Litoměřice is conveniently close to Prague with direct bus connections. The bus trip takes just over an hour, and so the town is perfect for a one-day trip on a nice sunny day. Litoměřice lies on the confluence of Elbe and Ohře rivers, and boat trips to neighbouring towns are available every weekend in April and every day starting in May with prices depending on the final destination. The riverside is lined up with trees that make up a park with a playground, swans and summer beer gardens. There is also a summer movie theatre starting in the middle of May, so if you choose to stay the night make sure to pack some warm clothes. And a swimsuit since Mácha lake is only 46 kilometres away. Another option for a visit is the Terezín Memorial just a 10-minute drive outside Litoměřice.
Litoměřice has 25,000 inhabitants and a rectangular central square serving as a car park adorned with a plague column and a fountain. Gothic, renaissance and baroque buildings surround the square. Make sure not to miss Radniční sklípek in one of the renaissance houses re-built later in baroque style. The restaurant has a small oval door open onto a low stone staircase that will lead you first to a grave stone, then to another staircase that opens to two rooms of the cellar restaurant. The underground corridors continue for another 368 metres and are also worth a visit. Originally, the corridors were kilometres long, connecting Litoměřice churches and monasteries. The restaurant has a unique atmosphere and a rather interesting menu with even more interesting prices, especially if you’re coming from Prague. It alone warrants a visit to this town. I can highly recommend the juicy pfeffer steak with green beans and baked potatoes for CZK 200.
Accommodation options are limited: You can stay in a pub offering cheap lodgings or at a bed and breakfast, as well as, formerly luxurious hotels. It’s probably not necessary to book in advance, so you can just decide on a whim.
Litoměřice was first mentioned in 993 but only became a town in the 13th century, though, one of its main historical monuments, St Stephen’s Cathedral, dates back to 1057. The church itself does not offer anything particularly unique, but it is accompanied by a separately standing belfry attached to it by an intriguing arch-bridge. In front of the church you will also find a lawn untouched by dogs, since they are not allowed, and thus inviting for an afternoon nap in the sun. Walking back to the town centre you should not miss the Jesuit staircase in the lower part of the main square descending towards the river, which was built in 1828 and is now adorned by a wooden composition by sculptor J. Beránek.
The town has a laid-back and relaxed atmosphere, especially on the weekend, with a number of sweetshops and cafés with tables outside inviting you to just sit down and forget about the rest. The service was very nice everywhere I went. There is a number of other restaurants to choose from, of course, though they do not seem to offer anything remarkably special.
For more information on the town and accommodation available visit: www.litomerice.cz
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