Jihlava sits at the heart of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, the Vysočina, a plateau of ponds, rye fields and gentle forested hills that rolls on for miles with no big drama but a lot of quiet beauty. The town is small by European standards, about fifty thousand people, but its history is surprisingly rich. In the thirteenth century silver was found in the surrounding hills, and miners and merchants poured in, many of them German speakers. The silver made Jihlava one of the richest towns in the Czech lands, and under the old streets a labyrinth of cellars and tunnels, partly open to visitors, preserves that medieval wealth.
The great central square, one of the biggest in the Czech Republic, is lined with Gothic and baroque houses and a mighty church of Saint James. Gustav Mahler spent his boyhood in the town, and the composer is commemorated with a plaque on the house where his family lived. Every autumn an international documentary film festival fills the cinemas and cafes with film makers and students.
On a bike the Highlands are all about easy, flowing roads. They climb and dip over broad ridges, pass through villages with a church and a pond, and cross the occasional wooded valley. The tarmac varies, with some smooth main roads and a few rough minor ones, and in spring frost heave can leave patches. There are few steep passes; this is relaxed touring, ideal for a long day and a clear head. About forty kilometres to the east, Třebíč has a remarkably well-preserved Jewish quarter and a great Romanesque basilica, both recognised by UNESCO.
Czech cities have plenty of petrol stations along the main roads, and Jihlava is no exception, with several on the ring road. In the town, ask for a pivo and some svíčková, braised beef in a creamy vegetable sauce with bread dumplings, which is a Czech classic.
Early autumn is especially lovely, with mist over the ponds and golden birches, though midsummer brings long light. Winters are cold and snow lingers on the plateau.