St. Gunther's Way (Vintířova stezka in Czech and Gunthersteig in German) is a nine-day pilgrimage. Hikers will get through Germany and the Czech Republic, with several stops along the way - three in Germany's Lower Bavaria region, one at the border between the two countries, and five in the Plzeň region in the Czech Republic.
While parts of the trail have existed for a long time, the route includes new signs along the way and placards with information about Gunther of Bohemia and his travels, as well as new resting stations. According to Elisabeth Unnasch from the Arberland Tourism Promotion Department, the trail was complet after installing a statue of a monk by Czech glass artist Vladěna Tesařová at the historic Annín Glassworks.
The main thing is to offer more than just information about the history of the region amid the beautiful natural sceneries,
said Regional Councilor Libor Picka in a press release. There is also a significant spiritual overlap, as each stage offers unique places to meditate.
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The starting point of the trail is Germany's Niederaltaich Monastery, a Benedictine Abbey on the Danube where Gunther lived in the early 1000s.
The longest portion of the trail (22 kilometers) takes hikers from Sušice to Horažďovice, while the shortest (14 kilometers) runs from Prášil to Hartmanice. After nine days of hiking, pilgrims will arrive in Blatná in the Czech Republic's Southern Bohemian region.