Pardubice Region

Eastern Bohemia, between the Elbe lowlands and Králický Sněžník, is a region of horses, castles, and gingerbread. A trip to the Pardubice Region takes you to the racecourse of the Velká Pardubická, to the UNESCO-listed Litomyšl Castle, to the puppet museum in Chrudim, and onto the suspension bridge above Dolní Morava.

Landscape and Location

The Pardubice Region, Pardubický kraj, lies in eastern Bohemia and extends east as far as Moravia. To the west stretches the flat, fertile Elbe lowlands; to the south lie the Iron Mountains, Železné hory, a geopark with reservoirs. In the northeast, Králický Sněžník rises on the Polish border, where the Morava River has its source. The region sits on the historic border between Bohemia and Moravia, and some towns in the east are already culturally Moravian.

Pardubice and the Towns

Pardubice is a city with a Renaissance castle whose ramparts and moats have been preserved, and an old town with the Green Gate. Since 1874, the Velká Pardubická has been held here every October, one of Europe's toughest steeplechases, featuring the dreaded Taxis Ditch. Pardubice gingerbread is a protected specialty. The city is also a chemical-industry hub, and the explosive Semtex was developed here. Chrudim has a puppet museum and hosts an international puppet theater festival. The nearby Kladruby nad Labem stud farm has bred the Kladruber, an old breed of carriage horse, since the 16th century; the stud farm's landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sights in the Pardubice Region

Litomyšl has a Renaissance castle with sgraffito facades made up of thousands of small panels; it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The composer Bedřich Smetana was born in the castle brewery, and the Smetana's Litomyšl festival takes place every year. Svitavy is the birthplace of Oskar Schindler, and a museum commemorates him. In Dolní Morava, at Králický Sněžník, the Sky Bridge 721, one of the longest pedestrian suspension bridges in the world, spans a valley, with the Path in the Clouds, an observation tower, next to it. In winter, the village is a ski resort. Other destinations include Kunětická hora, a castle on a volcanic cone near Pardubice, and the Veselý Kopec open-air museum with its timber houses.

Nature and Active Vacations

The Iron Mountains with the Seč reservoir are a swimming and hiking destination in summer, with trails leading to castle ruins and rock formations. At Králický Sněžník, you can hike to the source of the Morava and to viewpoints on the border. Around Pardubice, flat bike paths invite you to ride through the Elbe lowlands. In winter, families ski in Dolní Morava, and cross-country skiers find trails in the uplands. The Valley of the Silent Eagles around Ústí nad Orlicí is another quiet destination for hikers and canoeists, and numerous castle ruins such as Lichnice perch above the valleys.

Food, Getting There, and Best Time to Visit

Pardubice gingerbread, baked with honey and spices and artfully decorated, is the best-known souvenir. You'll also find Bohemian cuisine with roasts and dumplings, as well as beer from the Pardubice brewery, whose porter is well known. Pardubice Airport is used mainly seasonally. Pardubice lies on the Prague–Brno and Prague–Olomouc rail lines, and trains take about an hour from Prague. The best time to visit is from May to October; the horse race takes place in October.