The Krušné hory run for 130 kilometres along the German border, a high plateau of moorland, spruce and old mining towns. UNESCO listed the whole mining landscape, Czech and Saxon sides together, in 2019. Boží Dar, at 1,028 metres, is the highest town in Central Europe — and in winter it is buried in snow while Prague is merely grey.
1. Boží Dar & the Ježíšek meadow trail
Highest town in Central Europe · Map ↗
Wooden houses, wide white spaces and an easy signposted trail across the moor. Snow here lasts from December into April.
2. Klínovec summit
1,244 m, highest in the range · Map ↗
A lookout tower and a chairlift, with views into Saxony and, on clear days, to the Alps.
3. Jáchymov
Below the ridge · Map ↗
The silver-mining town that gave the world the word "dollar" (from Joachimsthaler). Steep streets, a renaissance mint and UNESCO mining heritage.
4. Blatenský vodní příkop
Historic mining canal · Map ↗
A 500-year-old water channel through forest, now a flat, beautiful walking trail. Unusual, calm and lined with moss.
5. The border ridge
Czech–German frontier · Map ↗
A line of stones and a path where two countries meet — a nicely symbolic setting for couples from either side.
Winter is the point
If you want a snow proposal and cannot rely on Prague, this is the answer: the plateau holds snow reliably for months, the light is pale and clean, and the wooden villages look like a Christmas card. It is also considerably colder than the valley — dress properly and keep the session short and warm.
Silver, radium and dollars
The region's history is unusually rich: silver made it wealthy in the 1500s, and Jáchymov's coins — Joachimsthalers — became "dollars". Later the same mines yielded the ore from which the Curies isolated radium. For couples who like a story attached to a place, there are few better.
Frequently asked questions
How far are the Ore Mountains from Prague?
About two hours by car to Boží Dar, via Karlovy Vary, which is 40 minutes below. The German side around Oberwiesenthal is just across the border.
Is snow reliable there?
More reliable than almost anywhere else in Czechia. Boží Dar sits above 1,000 m and typically holds snow from December into early spring, though no season is ever guaranteed.
What is the UNESCO listing about?
The Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří Mining Region was listed in 2019 as a cross-border cultural landscape shaped by 800 years of silver, tin and uranium mining on both the Czech and German sides.
Can we cross into Germany for photos?
Yes — the border is open with no formalities, and Oberwiesenthal is minutes from Boží Dar. A session that starts in one country and ends in another is a nice touch for international couples.