Colourful sweets in the shape of little bricks, lentils or rings. Know what we’re talking about? Of course, it has to be Lipo! Everyone is familiar with the traditional sweets that leave the Liberec factory under the brand name Mocca. This 100% Czech family firm, based in the picturesque countryside below Ještěd, has been going since 1928. And do the words “health in a bottle” ring any bells – or Kitl? This family company from Jablonec nad Nisou produces fruit and herb syrups, mead and medicinal wines. The company was inspired by the famous physician Jan Josef Antonín Eleazar Kittel, who came from the border region between the Jizera and the Giant Mountains. The house he built for himself in the village of Krásná was completely unique in this country, and is still an important and eye-catching timbered building that serves to honour his legacy. The Kittel House is now a museum and exhibition space, presenting the rich history of the local region.
You’re also likely to be surprised by that fact that Detoa in Albrechtice v Jizerských horách is one the last wooden toy makers not only in the Czech Republic, but in the whole of Europe. The toys are still made today in the traditional manner, with a great deal of manual craftsmanship involved. Some of the oldest and most popular toys are the figurines that move when you squeeze them, which adults also buy as souvenirs. The site also offers a tour, enabling visitors to see how an ordinary piece of wood is transformed into a wooden train, a bead, or the ever-popular Krteček the mole.
Although many of you are probably aware that Ferdinand Porsche designed the legendary Volkswagen 1200 "Beetle", you might not know that this famous automotive engineer was born in Vratislavice nad Nisou. The house he was born in was also where Ferdinand’s father, Anton Porsche, carried on his trade, with his thriving mechanical shop in the adjacent building. Visitors to the great designer’s birthplace can now enjoy an interactive exhibition that not only presents the life of Ferdinand Porsche, but also sheds light on the world of technology and the rich history and future of mobility.
We often mention the unique Crystal Valley region, and for good reason, and so we won’t pass over it this time, either. Over the centuries, glassworks after glassworks have spring up all through the Crystal Valley. It is thanks to this passion for glass and beauty that the first complete costume jewellery, the famous Bohemian crystal, glass beads and crystal chandeliers found their way from the north of Bohemia into the world at large. And it’s no different today. The biggest glass company and one of the world’s leading glass producers is Preciosa, under whose brand traditional Czech beads and pearls, cut crystal jewellery, decorations and synthetic crystal jewellery stones, as well as unique lamps and lighting installations are exported all over the world. Another world-famous brand is Lasvit, whose name is a blend of love and light. This is the trademark of the Czech designer and producer of custom-made light installations, glass for architecture, decorative and utility glass, and also collections of lights. Not only is Lasvit an inspiration for the whole world; the font of that inspiration rises here in the Czech Republic, in the heart of the Lusatian Mountains. It is there, in Nový Bor, that the company has been based since 2019.
Coffee connoisseurs are sure to be familiar with Nordbeans. The company was established in 2015 by the brothers Martin and Karel Kozel. They work together to roast the very finest coffee beans, the origin of which is very important to them, and so they themselves regularly visit the countries in which the beans are grown, the farms, and also the processing plants. And do the name and brand ring any bells? They should do, as another of their projects is the hugely popular bistro DOK in Liberec. A place where you can enjoy a great meal, and get to see the masters at work, all under one roof.
You can be sure that we could keep this list going. But we’ll leave the other tips until next time, so that you have something to look forward to. However, if you can’t wait, check out our social media at REGION LIBEREC or the tourist portal www.liberecky-kraj.cz.
