Where to go on a trip Čestice (okres Strakonice)

Natural swimming with the atmosphere of old times and the tranquillity of the South Bohemian landscape

As soon as you arrive at the swimming pool in Volyně, you will feel the difference. There is no noisy water park here, but rather a classic swimming pool with clean water, surrounded by greenery and forest, where you can enjoy your day at a relaxed pace. The place feels natural and peaceful, and that is precisely what makes it an ideal stop during a summer trip through jižní Čechy.

What the complex offers you

The dominant feature is a large outdoor pool intended for both swimming and recreational bathing. It is not a modern stainless-steel water park complex, but a traditional swimming pool with an open water surface that has retained its character. A diving tower is also available, which will please those who enjoy diving, as well as ample space around the pool for convenient entry and relaxation. The complex is complemented by grassy areas for sunbathing, benches, and facilities for visitors. Thanks to the surrounding greenery, the space feels intimate and pleasant, which will be appreciated by anyone looking for peace rather than attractions.

Who is the swimming pool suitable for

The swimming pool will be particularly appreciated by visitors who prefer quiet bathing in a natural environment. It is suitable for families with children who wish to swim without large crowds, as well as for adults who want to swim and relax away from the bustle of larger urban complexes. It is also a good choice for tourists travelling through jižní Čechy who wish to refresh themselves during the day.

How to get here and what you can visit in the surroundings

The swimming pool is located in the town of Volyně in the Jihočeský kraj. Access is possible by car, and parking is available near the complex. The location is also easily reachable on foot from the town centre. Volyně is known for its historic atmosphere. You can visit the historic square with its burgher houses, the volyňská tvrz, or set out for a walk into the surrounding countryside towards the řeka Volyňka. The surroundings offer opportunities for hiking as well as cycling trips.

Do you love Czech history and are you planning a holiday in South Bohemia? Then we have a tip for you. Head to the Strakonice Region! Your attention is certainly deserved by hrad Strakonice, which towers above the confluence of the Otava and Volyňka rivers in Strakonice.

We have a mention of the castle in Strakonice from 1243, when there is a record stating that its owner, Bavor I, donated half of his castle to the Knights Hospitaller. It is therefore more than likely that the castle is even somewhat older. The peculiarity of this castle is that it was originally strictly separated into a secular and a Hospitaller part, and only in 1402 did the Hospitaller knights become the sole owners. Currently, the castle has as many as three owners, namely the town of Strakonice, the South Bohemian Region, and the religious buildings are owned by the Roman Catholic Church.

As is often the case with many castles, the Strakonice castle was also ravaged during the Thirty Years' War, subsequently struck by fire, gradually fell into disrepair, and thus underwent several smaller and larger reconstructions over the centuries. The last, most extensive reconstruction in 2005 revealed archaeological finds from the 14th and 15th centuries and a 12th-century burial site was also partially uncovered. Archaeological finds can be seen today as part of the exhibition of the Muzeum středního Pootaví, which is located directly within the castle grounds.

The castle complex includes as many as three castle courtyards, the Church of St. Procopius, which today belongs to the Catholic Church, and the former prior's residence, which now houses a primary art school. If a grand wedding day awaits you, you have the opportunity to book a ceremony at the castle, where a ceremonial hall is designated for weddings. In addition to it, the chapter hall, the Bavarian Palace, or the former manorial brewery can also be seen.

The most interesting attraction at the castle is, however, undoubtedly the Rumpál Tower. Why a treadwheel (rumpál)? Well, convicts who were tortured and imprisoned in this tower were apparently lowered into the starvation dungeon precisely by a treadwheel or a similar device. However, the tower originally served for defense. From the outside, you can see gargoyles in the shape of various monsters and non-existent beasts, inside 96 steps await you, and at the top of the tower you will be rewarded with a magnificent view of all of Strakonice and also the foothills of the Šumava mountains.

You will experience a second, equally interesting tour in the black kitchen. It dates back approximately to the 16th century and in it you can see what the castle kitchen with a chimney, drying room, and bread oven presumably looked like one to two centuries later. At that time, it was a modern part of the castle. Of course, cooking no longer takes place in it today, but even so, you can try some of the specialties of the local "castle kitchen". Since we are in the South Bohemian Region, a region of ponds, fish must certainly not be missing on the menu, but you can also enjoy partridges, pheasants, or hares. In short, everything that the inhabitants of the castle could have had on their plates more than half a millennium ago. If you fancied a sweet treat, you certainly will not resist genuine parish-feast cakes, doughnuts, or strudels.

Since the Muzeum středního Pootaví, the Šmidingerova knihovna Strakonice, and the Městské kulturní středisko Strakonice currently have their headquarters at the Strakonice Castle in addition to the primary art school, throughout the year you can visit various exhibitions,vernissages, lectures, or creative workshops not only for children here according to the current program.

If you are traveling to Strakonice with children, there is a diverse range of activities for them as well. Directly in the castle moat is the castle safari, which is open year-round, and children can stroke donkeys, miniature goats, pigs, or wild ducks here. If you would like to feed the animals, an automatic machine is available where you can purchase suitable feed. Another leisure activity suitable for children is called Strakonická šifra, during which 14 stops with riddles await you. If you solve them, you can then exchange the correct solution at the city information center for a small treasure as a reward for your efforts. If you like cycling, take a ride along the Otava and as part of the Otavská plavba dětem event you can collect stamps along the way. Moreover, the Podskalí educational trail runs along the Otava riverbed, which even preschool children can manage on foot because it is only 3 km long.

If you already have older children and cannot tear them away from their mobile phone displays, try Geofun. This is a game for smartphones that offers interesting tasks with a reward in the form of "geonks" in various places across the republic. You can find the local game under the name Za Švandou dudákem do Strakonic. For the whole family or a group of friends, discgolf can be an unconventional sport, which is also worth trying.

If you stay in Strakonice in a hotel or guesthouse and want to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, head to the panská zahrada. The city built this relaxation zone only recently. You can sit here even in worse weather on covered benches, whereas in good weather, for example, a fireplace or a viewpoint is available to you.

If you are therefore planning holidays or a vacation in Strakonice, definitely look for accommodation near the Strakonice Castle. This is because it is not only the most prominent dominant feature of the town, but also a great starting point for your sightseeing trips around the Strakonice Region.

A well-known cross-country skiing center is located in Šumava, specifically in Zadov, in the cadastral area of the municipality of Stachy. Lyžařský areál Zadov offers its services and a multitude of attractions in both the winter and summer seasons.

During the warmer part of the year, activities are prepared for all age categories. Children and sports-oriented adults will be pleased by Lanové centrum Zadov. If visitors want to explore Šumava by bicycle or scooter, a rental shop is available where a suitable vehicle for the trip will be selected for visitors.

However, Lyžařský areál Zadov is attractive mainly during the winter. The aforementioned cross-country skiing is heavily utilized. Our successful cross-country skier Kateřina Neumannová also trained on the marked trails, of which there are over 50 kilometers and which connect to other trails within the entire Šumava. Various sporting events regularly take place at the local cross-country stadium.

Of course, downhill skiing is also represented in Lyžařský areál Zadov. The resort is divided into several smaller areas. Lyžařský areál Kobyla offers a 4-chair lift and 2 smaller ski lifts. It is possible to ski on approximately 3 kilometers of ski slopes. Visitors can frolic in the snowpark, which, like the ski slope, is artificially snowed and illuminated. Original ski jumps can also be found here, though they are already out of operation. A ski and snowboard school with a ski equipment rental and service shop is also not lacking.

The second Lyžařský areál U Horejšů is rather suitable for family skiing. The length of the ski slope is 350 meters. During the main winter season, evening skiing is also in operation. Here too, visitors can make use of a ski school, as well as a children's playground with its own ski lift.

The Nové Hutě area offers an even slightly longer ski slope. It measures over 1,000 meters and, together with another short ski slope, is again suitable rather for families with children or beginner skiers.

Throughout the entire winter season, visitors can use shuttle transport provided by the local ski bus to move around Lyžařský areál Zadov. Parking is provided for motorists. And when visitors get hungry, they can make use of the fast food offerings. Toilets are also a matter of course.

If this ski center has caught visitors' attention and they are planning to spend their next holiday in Šumava, suitable accommodation near Lyžařský areál Zadov will gladly be recommended to help visitors choose. Since everyone prefers something different, a wide selection is prepared, and it is believed that the needs of everyone who decides to set off for Šumava will be satisfied.

Suitable accommodation for families with children can be found throughout the entire Šumava, and comfortable properties for team building, for two, or for a weekend stay are also offered. Visitors can choose cottages and chalets, guesthouses, apartments, and private accommodation. It is sufficient just to choose a suitable date and set off. Šumava will certainly captivate visitors with its enchanting nature.

Wooden tower with a view of the central parts of Šumava

Rozhledna Churáňov stands on the Sokol hill (1,253 metres) near the village of Stachy in the Prachatice district in the Jihočeský kraj. This modern wooden tower, approximately thirty metres high, was opened in 2010. Its observation deck offers an extensive circular view of the central and highest parts of Šumava, the dominant peaks of Boubín and Javorník, the vast Šumavské pláně, and in clear weather, even the Alps. The tower is an ideal destination for hiking and cross-country skiing in winter.

Access

A well-maintained road leads to the lookout tower from the village of Stachy (accessible from road number 4). It is recommended to park at the paid car park with sufficient capacity, which is located in the Churáňov ski resort near Hotel Churáňov. From there, it is an easy ascent along a forest path approximately one kilometre long, following the yellow tourist marker, which leads slightly uphill. The nearest bus stop, Stachy, is less than five kilometres away.

What is worth exploring

Nearby is the extensive CHKO Šumava with the dominant Boubínský prales and Boubín with its lookout tower. Less than twenty kilometres to the south lies Jezero Laka and hrad Kašperk. It is also worth visiting the Muzeum Šumavy in Kašperské Hory and Rozhledna Javorník.

The most extensive ruin in Bohemia is hrad Rabí in the Klatovy district in the Plzeňský kraj region. This castle complex was built sometime in the late Middle Ages as a combination of residential and representative spaces with an unfinished defensive system. The dominant feature of hrad Rabí was and still is the residential tower called the donjon, which also serves as a viewpoint overlooking the foothills of the Šumava.

The history of hrad Rabí appears somewhat mysterious, as almost nothing is known with certainty about its beginnings. Documented mentions date only from the 14th century regarding the lords of Rýzmberk. They stood on the side against the Hussites, and therefore in the years 1420 and 1421 Jan Žižka besieged and conquered the castle. During the second conquest, however, he himself lost his second eye. Although the castle was considerably damaged, the owners received funds for its restoration for their loyalty to King Zikmund. The most prominent personality among the castle owners was Půta Švihovský, but after his death in 1504, disputes arose over the property and the inheritance was gradually sold off. The final blow to the glory of this extensive castle was dealt by the Thirty Years' War, after which the castle was never successfully fully restored.

In the 18th century, the castle was less comfortable for the owners than the residence in nearby Žichovice, which is why Rabí was left abandoned, later burned down, and its walls were used by local residents as a source of building material. An attempt to save the castle involved minor repairs in the mid-19th century when a viewing platform was created on the donjon, but major changes did not come until the 20th century. Now, hrad Rabí has been under state administration since 1954 and has been on the list of national cultural monuments since 1978.

When visiting the ruin of hrad Rabí, visitors can choose from two basic circuits. The first circuit is simply named Věž. It passes through the large courtyard, the small courtyard with the well, the economic facilities, climbs to the top of the residential tower, and concludes the circuit in the castle cellar, where natural dripstone decoration can be seen. The Palác circuit will introduce visitors to the history of the castle and its architectural development. It will guide visitors through rooms where models of the castle in various historical periods, stove tiles, and archaeological finds are exhibited. After descending from the viewing tower to the cellar, an audiovisual projection about the conquest of the castle by the Hussites is prepared for visitors, and the dungeon is viewed last. These two basic tour circuits standardly take place with a guide in Czech, but it is also possible to book a guide in English or German in advance, or to borrow a text translation in Dutch, Russian, and French. In addition to guided tours, visitors can walk unlimitedly and free of charge through the castle courtyard with artillery fortifications, look into the former castle stable, and view the exhibition in the underground part of the church.

Since this is a medieval castle, barrier-free access is not available here, but with assistance, wheelchair users can at least reach the large courtyard. Parking is provided off-season on the square of the town of Rabí, and in the summer months, parking areas are designated on the edge of the town, from where visitors can walk to the castle in approximately 15 minutes. Good news for dog lovers is that a dog can accompany visitors on a leash or in a carrier to all parts of the castle. Photography is also permitted in all parts of the castle, provided that the privacy of other visitors and staff is not interfered with. Souvenirs can be purchased at house no. 50 on the way to the square, where toilets are also located. On the square and in the suburb, visitors can also refresh themselves in a pub or utilise two fast-food establishments.

From hrad Rabí, visitors can set out along the Krajem Půty Švihovského trail. A pleasant, undemanding walk from the square to Žichovice awaits, from there to Horažďovice, above which towers the freely accessible ruin of hrad Prácheň. The zámek Horažďovice château, which houses a museum, is also worth a visit. And once monument exploration becomes tiring, visitors can relax in the local aquapark.

After all that strenuous journeying through the Pošumaví region, good accommodation near hrad Rabí will certainly come in handy. In addition to the village of Rabí itself, visitors can also lay their heads in nearby Kašperské Hory or in Sušice. Guesthouses in Nezdice na Šumavě will also provide their services. And should accommodation be needed alongside a larger group of friends, cabins and cottages in Strašín will welcome visitors.

Refreshment in the heart of Pootaví that will not disappoint

As all roads supposedly lead to Rome, for all pilgrims and travellers exhausted by the summer heat, they should rather lead to Horažďovice. It is precisely in this unassuming yet picturesque small town between Strakonice and Klatovy that the fully equipped Aquapark Horažďovice awaits visitors, reliably refreshing every lover of water fun. The dawn of the new millennium brought various expectations to people, but for Horažďovice, the year 2000 was memorable primarily because the local aquapark opened its doors then. To enable the complex to keep pace with the times, it underwent a thorough renovation twelve years later, bringing not only new water attractions but also a modern wellness centre.

Water Fun and Relaxation All Year Round

A great advantage of the Horažďovice aquapark is the fact that it is completely indoor, meaning it can be fully enjoyed 365 days a year regardless of the whims of the weather. The heart of the entire facility is a spacious swimming pool surrounded by large windows that let in pleasant daylight. Anyone seeking a proper dose of adrenaline will be reliably lured by the 62-metre-long water slide. Even the youngest visitors will find something to their liking. Two slides, a water toadstool, and even special children's massage jets await them in the children's pool, allowing even little ones to try out what adults do. The offer of water fun is complemented by a whirlpool bath, a wild river, a globular water fountain, a counter-current, air grates, water spouts, a water mushroom, and air beds with massage jets.

More Than Just Swimming: Wellness, Fitness and Swimming Courses

The range of services by far does not end there, however. Thanks to the wellness zone, after frolicking in the water, visitors are treated to a classic Finnish sauna procedure, a steam bath, an infra-sauna, a solarium, selected massages, or a well-deserved rest in the relaxation zone. For those for whom water activities are not enough, a fully equipped fitness centre with dumbbells, machines, exercise bikes, elliptical trainers, and a functional zone with tatami mats, suspension systems, expanders, or medicine balls is prepared. Effective water exercise can also be utilised. In addition, a swimming school for all age and weight categories operates here, where basics are learned or technique is perfected, and the popular baby swimming with the assistance of parents and kind instructors is also not missing.

Discover the Magic of Horažďovice and Šumava

Is a holiday being planned and a place to rest one's head being considered? Horažďovice can be chosen as a base for trips. In the town itself, a choice of hotels, guesthouses, or apartments can be made, or cottages and chalets in the surroundings will be encountered. Should the capacity be full, great facilities can also be found in nearby Strakonice, Kašperské Hory, Sušice, Srní, or Kvilda. Furthermore, the local stay can be easily combined with discovering natural beauties. Národní park Šumava is less than an hour's drive away from here. There is no need to travel far across borders, because an interesting and relaxing holiday full of water and fun can be fully enjoyed even in western Bohemia.