Pec pod Sněžkou

Pec pod Sněžkou lies at the head of a valley directly under Sněžka, the highest peak in the country and a landmark straddling the Polish border. The ski slopes fan out across several flanks above the village, including some of the steeper, more testing pistes in Czech skiing. It belongs to SkiResort Černá hora-Pec, the largest linked network in the Czech Republic, sharing a single pass with Janské Lázně and the Černá hora sectors. The village itself is a compact, characterful mountain settlement rather than a purpose-built resort, hemmed in by the high peaks of the national park. The setting, at the very top of Bohemia, gives it a genuine high-mountain atmosphere.

Go for the most dramatic setting in Czech skiing, beneath the nation's highest summit, with steeper pistes than most domestic hills and access to the country's biggest connected network. It suits confident intermediates and advanced skiers who want a proper mountain feel close to home.

Sitting high in the Krkonoše, Pec catches good natural snowfall by Czech standards and holds it on its shaded upper slopes, though snowmaking still underpins the season. The terrain is varied and often steeper than expected, with the high peaks above channelling wind and weather; clear days deliver striking views up to Sněžka and across the national park's tundra ridges.