49.8678° N · 15.2862° E — Dark retreat · an hour from Prague
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Journal

Journal

Skyline of Kutná Hora in morning mist, Czech Republic
Photo: Milan Nykodym, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

A dark retreat in the Czech Republic starts long before you switch off the light. It starts with a train timetable, a hotel in Prague, a packing list and the question of whether three nights are enough. This journal is where we answer those questions properly.

We write about the journey: from Prague airport or the main station to Kutná Hora and on to our gate in Lomec. About Kutná Hora itself – St Barbara’s, the Sedlec Ossuary, the old silver town – and how it feels to walk through it after a week without light. And about the darkness: the first night, the choice between a short stay and a week, winter in the cabins, couples, and the slow return to daylight.

Everything here comes from what Lenka and I have seen since 2013 with more than 3,000 people. No miracles, just practice 🙂

Map of Europe with the Czech Republic highlighted6 min read

Dark retreat in Europe: where the centres are and how to choose one

Most dark retreat centres in Central Europe sit in one country. Here is where they are and the questions worth asking before you pick one.

Kutná Hora in autumn, a stop on the way to a dark retreat5 min read

Dark retreat in the Czech Republic: why so many centres are here

More than half of the dark retreat centres we know of in Central Europe are in one small country. Here is why – seen from a village near Kutná Hora.

Train at Kutná Hora main station, on the way to the dark retreat6 min read

From Prague to Kutná Hora and our cabin door, step by step

From Václav Havel Airport or Prague main station to our garden gate in Lomec: trains, the free pick-up, the local bus, the walk and the drive.

St Barbara’s Church in Kutná Hora, UNESCO site near our dark retreat5 min read

Kutná Hora travel guide: what to see before or after a dark retreat

What to see in Kutná Hora, which sights to save for before your retreat and how to enjoy the town slowly when you come out of the dark.

Kutná Hora panorama with the Jesuit College and St James’s Church7 min read

Prague, Kutná Hora and a week in the dark: a 10-day dark retreat itinerary

Two days in Prague, an hour by train to Kutná Hora, seven nights in total darkness and a slow return to the light. Our day-by-day plan for travellers from abroad.

Inside a dark retreat cabin: bed, mat and shelf, lights on6 min read

The first night at a dark retreat: what really happens

Your finger is on the light switch. What comes next? The first night in total darkness as we have seen it with more than 3,000 people since 2013.

Dark retreat Cabin of Friendship in an overgrown garden in Czechia5 min read

How long should a dark retreat be? One night, three nights or a week when you travel from abroad

Is it worth travelling to the Czech Republic for one night in the dark? What 80 % of people choose, why three nights often feel too short and when shorter is the better choice.

Vegetarian lunch with legumes and soup during a dark retreat5 min read

What a dark retreat in Europe costs – and what you actually pay for

Our current prices for one night, three nights and a week, what's behind them – cabin, food, guides – and what you should budget on top for Prague and the journey.

Inside a dark retreat cabin: bed, mat and shelf, lights on7 min read

Dark retreat packing list: what to bring from abroad and what to leave at home

A practical dark retreat packing list for people travelling to the Czech Republic: what is waiting in the cabin, what to bring and what to leave at home.

Cabin of Love wrapped in snow, dark retreat in winter6 min read

A dark retreat in a Bohemian winter: why the cold months work so well

Snow outside, a warm floor inside: why a dark retreat in a Bohemian winter works so well, how the cabins stay warm and what the other seasons are like.

Cabin of Love for a dark retreat under an apple tree, door open5 min read

Dark retreat for couples: a week together in the Cabin of Love

One of our five cabins has a double bed. How a dark retreat for two works in practice, what to agree on before the light goes out, and what it costs.

Skyline of Kutná Hora in morning mist, Czech Republic5 min read

After a dark retreat: the first hours back in the light and the journey home

Sharp light, intense tastes and a train to Prague: what the first hours after a dark retreat feel like and how to plan the journey home without rushing.