This small town in the northernmost part of the Czech Republic is very far off the tourist trail, but there are at least two very good reasons for a stopover: The beautiful baroque-era Basilica of Saints Lawrence and Zdislava and the impressive medieval Lemberk Castle.

It’s easy to visit the town on a day-trip from any of the bigger northern Bohemian cities, like Česká Lípa or Liberec. You could also combine a visit to Jablonné with a hiking in the awesome Bohemian Switzerland Area.

I grew up just over the border in the small German town of Zittau, so I know the area quite well. Here are my favourite things to do in this hidden gem of a town.

This post may contain affiliate links, and I might earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more info, click here.

What to See and Do in Jablonné v Podještědi

Jablonné has a small, but pretty historic centre, which is centered around its market square and the impressive Basilica. The other places worth visiting are either in the suburbs or neighbouring villages and it’s best to either include them in a longer hike or take the train to get there (see below).

Basilica of Saints Lawrence and Zdislava

For me, this beautiful baroque church with its striped red-and-white façade is the main reason to visit Jablonné. The building can be seen for miles over the plains (especially when you head towards the city from the north), but it really only gets more impressive the closer you get.

It was originally built in the 13^th century, but got repeatedly sacked and destroyed during different wars, until it was finally rebuilt in its current form in the early 18^th century under the leadership of  Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt (who is famous for several similar-looking church buildings in Vienna from that era).

It’s definitely also worth checking out the inside of the church with its intricate altarpiece, pulpit and stuccoed domed ceiling. There are thousands of little stylistic flourishes and details, as is typical for the Baroque architecture.

You can also have a peek in the crypt, where the remains of Saint Zdislava lie, a 13^th-century noblewoman who is said to have cured people from leprosy and other unpleasant diseases. She also paid for the original church building, which might have something to do with her subsequent status as a saint (just a guess;).

The pretty little Dominikánské Náměstí square in front of the basilica has some early 18th-century statues of St. Zdislava and St. John of Nepomuk. They reminded me a lot of the statues on Prague’s Charles Bridge, which date mainly to the same time.

The church is directly to the north-east of Jablonné’s main town square and there’s an entrance fee of 200CZK. You can check the current opening times here.

Other Sights in Central Jablonné

It’s also worth having a short stroll through the squares and small alleyways around the church. For one, you can check out the intricate plague column on the main square west of the basilica, which was erected at the end of the last plague epidemic in the second half of the 17^th century.

These columns are quite a common sight around Catholic parts of Central Europe, but we see them especially often in Bohemia. Directly to the south there’s a viewpoint (vyhlídková věž) atop the tower of the old Holy Cross Church, although I never managed to see it open. Maybe you’re luckier than I am.

Finally, I also think that the pretty Rokoko-style Residence of the Pachta Family is worth a quick look, as is the small Chapel of St. Wolfgang, which dates to the 13th century. Both are along the main road, a bit east of the basilica.

Lemberk Castle

The other main sight in town is the medieval Lemberk Castle in the eastern suburb of Lvová. It originally dates to the 13^th century, when St. Zdislava, who is buried in the Basilica, lived here, but has been extensively rebuilt in the 16^th and 17^th centuries.

Considering the rather plain exterior, I was surprised that most of the rooms inside the castle date to the baroque era, so once again there’s lots of gilded stucco work, and some intricately decorated pieces of furniture.

For me, the most interesting room in the castle is a grand dining hall with a coffered ceiling that depicts 77 scenes from Aesop’s Fables. It’s not something I would have expected to find in a rural castle in Northern Bohemia.

Another reason to drop by is the possibility to climb up to the castle tower for some fantastic views of the surrounding landscape, especially to the Zittau Mountains on the German border to the north.

To get to the castle, you can either take the train from Jablonné to Lvová or simply walk there from the southeastern edge of central Jablonné. It shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes and leads through a pretty forest and past Zdislava’s Spring, which some people claim has healing properties.

When we were there, we could only visit by taking a guided tour (in Czech), but it was quite interesting and we got an English-language leaflet explaining everything. Nowadays, you seem to be able to visit on your own, too. Different parts of the castle have different opening times and entrance fees. You can check all of them on this site.

Elephant Rocks (Bílé Kameny)

This unusual sandstone formation is another place worth dropping by. It was formed during the tertiary era and gained its current shape through years of constant erosion. In my opinion it looks more like a huge cloud turned to stone than the eponymous elephant, but maybe I’m lacking the imagination.

In any case, it’s a cool destination for a little hike and if you climb to the top, there are some nice views of the Lusatian Mountains to the South. To get here by public transport, you could take the train to Rynoltice (about 5 mins. / 25CZK) and walk the rest of the way (about 45 mins.).

If you decide to do that, first walk east from Rynoltice to nearby Jítrava and at the eastern end of that village turn north, cross the big highway and continue north for about 10 minutes until you reach the stones.

Map of Jablonné v Podještědi’s Sights

All of the places mentioned above can be found in this map of Jablonné and the surrounding area.

Practicalities

How to Get There

The city can be reached by frequent train connections from nearby Liberec (about 35 mins. / 60CZK) in the east and Česká Lípa (about 35 mins. / 55CZK) in the west. If you’re traveling from cities to the south (e.g. Prague), you’ll have to connect in Děčín. 

The entire trip from Prague Main Station via Děčín would take about 3 hours and 15 mins. (about 300CZK). You can search for connections on the website of the Czech National Train Network.

How to Get Around in Jablonné v Podještědi

If you’re without your own transport, the easiest way to get around town is by just walking. It’s not too spread out and especially the path along the river east to Lemberk Castle is quite nice.

Otherwise, you can also take the train from the centre of town to Lvová, where the castle is located, which only takes a couple of minutes and costs about 15CZK. Again, check the website of the Czech National Train Network for connections.

Where to Stay in Jablonné v Podještědi

As this is a small town that doesn’t see loads of tourists, options are somewhat limited. If you prefer to stay in town, there are a few possibilities, like Penzion a Restaurace Lemberk, which is located close to Lemberk Castle or Hostinec U Koláče, which is closer to the town centre.

If you have your own transport, it’s easier, as there are lots of well-rated places in the surrounding villages, including one where you can stay in a Tree House in nearby Petrovice.

Where to Eat in Jablonné v Podještědi

Around the market square, there are a few traditional restaurants serving the typically hearty Bohemian food and famous Czech lager beer. We found U Českého Iva, on the western side of the square to be quite good, but there are some other options in the surrounding streets.

Where to Go Next

Bohemian Switzerland National Park, a Paradise for Hikers