Dvůr Králové nad Labem

Summer is warm and is the main season. Spring and autumn are mild and quieter. Winter is cold, often with some snow.

Time your visit for the safari season from May to the end of September. Only then do the safari buses and the drive-through safari run. In July and August there are also evening safaris every day, when many animals are more active. The zoo itself is open all year, but in winter you see only the walk-through part.

Safari Park Dvůr Králové is the reason most people come. It covers about 72 hectares and focuses on African animals such as giraffes, rhinos, lions and antelopes. In summer you can explore the savanna by safari bus or in your own car. It is the only zoo in the world where northern white rhinos have been born.

Church of St. John the Baptist rises above the old town with its tall tower. The Gothic church is linked to the town's most famous story: in 1817 the so-called Manuscript of Dvůr Králové was "found" here.

The main square, náměstí T. G. Masaryka, has the Old Town Hall and a Baroque Marian column. Nearby stands the Šindelářská Tower, the only surviving gate tower of the old town walls. It is 20 metres tall and leans slightly against the next house.

Kuks Hospital, about 7 km south-east, is a large Baroque complex and a national cultural monument. Its terrace carries copies of Matthias Bernard Braun's famous statues of the Virtues and Vices. Inside you can visit an old pharmacy and the church.

Braun's Bethlehem is a set of Baroque sculptures carved straight into rocks in the forest near Kuks. Scenes such as the Nativity and hermits hide among the trees, with a short trail between them.

Some experiences here are unique to the Safari Park and the Baroque landscape around the town.

• Evening safari: In July and August, safari buses also run in the evening. You see the savanna animals at dusk, when many of them are more active.
• Drive-through safari: In summer you can drive your own car through the savanna section of Safari Park Dvůr Králové while animals move around you.
• Forest sculpture walk: Follow the trail through the woods to Braun's Bethlehem and look for the figures carved into the rocks. The walk is quiet and shaded, and good on a hot summer day.

The town sits close to several very different day trips, from Baroque art to mountains and rock towns.

• Kuks: about 7 km, 10 minutes by car or one stop by train. Visit the Baroque hospital and the forest sculptures nearby.
• Josefov fortress in Jaroměř: about 15 km, 20 minutes by car or train. An 18th-century fortress town with long underground tunnels.
• Hradec Králové: about 30 km, 30–45 minutes by car or train. The regional capital has a historic centre and notable 20th-century architecture.
• Krkonoše: about 35–45 km, 45–60 minutes by car to Janské Lázně or Vrchlabí. The Czech Republic's highest mountains, good for hiking in summer and skiing in winter.
• Adršpach: about 45 km, around 1 hour by car. The Adršpach-Teplice Rocks are a labyrinth of tall sandstone towers with marked trails.

For Baroque art, Kuks is only a short trip away. Hradec Králové is the nearest large city and the main transport hub.

Heading north, Trutnov is the gateway to Krkonoše, with mountain resorts such as Janské Lázně and Vrchlabí.

• By air: The nearest major airport is Prague Václav Havel Airport (PRG), about 150 km away. From there, travel into Prague and continue by bus or train. Pardubice Airport has only limited seasonal flights.
• By bus: Direct buses from Prague (Černý Most) take about 2 hours 20 minutes. The bus station is about 5 minutes on foot from the centre.
• By train: From Prague, the trip takes about 2 hours 20 minutes with one change in Pardubice or Jaroměř. The railway station is about 3 km from the centre.
• By car: Prague is about 1 hour 45 minutes away, mostly via the D11 motorway. Hradec Králové is about 30 minutes away.

• On foot: The historic centre is small and walkable. The Safari Park is about 1 km west of the main square, a walk of 15–20 minutes.
• Public transport: Local buses link the railway station with the centre. Regional buses and trains reach Kuks, Jaroměř and Hradec Králové. Check times on IDOS journey planner and buy train tickets from České dráhy.
• Cycling: Cycling is practical on the quiet roads and paths along the Elbe, and useful for reaching Kuks.

• Is a car worth it?: Not needed for the town and the Safari Park. A car is useful for Kuks, the mountains and the rock towns, as buses there are less frequent.
• Parking: The Safari Park has its own large car park. In the centre, use the paid parking around the main square and nearby streets.
• Motorway vignette: The D11 motorway from Prague requires an electronic vignette.

Food here is traditional Czech: roast pork with dumplings and cabbage, goulash, fried cheese and fresh local beer. Portions are large and prices are lower than in Prague.

The easiest place to eat is the main square, náměstí T. G. Masaryka, and the streets around it, where most restaurants and cafés are. On a Safari Park day, plan to eat inside the park, as it is some distance from the centre.

Dvůr Králové is a very safe small town with little crime. Normal care with your belongings is enough. Tap water is safe to drink.

In the Safari Park, follow the staff rules in the drive-through safari. Keep windows closed and never leave your car. In the mountains nearby, weather changes quickly, so carry warm layers and rain gear.

The town is first mentioned in 1270. In 1392 King Wenceslas IV gave it to his wife, Queen Sophia of Bavaria. From then on it was a dowry town of the Bohemian queens, which gave the town its name: "Queen's Court on the Elbe". A great fire in 1572 destroyed almost the whole town except the church and a few houses.

The most famous event came in 1817. Václav Hanka announced that he had found an old Czech manuscript in Church of St. John the Baptist. The Manuscript of Dvůr Králové was celebrated as proof of early Czech poetry. Later research showed it was almost certainly a forgery, but it still played a big role in the Czech national revival.

In the late 19th century the town became an important textile centre with many factories. In 1946 a small zoo opened on the edge of town. It later grew into Safari Park Dvůr Králové, now the town's best-known landmark.

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