Litoměřice

Late spring to early autumn is the best time. The valley is sheltered and warm in summer, and the orchards bloom in spring. Winters are cold and grey but rarely harsh.

The biggest event is Zahrada Čech (Garden of Bohemia), a large garden and horticulture fair held every September. The town's wine festival (Vinobraní) also takes place in September, with music, local wine and young wine on the main square.

Mírové náměstí is one of the largest town squares in the country, about 2 hectares in size. It is lined with Gothic and Renaissance houses. The House at the Chalice, now the town hall, has a lookout tower shaped like a chalice on its roof.

Regional Museum in Litoměřice is housed in the Old Town Hall, a Gothic building rebuilt in Renaissance style in the 16th century. Its exhibitions cover the history of the town and the region.

Church of All Saints stands on the corner of the square. Its tall bell tower is one of the landmarks of the town skyline.

St. Stephen's Cathedral is the seat of the Litoměřice bishops. The Baroque building stands on Cathedral Hill, a quiet area of church buildings above the river.

North Bohemian Gallery of Fine Arts shows Czech art from the Gothic period to today. It is known for its collection of naive art and art brut.

Diocesan Gallery and Museum displays religious art from the churches of the diocese.

Church of St. Wenceslas is a small Baroque church by the architect Octavio Broggio, who designed many buildings in the town.

Radobýl is a basalt hill about 3 km west of the centre. A large metal cross stands on the bare summit, and the view covers the Elbe valley, the town and the surrounding hills.

A few things worth doing beyond sightseeing:

• Climb the chalice tower: Go up the lookout on the town hall roof for a view over the square and the surrounding hills.
• Taste local wine: The medieval castle by the river now houses an exhibition about Czech wine. Litoměřice is the centre of a small wine region.
• Hike to a hilltop: Walk from the centre to Radobýl for a sunset view over the Elbe valley.
• Cycle along the Elbe: Follow the river route past orchards and vineyards towards Roudnice nad Labem or Ústí nad Labem.

Litoměřice is a good base for the Elbe valley and the České středohoří hills. Trips are listed from closest to farthest.

• Terezín: ≈10 min by bus or car. The former fortress town is home to Terezín Memorial, which tells the story of the Nazi ghetto and the Small Fortress prison.
• Bílé stráně: ≈10 min by car or a longer walk north of the town. Protected limestone slopes with rare dry-grassland plants.
• Roudnice nad Labem: ≈20 min by car or bus. A riverside town with a large chateau and a Gothic bridge tower.
• Říp Mountain: ≈30 min by car. A lone hill with a Romanesque rotunda on top. According to legend, the first Czechs settled the land from here.
• Ústí nad Labem: ≈30 min by train. Visit Střekov Castle on a rock above the Elbe.
• Mělník: ≈40 min by car. A wine town with a chateau above the meeting of the Vltava and the Elbe.
• Děčín: ≈1 hour by train or car. A gateway to the sandstone rocks of Bohemian Switzerland National Park.

Two neighbouring towns in the same district are worth combining with Litoměřice.

• Memorial town: Terezín lies just south of Litoměřice, where the Ohře meets the Elbe.
• Up the Elbe: Roudnice nad Labem is a short trip upstream towards Prague.

• By air: The nearest international airport is Prague Václav Havel Airport. Take a bus into Prague first and continue by train or bus to Litoměřice.
• By train: Trains from Prague run to Lovosice on the Prague–Děčín line. Change there for the short ride to Litoměřice. Direct regional trains also link the town with Ústí nad Labem and Mělník. Book Czech trains on České dráhy.
• By bus: Direct buses connect Litoměřice with Prague and with the nearby towns of the district.

• On foot: The historic centre is compact. The main square, Cathedral Hill and the river are all within a short walk of each other.
• Public transit: A small network of town buses serves the centre and the outer districts. Bank cards are accepted for tickets.
• Cycling: The Elbe Cycle Route (Labská stezka) passes through town and is a flat, easy way to reach nearby villages and vineyards.

• Is a car worth it?: Not for the town itself. A car is useful for the hills, small villages and hilltop viewpoints of the České středohoří.
• Parking: Parking in the historic centre is limited and paid. Use the car parks at the edge of the old town and walk in.
• Tolls: Czech motorways, including the nearby D8 towards Prague and Dresden, need an electronic vignette.

Litoměřice sits in one of the few Czech wine regions outside Moravia. Look for local white wines, and in autumn for burčák, a sweet, partly fermented young wine.

The best area to eat is the main square and the streets just off it, where cafés and restaurants put tables outside in summer. The castle is a good place to taste wine from the region.

Litoměřice is a safe town for visitors, and serious crime against tourists is rare. Use normal care with bags and bikes, especially at the railway stations.

The hills around the town have steep, rocky paths. Wear good shoes on hikes, and bring water in summer, as the slopes are hot and have little shade. Tap water is safe to drink.

Litoměřice is one of the oldest towns in Bohemia. A church chapter was founded here in 1057, and the town became a royal town in 1219. Its position on the Elbe made it rich from river trade. The Gothic core of the Old Town Hall, now Regional Museum in Litoměřice, and the houses around Mírové náměstí show this wealth.

In 1655 the town became the seat of a new Catholic diocese. St. Stephen's Cathedral was rebuilt in Baroque style soon after. Italian builders, including the Broggio family, shaped the Baroque look of many churches and houses in the town. The Romantic poet Karel Hynek Mácha died here in 1836 and was first buried in the town.

For centuries the town was mainly German-speaking and called Leitmeritz. In 1944–1945 the Nazis ran a concentration camp west of the town. Prisoners were forced to dig underground factories inside Radobýl, and about 4,500 of them died. The former crematorium is now a memorial. After the war, most of the German population was expelled.

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