Where to go on a trip Čkyně

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.

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.

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.