Things to Do in Liberec: 10 Highlights in and Around the City

Surrounded by mountains, national parks, pretty villages and castles, the city of Liberec sits in the far north of Czechia. In winter it’s a ski destination, while in summer people come for the outdoors and the lively city. We spent four days in this underrated city north of Prague and fell for its cosy streets, the mountains all around and the relaxed vibe. In this blog you’ll find the best things to do in Liberec, plus practical tips for your trip.

Map of Liberec

Where to stay in Liberec?

Liberec doesn’t draw huge crowds of tourists, but it has plenty of great places to stay. We rented a spacious apartment in the centre with a view of the sunset. It was above Catfé Kočičárna, a cat café, and the apartment came with a very lively house cat of its own.

More of a hotel person? Then consider the hotel inside the TV tower on top of Ještěd. If that’s full or a bit beyond your budget, you’ll find all hotels in Liberec here. Pytloun Grand Hotel Imperial in particular gets great reviews and has original, modern rooms.

How to get to Liberec?

Liberec is close to the German border, so it’s easy to reach by car from elsewhere in Europe. We drove there in our own car from the Netherlands, stopping for a night on the way in the pretty German town of Stolberg.

Most international travellers fly into Prague, and from there you’re in Liberec in no time. Czechia has good bus connections, including between Prague and Liberec and within the region itself. Easiest of all is to pick up a rental car from Discover Cars in Prague, so you can come and go as you please.

Things to do in Liberec

#1 The town hall and main square

The highlight of Liberec is without a doubt the main square, Dr. Edvard Beneš Square, and the town hall that towers over it. Liberec is built around a hill, and the square sits right at the top. With its tall, slender towers and stained glass, the town hall looks a bit like a church. If you’ve ever been to Vienna, you’ll spot it straight away: it’s a smaller copy of Vienna’s city hall, and every bit as richly decorated.

It was designed by a Viennese architect and built between 1888 and 1893, after a local nobleman turned out to have left money for it in his will. In the summer months you can see the beautiful interior on a guided tour, which you book at the tourist information centre in the building next door.

#2 Historic monuments and old buildings

But the town hall is far from the only beautiful building in Liberec. The city is full of them! Classical mansions, fairy-tale church towers and ornate monuments pop up everywhere. The oldest buildings are the Wallenstein Houses, not far from the main square. These half-timbered houses of wooden beams and white plaster were built between 1678 and 1681. Buildings like these once stood all over the city.

One of our favourites is the F.X. Šalda Theatre behind the town hall. Sadly we couldn’t go inside, but the outside alone is stunning: the classical façade is decorated with statues, columns and grand doors. One last gem you shouldn’t miss in Liberec is the old bathhouse that’s now an art museum, but more on that later.

#3 Trendy coffee bars and places to eat

Liberec is one of the hipper cities in Czechia, so you’ll find lots of cosy coffee bars and modern places to eat. We collected plenty of favourites during our days here and could have used a lot more time to try everything we came across. You’ll notice an unusual number of Vietnamese restaurants, often with ‘Pho’ (a classic Vietnamese soup) in the name, each one more stylish than the last.

Our favourite hotspots in Liberec

Mikyna Coffee & Food Point for coffee, cake and vegetarian dishes
Bistro Široká for coffee and brunch in a trendy interior
Catfé Kočičárna for cat cuddles with your coffee
Kafe Kytka for coffee and breakfast among the flowers
Fofr Kafe for cakes, coffee and juices overlooking the town hall
Kofein Plac for coffee to go
Ánanda for vegetarian food
Jedno Kafe for espresso in a cosy coffee bar
DOK Nordbeans, just outside the centre, for top-quality coffee

#4 The Regional Art Gallery in an old bathhouse

The most beautiful building in Liberec stands on Masarykova street: the Regional Art Gallery, housed in a former bathhouse from around 1900. The same street is lined with more grand buildings like this, though the bathhouse is the absolute highlight. So take your time to stroll down the stately avenue and admire the other monuments too. The Emperor Franz Joseph Baths, named after the Habsburg emperor who once ruled what’s now Czechia, have a richly decorated façade that takes you 120 years back in time. In an era when not every household had a bathroom, this is where people came for their regular wash, and there was a large swimming pool too.

Today it’s home to a museum of modern art: the Regional Art Gallery, or Oblastní galerie. The building was renovated so thoroughly that inside you won’t see much of the old bathhouse. Mainly the tiled floor in the entrance and the stained-glass windows in the café remind you of its past. In the large exhibition hall you can still make out the old swimming pool, as you’re walking on its bottom. The museum has changing exhibitions. We weren’t exactly blown away by what was on during our summer visit, but we’d definitely recommend at least seeing the building from the outside.

Regional Art Gallery in the old bathhouse, Liberec

#5 The most beautiful bus stop in Czechia

A bus stop as a highlight of Liberec? Absolutely! Behind the theatre stands one of the most unusual bus shelters you’ll ever see, and it’s still in use as an actual bus stop. It’s a bronze artwork by the artist David Černý, dating from 2006 and called “Feast of Giants”. The design is based on a huge bronze table, and passengers wait for the bus underneath it. On the table are various symbolic objects. A Jewish candelabrum, for example, refers to the nearby synagogue that was burned down on Kristallnacht in 1938, and a carnivorous plant stands for Liberec’s botanical gardens.

#6 Hiking in the Bohemian Paradise

The Bohemian Paradise is one of the top highlights of Czechia, and one of the most popular destinations for both Czech and foreign visitors. Liberec makes the perfect base for exploring this nature area with its distinctive rock formations. You’ll be there in 30 to 45 minutes, depending on which part of the Bohemian Paradise you’re heading to. Best known are the jagged Prachov Rocks that rise out of the ground, with gorgeous walks in between. But other parts of the area have great marked trails too. And did you know the region is full of castles? Valdštejn Castle and Kost Castle are both open to visitors. Trosky Castle you’ll see from just about every viewpoint in the Bohemian Paradise: the two tall towers of the ruin rise high above the landscape.

Tip: install Mapy.cz, the Czech hiking app with offline maps. Every hiking trail in the country is clearly marked on it.

Prachov Rocks in the Bohemian Paradise, Czechia

#7 The fairy-tale railway viaduct in Novina

You’ll read very little about the Novina Viaduct, which is a shame. A friend from Prague tipped us off, and we were instantly impressed by its huge arches. The viaduct spans the Kryštof Valley near the village of Novina and reminded us of the stone railway bridge in Harry Potter. There isn’t much else to do here, though the area is lovely for a walk (you’ll find good routes on Mapy.cz). Mostly it’s a place to feel tiny beneath those towering arches, and to take great photos, of course.

#8 The view from Ještěd

Liberec’s most famous sight lies just outside the city: Ještěd mountain with its distinctive TV tower. From the city, and pretty much the whole region, you can see the futuristic tower perched on the highest mountain around. It was designed by architect Karel Hubáček and opened in 1973. The tower itself is 94 metres tall and stands on a summit of 1,012 metres. You can hike up or drive almost all the way to the top. Just expect to pay for parking wherever you leave the car.

At the top you’re rewarded with a stunning view. Want to stay a little longer? Book a table at the restaurant or a room in the hotel inside the tower. Do it well in advance, as it’s one of the most popular spots in the region.

#9 Hejnice Monastery

If, like us, you want to see more of the beautiful Liberec region, hop in your (rental) car and drive about half an hour to Hejnice. This small village is home to a huge monastery church that’s well worth a visit. Legend has it the church was built where a net maker once fell asleep under a lime tree and was told by an angel how to heal his wife and child. What started as a small wooden chapel is now a monumental church belonging to a monastery. The current building dates from the eighteenth century, and besides the beautiful façade it’s mainly the ceiling that catches your eye, as it’s covered entirely in colourful paintings. Also make sure to walk through the chapel at the back on the left, down to the crypt of the noble Gallas family.

Tip: right by the monastery church is Bike & Coffee House, a trendy coffee stop you wouldn’t expect in a village this size.

#10 Frýdlant village and castle

One last recommendation near Liberec is the small town of Frýdlant, also about 30 minutes’ drive away. The town itself is very pretty, with a lovely town hall, and nice to wander through, but it’s the castle that steals the show. The original Frýdlant Castle dates from the sixteenth century and was extended over the centuries. As early as 1801, the noble Gallas family opened the doors of their family castle to the public, which makes it one of the oldest castle museums in Europe. On a guided tour you can admire the historically furnished rooms and learn more about the castle and the people who lived there. Hrad Frýdlant is popular with Czechs, so expect it to be busier during the summer holidays and at weekends. You can park close to the castle for a fee, or for free at the bottom of the castle hill by the brewery.

Tip: on the edge of Frýdlant is the Pivovar Albrecht brewery, where you can order a local beer and pizza by the water.

Written by Maartje

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