Harrachov, Czech Republic - A Great Place for a Family Ski Trip
Where to Ski in the Czech Republic?
The Czech Republic has many ski trails, with the largest ski resort being Špindlerův Mlýn.
Other options include Rokytnice nad Jizerou, Harrachov (Čertova Hora), Pec pod Sněžkou, Černá Hora, Klínovec-Neklid, Vrchlabí - Kněický vrch, Lipno, Stürmer Bournak,Bubákov Herlíkovice.
We chose Harrachov (Čertova Hora) based on its proximity to the border and the number of open ski trails for different skill levels.
Interestingly, checking the current condition of the slopes was quite complicated as we read conflicting reports on various websites. Eventually, I simply called the hotel and got all the information I needed (I highly recommend this option).
Unfortunately, Czech websites for many attractions, even large hotels or major sledding tracks, often lack clear information and can become confusing when switching the language to English or Polish.
Harrachov is located very close to the Polish border. From Łódź, you can reach it in 4 hours. As you enter Harrachov, you immediately see it's a small town entirely geared towards tourists. Restaurants line the streets, interspersed with ski rental shops, stores, and stalls selling "dreamcatchers" or glass figurines.
Apart from several ski trails, you will also see ski jumps, with the largest, a mammoth jump, standing at 185 meters high.
What to Do in Harrachov?
In the winter season, skiing, snowboarding, and sledding are a must. But also:
- Cross-country trails
- Ski Museum
- Squash or Golf Simulator
- Happy World meaning a bobsled track and rope park
- Snowmobile rides
- Sleigh rides (phone: +420 603 277 082)
- Tennis
Are There Ski Schools in Harrachov?
Harrachov is definitely a great place to learn how to ski or snowboard under the guidance of an instructor. Almost every ski rental has posters and flyers with phone numbers for instructors and schools.
There are also many schools for small children, which are very well equipped, with small lifts (or belts), are snowed, and full of additional attractions like wheel slides.
Addresses of Ski Schools in Harrachov:
| Classic Ski School Harrachov 535 www.classicskischool.cz | +420 481 529 718, +420 602 492 1693 | GGR Vertical Sports Nový svět 112 www.ggr.cz | +420 605 746 211 |
| Lyžařská škola B+B Harrachov 234 www.zakoutiharrachov.cz | +420 481 529 329, +420 602 465 134 | Lyžařská škola JPK Harrachov 609 www.jpk.cz | +420 481 529 635, +420 724 284 192 |
| Lyžařská Zbrojnice +420 731 463 133, +420 603 325 486 | Pomi lyžařská škola Harrachov 646 www.pomi.cz | +420 723 674 656 |
| Skiploc PLOC Harrachov 225 www.skiploc.cz | +420 481 529 274, +420 481 528 092 | Sport Čermák Harrachov 622 www.sportcermak.cz | +420 481 529 827 |
| Sun Ski & Board school Harrachov 185 www.sunski.cz | +420 608 731 835, +420 481 529 729 |
How Much Do Lifts and Ski Rentals Cost in the Czech Republic?
After staying in Harrachov, I can say it's a bit cheaper than in Poland.
An important point in favor of this place and the ski resort is the significantly lower number of tourists. There are no queues or they are very small (about 5 minutes).
For example, renting skis for one day costs 300-400 CZK (approx. 60-80 PLN), and going to rentals located further from the lifts, you'll pay about 100 CZK (20 PLN) less.
A ski lift pass for 4 hours costs 720 CZK (approx. 140 PLN), and prices drop significantly for multi-day or family packages. For instance, a family of 1+2 for two days of skiing will pay 3800 CZK (approx. 750 PLN)
Details in the PRICE LIST of the resort.
Where to Stay in Harrachov?
The town has many small guesthouses as well as large hotels.
We stayed at Bellevue Harrachov and highly recommend this hotel.
It has an amazing location, situated almost in the middle of the slope, and you can see the cable car from the windows. You can put on your skis in the room and head straight to the ski slope.
The hotel offers comfortable family rooms with four-star standards at reasonable prices, along with delicious breakfasts and excellent dinners in the restaurant. The hotel also has a sauna where you can watch skiers zooming down the slope.
We really enjoyed it.
There is also a funny story related to the hotel's location. While driving there at night, the navigation suggested entering via a ski trail. Fortunately, before taking on this steep challenge, I called the hotel.
Staying there in winter, you'll leave your car in the parking lot, and the last 4 minutes of the route will be covered by an interesting hotel vehicle on tracks.
Wellness in Harrachov:
If you want to relax and unwind, you'll find plenty of wellness spots here.
| Hotel Centrum Harrachov 455 www.hotel-centrum-harrachov.cz | +420 603 505 557 | Hotel Harrachovka Nový svět 139 www.harrachovka.com | +420 481 528 110 |
| Hotel-Pension David Harrachov 188 www.davidpension.cz | +420 481 529 393 | Hotel Skicentrum Harrachov 225 www.hotelskicentrum.cz | +420 481 528 156 |
| Hotel Svornost Harrachov 496 www.hotelsvornost.cz | +420 481 528 152-3 | Orea hotel Bílý hořec Harrachov 178 www.spabilyhorec.cz | +420 481 548 111 |
| Orea vital hotel Sklář Harrachov 520 www.sklar.cz | +420 481 560 111 | Beer Spa | Bierbad Harrachov 95 www.sklarnaharrachov.cz | +420 481 528 |
| Relax Centrum Hotel Karolína Harrachov 101 www.karolina-harrachov.cz | +420 481 528 100 | Sportrelax 007 Harrachov 653 www.sportrelax007.cz | +420 481 529 000 |
We hope we've helped you find an interesting place for a family trip, an outing with friends, or a school excursion.
Let us know which places you recommend and where you've had the best fun.
Have a great trip,
Julia and the FajnyCzas.pl team
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