Discover Vrchlabí: Educational Trail, Culture and Water

Vrchlabí combines a varied educational trail with important cultural sites and facilities related to the Giant Mountains. The town can be explored particularly vividly along the Naučná stezka Vrchlabím educational trail route: it follows the banks of the Elbe, passes two churches and two museums, and ends in a castle park. There, rare trees and views of Vrchlabí Castle await. This makes it easy to decide whether walks, culture, knowledge of nature or a day at the pool should shape your stay.

Educational Trail and Historic Buildings

The Naučná stezka Vrchlabím route brings several facets of the town to life in one continuous walk. Its destination, the castle park with rare trees and views of the castle, provides a special finale. Vrchlabí Castle itself is a Renaissance castle, completed in 1546. In summer, guided tours with commentary are offered there, including access to rooms that are normally not open to the public and to the chapel.

One of the town’s notable religious buildings is the Church of St Lawrence. It stands on the site of an originally Gothic single-nave church from the 14th century. The Augustinian monastery, with its monastery church, provides another historic highlight. Together, the two buildings form a Baroque complex protected as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic. The Krkonošské muzeum – Čtyři historické domky adds to these impressions with an ensemble of four gabled houses. The houses are among the oldest examples of folk architecture in the Giant Mountains.

National Park, Exhibitions and Water Experiences

The Krkonoš Museum also serves as the visitor centre for Krkonoše National Park. Its modern interactive exhibition focuses on the nature of the mountains and the lives of the people who live there. The visitor centre also provides information about the national park and about excursions to the sights and natural features of the Giant Mountains. Those who do not want to focus their stay solely on buildings and walking routes can gain a separate perspective on the landscape and its use here.

The Ekocentrum Krtek offers a range of additional formats: a lecture hall for around 80 people, a small laboratory for 16 students, a small gallery and a library. The Stezka vody educational trail route, accessible since 2023, passes renovated ponds and pools. Informative stations and the opportunity to observe living organisms above and below the water’s surface make water and small bodies of water its main focus.

The Aquacentrum Vrchlabí additionally offers a 25-metre swimming pool with four lanes. There is also a 32°C warm leisure pool with a current channel, massage loungers, bubble features and underwater jets. The facility also includes an indoor and an outdoor whirlpool as well as a steam sauna. This allows cultural sightseeing, educational trails and time in the aquatic facilities to be combined in different proportions in Vrchlabí.

Important Information About an Exhibition

The exhibition at the Krkonošské muzeum – Čtyři historické domky has been closed for two years since 1 May 2025 due to renovation work.

Further Destinations for Research

Litíč, Dolní Malá Úpa, Dolní Olešnice, Javorník, Malá Úpa, Velehrádek, Kohoutov and Zdobín provide further points of reference for planning your trip.

For the higher-level travel overview: Trutnov District.