Harrachov

Photo: Skiareal Harrachov. Harrachov, on the western edge of the Krkonoše massif, is only mid-sized but without doubt one of the most beautiful ski resorts in the whole Czech Republic. Being close to the Polish border, it is also one of the most popular ski spots among Polish skiers, and not only those from Lower Silesia. Set in the middle of the mountains, it has arguably the best climate for skiing in the whole region: deep snow cover in April is usually the norm here, and in good conditions you can ski even in early May. All the pistes and lifts are on the northern slopes of Čertova hora (1,020 m). A four-seater chairlift goes from the centre of the town to the summit, and from the top you can ski down a wide red piste that is ideal for carving. There is also a short children's T-bar here. The second chairlift starts in the hamlet of Rýžoviště and also goes to the summit of Čertova hora; the top stations of the two lifts are linked by a short, flat traverse of the summit. From the top you can ski down to Rýžoviště on one of three pistes: a black slalom piste, a red one or a gentle blue one. In total the resort has 3 lifts (two of them chairlifts) and more than 7 km of downhill pistes. Although small, the whole resort is very well organised: it is worth parking at the large central car park in the town and taking the free ski bus to the lifts. The centre of Harrachov, with many restaurants and pubs and a very wide and varied range of accommodation (from four-star hotels to rooms for every budget), has the feel of a mountain resort town, and you will easily find enough to fill a pleasant afternoon or evening. The town also connects to a network of cross-country trails totalling 108 km. And while in Harrachov, do not forget to visit the ski jumping complex. Next to the Skicentrum hotel is an area of medium-sized hills with critical points of 40 m (K40), 70 m (K70) and 90 m (K90). The most impressive, however, are the large jumping hills higher up on Čertova hora, built between 1978 and 1983: a hill with a critical point of 120 m (K120) and a ski flying hill whose critical point, since its last rebuild in 2000, is 185 m. Harrachov is also famous for its glassmaking tradition. The Novosad glassworks here is the oldest private glassworks in the Czech Republic. It was founded before 1712 on the Jilemnice estate of the Harrach counts, and the traditional way of making glass has survived here. A unique, century-old historic glass-cutting shop powered by a water turbine has been preserved almost in its original form and still works. A different kind of attraction is a walk to the beautiful Mumlava waterfalls.