Take road no. 38 from Kutná Hora in the direction of Havlíčkův Brod. After turning left in the village of Církvice, you will arrive at the little village of Jakub (which means James in English). This village is also the location of a Romanesque church of the same name, the Church of St James, which was built in the 12^th century. This church will amaze you with its unique sculptural decoration on the southern wall of the nave. The impetus for its establishment is not entirely clear, but the importance of the place and the building itself is confirmed by the fact that its consecration was attended by Vladislav I, the King of Bohemia, with his wife, Queen Judith, which is confirmed by the finding of the ”autenticum” (deed of consecration) drawn up by Prague Bishop Daniel in 1165, which was discovered in 1846 during the church‘s repair. The church is open upon prior appointment (www.sedlec.info).

Make your way back from the village of Jakub along road no. 38 and in Církvice continue left to Čáslav.

The city of Čáslav was founded around the mid-13^th century by Ottokar II, the King of Bohemia. The city’s large picturesque square is the dominant feature of the historical centre. The skull of Jan Žižka of Trocnov, the Hussite army leader, is reverently preserved in the Žižka Hall of the city’s Baroque town hall. A symbol of Čáslav is the tower of the Church of St Peter and Paul, which is open to the public and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding area. Whilst in Čáslav, you can also visit the Municipal Museum, built in 1884 as one of the first buildings in Bohemia specifically designed to serve as a museum. This museum‘s exhibitions include original rich zoological, mineralogical and artistic collections. On the outskirts of the city is also the Museum of Agricultural Equipment. The city’s unmistakable atmosphere is complemented by its original fortifications, one of the oldest and best preserved in Bohemia. Very unusual is the Jewish Synagogue, the facades of which are in the Moorish style, built in the late 19^th century according to the plans of the Viennese architect Stiassny.

It is then truly a “stone’s throw away“ from Čáslav to the Iron Mountains (Železné Hory), which are a great attraction for walkers and cyclists. The natural attractions also include Tisí Rock, offering granite rock-climbing terrain and short but demanding climbs in overhangs with grade 2 to as much as grade 8+.

From Čáslav, get back on the ring road (road no. 38 in the direction of Havlíčkův Brod) and turn left on the inconspicuous road no. 337 in the direction of Filipov. After about fifteen minutes you will enter a picturesque valley and be stunned by the silhouette of the romantic, almost “princess-like“ Žleby Chateau. This chateau will enchant you with its unique atmosphere and richly furnished historical interiors. Also unique is the chateau‘s original kitchen. You can also visit one of the few preserved Baroque chateau theatres with original furnishings, a historical stage, stage sets and an abundance of preserved theatre costumes. The chateau complex offers several sightseeing circuits, with foreign-language guide services also available (www.zamek-zleby.cz).

Even though you will only travel a relatively short distance from Kutná Hora, you can count on the trip taking all day.

Alternatively, you can also complete the above route on bike. All you need to do is to take cycle route no. 1 from Kutná Hora and then join cycle route no. 0118 in Čáslav.