Rokycany District: Discover Brdy, Padrť and culture

Rokycany District combines open Brdy landscapes, places steeped in history and unusual cultural destinations. If you want to choose between nature experiences, short discoveries and more extensive excursions for your trip, you will find a range of options here: the Padrť ponds tell stories of nature and vanished villages, Rokycany offers a diverse museum, and Zbiroh Castle combines history with special experiences.

Brdy and Padrť: Nature with history

The Dům přírody Brd in Tři Trubky presents an exhibition about the Brdy, their history, legends and rare inhabitants. Another way to explore the landscape is via the educational trail around the Padrť ponds. You can start it at various points and follow it in any order. The natural values of the area are the main focus; at the same time, the trail recalls the history of vanished villages such as Padrť, Přední and Zadní Záběhlá, and Kolvín.

Around the Dolejší-Padrť pond, extensive open Brdy landscapes, peat bogs and species-rich wet meadows shape the scenery. When planning a day in this area, it is important to know that there are no catering facilities or other services within the Brdy Protected Landscape Area. Therefore, bring food and drinks with you. Camping is prohibited throughout the protected landscape area, while bivouacking is permitted.

Several documented starting points offer different perspectives. Strašice is considered the usual starting point for the hike to Lipovsko; the car park there also provides access to Lipovsko, Tři Trubky and the central Brdy area, with access from the direction of Rokycany. From the Skořice car park, you can reach the Padrť ponds and the central Brdy area; there are toilets and an e-bike charging station there.

Museums, technology and castle stories

In Rokycany, the Muzeum Dr. Bohuslava Horáka focuses on history, ethnography, palaeontology and natural sciences. The visitor route includes six permanent exhibitions; the museum also organises temporary exhibitions and lectures. The institution also includes a Centre for Palaeobiodiversity with significant fossils from the younger and older Palaeozoic.

Dobřív is home to the Water Hammer, a Czech national cultural monument. An accompanying exhibition is dedicated to the history of iron production in Dobřív. Zbiroh Castle, by contrast, focuses on Templar history and the castle's hidden stories. Alfons Mucha lived there for 18 years and created the Slav Epic. For active entertainment, there is a rope park with obstacles at heights of 2 to 9 metres.

Culinary and historical details are also part of a visit to the castle: Zbiroh's medieval tavern serves boiled beef and other specialities. The vineyard at the castle is promoted as the highest-elevation vineyard in the Czech Republic and offers rare wines for tasting. An exhibition in the Jindřich-Mošna Memorial Hall provides information about Mošna's life and work.

Rokycany as a base for the town and viewpoints

The Kotel viewpoint near Rokycany offers views of the Brdy, Šumava, Český les, Krušné hory and České středohoří. You can reach it from Rokycany railway station via the blue-marked hiking trail. The viewpoint is free of charge and open year-round. For a more urban stop, Park U Plzeňské brány is located directly next to Rokycany's railway and bus station. There you will find a labyrinth-shaped bench and a fountain; in hot weather, there are water features for children.

When choosing accommodation, you can therefore use your preferred daily rhythm as the starting point: Brdy and Padrť stand for landscapes, hiking and natural history, while Rokycany combines museum visits, the viewpoint and a well-documented urban stay. Zbiroh Castle expands the range with history, experiences and regional cuisine.

Other places in Rokycany District

For further orientation, you can also find Trebnuska, Zbiroh, Busovice, Dobriv, Rokycany, Radnice, Nevid, Terešov, Tycek, Břasy, Cheznovice, Ejpovice, Hlohovice, Holoubkov, Hrádek U Rokycan, Hůrky, Kamenný Újezd, Kařez, Klabava, Litohlavy, Mlečice, Mýto V Čechách, Osek, Podmokly, Újezd U Svatého Kříže, Volduchy, Sebečice, Březina U Rokycan, Cekov, Čilá, Drahoňův Újezd, Kakejcov, Lhotka U Radnic, Chomle, Kamenec, Kornatice, Lhota Pod Radčem, Liblín, Líšná, Medový Újezd, Mešno, Mirošov U Rokycan, Němčovice, Plískov, Příkosice, Přívětice, Raková, Sirá, Skomelno, Skořice, Smědčice, Strašice, Svojkovice, Štítov, Těně, Těškov, Trokavec, Vejvanov, Veselá, Vísky, Všenice, Pavlovsko and Zvikovec.

For the overarching travel overview: Pilsen.