August 2, 2026, 11:39 am | Read time: 8 minutes
The picturesque Giant Mountains stretch between the neighboring countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. Due to its relatively low elevation, it is a paradise even for inexperienced hikers. In addition to splendid solitude in the most beautiful nature, the Giant Mountains also offer many small, interesting towns worth exploring. TRAVELBOOK author Robin Hartmann traveled on both sides of the border for you and reveals what there is to discover here.
A hot summer day, clouds towering in the sky, and I feel like I’m standing on top of the world, gazing into the vast, archaically beautiful landscape. At this moment, I find myself in a truly unique place, somehow simultaneously in Poland and the Czech Republic, on the summit of the Sněžka, which somewhat resembles the Lonely Mountain from Tolkien’s tales. The proverbial highlight of my multi-day hiking tour through the Giant Mountains and yet just one of many unique experiences.
The summit, at about 1,600 meters high, is special because it actually lies in both Poland and the Czech Republic. The Giant Mountains run through these two countries. A uniquely beautiful area for hikers and, due to its relatively low elevation, also perfect for beginners in mountain sports. Of course, especially on warm days, you can work up quite a sweat here, but most tours are technically completely undemanding. Just start walking and spend the whole day putting one foot in front of the other while marveling at the beautiful landscape. This is characterized not only by the elevations but also by dense, healthy coniferous forests, a region of fairy tales and legends.
The Good Spirit of the Mountains
The most famous tale is of the mountain spirit Rübezahl, who is considered the patron saint of the region on both the Polish and Czech sides. The good-natured giant is omnipresent in the region, with many popular places adorning themselves with his name. On the Czech side, you can wonderfully start a tour in the small town of Vrchlabí, just under two hours by car from the capital Prague. This offers two excellent opportunities to test what is arguably the second-best beer in the world at the Krkonošský Medvěd and Hendrych breweries (even though I haven’t drunk for years, I’m clearly a patriot in this area). Right in town, several differently colored marked hiking trails lead into the wilderness of the Giant Mountains.
Sweat pours down as I struggle up the mountain on this day, covering a proud 700 meters of elevation over a relatively short distance. The thermometer reads 38 degrees, my water supplies are rapidly dwindling, but fortunately, they can be replenished during a stop in the small town of Strážné, known in German as Pommerndorf. In winter, the town is a popular ski area, already situated at 800 meters altitude. The forest air tastes wonderfully fresh and spicy, and just behind the town, a small river with a waterfall invites you to cool your feet.
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Exclusive Ambiance
The sun is already low on the horizon when I reach my day’s destination, Friesovy Boudy. A historic settlement of just four houses, one of which is now a hotel. In the second, a mountain hut, I have booked a stay, and you must definitely reserve in advance. Although there are several rooms with varying numbers of beds, they are likely to be quickly occupied. I, for one, booked months in advance. The ambiance is rustic but absolutely exclusive, so the prices are not exactly cheap. However, upon arrival, you are rewarded with all-encompassing silence and a fantastic view of the vast land of the Giant Mountains stretching to the horizon.
In two of the houses, you can fortify yourself with hearty food and cold drinks, and a hot tub with ice-cold mountain water offers a delightful refreshment. On clear nights, you can also expect a cosmic ballet of the highest order, as seemingly all the stars in the sky reveal themselves to the weary hiker. The next day, well-rested, you continue on, again just a gentle eight kilometers, and this time only downhill. The path winds down narrow, tree-lined trails to perhaps the most beautiful place in the Giant Mountains, Pec pod Sněžkou. Literally translated, the name, known in German as Petzer, means “Oven under the Sněžka.”
The Most Beautiful Place in the Giant Mountains
This, in turn, harks back to the history of Pec pod Sněžkou as a mining area, where ores were once smelted in the huts. Today, the town thrives on tourism, as it is simply beautiful, framed by steep hills. This unique flair is not disturbed by the various modern glass boxes housing chic and high-priced hotels. However, if you wish, you can still find a classic and affordable accommodation, such as in the mountain hut “Koula.” Here, there are again apartments for several people, and a hearty breakfast can be booked upon request. The lively entertainment provided by the quirky operators is included for free.
You can eat very well, with a great view, at the modern restaurant “Útulna.” From personal experience, I can recommend the minced steak. On hot days, a trip to the banks of the Aupa River, which picturesquely runs through the village, is recommended. The mountain water is noticeably cold, making a swim here all the more refreshing. Always along the water, you come to two interesting places. One is the Pecký Brewery, and nearby is the cable car valley station, from where you can ride up to the Sněžka. Since this is the highest mountain in the Czech Republic, even though its other half is in Poland, a visit to the majesty is almost obligatory.
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By Cable Car into the Mountains
And that, even though the prices for the round trip, at the equivalent of about 28 euros, certainly do not hide from the competition in more famous mountain regions. However, the masses of people who virtually besiege the Sněžka on beautiful days may not be easy for everyone to digest. During my first visit here in 2024, I estimated around 5,000 people, maybe more. Due to the extreme heat, it was considerably emptier in 2026. The summit experience was, in the truest sense of the word, sublime.
The town of Świeradów-Zdrój, known in German as Bad Flinsberg, is located on the Polish side of the Giant Mountains. Due to its radon-rich healing waters, it was already a popular spa town in the 19th century and is today something like the hiking capital of the region. In addition to venerable hotel temples, you will find numerous new real estate projects here. A great day tour again begins at the valley station of the local cable car. With it, you can ride up to the local mountain, the Stóg Izerski (German: Heufuder). From here, a beautiful hiking trail leads to the large clearing Polana Izerska (German: Kammhäuser).
“We Were Not Asked”
The area is a nature reserve, home to important high moors. These are traversed by beautiful rivers, where you can wonderfully cool your feet. The so-called Isergebirgshalle (Hala Izerska), an extensive mountain meadow area, can also be hiked. Along the way, there are a few places to stop, such as the mountain hut Chatka Górzystów. From the beautiful city park in Bad Flinsberg, you can also simply hike up to the Stóg Izerski in about two hours and will be rewarded with wonderful views of the vast land, especially just before the summit.
However, it seems truly bizarre that in the magnificent nature of the Giant Mountains, a not insignificant part of the hiking trails on both sides of the border are essentially paved roads. These can appear again and again, even in the middle of the wilderness, which can significantly detract from the hiking experience. In some places like Spindlermühle (Špindlerův Mlýn, on the Czech side), visitors even drive through nature in go-karts or golf carts. And indeed, I once witnessed a group of hikers being picked up by a taxi from the forest during a thunderstorm. When I once spoke to a Czech about it, he just resignedly said, “We had 50 years of Russian occupation here, we were not asked.”
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If you want to see a beautiful and historically significant place off the hiking trails around Bad Flinsberg, you can visit the old Tzschocha Castle. Built in the 13th century, it still proudly and visibly towers over the land today. It has also served as a backdrop for film and television and has housed a hotel since 1996. Unfortunately, the castle restaurant here is the only one on the Polish side of the Giant Mountains that I can recommend from good experience. Otherwise, in Bad Flinsberg, they unfortunately tend to rely on interchangeable, supposedly international cuisine rather than good Polish home cooking. Nevertheless, a visit to this side of the natural paradise is definitely worthwhile.