On the first weekend of March, we headed to Lipno Czech Republic for a cross-country skiing getaway. Lipno is a popular resort area in South Bohemia, and while it’s not as well-known internationally as some Alpine destinations, the prices can be surprisingly high. So how much did the trip actually cost us, where did we stay, and what did we get up to?
Book Your Accommodation Well in Advance
We decided on Tuesday that we’d go cross-country skiing that weekend — and headed straight for Lake Lipno, because skiing on a frozen lake sounded pretty amazing, right?
We immediately hit a snag though: 89% of all accommodation was already booked. In the end, we found a lovely little hotel in Vyšší Brod, roughly a 10-minute drive from Lipno nad Vltavou, where the ski trails begin.
Hotel Šumava cost us around 125 € for two nights including breakfast. The super-fast Wi-Fi was a nice bonus! If you’re looking for more options, try browsing Booking.com — just make sure to book early.
You Can Rent Ski Gear Right on the Spot
You can rent cross-country skis at the Lipno Centrum rental shop, which has branches in all the small towns around the Lipno reservoir. The rental cost us around 35 € for the entire weekend — boots, skis, and poles included.
You Can Ski Directly on Lake Lipno
If the groomed trails in the forests between Frymburk and Lipno aren’t being maintained, the frozen lake itself becomes your best bet. The actual cross-country skiing is completely free — there’s no entry fee for the lake. The tracks are kept nicely groomed, so even complete beginners can enjoy a great run.
Treetop Walkway
When you’ve had enough exercise, you can visit the Treetop Walkway (Stezka korunami stromů). It offers stunning views of the surrounding countryside, and you can even ride down a giant toboggan slide!
Food at Tourist Prices
What surprised us the most was how much meals cost. On average, we spent about 10 € per person for lunch or dinner.
There are plenty of restaurants around, but also plenty of visitors. Expect to spend some time finding a place with a free table. It’s not unusual for strangers to squeeze in at your small table simply because there’s nowhere else to sit.
The constant stream of customers is probably why local restaurants don’t feel the need to try too hard — at best, you’ll get traditional Czech dishes like svíčková (marinated beef with cream sauce) or goulash. Don’t expect much variety.
Full Cost Breakdown
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Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
