*Easy walks around the historical town of Vrchlabí, gateway to the Krkonoše mountains: 2 km to 9 km*

• Vrchlabí is often called the gateway to the Krkonoše and many travelers pass through it on their way to the popular winter (and summer) sports areas in the country’s highest mountain range. Most do not stop for a look around the town, which is a shame as Vrchlabí has some interesting historic buildings, most notably the Renaissance chateau, with its attractive English park area.
• The chateau was built in 1546–1548 for the Gendorf family. Originally surrounded by the moat, it was one of the first Renaissance castles in Bohemia. The estate was later acquired by imperial generalissimo, Albrecht Valdštejn, who turned Vrchlabí into the country’s most important manufacturer of armaments during the 17th century. Today, the chateau is used by the town authorities, but the entrance hall with its remarkable wooden doors, is accessible to the public, as is the large park area.
• In 1705, an Augustinian monastery was founded in the grounds of the chateau, which today houses the Krkonoše museum, which features exhibitions highlighting the nature of the mountains and the impact of man over the centuries.
• If travelling by train or bus, it is a 1 km walk from the train/bus station on a path close to the Labe river to get to the center of town. From there a short (1. 8 km) nature trail circles around the main historical sites, one of which is the Dům se sedmi štíty, a 16th century half-timbered house, one of the oldest buildings in the town. The house is now a popular and well-known café (map point 8).
• The walk to-from the station and around the nature trail (including exploring the park) is around 4 km, essentially flat and manageable with a stroller. If driving, the large (free) car park behind the monastery is a good parking option.
• If wanting to extend the town walk with a visit to one of the region’s nicest mountain restaurants (only open seasonally), the walk up to Kněžická chalupa (map point 6) is just over 2 km from the monastery. The extension does add 200m of ascent/descent, but this is all on a mountain road and can be managed with a stroller.

Note: click ‘Show on map’ above to go to a full screen version directly on the mapy.cz site. This can be used for online navigation, saved or exported as a GPX file

Directions

• Starting at the bus station, join the RED trail heading towards Vrchlabí kostel. The town information center is reached after 1.2 km
• Follow the town tourist route in a clockwise direction first heading to the chateau and park area and finishing at the Dům se sedmi štíty
• If wanting to take the extended walk up to the Kněžická chalupa mountain restaurant, take the YELLOW trail starting outside the monastery entrance and head uphill for 2.2 km. Return back the same way