In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
Around 480 kilometres from Kutná Hora via Žďár, the ponds of the Žďárské vrchy, Pernštejn, Třebíč and Telč to the Austrian border at Slavonice, and back via Jihlava to Pelhřimov – a highland loop with four UNESCO sites, on which the next small town is rarely more than half an hour away.
The spirit of the route
The Vysočina is the land in between: between Bohemia and Moravia, between Prague and Brno, and for exactly that reason surprisingly quiet. The roads swing over low hilltops whose slopes alternate between spruce forest, potato fields and meadows, and behind them there is almost always a pond with a reed fringe and a dam. In the evening mist rises from the water, and through the open sliding door it smells of resin and wet grass. Then places appear that you would not expect here: Santini's star church on the green hill above Žďár, the basilica and the Jewish quarter by the river in Třebíč, the arcaded square of Telč with its pastel-coloured gables, the sgraffito façades of Slavonice, a few kilometres from the former Iron Curtain. In between you sleep at small autokemps by bathing ponds, with wooden cabins, a snack bar and a kiosk. The highlands are rougher than South Bohemia, the nights are cool, and the season is short.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Kutná Hora to Žďár nad Sázavou (approx. 95 km)
- The drive
- From Kutná Hora south to Čáslav, on via Golčův Jeníkov to Havlíčkův Brod and then east via Přibyslav to Žďár nad Sázavou. Well-built country roads through farmland that gradually gives way to hill country beyond Čáslav; some village through-roads with traffic lights and a 50 km/h limit, and a little town traffic in Havlíčkův Brod. Around 1.5 hours of pure driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Kutná Hora to start with (UNESCO): the ossuary in Sedlec and St Barbara's Church. If you want to explore the town in depth, you will find sites and tips in the CampingSpirit travel guide to South Bohemia; for this route an early visit to the ossuary, before the coach crowds arrive, is enough.
- Pilgrimage Church of St John of Nepomuk on Zelená hora (UNESCO): Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel built it in the 1720s on a star-shaped ground plan in which the number five recurs again and again – a walk around the cloister with its chapels and gates shows the geometry best.
- Žďár Castle in the former Cistercian monastery below the hill, with a museum and the monastery church; from there a short footpath leads up to the church.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Autokempink Pilák by the pond of the same name north of the town centre, with pitches for motorhomes, electricity, sanitary facilities and a bathing shore; on foot or by bike you reach the church and castle in a good half hour. Seasonal operation; check opening times and disposal facilities in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Czechia has no explicit right to park up overnight, but also no nationwide ban on sleeping in your vehicle in a public car park as long as you are not camping. The car parks below Zelená hora and at the castle are intended for day visitors; for the night, use the site at Pilák.
- Insider tip for campers
- Access to the interior of the pilgrimage church is only possible at certain times and partly only with a guided tour, and is restricted outside the main season – check times in advance. In Havlíčkův Brod large supermarkets and petrol stations lie directly on the through-road, cheaper than in the villages of the Žďárské vrchy.
2Stage 2: Žďár nad Sázavou to Nové Město na Moravě via Velké Dářko and Tři Studně (approx. 55 km)
- The drive
- North-west out of Žďár to Velké Dářko, then on narrow minor roads east through the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area via Sněžné or Tři Studně, with short climbs, forest sections and villages with wooden houses, and down to Nové Město na Moravě. Hardly any traffic, but some tight village passages and roads without a centre line. About 1.5 hours without stops.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Velké Dářko, the largest pond in the Vysočina: bathing spot at the dam, and on the western shore bog and forest areas that are under nature protection – do not leave the paths.
- Devět skal, at a good 830 m the highest point of the Žďárské vrchy: gneiss rocks with views over the highlands, reachable as a hike from Blatiny or from the Tři Studně area.
- Vysočina Arena on the edge of Nové Město na Moravě, venue of biathlon and mountain bike World Cups; the trail network around the stadium is freely accessible outside of races.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Autokemp Sykovec by the Sykovec pond near Tři Studně, in the middle of the protected landscape area, with electricity, sanitary facilities and a bathing shore; alternatively Kemp pod hrází right by the dam of Velké Dářko. Both are typical seasonal sites, usually open only in the warm months – check dates and space for larger motorhomes in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Throughout the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area (CHKO) it is forbidden to drive or park motor vehicles and caravans off roads and local streets; camping and fires are only permitted at designated sites outside built-up areas. Forest tracks and pond dam paths are not places to park up; under the Forest Act, parking in the forest is generally prohibited. Plan on using the autokemps here.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Žďárské vrchy are cycling country with signposted routes between the ponds – park the camper for two nights and explore Dářko, Tři Studně and Devět skal by bike. Fresh water and waste disposal are almost only available at campsites; fill up with fresh water in Žďár before the stage.
3Stage 3: Nové Město na Moravě to Třebíč via Pernštejn (approx. 100 km)
- The drive
- South-east via Bystřice nad Pernštejnem and down into the Svratka valley to Nedvědice, below Pernštejn Castle. The Svratka valley is winding and narrow in places. Then across the plateau south-west via Velké Meziříčí, where the D1 motorway crosses the town on a high viaduct, and on to Třebíč. A good 2 hours of driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Pernštejn Castle above Nedvědice: one of the best-preserved castles in Moravia, with towers, bastions and wooden walkways on its rocky spur; from the car park below the castle it is just under a kilometre uphill on partly unsurfaced forest paths, 15 to 25 minutes.
- Svratka valley between Nedvědice and Doubravník, with rocks and riverside meadows, popular with paddlers.
- Castle and old town of Velké Meziříčí, with the motorway viaduct in view as an unusual backdrop.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Kemp Poušov on the Jihlava river west of the centre of Třebíč, with pitches for motorhomes, electricity and sanitary facilities; along the river you reach the Jewish quarter and the basilica on foot or by bike. If you would rather stay closer to Pernštejn: the Prudká recreation area (Rekreační středisko Prudká) on the Svratka below Doubravník – check facilities and season in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The car park below Pernštejn, run by Nedvědice, is intended for day visitors; the Svratka valley is largely forested, and parking on forest tracks and riverbanks is prohibited. In Třebíč the car parks near the centre can be used during the day; for the night the campsite is the better choice.
- Insider tip for campers
- Between Bystřice and Nedvědice you may meet timber and lorry traffic – drive slowly on the tight bends and use passing places. In the low season the castle is open only at weekends or not at all; check opening times on the castle administration's website.
4Stage 4: Třebíč to Telč (approx. 40 km)
- The drive
- After visiting the town, take country roads west across the rolling plateau with small villages, tree-lined avenues and ponds to Telč. Quiet roads that are easy to drive; about 45 minutes.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Zámostí Jewish quarter in Třebíč (UNESCO): narrow lanes and passages by the river, the Rear Synagogue with wall paintings and a model of the quarter, and above it the large Jewish cemetery.
- St Procopius Basilica (UNESCO) at the former Benedictine monastery above the town, a Romanesque-Gothic building with a crypt, today part of the castle grounds.
- Telč market square (UNESCO): an elongated square with arcades and Renaissance and Baroque gables, plus the Renaissance castle of the Lords of Hradec with its halls and park; in the evening, a walk around the ponds that frame the old town.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Autokemp U Roštěnky on the outskirts of Telč, a small site with electricity and sanitary facilities, around 20 minutes on foot to the market square. Quieter and higher up: Camp Velkopařezitý near Řásná below Javořice, the highest mountain of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. Both seasonal; call before you arrive.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Telč has several signposted car parks around the old town; car park P1 is listed in parking apps as a motorhome car park. Whether and under what conditions you may stay overnight there is governed by the town's parking regulations – follow the signs on site. Camping behaviour in car parks is off limits.
- Insider tip for campers
- Do not drive into the old town of Telč: the square is tight, the gates are low, and through traffic is restricted. The castle offers various guided tour routes, often booked out in summer – come in the morning or book in advance. In Třebíč it is worth combining the basilica and the quarter in one morning before driving on in the afternoon.
5Stage 5: Telč to Slavonice via Dačice (approx. 40 km)
- The drive
- South on the country road through forest and fields to Dačice in the valley of the Moravian Thaya, then further south through ever more thinly populated country to Slavonice, a few kilometres from the Austrian border. Good roads, little traffic, just under an hour.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Dačice with its castle, town church and the monument to the sugar cube, which was invented here in the 19th century.
- The two squares of Slavonice with Renaissance sgraffito façades – biblical and allegorical scenes in grey-and-white scratched plaster – and the town's underground passages, accessible on guided tours.
- Pevnostní areál Slavonice: a section of the Czechoslovak bunker line from the 1930s with light concrete bunkers, plus exhibitions on the Iron Curtain; by bike or on foot from the town.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Camping Letní Den near Staré Hobzí east of Slavonice, a site in the forest by a stream with pitches, electricity and sanitary facilities, but only a few places for motorhomes and a season limited to high summer; west of the town lies the simple Cyklocamp. Both are small businesses with limited space – check opening and facilities in advance and book.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The border landscape around Slavonice is partly a nature and water protection area; farm tracks along the former border are not places to park up. In public car parks on the edge of the old town, one night without camping behaviour is usually not a problem, provided no signs prohibit overnight stays.
- Insider tip for campers
- Slavonice is a good starting point for a bike loop across the border into Lower Austria, for example into the Waldviertel. The town itself has little on offer: top up water, groceries and diesel in Dačice. The bunkers are open seasonally; check times on site or with the operator. If you want to continue east: via Jemnice you reach Vranov nad Dyjí and Znojmo, where the CampingSpirit travel guide to South Moravia with Lednice and Mikulov picks up.
6Stage 6: Slavonice to Jihlava via Telč and Třešť (approx. 75 km)
- The drive
- Back north via Dačice and past Telč, then via Třešť through wooded hill country to Jihlava. Well-built country roads, more traffic shortly before Jihlava. Around 1.5 hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Jihlavské podzemí: around 25 kilometres of passages beneath the old town of Jihlava, part of which is accessible as a guided tour route – the longer tour also includes the passage whose walls shimmer greenish.
- Jihlava as an old silver-mining town: Masarykovo náměstí, one of the largest squares in the country, the Muzeum Vysočiny on the square covering the town's history, and the Brána Matky Boží town gate with a view from its tower.
- Třešť with its nativity-scene tradition and as the birthplace of the economist Joseph Schumpeter.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Autokemp Pávov by a pond on the northern edge of Jihlava, not far from the D1 – handy for visiting the town and for moving on; open roughly from spring into autumn, check facilities and disposal in advance. Alternatively, go back to Telč to the previous day's site.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Jihlava the car parks around the old town charge fees and are intended for day visitors; staying overnight on public land in a town of this size is not generally prohibited, but it is not advisable – noise and checks.
- Insider tip for campers
- Do not drive the motorhome into Masarykovo náměstí; use the car parks on the edge of the old town and walk the few hundred metres. Underground it is cool and damp even in summer – take a jacket. Book tours in advance, especially at weekends.
7Stage 7: Jihlava to Kamenice nad Lipou via Humpolec and Pelhřimov (approx. 75 km)
- The drive
- North-west to Humpolec – either quickly on the D1, which requires a vignette, or on the country road through the villages – then south-west to Pelhřimov and on to Kamenice nad Lipou. Hilly, well-built roads, some village through-roads. A good 1.5 hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Humpolec only briefly: a small town with a brewing tradition, from here it is a few kilometres to Kaliště, where Gustav Mahler was born before the family moved to Jihlava.
- Pelhřimov, the “town of records”: the museum of records and curiosities in the old town, plus town gates, Renaissance houses on the square and the tower of St Bartholomew's Church with a view over the highlands.
- Kamenice nad Lipou with its castle and castle park on the edge of the highlands – a link to South Bohemia: via Jindřichův Hradec you reach the pond landscape around Třeboň, described in the CampingSpirit travel guide to South Bohemia.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Kemp Vyskytná between Jihlava and Pelhřimov, or the small Autokemp Panistávka near Žirovnice south-east of Kamenice – both simple sites with seasonal operation; check facilities and opening in advance. If you are continuing straight to South Bohemia, you will find more sites in the Jindřichův Hradec area.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the municipal car parks in Pelhřimov and Kamenice one night without camping behaviour is possible, provided there are no prohibition signs; rest areas on the D1 are noisy and not recommended for overnight stays.
- Insider tip for campers
- If you drive on the D1, you need the electronic vignette for vehicles up to 3.5 t; above 3.5 t the distance-based toll applies, on this stage also on road I/34 via Humpolec and Pelhřimov. Pelhřimov celebrates its reputation for records with an annual festival; the old town is then packed – check the date before you arrive and leave the camper on the outskirts.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Czechia has no explicit right to park up overnight and no nationwide ban on spending the night in your vehicle in a public car park. Parking with an overnight stay is tolerated, camping is not: no awning, chairs, tables or levelling jacks, no grey water on the ground. Municipalities can ban camping and overnight stays by ordinance and signage, especially at sights and bathing ponds.
- Under the Forest Act, driving and parking motor vehicles in the forest is prohibited, as are open fires in and near the forest. Forest tracks, pond dams and farm tracks are not places to park up; many dams are private or fishery land.
- Throughout the Žďárské vrchy Protected Landscape Area, driving and parking motor vehicles and caravans off roads and local streets is prohibited, and camping and fires are only permitted at designated sites outside built-up areas; in the nature reserves, for example at the bogs near Velké Dářko, additional restrictions apply. Checks by the protected-area wardens and the police do happen.
- You can stay overnight legally at autokemps, kemps and tábořiště, which in the Vysočina are usually small, simple and inexpensive, and often lie by bathing ponds. Many only open at the end of May or in June and close in September; in autumn, look for alternatives in good time. You will find sites in park4night, Campercontact and motorhome stopover guides; information from municipalities and operators takes precedence over user reports.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Public service points for fresh water and waste outside campsites are rare in the Vysočina. Empty grey and black water at campsites; not every small autokemp has a drive-over drain, while a disposal point for the chemical toilet is more common – ask on site.
- Tap water in Czechia is drinkable. Pond and stream water is not drinking water.
- Gas: German and Austrian exchange cylinders are not swapped in Czechia, and local cylinders have different connections. Arrive with a full reserve or use a refillable cylinder. Autogas is called LPG or Autoplyn and is available at many petrol stations on the main roads and in towns such as Jihlava, Havlíčkův Brod and Třebíč; check which adapter you need in advance.
- Shopping and fuel: large supermarkets in Havlíčkův Brod, Žďár, Třebíč, Jihlava and Pelhřimov; in the villages of the Žďárské vrchy and around Slavonice only small shops with short opening hours at weekends. Payment is in koruna (CZK); cash is still common at small autokemps and kiosks.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed: motorhomes up to 3.5 t 50 km/h in built-up areas, 90 outside them, 130 km/h on motorways (usually 110 on expressways). Motorhomes over 3.5 t and car-and-caravan combinations 80 km/h outside built-up areas and on motorways and expressways. Lower limits are signposted in many villages, and speed checks are frequent.
- Vignette up to 3.5 t: on motorways and marked expressways – on this route mainly the D1 between Humpolec, Jihlava and Velké Meziříčí – the electronic Dálniční známka applies, linked to the number plate. There are vignettes for one day, 10 days, 30 days and one year; buy only via the official eDálnice portal or official sales points, not via third-party sites with a surcharge. A car-and-caravan combination only needs a vignette for the towing vehicle.
- Toll over 3.5 t: vehicles over 3.5 t pay the distance-based electronic toll of the Myto CZ system with an on-board unit (OBU) instead of the vignette, on motorways and on selected sections of first-class roads – on this route, for example, the I/38 via Čáslav and Havlíčkův Brod to Jihlava and the I/34 via Humpolec and Pelhřimov. Register the vehicle with the operator before entering the country, collect the on-board unit at a sales point, for example near the border, and check the tolled route in advance.
- Lights and alcohol: dipped headlights or daytime running lights all year round, including during the day. 0.0 per mille, with no tolerance. Mobile phone only with a hands-free kit; high-visibility vest, warning triangle and first-aid kit on board. There are no low-emission zones on this route.
- Winter and attachments: from 1 November to 31 March winter tyres are compulsory in wintry road conditions and on signposted routes – on the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands frost and snow in October and April are not unusual. Rear racks: the number plate and lights must remain visible, otherwise use a light board with a repeater plate.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Bikes with panniers – you explore the Žďárské vrchy, the ponds around Telč and the border trails near Slavonice better by bike than with the camper on narrow village roads.
- Tick protection and mosquito repellent: ticks are common by the ponds and forest edges of the Vysočina, and Czechia is one of the countries with a TBE risk; think about vaccination before the trip.
- Warm sleeping bags or a reliable heater: above 500 m night-time temperatures drop noticeably even in late summer, and in autumn fall below freezing.
- Sturdy hiking boots and a jacket for Pernštejn, Devět skal and the cool, damp passages beneath Jihlava.
- Koruna in cash for small autokemps, kiosks by the bathing ponds and admission fees in villages.
- Over 3.5 t, the on-board unit for the Czech toll; up to 3.5 t, the confirmation of the electronic vignette on your smartphone.
As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
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