Spring in the Adršpach Rocks Landscape

Spring in Adršpach

The Adršpach rocks awaken to fresh life in spring and invite you to an unforgettable trip among the blooming nature and majestic rock formations. Enjoy walks through the forest, where the singing of birds and the gurgling of streams can be heard again after the winter sleep. The spring air is fresher and the hiking trails quieter, allowing you to enjoy the beauty of the rock town in a peaceful atmosphere. After a day of exploring, you can relax in comfortable accommodation right in Adršpach. Don't forget to book your tickets and parking early.

Fairy-tale Rock Cities

Apart from Adršpach, there are several beautiful rock cities and table mountains in the Broumov region and the adjacent Polish border. The largest by area, Teplice Rock City, is accessible on foot from Adršpach via the Vlčí rokle (Wolf Gorge), and circling it means a full-day trip on shorter days. Another rock city can be found on the table mountain of Ostaš near Police nad Metují. If you venture across the border, you can visit the Bludné skály (Lost Rocks) atop the mountain of Bor, steeped in legends. In the same Polish national park, Stolowe Mountains, there are also Malá and Velká Hejšovina, with a hiking trail leading along the very top of the table mountain offering distant views. If you plan to visit Adršpach, don't forget to buy your tickets in advance through the reservation system. This way, you'll avoid queues and even get a better price for admission. But beware! From the first to the third of May, there are holidays in Poland, so the rocks will be quite crowded.

Zdoňov Animal Menhirs

The natural reserve of Křížová cesta is a magical rock city on Křížový vrch, opposite the rock city in Adršpach. A whole range of protected birds nest here, including the peregrine falcon. It is named after the Křížová cesta (Cross Path), which consists of a set of cast iron plates. The trail to the natural reserve of Křížová cesta begins in Dolní Adršpach along the yellow hiking trail. You can also start from the village of Zdoňov along the path past the chapel of St. John of Nepomuk, through the Hrnčířské Valley past the Zdoňov menhirs, which is an artistic project dedicated to the animal kingdom – each stone is dedicated to a different animal and represents a different force or element. In Zdoňov, you can stop at the renowned restaurant Kovářova kobyla, which serves honest seasonal dishes made from local ingredients, and you can also stay in local apartments. Make sure to check the restaurant's opening hours before your visit.

Adršpach Castle

The two-story Renaissance castle with a garden, standing on the site of a medieval fortress from the 15th century, has undergone renovations in recent years, with more planned. The original fortress was built here by the wealthy noble family of Berkové z Dubé, whose founder, Hynek z Dubé, was one of the most prominent nobles at the court of John of Luxembourg, and owned famous castles such as Kokořín, Bezděz, and Houska. The last noble owner, before the castle was confiscated by the Beneš Decrees in 1945, was Otmar from the Nádherný z Borutína family. Nowadays, you will find facilities with a café, an information center, and a children's corner, a fairytale room, and an escape game "Third Prince" based on the fairytale filmed in the Adršpach Rocks. You can explore exhibitions on flax processing, life in the castle, and a display of fossils that tell you about the times when Adršpach was at the bottom of the sea. In addition, the first mountaineering museum in the Czech Republic is located here, covering both high-altitude climbing and the beginnings and golden era of sandstone climbing in the "Ádr". The castle also hosts various exhibitions and markets, such as the Easter ones scheduled for the end of March.

Around the Castle on Horseback

Is the world most beautiful from the back of a horse? Come and find out with us! Local guides offer horseback rides, and we would be happy to provide you with further information at our information center. Apart from Adršpach, there are beautiful horseback riding opportunities, for example, in the Jiráskovy skály (Jirásek Rocks) above Teplice nad Metují, where the settlement of Skály is located, the highest village in the Hradec Králové Region. On the rocky ridge above the black pond stands the ruin of the Gothic castle formerly known as Katzenstein. Below the castle, lies the Bischofstein Chateau, built in 1666 for Karl Sobek of Bílinberka, the Bishop of Hradec Králové, as a summer residence. You can also take a nice walk from here to the Čáp (Stork) lookout tower, from where you can see the Temple Walls in the Teplice Rock City as if in the palm of your hand.

Enchanting Police and Its Museums

Police nad Metují is a small town, whose main square, Masarykovo náměstí, was declared a municipal heritage reservation in 1990. Right on the square, you can quench your thirst from the Julinka spring, where locals come to draw crystal-clear water flowing from a large underground water reservoir known as the Polické křídové pánve. A short distance from the square is the old timbered school, and in Police nad Metují, you will also find a unique museum that traces the history and present of the famous Czech toy – the Merkur construction set. Among other things, you will see the largest object ever created from this construction set: the Steel City, created based on Jules Verne's adventurous book. In the same building as the Merkur museum, you will also find the Museum of Paper Models, which is the only one of its kind in the country. The exhibition, covering an area of three hundred square meters, features nearly two thousand exhibits made of paper, representing architecture, cars, airplanes, ships, military equipment, sci-fi and fantasy, railways, and a plethora of figurines. Visitors to both museums can also enjoy a children's corner, workshops for children, and a relaxation area.

You can also visit the Policka Museum. The traditionally conceived exhibition maps the history of the town of Police nad Metují and its surroundings. The museum is located in the historic premises of the Benedictine monastery founded in the 13th century. During the tour, you will visit the spaces of the abbot's apartment, which was renovated in 2023, and two modern audiovisual exhibitions created by visual artist Richard Loskot.

Additionally, worth mentioning is the Artamon sports complex in nearby Bukovice, featuring a hall, tennis and beach volleyball courts, an "adventure golf" course, a restaurant, and a wellness center.

Broumov Monastery and Baroque Churches

Broumov Monastery is one of the most significant Baroque monuments in the Hradec Králové Region and has been a National Cultural Monument since 1995. The monastery was built in the seventeenth century and has recently undergone revitalization, which included not only the building itself but also the nearly three-hectare monastery garden. The monastery houses a unique monastery library with seventeen thousand volumes. In the local church of St. Adalbert, you will be amazed by the beautiful decoration and, most notably, the rare copy of the Shroud of Turin (with the imprint of the reclining Jesus Christ). Throughout the year, the monastery hosts a variety of cultural events or lectures, and there is a café and restaurant in the area. History and architecture enthusiasts will also appreciate another Baroque gem and National Cultural Monument: the Broumov Group of Churches. Visitors with children should definitely not miss the unique Children's Gallery Lapidarium in the monastery premises, which provides an accommodating and interactive way to present the world of contemporary art not only to children but also to adults.

Shooting range, salt cave, Špičák

From Teplice nad Metují and Meziměstí, you can reach the Javoří Mountains in twenty minutes, a border range of hills, with the highest point being Ruprechtický Špičák. The hike to this less frequented hill starts in the village of Ruprechtice, where there is a small parking lot at the very end of the village. You can choose the steeper route marked with a yellow sign or the gentler one marked with blue for cyclists. The latter connects with the blue hiking ridge trail near the summit. At the top of the hill, there is a lookout tower. The ascent can be managed at a brisk pace in about an hour, but otherwise, it's a pleasant half-day trip. On the way back, you can stop in Meziměstí at the Walzel center, which is housed in the former mechanical weaving mill of Josef Walzel. Here, you'll find the Švejk restaurant, a salt cave, a climbing wall, a covered shooting range, and bowling. In the spacious restaurant, they serve honest old Czech cuisine, pour excellent beer, and occasionally host a "Schnitzel Festival"!

Trutnov Gallery

A remarkable experience awaits you at the modern art gallery located in the former power plant building in Trutnov - the Center for Contemporary Art EPO1. The immense hall, with its original windows, steel structures, and two functional overhead cranes, is an ideal space for very large sculptures and artworks that wouldn't fit in other Czech galleries. The gallery management is gradually building a permanent collection of young Czech sculptors, and sculptures by established Czech authors adorn the immediate surroundings of the gallery. The industrial atmosphere of the coal-fired power plant is complemented by murals by now legendary Czech graffiti artists. In addition to EPO1 and the traditional Trutnov City Gallery, you will also find the Uffo Gallery in Trutnov, which is part of the multifunctional cultural center of the same name and offers not only exhibitions but also theatrical and musical experiences. As a final gem – in Trutnov, whose historic center is a municipal heritage zone, you can also visit the Draka Gallery, where in addition to temporary exhibitions usually featuring regional artists, you can enjoy a "lighter touch" version of the legend of the Trutnov dragon through a mechanical theater performance.

Historical Kłodzko and the "Czech Corner"

Kłodzko is a town in Lower Silesia with a rich history spanning over a thousand years. It was founded in the Kłodzko Basin, on the Kłodzka Nisa River, which originates at the foot of the Králický Sněžník mountain. You'll find many historical landmarks here, such as the Gothic bridge, often referred to as a miniature version of Prague's Charles Bridge. It only has six statues and doesn't cross the river but a mill race, yet it's a very picturesque spot. In Kłodzko, you'll also find an extensive fortress with casemates, underground passages beneath the Old Town, the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the Franciscan Church with a monastery, and the Kłodzko Land Museum. Kłodzko is located in the southwestern part of Poland, in the area still known as the "Czech Corner" – here you can speak Czech more than elsewhere or even pay with Czech crowns.

Ravines in the Broumov Rocks

The ten-kilometer-long and very narrow ridge of the Broumov Rocks is adorned with many unique rock formations such as the Slavenské Hřiby (Slavic Mushrooms) or the Kamenná Brána (Stone Gate). Along the ridge stands the Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows and the wooden mountain hut Hvězda, which is open all year round and easily accessible by car. A walk from the hut to the so-called Skalní Divadlo (Rock Theatre), offering a magnificent view of Kovářova Rokle (Kovář's Ravine), is not long and suitable even for families with small children.

We would like to introduce you to two routes leading through the most beautiful rock ravines in the area. The first is Kovářova Rokle, which leads to the ridge from the village of Hlavňov. In the lower part of the forested, sometimes steep ravine, you'll find the Marian Cave, then the path lined with rock towers leads to the main ridge.

Druhá je Třešňová rokle, do které můžete dojít z vesnice Martínkovice na severní straně stěn nebo vás sem dovede červená turistická stezka ze Slavného. Rokli obklopují vysokánské pískovcové věže s čertovskou tématikou, například Lucifer, Trepifajskl či Káča Máša. Na dně rokle je závalová jeskyně, takzvaný macarát, kde se často drží led až do léta. Ze Slavného po žluté zase dojdete na Kamennou bránu a k dalším krásným vyhlídkám. A jestli už jste tohle všechno viděli, průvodci vás rádi vezmou na prohlídku onoho unikátního macarátu nebo do jedné z dalších mnoha roklí, kudy cesty vůbec nevedou.

Spa in Kudowa-Zdrój

Kudowa-Zdrój is a spa town with a tradition of over six hundred years and is located right next to the town of Náchod. The heart of the town is the spa park located in a historic building from 1853 at the foot of Góra Parkowa mountain. The spas are popular mainly due to the favorable climate all year round and the picturesque surroundings with a colonnade and extensive spa park. There is a public swimming pool and also a publicly accessible wellness pool with a sauna, jacuzzis, and a slide at the Verde Montana hotel. The town boasts many pleasant pastry shops with renowned Polish desserts and restaurants, including popular trout fryers.

Farm Animals

Have you ever seen a baby llama? At the end of February, one was born in a small zoo, at the Wenet Farm near Broumov, where you can go for a lovely trip with children. Take a stroll through the beautiful garden, where donkeys, camels, ducks, armadillos, goats, sheep, peacocks, pigs, parrots, and ostriches live. The animals are friendly, you can pet them or even feed them. If you don't have an apple or carrot in your pocket, treats can be bought on-site, and you can even arrange for a bonfire for roasting. Spring is alive!