Jihlava, Gate of Holy Mother

Jihlava is in Bohemian-Moravian Highlands.

Understand

Jihlava ("Iglau" in German) is a city at the border between Bohemia and Moravia. Once a royal mining town, nowadays with a population over 50,000 inhabitants it is the administrative center of the Vysocina region.

Get in

By bus

From Prague

There is a straightforward connection between Praha and Jihlava. Several companies operate the route, and the departures are frequent (1-2 per hour). The journey takes around 1:45 hours. The Student Agency operates buses with free tea, Wi-Fi and power on board for 150Kč.

From Brno

Similarly, direct connection between Jihlava and Brno are frequent and the trip takes about 1:15 hour. The connections can be found and tickets booked in advance at jizdnirady.cz

By car

Jihlava is situated along the Czech oldest motorways D1, approximately 130 km SE from Praha and 90 km NW from Brno. For Jihlava take the exit at 112 km.

By train

It is possible to take a train to get to Jihlava. However, it is not an easy option when traveling from Praha. The journey takes 2.5–3 hours and it is necessary to change trains. When arriving to Jihlava from Brno no changing is necessary and the journey takes some 2 hours. The connections can be found at jizdnirady.cz.

Get around

The central part of the city is small enough to be walked around on foot comfortably. There is however a good system of public transport by buses and trolleybuses. While the main bus terminal is located close to the city center, travelers arriving to Jihlava by train usually end up at the train main station, which is 2.5 km away from the city center and connected to the center by several bus (#4) and trolleybus (# A, B, B1) lines.

See

Underground corridor under Jihlava old town

Shopping center Prior at Masaryk square

• 1 Underground corridors (Catacombs), Hluboká 109/1, 58601 Jihlava, ☏ +420 567 167 887, jpodzemi@seznam.cz. Jan - closed, Apr-Oct - open daily, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec - ordering a tour possible. Take a guided tour into the old Jihlava underground. Over the centuries, the old Jihlava citizens dug 25 km of underground corridors under their town. These are now open for tourists including a demystified "shining" corridor and still mysterious gate to another dimension. CZK 60. 

• 2 Masaryk square (Masarykovo náměstí). The historical main square and a venue of city festivals. A dreadful socialist realism "Prior" shopping center was built in 1983 right in the middle of the square. 

• 3 ZOO, Březinovy sady 5642/10, ☏ +420 567573730. May-Sep daily 08:00-18:00, Apr, Oct daily 09:00-17:00, Nov-Mar daily 09:00-16:00. Situated in Jihlávka river valey. The ZOO specializes in raising and breeding felines, apes and reptiles, and hosts animals of 5 continents. There is a large playground for children including a very long slide. Full: 100 CZK, reduced: 60 CZK, parking: 40 CZK.. (updated Oct 2015)

Do

• Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival. Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival is held annualy at the end of October. (updated Oct 2015)

Drink

Beer

When in Jihlava, try local beer ('pivo'):

• Jihlava brewery. Ježek ('Hedgehog') 11° is a popular brand. 
• Radniční brewery ('Townhall brewery'). a small brewery offering apart from traditional lager also some rather exotic specials. 
• Family Brewery Bernard. In nearby Humpolec : nationwide popular (and frequently awarded) kinds are Bernard lagers (světlý ležák and sváteční ležák), amber (jantarový ležák), dark (Černý ležák) and tap (světlé) beers. Bernard also produces delicious non-alcoholic kinds (s čistou hlavou / Free), some of them with fruit flavor - plum (Švestka) is one worth trying. 

Go next

• Telč, wonderful small UNESCO world heritage city; very frequent local buses (42Kč, 45 minutes).
• Třešť, a town of Christmas cribs, along the way to Telč.