Schedule

Saturday June 28
Depart from the U.S.

Sunday June 29
Arrive in Prague, one of the oldest and most architecturally diverse cities in Europe. We'll take a walking tour of Prague's Old Town situated on both banks of the Vltava river, with its vast and beautiful Old Town Square, Jewish Quarters, lavish Royal palace, ornate domes and winding cobblestone lanes.

In the afternoon, you'll get to meet local university professors for discussions on the history, politics and economics of the Czech Republic. Overnight in Prague, Hotel Prokopka.

Monday June 30
From Prague we'll take the bus to Tynec nad Sazavou, center of the canoeing on the Sazava river. The 10-mile trip to Pikovice takes us through one of the most serenely beautiful parts of the Sazava River, through hills and lush woodlands. Overnight in Prague, Hotel Prokopka.

Evening beer meditation: Czech tourism.

Tuesday July 1
By bus, we'll take the 90-mile drive to Cesky Krumlov. We'll be staying the next three nights in this town, said to be Bohemia's most beautiful. On route we will visit Budvar Brewery, home of the 'Budweiser Budvar,' the most famous beer in the world. The "style balances moderate bitterness and noble-type hop aroma and flavor with a malty, slightly sweet, medium body... its head should be dense and rich."

Over the next few days you’ll have the chance to explore Cesky Krumlov. The city's traffic-free historic center is a fine web of narrow cobbled streets lined with Renaissance and Baroque facades. Said to be an architectural gem, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1992. The city's castle is the second largest in the Czech Republic, after Prague Castle, it dominates the town from a hill overlooking a horseshoe-shaped bend of the Vltava river. Overnight in Cesky Krumlov. Half the group will stay in Pension Vltava and the other half in Pension Na louzi.

Evening beer meditation: Czech nation – 15 centuries in the middle of Europe.

Wednesday July 2
We'll take a 10 mile walking trip from the village of Vrabce – through Blansky forest with hilltop views - to the tiny baroque village of Holašovice. Hidden within the forests and ponds of South Bohemia, Holašovice has just 140 inhabitants, and has been left virtually untouched over the centuries. The rows of single houses around a village green are architecturally described as 'folk' or 'rural' baroque.

We'll take a visit to a small farm on our return. Overnight in Cesky Krumlov (Hotel Vltava and Na louzi).

Evening beer meditation: farmland, farming and farmers.

Thursday July 3
This is the day to try out your rafting skills as we take the 6-mile trip down the Vltava River to the monastery at Zlata Koruna. The longest river in the Czech Republic, the Vltava (Moldau) winds its way through the Czech Republic before it meets Labe (Elbe) river to the north of Prague. The main part of the 13th century village of Zlata Koruna, lies within the walls of the monastery. Lovers of literature will enjoy the Museum of South Bohemian Literature, housed in a Gothic-frescoed walled complex.

Overnight in Cesky Krumlov (Hotel Vltava and Na louzi).

Evening beer meditation: Czechs and religion.

Friday July 4
From Cesky Krumlov, we will take the 33-mile bike ride to Trebon. Thirteen percent of the Trebon Basin is covered by water in a network of 460 fishponds interconnected by canals, built in the 15th and 16th century. Protected by UNESCO, the reserve is home to a rich layering of ecosystems - reed and sedge belts, marshes and swamps. The area is heralded as a good example of sustainable local economies based on fish-farming, agriculture, forestry, extraction of peat and sand, and tourism.

On our way we'll visit the Rozmberk Society in the village of Kojakovice. The not-for-profit conservation group promotes sustainable tourism, including a proposed ecomuseum--a "museum without walls"--for nature, culture, and history with interpretation in situ. Overnight in Trebon, hotel Zlata hvezda.

Evening beer meditation: fishponds, fish farming and fishermen.

Saturday July 5
We'll bike the 18 miles from Trebon to the town of Jindrichuv Hradec. The Old City of Jindrichuv Hradec has a great deal of Gothic and Renaissance architecture, and has become a historic monument in its own right. It's also known historically for its rich musical and artistic traditions.

By bus, we'll then visit the village of Zahradky, where we've organized a workshop on local hand-made crafts (ceramics, wood-carving etc). The village mayor will meet us, before we take the evening bus to Telc, where you will be staying for the next two nights in hotel Celerin.

Sunday July 6
Telc lies at the midpoint of the old King's road from Vienna to Prague. The town center is virtually an island, surrounded by water on three sides. It's central square has changed little in design over the last four centuries and is listed among UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

From Telc, we will bike the 26 mile through hilly countryside and lakes to Slavonice and back. On our way, we can stop to see the activities of a Partnership project between the village of Kostelni Myslova and the Phoenix Society (a project of Czech Greenway).

After visiting Slavonice, a small renaissance town formerly located near the border with Austria and the former "Iron Curtain," we'll take the train back to Telc. Overnight in Telc in hotel Celerin.

Evening beer meditation: Iron Curtain and cold war times in practice.

Monday July 7
From Telc, we'll travel by bus to Mikulov, center of the Moravian wine region. Among the Palava Hills and Baroque architecture, you'll have the chance to explore the town and participate in the 2003 International Guitar Festival. The evening concert is by Aniello Desiderio, renowned classical guitarist from Italy. Overnight in Mikulov in hotel Euro.

Evening wine meditation: Czechs and wine.

Tuesday July 8
Between the 17th and 20th centuries, the ruling princes of Liechtenstein undertook one of the largest landscape design exercises ever known in Europe. The result is 200 square kilometers of English romantic landscape in southern Moravia between Lednice and Valtice. This natural park links two great estates - the Baroque chateau in Valtice and the Modern Gothic revival chateau in Lednice. We'll cycle between these estates, through the UNESCO protected World Heritage Site. On the way we'll visit the agriculture university in Lednice (specializing in horticulture, landscaping and wine production) and a local wine company.

As part of the International guitar festival, you'll also have the chance to listen to Spanish flamenco guitarist, Merengue de Cordoba. Overnight in Mikulov in hotel Euro. Farewell dinner and wine tastings in typical Moravian wine cellar.

Wednesday July 9
After breakfast transfer to Vienna or Prague airport.