The Witches’ Cycle Route takes riders through the Jeseníky region of the Czech Republic, connecting towns and villages associated with the witch trials of the seventeenth century. CzechTourism describes Mohelnice as its symbolic starting point; from there, the route reaches memorial sites, museums and the mountain country around Jeseník.
From Mohelnice towards Velké Losiny
The route begins symbolically in Mohelnice, where the Šumperk dean Kryštof Alois Lautner was executed after being imprisoned during the witch trials. Signs bearing a witch on a bicycle identify the itinerary, while plaques and small monuments mark places connected with the victims.
Wellness Hotel Diana’s route description divides the Czech itinerary into two sections. Its Šumperk section runs from Mohelnice through Mírov and Šumperk, then on via Nové Domky and Rapotín to Velké Losiny. The Renaissance château at Velké Losiny was the seat of a tribunal; it gives the journey a direct connection to the institutions behind the trials.
Across the Jeseníky region
Beyond Velké Losiny, the described Šumperk section continues through Sobotín and Vernířovice to Červenohorské sedlo. CzechTourism identifies Vernířovice as a place where the witch-hunting began, making it a significant stop for understanding the history behind the route.
From Červenohorské sedlo, the Jeseník section continues through Domašov, Jeseník and Česká Ves to Zlaté Hory. The mountain setting links communities whose stories form part of the same history, while the succession of named towns gives riders several possible places around which to organise a shorter visit.
Memorials and museum stops
CzechTourism highlights exhibitions about the trials in Šumperk, in the cellars of the Gothic moated fortress in Jeseník, and at the municipal museum in Zlaté Hory. These stops offer context for the plaques and monuments encountered along the way. In Bělá pod Pradědem, a memorial commemorates a mother and her two daughters among the victims.
The subject extends across the border. VisitOpolskie describes a wider Polish-Czech Witches’ Trail project and an exhibition at the Nysa County Museum. Its account places the Czech places within a broader borderland history, although a visit to Nysa would form part of the Polish side rather than the Czech itinerary described here.
Planning your ride
The Czech route is described as 138 kilometres in two sections: 91 kilometres for the Šumperk section and 47 kilometres for the Jeseník section. These are useful for understanding the scale of the itinerary; riders can instead select a portion centred on the places they most want to explore.
Allow time for the historical stops as well as the cycling. Check opening arrangements directly with the museums and château when planning a visit, and consult local information for the route before setting out. The witch-on-a-bicycle signs provide a distinctive landmark to look for along the way.