Pec pod Sněžkou is a charming ski resort in the Czech Republic, in the heart of the Krokonoše mountain range dearly loved by the Czechs. The highest mountain in the Czech Republic, Sněžka, reaches 1602 m above sea level. At its top there is a weather station, the terminal station of the funicular stretched from Pec, the chapel of St. Vavrzynets, built in 1681, and the newest nine-story building – a post office with the lyrical name “Anežka”, which was given to a completely high-tech building by romantic architects Martin Reines and Patrik Hoffman. The city itself is located, as its name implies, right under Snezhka. This is a wonderful, quiet place in the valley of the Upa River, which does not prevent it from being a very popular tourist and sports center. See ANDYEDUCATION.COM for education and training in Czech Republic.
The city consists of two parts – Pec itself and Velka Upa (Velka Upa), as many as 600 inhabitants live in it, most of whom work on the slopes, in cozy cafes, chalets and hotels. Although Pec and Upa are popular with skiers, local Krokonoše recreation enthusiasts consider them year-round resorts. And indeed, mountain air, wonderful landscapes, a cable car and a quiet river do not go anywhere either in summer or in autumn.
How to get there
Getting to Pez is very easy. By plane to Prague, then by bus 170 km, the journey takes just over 3 hours. If anyone does not like air travel, it is quite possible to get to Prague by train. Every evening at 23:55 a train departs from Moscow from the Belorussky railway station, the journey time is approximately 30 hours. This, by the way, is not as tedious as it may seem, since you sit down at night and arrive every other day early in the morning, so you actually drive for a day and sleep the rest of the time. Then a bus to Pec. Keep in mind that the bus can leave not only from the main station, but also from Holesovice, or the Black Bridge. We recommend making inquiries at the train station or airport. The staff in these places speaks good English, people of the older and middle generation still remember Russian.
And in general, the language barrier is not a Czech topic at all, here you will never have problems with communication.
Slopes
The main attraction of any mountain resort is, of course, the mountains themselves and everything around them. Despite the relatively low height, Snezhka will please with a variety of tracks of very different complexity, there are 11 of them, clearly divided by colors, there is even one “black” one. Therefore, it will not be boring here either for those who take their first steps on skis or for real aces. The three slopes of the resort are illuminated in the evening. There is a fan park for snowboarders, and the local branch of the Spindlerov Mlyn ski school, Ski School Spindl, offers ski courses and equipment rentals.
Pec pod Snezhkou is a wonderful, quiet place in the valley of the Upa River, which does not prevent it from being a very popular tourist and sports center.
You can get to the top of Śnieżka by funicular, which runs either directly from Pec or via Ružova Gora, which makes the route even more interesting. The operating time of the road is from 8:00 to 19:00. Ticket prices range from 170 to 400 CZK depending on the route. There are family, children’s tickets, as well as tickets for other preferential categories.
The organizers of excursions to Sněžka are strongly advised to take into account the significant change in temperature and humidity at altitude, especially in summer, and be sure to stock up on warm clothes.
Hotels
Despite the relatively small size of the resort, there are a lot of accommodation options – for every taste and budget. If you prefer not to worry about where and how to eat in the morning, please, breakfast hotels are waiting for you. Another great and favorite way of accommodation for local tourists is apartments, since the Czech Republic is not a country where food can be a problem. Moreover, apartments are always cheaper and make you feel like not a guest, but a real city dweller.
Kitchen
You can talk about Czech cuisine for a long time, and still not find the right words. It is better to come and try, disappointments are not expected. But still, we will try to share something with you in advance. The basis of Bohemian cuisine, both Old Bohemian and modern, is meat, of course. And the Czechs are equally sweet and pork, and beef. The most win-win dish of beef is beef with vegetables, “greens”, as the Czechs say, of pork – fried pork. Be sure to try “peča kahna” (roasted duck), a favorite dish of Old Bohemian cuisine. Pay tribute to the “drowners” – marinated in a special way pips. And, of course, the crown of Bohemian gourmetism is the “boar knee”, a king-sized pork leg, which, keep in mind, is difficult to pull alone. Needless to say, any meal in these latitudes is accompanied by beer, or “beer”.
The confectioneries brew wonderful coffee and offer strudel no worse than Austrian, they treat you to the freshest pastries, and, most importantly, the famous Czech “frost pogar” – ice cream in a glass with whipped cream and fruit.
Entertainment and attractions in Pec pod Snezkou
The city has a well-developed entertainment industry – there are gyms, fitness clubs and restaurants, excursions around the surroundings are organized. Plus, you can visit the neighboring Hradec Kralove, one of the most beautiful cities in Bohemia. The old town of Hradec is a monument of world significance, in no way inferior to the famous Kutna Hora. From the observation deck you can see two mountain ranges at once – Krokonoshi and Orlitsy. There is also the third largest bell in the Czech Republic – Augustin.
