Koněprusy's caves are a blast

Think Czech caves and you probably think Moravia's karst region, not far from Brno. But here in Bohemia, not far from Prague, is the underground world of Koněprusy. It's possible to cycle here (indeed I did) but it's hilly round these parts. A car is your best bet, or perhaps the irregular bus from Beroun (whose trains can whisk you the capital).

Koněprusy's caves were accidentally discovered in 1950 by a blast the nearby quarry, whose vast terraces dominate the view outside. Down at the bottom amid some trees you can see some labyrinth-like artworks, and a message picked out in stones asking someone to marry them. We don't know if it worked. The quarry still is though.

The caves opened in 1959 after investigation by astoundingly brave/mad explorers who didn't mind crawling through tight dark rock passages that might lead nowhere. A tour is much easier, just an hour of ambling along a flat concrete path through some astounding formations.

Stalactites, stalagmites, stalagnates (new to me), lakes, even stone roses (not the group), and many more grab the attention. You see what you want to see in the endlessly fascinating rockscape, except perhaps a bicycle, which I looked for but failed.

There's also a mysterious counterfeiters' workshop, where medieval forgers literally made money. They were never found. We suggest using genuine coins when paying the modest fee to tour these fascinating caves - a must for all fans of the underground.

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