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of Čistá to Leokádie Kudrnovská-Ježková, a grocer. She started the business with her son-in-law, Bohumil Červinka, hence the name of the guesthouse. The family business re-opened after restitution in 1990, which makes this the family business’s 25th season. If you call at least 10 minutes in advance you can also order take-away dishes. If something you would like is not on the menu, just say so, and the chef will prepare it for you. The most sought-after meal is the traditional sauerkraut soup and a massive beef steak called Hovado. The surrounding woods are a paradise for mushroom pickers and romance lovers, who will appreciate the stunning views and timbered cabins in villages interconnected by tourist trails of various lengths. If you are lucky, you can find your own semi-precious stone; otherwise visit the jewellery museum in Nová Paka. The pension/restaurant serves as an ideal start for one-day hikes in the Giant Mountains, Czech Paradise and the cliff town of Adršpach. For another interesting experience, head to Safari in Dvůr Králové or to the table mountains in Broumov region. www.ucervinku.cz, Čistá u Horek 5, Semily region
U Černého potoka guesthouse, Vápenky
This cosy guesthouse is located in the conservation area of the village Nová Lhota - Vápenky, at the foot of Velká Javořina mountain. When the late 19th century inn was renovated, the local tradition of accommodation and fantastic cuisine was also revived. Come and taste the tasty sauerkraut soup with sausage and mushrooms, or sweet dumplings filled with prune butter and poppy. The diverse menu features delicacies of both Czech and international cuisine. The guesthouse is the holder of an Open for Cyclists certificate and provides bike rental services. The White Carpathians offer a relaxing and tranquil atmosphere all year round. In winter the place turns into a paradise for winter sport lovers. Crosscountry skiers set off for the White Carpathian Highway; Skiareal Filipov is suitable for both beginners and advanced skiers. In summer season, try out the cycle routes called Oskerušová, Mlýnská or Kopaničářská, which will show you round the village of Vápenky and the White Carpathians. No one should miss the sightseeing cruise along Baťa Canal, the 53-kilometre waterway built decades ago. www.vapenky.cz, Vápenky 262, Nová Lhota
Soběsuky guesthouse and Angus farm
True connoisseurs will not hear a bad word about steaks from Aberdeen Angus cattle. If you’d like to try some, you can travel to the source without having to cross the border. Homemade specialties are on offer at the Angus Farm guesthouse in the quaint little village of Soběsuky in Western Bohemia, where this cattle is bred. You should not miss the famous Italian beef sausages, and in fact everything on the menu which is made of beef. The eco-farm also offers accommodation, where each new day is heralded by an authentic rooster’s cock-a-doodle-doo. Visitors can also buy meat, smoked meat, honey and other products, and only a few manage to leave empty-handed. Nepomuk, the place of birth of the famous martyr John of Nepomuk, and Zelená Hora castle are just four kilometres from here. The surrounding unspoilt countryside conceals many other interesting places and cultural sights, many of them Jewish. The main square of the nearby town of Kasejovice is dominated by a Baroque fountain from the first half of the 18th century, and from the northern side by the early Gothic Church of Saint James from the 13th century. The Hvížďalka educational trail leads hikers through the historical and natural sites of the Spálené Poříčí region. Do not miss a visit to the lovely chateau of Spálené Poříčí, the former hiding place of the Czech crown jewels.
There are many links between writer Jaroslav Hašek and the town of Lipnice. This guesthouse is managed by Hašek’s grandson Richard and great-grandson Martin, who also prepares the wonderful Czech specialties. You will be pleasantly surprised by the stylish family non-smoking restaurant with a tiled stove, piano and a range of souvenirs from the time of the family’s famous ancestor. The authentic local cuisine is based on beef, pork and fish from nearby farms. A lot of people come to try the restaurant’s famous beef cheeks with wine, mashed potatoes smoked over cherry wood, juicy duck leg comfit and homemade pâtés. On tap the restaurant has Hašek’s Lipnický speciál 12°, an unpasteurized and unfiltered beer brewed according to the traditional processes of the former brewery in Lipnice. The guesthouse has cosy rooms at good prices for overnight stays. In the surrounding woods you can find flooded quarries lined with large rock reliefs by the sculptor R. Dvořák called Bretschneider’s Ear, The Mouth of Truth and Golden Eyes. Do not forget to visit Lipnice castle and the Jaroslav Hašek museum and memorial, or a ride down the no. 19 bicycle route along the Sázava River.
www.angusfarm.cz, Soběsuky 9, Nepomuk
www.hasektour.cz, Lipnice nad Sázavou 55
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U České Koruny guesthouse, Lipnice nad Sázavou