For large, tranquil forests, largely unpolluted and undamaged by acid rain, you can't go past the Sumava Mountains, stretching for about 125km along the border with Austria and Germany. Although only one small patch, the Boubin Virgin Forest, is regarded as completely untouched, the Sumava's pristine state still makes it a unique asset. The only wildlife left behind by past hunting are birds, though deer have been re-introduced.
Wildflowers abound throughout the range.
The mighty Vltava rises in the Sumava, as do five other major rivers. Two canals scar the region and there are five major lakes, so boating is not out of the question. Conditions are perfect for skiing and ski-touring. This charming 13th-century town in South Moravia was originally founded as a settlement around a Romanesque church. During its rule by the lords of Hradec, from 1339 until the end of their line in 1604, a castle and ponds were built, and after a huge fire in 1530 most of the town's houses were rebuilt in Renaissance style.