Liberec
Czechia
- Population
- 97,770
- Currency
- CZKKč21.2/$
Liberec is nestled in the Jizera Mountains, at the foot of Ještěd mountain in the Bohemia region of the northern Czech Republic.
Guide content adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Liberec". Source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Weather
Live17°C
Slight rain · feels like 17°C
- 66%
- 4 km/h
- AQI 24
- MonSlight rain showers9° / 15°
- TueOvercast8° / 14°
- WedOvercast7° / 14°
- ThuSlight rain8° / 15°
- FriOvercast8° / 17°
Measured at 50.767, 15.056 · Europe/Prague
Getting there
From Prague (Černý Most) to the centre (Fügnerova) by bus it takes 1 hr 5 minutes; the buses (Regiojet, Flixbus) are running every hour or even more often. Railway is slower with a minimum of 2 hr 30 min: trains run every two hours towards Železný Brod and you change at Turnov.
From Dresden there are four direct trains taking 2 hr. Look for split-ticket deals on this route.
From Wrocław by train takes 5 hr, with a change at Szklarska Poręba Górna on the Polish border.
Liberec 1 railway station is 1 km southwest of town centre, with the bus station on its east flank. All the trams in the right direction run to the centre.
Getting around
Liberec city transport consists of trams, buses and an inter-city narrow gauge tram line to Jablonec nad Nisou. The central terminal is Fügnerova stop. Single ticket valid for 60 minutes and costs 24 Kč, one-day pass costs 100 Kč. Persons 70 and above travel for free.
If you travel outside Liberec, a good solution is the Euro-Nisa network ticket, available at train stations. It's valid for one day in all trains and most of buses in Liberec region, Upper Lusatia and Zgorzelec region (see map). Price is 350 Kč for one person or 510 Kč two people, with three children included. It is valid until the German Görlitz and the Polish Jelenia Gora.
What to see
- 1 City Hall (Radnice), Náměstí Dr. E. Beneše. The pride of the locals, a luxurious neo-Renaissance architecture built in 1888–93.
- Dr. Edvard Beneš Square (Náměstí Dr. Edvarda Beneše). Main city square, named after the wartime president, Edvard Beneš.
- Tourist information center, Náměstí Dr. E. Beneše 1 (next to the city hall). Mon–Fri 08:00-17:00, Sat Sun 09:00-12:00.
- 2 Theatre of F.X. Šalda (Šaldovo divadlo), Zhořelecká 5 (behind the city hall). Built in 1883 (same year as the National Theatre of Prague), named after František Xaver Šalda, an avant-garde playwright.
- 3 Church of St. Anthony the Great (Kostel svatého Antonína Velikého), Železná Street (behind Hotel Praha). A neo-Gothic church, no public access to the inside.
- 4 Liberec Castle (Zámek Liberec), Felberova Street. A Renaissance chateau with glass collection, but no public access to the inside.
- 5 North Bohemian museum (Severočeské muzeum), Masarykova 11 (tram stop „Muzeum-výstaviště”). Tue–Sun 09:00-17:00. 30 Kč.
- 6 Regional Gallery (Oblastní galerie), Masarykova 723/14 (next to the North Bohemian Museum), oblgal@ogl.cz. Tue–Wed 10:00-17:00, Thu 10:00-19:00, Fri–Sun 10:00-17:00. 80 Kč (Admission free on Thursdays).
- 7 Zoo, Masarykova 31 (tram stop „Botanická-Zoo”). Daily 08:00-17:00. The first zoo in former Czechoslovakia, founded in 1919. 90/120 Kč (depending on the month).
- 8 Botanical garden (Botanická zahrada), Purkyňova 1 (next to the main entrance to zoo). Daily 08:00-18:00 (summer) or 08:00-16:00 (winter). 140 Kč.
- 9 Feast of Giants (Bus stop Sokolská u zdi). A sculpture titled by David Černý but also a functional bus stop. A table set with, among others, a carnivorous plant, knocked over menorah, German and Czech beer mugs and head of Konrad Henlein on a plate (all allusions to Liberec complex history).
- 10 Valdštejn houses. Facade remnants of 16th century houses, located on a very narrow street.
- 11 Liebig's town. A striking example of Art Nouveau apartment building colony. The textile barons – the Liebigs – needed a lot of workers for their empire in the mid 19th century, so they built this near the factory.
- 12 Monument to the Victims of Communism. A giant mirror. At the base, a mirror-inverted inscription is embedded in the paving stone, readable in reflection: "Search within yourself whether you defend, honor or restrict freedom".
- 13 Museum of technics. Assortment of sights are presented. Old-timer cars, bicycles, motorbikes, various generations of trams, details of modern cars production (Škoda). A track for running around rc-toy-cars can be also found on the premises.
What to do
- 1 Ještěd Mountain. A well-known landmark of Liberec city with a famous tower on the top. The tower built in the 1960s has a unique hyperboloid shape, naturally extending the silhouette of the mountain. It serves as a hotel and TV transmitter. By good weather you can overlook most of northern Bohemia as well as part of Germany and Poland from the summit. Take a tram number 3 to Horní Hanychov and then hike one of the trails to the top. There was a cable car there, but it has been closed since an accident in 2021. Since 2024 there is a bus (Nr. 79) from Horní Hanychov to a parking space on the hill, from where you walk 20 minutes to the top.
- Cross-country skiing The city is famous for winter sporting events like FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 [1] or the Jizera Mountains (Jizerské hory), where you can enjoy the majestic beauty of the Nordic nature on 115 km of cross-country paths.
- 2 Centrum Babylon, Nitranská 1. Rebuilt from a former textile factory, the Babylon is one of the largest Czech entertainment complexes, also includes hotel facilities. It offers aquapark, IQ park (science center for smaller kids), lunapark (carousels), funpark (a massive kids playground), 3D motion simulator, golf simulator, laser game, wellness center and many other forms of entertainment.
- Golf at two golf resorts with an unforgettable atmosphere.
- Watch football: FC Slovan Liberec is the home football club of Liberec, playing in the Czech First League at Stadion U Nisy (capacity 9,900). Their local rivals, FK Jablonec, are based in the nearby town of Jablonec nad Nisou. The two clubs face off in regional derbies, with FK Jablonec’s home ground being Stadion Střelnice (capacity 6,100).
- 3 Vratislavice chateau park. A park to walk around, includes a big wooden playground castle for kids.
- 4 iQLANDIA. A science park with showcase mainly for bigger kids. In the Babylon building next-street, an alternative for little kids is available (IQ Park).
Where to eat
- Duli, Moskevská 4. Pizza and pasta on the 1st floor, more on 2nd.
- Kavárna Pošta, Náměstí Dr. E. Beneše 24. Viennese cafe, dances on Friday nights (with extra admissions)
- Café Praha, Železná 2. Belongs to Hotel Praha, with some veggie dishes.
- [dead link] Om Restaurant, Husova 23/9, ☏ . For Indian and Nepalese & Himalayan foods.
- 1 DOK cafe. A cozy Scandinavian-style cafe with bakery.
Drinking & nightlife
- 1 Hotel Radnice, Moskevská 11. Bar and restaurant.
Where to stay
- Interhostel, Svobody 2 (bus stop „Svobody”), ☏ , fax: +420 485 163 336, info@interhostel.cz. Double/triple with shared bathroom from 279 Kč/person, double with private bathroom from 749 Kč/room.
- [dead link] Pension Bambino, Heliova 287, ☏ , pensionbambino@seznam.cz. Very nice apartments close to the city centre. One person 500 Kč, two people 900 Kč, three people 1200 Kč/room.
All guide text on this page is adapted from Wikivoyage and reused under CC BY-SA 4.0. Prices and opening hours change — verify anything that matters before you rely on it.