Walk The Czech Greenways

Want to do a walk but don't know where to start? Try the railway tracks - now the MOST popular destination in Singapore to explore. If you enjoy walking but don't fancy our hot and humid weather, then you will have to look to walking abroad. If you don't want to go to all the popular destinations and want to try some place unique and different, then try the Czech Greenways.

The original route was a 300 mile trading route linking Vienna to Prague ... er, a little too long to manage and probably dull and uninteresting in most stretches. So, what you get is a shorter 6 day route that will take you from chateaus to palaces to castles to museums, through vineyards and meadows and forests all within the Czech Republic. Not at all a difficult route and ideal for beginners.

Your walk begins at the little town of Valtice (pronounced Val-ti-say) and will end at Prague. In between you will stop at charming little towns for the night in hotels that will serve up 3-course dinners with local wines and beers! Rooms are all en-suite and some are modern while others are quaint, but all very comfortable and clean.

Your main luggage gets transported to the next night-stop and very often you will find them waiting for you in your rooms. All you need carry is a day pack with your water bottle, some snacks, a rain jacket and a light jumper in case it gets cold. Oh and of course your camera.

Best to opt for a guided walk which will save you much time trying to figure out where to go. Remember, you are in Eastern Europe. The signs are in Czech and not many people speak English. Plus, if you get a good guide, like we did, you benefit by getting all the tours done in good English which is more informative and enriching. It was difficult understanding the castle and museum guides as their English was laced with a heavy Czech accent.

My favourite little town was Telc (pronounced Tel-ch) which looked very much like a MGM movie set. Most others liked Cesky Krumlov which was compact yet sprawling enough to roam and discover many unique and interesting things especially the architecture. Prague is beautiful and the many warnings about gypsies and pick pockets were unwarranted on our trip.

So, put on your walking boots, book your tour and off you go to roam the places which for 40 years were behind the "Iron Curtain". That curtain has been drawn, so you can now take the advantage of enjoying the country-side, discover new places and engage in a healthy activity. All on the Czech Greenways!