With its wide range of tourist products, the region of East Bohemia is prepared to satisfy almost all the whims and wishes of tourists from home and abroad. The region contains the most beautiful and varied countryside. It also boasts a wealth of tourist attractions in the form of cultural and historic monuments, documenting the long history of human settlement in this part of Bohemia.
The East Bohemian area of the Labe basin predominantly consists of lowlands with all sorts of opportunities for swimming, water sports, hiking and cycling. There is also the magnificent yet mysterious rock formations of the Andršpašsko-Teplice nature conservation area. The Orlice Mountains and the area around Kralický Sněžník are particularly attractive for winter sports fans and those who like hiking in the mountains. Agrotourism is now developing throughout the region, especially focused on farms for breeding horses.
Visitors to the region can acquaint themselves with old folk traditions and crafts that have been preserved in the region over the centuries. They can also visit a large number of castles, stately homes, old fortresses, military fortifications, urban conservation areas, and all sorts of interesting buildings and monuments. They can set out in the footsteps of famous people like Goethe, Smetana or Martinů. They can visit spas and do something to improve their health. The cities and towns of the region offer broad possibilities for those who want to attend or organise congresses and conferences, and social, cultural and sports events.

District of Jičín
Jičín is the centre of the district of the same name and constitutes an urban conservation area in its own right. You can find here a chateau, plague column, museum, churches and other interesting buildings.
Those who prefer the wilder surroundings will be attracted to the northern part of the district, especially the area of the so-called Bohemian Paradise with the famous Prachov rocks. Some of the favourite sports in the district are orientation racing, tennis, horse riding, fishing and flying. Those who prefer a quieter life will no doubt prefer the peace and quiet of the spa towns of Železnice and Lázně Bělohrad. Historic and cultural monuments include the site of the prehistoric Slav settlement at Češovské Valy, the Gothic Kost Castle, Pecka Castle (rebuilt in the Renaissance style), Humprecht chateau - originally a Gothic castle, and the chateaus in Jičín and Staré Hrady.

District of Hradec Králové
The city of Hradec Králové itself, at the confluence of the rivers Labe and Orlice, is famous for its architecture, green parks, and rich cultural and social life. A romantic chateau can be found at Nechanice, built in the Tudor style and with an extensive park and golf course. Also worth seeing is the Karlova Koruna (Charles’ Crown) chateau at Chlumec nad Cidlinou, as well as the famous stud farm there. The medieval layout of the town of Nový Bydžov has been preserved over the centuries. Worth visiting are the neo-Gothic town hall and the third oldest Jewish cemetery in Bohemia.

District of Chrudim
The Celtic oppidum at Hradiště u Nasavrk, church at Ronov nad Doubravou and the towers of the churches at Pařížov and Lažany are all monuments of great historical value.
The town of Chrudim itself has valuable historic buildings dating from Gothic times to the 19th century. For those who like ancient castles there are the ruins of Lichnice Castle, Rychburk Castle with preserved fortifications and the ruins of Oheb Castle.

District of Náchod
The town of Náchod has a wonderful Renaissance chateau with a remarkable collection of tapestries. The Art Nouveau Municipal Theatre is also well worth visiting. Nearby Česká Skalice and the Rozkoš dam reservoir is the Ratibořice chateau, mentioned in the famous novel “Grandma” by Božena Němcová. You can visit a wonderfully preserved Renaissance square in Nové Město nad Metují. In Jaroměř - the oldest town in the district - you can see a plague column and St. Nicholas’ Church on the main square. There is a 18th-century fortress at Jaroměř II-Josefov. Červený Kostelec is worth visiting to see the baroque St.Jacob’s Church. Hronov, of course, is the birth town of the famous Czech writer Alois Jirásek, where you can see the house where he was born.

District of Pardubice
The town of Pardubice itself enjoys a strategically important position and constitutes a major railway junction. A river dock is being built and the town will be linked up to the Hradec Králové motorway. The town has a beautifully preserved quarter, which is an urban conservation area, and an imposing chateau. Pardubice is famous for two international sporting events - the Grand Pardubice Steeplechase and the Golden Helmet speedway race. It is also known for ice-hockey.
Attractions in the district include the castle at Kunětická Hora, offering wonderful views across the lakes of the Labe basin up to the Giant Mountains, the spa at Lázně Bohdaneč, the baroque chateau at Choltice, and the museum dedicated to explorer Emil Holub at Holice.

District of Rychnov nad Kněžnou
The district is known for its mild weather, although the mountain resorts of Rokytnice, Deštné and Říčky usually have plenty of snow in winter. Hunting is popular in the district as there is plenty of game in the mountain areas. Those who are drawn by the mystery of old ruins will find themselves at home amidst the ruins of Potštejn, one of the biggest castles in Bohemia.
The district town of Rychnov nad Kněžnou has its own chateau, the Orlice Mountains District Museum, Regional Jewish Museum, the Orlice Gallery and other places of interest.

District of Svitavy
The district town of Svitavy can boast of one of the longest square in the whole of the Czech Republic. It recently underwent large-scale reconstruction. The town of Litomyšl, with its 16th-century chateau, is an urban conservation area. The impressive bulwarks at Polička, the birthplace of Bohuslav Martinů, from the 14th-16th centuries have been remarkably preserved. We should not forget 13th-century Svojanov, one of the oldest castles in the Czech Republic.

District of Ústí nad Orlicí
The district offers ideal conditions for both winter and summer holidays. The highest point in the district is Králický Sněžník (1,424 metres) where the source of the river Morava is to be found. There is a whole number of interesting fortresses, chateaus and churches to be found in the towns of Česká Třebová, Vysoké Mýto, Žamberk, Ústí nad Orlicí, Kunvald, Jablonné nad Orlicí, Letohrad, Choceň and Žampach.

Prepared by Marta Koksová

Východočeská
centrála cestovního ruchu
East Bohemian Tourist Authority
Luděk Šorm
tř. Míru 60, POB C-40,
530 01 Pardubice
Czech Republic
tel./fax: +420/40/661 24 74
http://www.vychodni.cechy.cz
e-mail: vychodni@cechy.cz