The Bedřichov–Jablonec–Liberec region is one of the most diverse outdoor destinations in Czechia, home to Jizerská 50 since 1968 and the setting for two Ski Classics World Championship Season XVIII events: Bedřichov Heat Sprint and Jizerská 50.
Beyond the events, the Jizera Mountains offer a mix of glassmaking heritage, mountain trails, and Czech hospitality.
Bedřichov Event Facts
- Active years: Jizerská 50 has completed 59 editions since 1968; the 2027 race marks its 60th. The event honors the 15 Czech mountaineers who took part in the 1970 race before losing their lives in the Peru Huascarán avalanche.
- Record number of participants: The event hit a record in 2026, with 9,821 total participants across its four days and nine races. The main 50km race reached its capacity limit with a record 4,800 competitors on the track.
- Other event distances: Beyond the Ski Classics Pro events, Jizerská 50 offers 10km, 17km, 25km, and 30km courses in both classic and freestyle technique, plus children’s events and a company relay. More information can be found at jiz50.cz/en/
Bedřichov Travel Guide
- Family and spectator info: Non-racers can soak up the atmosphere right at the Bedřichov Stadium, with mass starts, finish-line drama, and a day-long fan zone. Spectators can also walk up to Nová Louka or drive out to remote trail spots like Jizerka or Smědava to cheer on the racers. On Friday and Saturday, the excitement moves to the town squares of Jablonec and Liberec for the ČEZ Energy Fest, with free live concerts by top Czech artists.
- Top 3 things to do:
- Ještěd Tower: a futuristic TV transmitter and hotel designed by architect Karel Hubáček, offering 360-degree panoramic views over Liberec and three surrounding countries.
- Crystal Valley: the historic center of Czech glassmaking, with visits to Crystalex in Nový Bor, one of the world’s largest producers of Czech glassware, and Sans Souci in Cvikov for premium hand-blown decorative glass.
- Centrum Babylon and iQlandia in Liberec: a steampunk-themed aquapark alongside a premier interactive science center with hundreds of hands-on exhibits.
- How to travel:
- Bedřichov sits in the Jizera Mountains, about 115km northeast of Prague, roughly 1.5 hours away.
- By public transport, take a bus from Prague Airport to a metro connection, then an express coach to Liberec, followed by a local bus into Bedřichov, around 25 minutes from Liberec Central Station.
- By rental car, the drive from the airport takes approximately 1.5 hours via the D10 highway and mountain route 290. Note that Bedřichov is closed to private cars without a special permit on Saturday and Sunday mornings during the race weekend.
- Where to stay:
- For race-day energy, stay directly in Bedřichov, close to the start line and finish stadium.
- For a quieter mountain retreat, look at Janov nad Nisou or Albrechtice.
- For full hotel amenities and city dining, Liberec or Jablonec nad Nisou serve as ideal bases.
- Local specialty dish: Try Svíčková, braised beef tenderloin in a creamy vegetable-based sauce with cranberries and whipped cream, or Borůvkové knedlíky, steamed yeast dumplings filled with fresh mountain blueberries, a staple at trailside huts like Šámalova chata.
- Best-kept secret: Krásná Máří, a secluded rock lookout with sweeping views over the Frýdlant region. The nearby trail winds down into Kristiánov, a quiet, ghost-like former glassmaking settlement hidden in the forest. On the way back, the stone dam crest of the Bedřichov Reservoir, the highest elevated dam in the Czech Republic, offers a peaceful final stop.
More information about Jizerská 50 can be found at jiz50.cz/en
Follow the action
Instagram: @jiz50
Facebook: facebook.com/jiz50
Also Read: Ski Classics World Championship Season XVIII
Ski Classics World Championship Season XVIII (2026/2027)
• Event 1: December 11, 2026 – Bad Gastein Prologue – Austria – 1km
• Event 2: December 13, 2026 – Sportgastein Criterium – Austria – 30km
• Event 3: December 19, 2026 – Bad Gastein ITT – Austria – 7km
• Event 4: December 20, 2026 – Bad Gastein Criterium – Austria – 36km
Bad Gastein Tour (Events 1–4 of Ski Classics World Championship Season XVIII)
• Event 5: January 16, 2027 – Engadin La Diagonela – Switzerland – 55km
• Event 6: January 17, 2027 – Zuoz–St. Moritz Sprint – Switzerland – 30km
• Event 7: January 31, 2027 – Marcialonga – Italy – 70km
• Event 8: February 12, 2027 – Bedřichov Heat Sprint – Czech Republic – 1.5km
• Event 9: February 14, 2027 – Jizerská 50 – Czech Republic – 50km
• Event 10: February 27, 2027 – Oxberg–Mora Sprint Women – Sweden – 30km
• Event 11: February 28, 2027 – Oxberg–Mora Sprint Men – Sweden – 30km
• Event 12: March 7, 2027 – Vasaloppet – Sweden – 90km
• Event 13: March 20, 2027 – Birkebeinerrennet – Norway – 53km
• Event 14: April 3, 2027 – Reistadløpet – Norway – 35km
• Event 15: April 4, 2027 – Grand Finale Summit 2 Senja – Norway – 60km
For more updates and detailed information about the Ski Classics World Championship, visit skiclassics.com.
Author: Leandro Lutz
Top Photo: Reichert/NordicFocus
