The Ore Mountains (called Krušné hory in the Czech Republic) form the border between Saxony and the Czech Republic over a length of 150 kilometres. The highest peak in Saxony is the Fichtelberg (1215 m), but the nearby Klínovec/Keilberg in the Czech Republic is slightly higher (1245 m). So don't expect Alpine giants - the mountains of the Ore Mountains are much older, eroded into friendly round shapes, but still too high to be called hills. It owes its name to the wealth of ores that were mined there for a long time. Since 2019, the mining area in this mountain range (the Montanregion) has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Copper, tin and silver have been mined here since the 12th century. The miners created an endless labyrinth of mines and mine shafts.
When the ore resources became increasingly scarce, people looked for alternatives for income, such as the production of wooden toys. Water mills, which until the 18th century served as stamp mills for tin ore, were converted and then powered simple wood turning machines. The mining past has been preserved in the form of industrial heritage in various mining museums and museum mines

Vast hills stretch across the landscape and dense forests of West Bohemia, wide-angle views and a dense network of trails attract people to become active here again. In the foothills of the mountains you will also find historical towns and spas.

Your tour starts in Boží Dar on the German border in West Bohemia. Incidentally, it is also a perfect base for hikes to the top of Klínovec. The town is the highest town in Central Europe, located at 1028 meters above sea level. The route to the top of Klínovec climbs only 200 meters and is only 5 km long. Boží Dar was founded in 1533 as a mining community next to silver and tin mines. In Boží Dar, you should not miss the baroque church and the nearby nature reserve, the Božídarské peat bog.

After refueling in Boží Dar, follow the route west through the Božídarské peat bog. The first town is Horní Blatná, which until 1945 was a place with a predominantly German-speaking population. After the Second World War, the German-speaking population was expelled. Not far from the town is the over 1000-meter high mountain Blatenský vrch.

When you arrive at the Rolovo river, there is an opportunity to test your climbing skills on the local via ferrata. A little further on you leave the river to set course for Germany. In Bublava you cross the border to continue to Klingenthal for a visit to the round church.

Markneukirchen has been producing musical instruments since the 17th century. Thanks to its violin makers, it became known as "the Saxon Cremona", but brass wind instruments are also made. The town has a Musical Instrument Museum. The area around Markneukirchen is known as the Musikwinkel; this "Music Corner", which also includes Klingenthal, is connected to a region with a similar tradition in West Bohemia.
In Markneukirchen you will find the oldest Bismarck Tower in Saxony, which dates from 1900.

Františkovy Lázně (Franzensbad) is the smallest spa town in the West Bohemian Spatriangel. The healing properties of the local springs were discovered about five centuries ago. However, the spa itself was only founded in the 18th century by the Austrian Emperor Franz I, after whom it is named. At its peak, people such as Johann Strauss, Prince Metternich, Kafka and Beethoven came for healing and relaxation.
Not only Brussels uses the symbol of a little boy. Also in Františkovy Lázně there is a statue of a boy. It is said that the statue called František has miraculous powers. If a woman touches his statue in a certain place, she is guaranteed to get pregnant. Not far from the famous statue you can drink from the František Spring.

The city of Cheb was founded in the 11th century. At that time it was called Egra, named after the Eger River. From the 16th century the name changed to Cheb. When you walk across the medieval square in Cheb, your gaze immediately falls on the symbol of the city: Špalíček. This picturesque group of eleven medieval merchant houses was built here as early as the 13th century. Above it rise the two towers of the St. Nicholas Church. To the northwest of the city lies the ruins of Cheb Castle, the imperial fortress from the 12th century. Part of the castle is now a museum. Don't forget to explore the grounds of the castle, which has been here for over 800 years. You will see a preserved part of the Romanesque fortifications, including the Black Tower, and the castle chapel.
When visiting the church, you should not miss the Romanesque baptismal font from the early 13th century in the 50-meter long and 30-meter wide nave. This is the oldest remnant of the building. On the portal above the main entrance, you may find nine carved faces of medieval builders who were involved in the construction. Your gaze is also drawn by the large colored stained glass windows with Cheb motifs and medieval coats of arms and the rare frescoes by the Nuremberg master Lukas on the buttresses of the nave.

Loket is a small town on a bend in the Ohře River. "Loket" is Czech for "elbow". The 12th-century medieval fortress has a porcelain museum, a prison, and a hall for wedding ceremonies and is used for events. There is a bookbinding museum in the town hall.
Loket was used in the James Bond film Casino Royale as Montenegro.
The 22-metre-high suspension bridge is one of the oldest in the Czech Republic.

The landscape between Loket and Karlovy Vary is often considered one of the most beautiful river views in the Czech Republic. Karlovy Vary/Karlsbad is the most visited city in the Czech Republic after Prague. The historic city has a beautiful center with art nouveau buildings and has been one of the most famous spas in Europe since the 18th century. The city, named after Emperor Charles IV, became famous as a spa for the high nobility in the 18th and 19th centuries. Since 2021, the spa has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Historic Spas of Europe. Karlovy Vary is one of the most famous and traditional spas in the world. A significant part of Karlovy Vary's economy is based on hotels, casinos, restaurants and other spa-related businesses.

A nice excursion is to the medieval fortress Horní hrad, called Hauenštejn. The castle is located near Stráž nad Ohří on the slopes of the Ore Mountains. The ruins, in which the castle and fortress were built in the second half of the 20th century, have been flourishing again for more than 10 years and are developing into a cultural centre with numerous opportunities for unconventional leisure activities and events.

The highest peak of the Ore Mountains Klínovec is located near the German ski centre Fichtelberg. In order to pursue a common goal - namely to offer high-quality skiing opportunities and services - the largest ski areas on the Czech and German sides of the Ore Mountains have been merged. The two ski centres together form the InterSkiregion Fichtelberg-Klínovec. In summer it is mainly a hiking and mountain biking area.

Right next to the road, a so-called Dreiherrenstein was placed in 1677 to mark the border between the estates of Schwarzenberg, Hauenstein and Sankt Joachimsthal. Today it forms the border between the Federal Republic of Germany (Free State of Saxony) and the Czech regions of Aussig (Ústecký kraj) and Karlsbad (Karlovarský kraj). KS stands for Kingdom of Saxony, KB for Kingdom of Bohemia. In 2024/2025 it was beautifully and historically accurately restored.

The last part of your tour is now only a few kilometers away from the starting point Boží Dar. Now just find a nice spot to reflect on the ride.