Děčín - Gateway to Northern Czechia and Bohemian Switzerland

View from above west bank of river Elbe of Zámek Děčín (elevated building, left), railway bridge & Děčín hl.n (station, right)

Situated on the river Elbe, near the German border, Děčín is a railway hub served by the European Sleeper night train from Brussels and Amsterdam to Prague via Berlin.

Arriving by train from Germany, provides scenic views of the eastern banks of the river Elbe including Bohemian Switzerland after a stop at Bad Schandau.

A selection of rail routes - mapped by Viaduct App

From Děčín hl.n there are direct trains to destinations in the north of the Czech Republic including Liberec, Varnsdorf and Rumburk via Česká Kamenice and Krásná Lípa.

Departure boards at Děčín hl.n. railway station

Restaurace Nádraží

The station restaurant at Děčín hl.n. is accessed from the main hall of the station. Used by passengers, staff and locals, it's a great place for passengers arriving on the European Sleeper train to get breakfast or a beer and a meal before evening departures back to Brussels.

With a smartphone it is possible to translate the menu or else you may need a dictionary! Note that payment is by cash.

If you have run out of Czech currency you may be able to pay in Euros and we took advantage of this concession when departing on Tuesday 17 March 2026.

Tim's last meal in the Czech Republic on this trip was enjoyed with Březňák beers by the river Elbe at Velké Březno near Ústí nad Labem.

The brewery, founded in 1753, has been owned by Heineken since 2008. Since 1906 Březňák‘s beer label has pictured Victor Cibich, the local Velké Březno stationmaster and beer-lover.

Tankovna Na Skřivance

First visited at 7.30pm on the evening of Sunday 15 March 2026, Tankovna Na Skřivance is below a wooded hillside and is set back from the street at Na Skřivance 8, only 400 metres from Děčín hl.n. station.

It was nice to be able to enjoy Pilsner Urquell tank beer and choose from a good selection of dishes from the menu (in Czech) although there was little choice for vegetarians except fried cheese.

The bar is at ground level on a side wall and the three beer tanks are at a middle level, further back than the bar, where we found a table.

A staircase with thick sloping walls leads to an upper level with further seating. Although it's more of a restaurant than a pub, the old building alone makes it worth a visit and for summer visitors there is also plenty of outdoor seating in pleasant surroundings.

Pivnice Na Kanále

Located at Bezručova 233/20, 450 metres from Děčín hl.n. station, Pivnice Na Kanále was also open on a Sunday evening (until 8pm).

We enjoyed glasses of Klíč 12° (0.5 l, 41 Kc) brewed at Pivovar Cvikov about 40km east of Děčín. The unfiltered, unpasteurised beer had a soft mouthfeel with some fruitiness in the flavour. Unfortunately there was only time for one glass here.

Features of the corner bar include a contemporary bar front, Staropramen brewery images and solid wooden furniture.

Above our table three glass panels show rocky features typically found in Bohemian Switzerland. It may be lacking in character but the good value Cvikov Klíč 12° makes a visit worthwhile.

Restaurace Na Rybníčku

On Monday, after a local bus to Bynov and following two hiking trails through the hills and forests to Terezínský rybnik lake we stopped for a Kozel Černý dark lager at Restaurace Na Rybníčku, Bělá. It made a useful stop and the daily changing lunchtime meals are popular with locals.

Refreshed, we tackled a steep uphill trail (which is part of the E3 path from Portugal to Bulgaria), to reach a scenic viewpoint by a rocky outcrop. From here it was mainly downhill through the forest, skirting the Zoo compound, and finally down steps to reach ground level at Děčín after a brief stop to get the panoramic photo at the top of this post.

Zámek Děčín viewed from the station with rail bridge in mid distance

On the east side of the river Elbe, well served by buses across the Tyršův most bridge, there are more bars and restaurants around the prominent Zámek Děčín, above the river Elbe. We visited Děčín's east side on Monday afternoon and evening.

Restaurace Ouplav

At Nároží 1419 / 4, Restaurace Ouplav has a river theme.

A river chart, framed photos and calendars decorate the walls and there are plants by the south-facing windows.

There are three Pivo Bernard beers on draught including Černý ležák, a full flavoured dark lager. The brewery in Humpolec is between Prague and Brno. Music from the radio included one from Red Hot Chili Peppers. 

Pivovar Sever

On a narrow cobbled road at U Plovárny 405 02, the entrance to Pivovar Sever is 200 metres west of Restaurace Ouplav, opposite a tall brick chimney marked 'Pivovar'. 

This is a taproom aimed at a younger clientele.

Inside the taproom, the architectural details and decor are interesting.The brewery is on the other side of the glass partition behind the bar. Blackboard slats behind the bar list all the draught beers available.

The core range of beers is also listed on a laminated menu.

The beers we enjoyed here included Severské Slunce a hazy 6.5% ABV New England IPA  served in a branded straight glass. This was more expensive than other beers costing 65 Kc (approx £2.35) for half a litre. The Sever taproom is worth a visit unless traditional Czech lagers are your only interest, perhaps.

Restaurace VietThai

On the way back to Tyršova bus stop, we called in at Restaurace VietThai for a beer with a meal that was excellent value (e.g.Březňák Světlý ležák 0.5l, 35 Kc, 4 fried prawn rolls 80 Kc, Chicken Pho noodle soup 150 Kc) and an English menu simplified our choices.

We were the last customers on a Monday evening before the regular 9pm closing time.

Other Děčín bars etc

Děčín synagogue - on the road to the Zoo

With only two days based in Děčín we did not have time to visit the following bars which are marked in orange on the map. In some cases they were closed when we passed. Hopefully, the photographs and links below may be of use to others.

Bar Pod Zoo at 4, Žižkova 663 is just down the steep road from the synagogue, on the corner with Teplická.

Krušovická restaurace Děčín at Teplická 27/29 is accessed from a roadway under the red restaurant sign which mentions Krušovice (Heineken owned) beers.

Plezír kolektiv at Thomayerova 25/3, on the corner with Teplická, has signs for Pivo Proud.

Bar U Prince at Plzeňská 85/4 is a sports bar near Děčín hl.n station with signs for Březňák beer.

Le Garage Noir at Podmokelská 1070, near Pivnice Na Kanále, is a music club, bar and cinema cafe also known as NAD GARÁŽÍ with Bernard beers.

See also other posts from our March 2026 trip to the Czech Republic:

Northern Czech Republic Breweries by train

Liberec, Czech Republic - Beer, trams and museums

Liberec, Czech Republic - Beer, trams and museums

Svijany Prémiový ležák 450 at Radniční sklípek,
3 tram at Galerie Lázně / Museum of Fine Arts

Liberec is the fifth largest city in the Czech Republic, situated about 110 km north west of Prague. Until 1945 it was named Reichenberg. It was once known as the 'Manchester of Bohemia' due to its thriving textile industry. 

Situated to the west, the mountain-top Hotel Ještěd and television transmitter above is visible from many parts of the city. On Sunday 15 March 2026, from the Horní Hanychov terminus (3) tram stop (the highest in the Czech Republic), the Ještěd ski slope was visible but sadly the top of the mountain was obscured by cloud.

Staying for two nights at Hotel Liberec, near Šaldovo Náměstí (3) tram stop and Dinopark Plaza, made travel around the city convenient. 

Tram 3 also stops at Liberec railway station and Fügnerova for transfers and at Muzeum-Galerie Lázně for main museums.

Note that passengers aged 65+ can travel at half price and for those 70+ travel is free on Liberec trams and buses.

Radniční sklípek

The European Bar Guide reviewed Radniční sklípek positively in 2023 and it is included in the Guide's Top 50 pubs and bars in Czechia 2025.

The Town Hall Cellar Restaurant is only about 200 metres from Hotel Liberec so this was the obvious place to visit for our first beer in Liberec after checking in on Friday 13 March 2026. It was the first branded restaurant of Pivovar Svijany, opening in December 2014 and now managed by Libe-rest s.r.o..

Town Hall (Radniční), Main square looking east, Neptune fountain looking south.

The cellar restaurant is entered from the east side of the impressive neo-Renaissance Town Hall that faces the main square in Liberec with the Neptune fountain.

Stone steps lead down, past a Pivovar Svijany neon sign over a carved barrel end to the large room with a high vaulted ceiling, columns and well spaced tables.

The bar with tanks over is at one side of the room and there are stained glass windows above wood panelling on the other side.

After a beer on this visit we would return on Saturday evening for an evening meal and on both occasions we received prompt and friendly service from the waitresses.

Fried pork schnitzel, butter mashed potatoes, pickle - 259 Kc

The availability of an English menu made choosing beer and food an easy process.

The Svijany brewery is about 30km south of Liberec and we would find their beers again elswehre on this weekend visit.

The Svijany beers we enjoyed in the Liberec town hall cellar restaurant were: Prémiový ležák 450 (originally brewed to celebrate 450 years since the brewery was founded in Svijany), Šlik (originally brewed on the 400th anniversary of the death of Jáchym Ondřej Šlik, one of the earliest owners of the brewery) and cold-hopped Rytíř (above).

Hospoda Na Růžku

The poster with a giant glass of Svijany beer advertising Hospoda Na Růžku on the side of the premises wall was visible down the slope from our room at Hotel Liberec. It was less than 200 metres from our hotel so after returning from a visit to Zámecký Pivovar Frýdlant 'Albrecht' in Frýdlant v Čechách on Friday evening we decided to spend the rest of the evening at Hospoda Na Růžku.

The entrance is on the corner of the building with the bar on the right and additional seating on the left of the L-shaped interior.

The Hospoda (beer house / pub / tavern) wasn't busy when we arrived soon after 8pm and we chose a table underneath a wall of classic typewriters and a brick ceiling.

In the same theme, the menu and beer list on a clipboard are in a typewriter font. At this Pivovar Svijany establishment, there was a dark beer on draught - Svijanská Kněžna 13 (5.2% ABV, 33 IBU).

The beer was served in a Hospoda Na Růžku branded glass with an image that matches the brawling scene on the paper table mat.

It was time for a meal with Czech dumplings - in this case Carlsbad dumplings with pork cheeks, Chanterelle mushroom sauce and dill (329 Kc), a good dish to go with a dark beer. With an English menu available and friendly service Hospoda Na Růžku was a relaxed place to enjoy Czech food and beer.

 Tram to Jablonec nad Nisou

Turning circle fot tram 11 at Jablonec nad Nisou terminus

Tram 11 from Liberec station and Fügnerova interchange to Jablonec nad Nisou follows the Lusatian Neisse river south east to Jablonec nad Nisou. This interurban tramway branch is about 13 km long.

Jablonec nad Nisou New Town Hall (Karl Winter, 1930-33)

There were some interesting buildings to admire including town hall.

Early on Saturday afternoon, Jablonec nad Nisou appeared quiet and it was only after a long walk through the town that we were able to find a bar that was open, between the town's railway station and the tram terminus.

Restaurace U Nádraží

The interior of U Nádraží was only slightly more interesting than the exterior!

The Branik Světlý (brewed by Staropramen) was only 38 Kc for 0.5 litre and was welcome refreshment at last.

 

There is a more direct route but we walked through a high rise housing estate and some parkland to reach the tram stop for the next leg of this tram-based tour.

There are new shelters at tram stops on this line and every one has a different poster with an image of a tram on the route and text about the contribution of the EU to the recent reconstruction of the line aided by European Structural and Investment Funds.

Pivovarská hospoda Konrad

Alighting at Pivovarská tram stop in Vratislavice nad Nisou, we passed a massive concrete silo on the walking route to Pivovarská hospoda Konrad in the direction of the Pivovar Konrad chimney.

There were cyclists on a break at the outside tables.

It was quiet inside at 3.30pm. The interior features a brewery display cabinet, good quality wooden furniture with seat pads for comfort and a log burner was blazing for warmth.

The cabinet display, opposite the bar, includes the range of Konrad canned beers.

Tim enjoyed the full-flavoured Konrad Kapucín 11° Tmavé dark lager. Subsequent research shows there are good views and hiking trails to be found by following the Nad Skalou road up the hill from a junction just past Pivovarská hospoda Konrad.

Club bar Opera

Friday pm - Club bar Opera - Saturday eve

Back in Liberec via tram 11, tram 3 and bus 12 we visited Club bar Opera tucked away at Studničná 225, passed by chance, but only photographed, the day before.

The posters in the entrance hallway indicated that it was the night that The Duchod were playing at the club from 7.30pm.

Approaching the bar at 6.30pm we were advised that the club was fully booked for the night, but after our disappointed looks there was a consultation and a decision that it would be OK for us to have one beer at the bar before leaving.

This was a relief and we drank our beers at a quicker rate than usual while taking a look at the inside of the bar which has a lot of character. Tim enjoyed Bernard Speciální Ležák 12 lager (47 Kc, glass on left in bar photo).

The band had started to set up but there was time for another beer as musicians, instruments and equipment arrived. Svijanský Máz 11 (42 Kc) was Tim's favourite today. The most expensive draught beer available here was Pilsner Urquell, 58 Kc, about £2. This bar is recommended but note that it's likely to be fully reserved on a Saturday night when a band is playing. 

Bar Šaldovka at Hotel Liberec

The lobby bar Šaldovka at Hotel Liberec was still serving beers when we returned there at 9.45pm on Saturday.

Chunky branded glasses of Pilsner Urquell were enjoyable and inexpensive for a hotel bar at 69 Kc for 0.5 litre.

Other Liberec bars 

With only two days in Liberec, there was not time to visit all the bars we passed  but it was possible to get some photos. These three bars are marked in orange on the second map above.

Hospoda Na Starém Městě at Frýdlantská 187/10 is above a clothes shop and downhill from the Town Hall

Stereo Cafe at Na Poříčí 112/13 looks like a bar for a young clientele.

Pivovarský dvůr  at Papírová 123/12 is a Staropramen bar that looked open but it was closing up at 9.15pm on a Saturday night.

There was time to get a photo of the interior with a barrel vaulted brick ceiling.

Liberec Museums

Three museums including MUZA the North Bohemian Museum (above) are near the Muzeum-Galerie Lázně tram stop (route 3).

Galerie Lázně (above) is housed in an impressive building originally built as a spa.

There was a small exhibition about a recently published book 'Labyrintem lázní' by Patrik Antczak. There was also a permanent Czech art exhibition and a temporary exhibition of glassware. On Sunday morning, the coffee bar Nordbeans Lázně at ground floor level was very popular.

The Technical Museum appears to be run with limited resources. A visit can be recommded for anyone interested in vehicles.

Vintage trams, cars and motorcycles are on display with most descriptions available in English.

There's an interesting display about the two types of cable car that used to operate between Hotel Ještěd and Horní Hanychov.