and new centers for winter sports enthusiasts are organized. In addition, there are lifts and a rail funicular, but it is worth considering that there are periods when you have to get to the mountain on foot. Such a situation may arise during regular technical expertise and troubleshooting.

You can minimize the cost of paying for the lift by purchasing a six-day pass, which will cost about two hundred euros and will allow you to go up and down an unlimited number of times. This option is great for both beginners and experienced skiers who spend most of their time on the slopes.

On weekends and holidays, there are long queues everywhere.

Hotels

Naturally, in order for a vacation in the Krkonoše Mountains to bring maximum positive emotions, you need to choose a suitable place to stay, especially since now the GLC has enough hotels for tourists with different needs and financial capabilities. It cannot be said that the GLC already offers a very wide variety of hotels, but in general there is plenty to choose from – mainly three- and four-star hotels are presented here, accommodation in which varies from 40-50 to 100-120 euros per night in a double room. As a rule, hotels offer the option of accommodation with breakfast, although for an additional fee you can choose a tour with full or half board.

A distinctive feature of the hotels offered to guests by the ski center is a special atmosphere of comfort, which is due to the fact that most of them belong to the category of mini-hotels. A good option in terms of saving money would be to stay at Olympie 3, Domovina 3 or Horal Hotel, but more affluent tourists are recommended to pay attention to Harmony 4 and Montana 3, where in addition to high-class service you can count on the presence of a lot of additional entertainment such as a sauna, billiards and a disco.

ProFamily TOP Benecko 3-star hotel

Profamily TOP Benecko is located in Benecko, 200 metres from Macher. It features a restaurant, free private parking, a bar and a garden. This 3-star hotel offers ski-to-door access, a kids’ club and free WiFi. The hotel offers conference and banquet facilities, as well as entertainment staff.

At Profamily TOP Benecko, rooms are fitted with a wardrobe, a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom.

A buffet breakfast is available every morning at the accommodation.

The accommodation offers a terrace. Hiking and skiing are popular in the area. Ski equipment rental is available at Profamily TOP Benecko.

Popular points of interest near the hotel include Kenos, Lyska and HSK. The nearest airport is Pardubice Airport, 94 km from Profamily TOP Benecko.

Chaty Vrchlabí 4 star hotel

Chaty Vrchlabí is located in Vrchlabí, close to the Herlikovice Ski Resort. It offers a garden, ski equipment rental, ski-to-door access, barbecue facilities and a terrace. Free private parking is available on site. The area is popular for hiking, skiing and cycling.

The chalet has 3 bedrooms, a kitchenette with a microwave and a fridge, a flat-screen TV, a seating area and 1 bathroom.

A children’s playground is available for guests at Chaty Vrchlabí. Other facilities offered at the property include a bicycle rental service, a ski pass sales point and ski storage space.

Popular points of interest near the chalet include Vrchlabí-Knezický Vrh C, Vrchlabí-Kneznický Vrh and Vrchlabí-Kneznický. The nearest airport is Pardubice Airport, 92 km from Chaty Vrchlabí.

Orea Resort Sklář 4-star hotel

The Orea Sklář Resort Hotel is located in a quiet location next to a dense forest. Guests can use the extensive wellness area free of charge. Spa facilities include a swimming pool, a steam bath and a hot tub.

The resort hotel is located 700 metres above sea level in the popular Czech spa town of Harrachov. The city centre can be reached in just 5 minutes. Hotel Orea was renovated in 2006 and is the ideal place for a comfortable, peaceful, restorative holiday in a picturesque mountain area.

Aparthotel Svatý Vavřinec 4 star hotel

Svatý Vavřinec Apart Hotel is located in Pec pod Sněžkou in the Hradec Králové region. It offers rooms with free WiFi.

Some units feature a kitchen with a dishwasher, a living room, and a private bathroom with a hot tub.

A buffet breakfast is available every morning. Guests can enjoy a meal at the on-site restaurant, which specializes in local cuisine and vegetarian dishes.

Barbecue facilities are available on site.

Skiing and cycling can be enjoyed nearby. Ski storage space is available on site.

The cable car “Ruzova Hora – Sněžka” is 1.7 km from the aparthotel Svatý Vavřinec, while the Portaski cable car is 2.5 km away. The distance to Pardubice Airport is 98 km.

Hotel Flora 3-star hotel

Hotel Horsky Flora is located in Dolní Misechko, just 800 metres from the Špindlerův Mlýn Ski Resort. The hotel’s games room offers billiards, darts and table football. In summer, the hotel features a heated outdoor pool.

The restaurant serves Czech and international cuisine. There is also a bar.

Each room has free Wi-Fi and a private bathroom with a shower. The rooms offer a beautiful view of the natural landscape.

The hotel is located in the Krkonoše Mountains and is ideal for skiing and cross-country skiing. There are also various hiking and cycling trails in the area.

The town of Rokytnice nad Jizerou is 18 km from the Flora Hotel. The Harrachov Ski Resort is 30 km away.

Infrastructure

The small size of this Czech resort does not mean that there is nothing to do here or that there are problems with the infrastructure – rather, on the contrary, optimal conditions have been created for tourists. In particular, there are more than fifty bars and restaurants, a couple of museums, fitness centers, swimming pools and, of course, everything you need for skiing. A vacation at this resort will be remembered for both fantastic descents and dog sledding and gatherings by the fire – for the most extreme tourists in the warm season, a parachute jump is offered. Do not forget that the GLC is a great place to learn from scratch and improve your skills, as evidenced by the presence of many schools and the services of private instructors. To make your vacation more diverse, you can visit local architectural monuments, as well as go to Prague for a couple of days.

Reviews

Mostly, tourists regard the Krkonoše as a place for active recreation. Guests of the resort claim that you can have a great time with children here, because there is even a kindergarten and instructors who work specifically with children. For many, this cozy ski resort has become a place for annual vacations with family and friends, when you can not think about how to entertain the younger generation, but simply enjoy skiing. The only thing you should pay attention to is the organization of a transfer from Prague. In particular, if you go by bus, you should make sure in advance that it goes directly to your hotel.

Shopping

There are no large shopping centers and supermarkets in the resort. You can buy basic necessities, food, personal hygiene products, necessary clothes and shoes in local stores. For branded items, you will have to go to large cities, for example, to Prague.

Як дістатися?

Зі столиці Чехії до гірськолижного курорту Крконоше можна доїхати по автомагістралях №№16, 295 або D10 / E65. На маршруті зустрічаються платні дороги. Відстань складає близько 160 км.