Vacovice – Trails, Monuments and Rural Traditions

Vacovice combines a rural landscape with an unusually rich surviving local history. The municipality lies in the foothills of the Bohemian Forest at an average elevation of approximately 706 metres. Quiet surroundings, unspoilt nature, forests and wide views shape the character of the village. The landscape is characterised by open grazing areas, forests and wide views alongside the historic village centre.

Trails through the landscape and village

Cycle Route 1071 runs through Vacovice between Javorník and Volyně. A blue-marked hiking trail connects Kašperské Hory and Bavorov and also passes through the municipality. Cycle Route 1071 and the blue-marked hiking trail run through Vacovice along different routes: the cycling route runs between Javorník and Volyně, while the hiking route runs between Kašperské Hory and Bavorov. The agricultural land in the Vacovice cadastral area is used predominantly for grazing and complements the open, rural landscape.

A village centre with preserved architectural details

The No. 5 farmstead in the historic village centre is particularly noteworthy. It was declared a cultural monument on 17 July 2025 and is in an almost authentic state of preservation. The central section of the residential building contains an almost completely intact black kitchen with vaulted ceilings, an oven and a cement floor. A black kitchen is a historic kitchen space; at the No. 5 farmstead, the vaulted ceilings, oven and cement floor have been preserved almost intact. The granary also tells a much older architectural story: its dendrochronological dating ranges from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 18th century. The granary also introduces an older historical layer into the village centre than House No. 6, dating from around 1865. Next to the chapel stands House No. 6, a folk-architecture building dating from around 1865. House No. 6 and the chapel stand side by side; here, folk architecture from around 1865 meets a 20th-century religious building. The Chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus itself was built in a later era. Its construction began in 1911 and was completed after the First World War. Inside is a Baroque altar from the church in Dobrš.

Weaving traditions, customs and wayside crosses

In the area around Vacovice, flax cultivation and linen weaving have a centuries-old tradition. As recently as 1928, the last loom in Vacovice was still in operation. Flax cultivation and linen weaving form part of the textile history of the village; in Vacovice, the last loom was still operating in 1928. Well-known folk traditions also include Konopice and Masopust processions. Vacovice and its surroundings are home to numerous well-maintained wayside crosses, which blend into the cultural character of the landscape. Every July, the SDH Vacovice volunteer fire brigade association organises the “Pohár starosty obce Vacovice” competition. Men’s, women’s and veterans’ teams take part. A municipal pub serves as a refreshment stop for pilgrims. Other places in the wider travel region include [Mutěnice](Mutěnice), [Kladruby](Kladruby), [Radesov](Radesov), [Katovice](Katovice), [Cerneves](Cerneves), [Budyně](Budyně), [Mačkov](Mačkov) and [Měkynec](Měkynec).For the wider travel overview: Strakonice District.