Hošťálková: Views, Nature and Wallachian Culture

Hošťálková lies 9 km west of Vsetín in the valley of the Ratibořka and its tributaries. The settlement is scattered across the hilly terrain of the Hostýn Hills. If you want to combine nature, views and regional history during your stay, you will find a wide variety of experiences here: from a lookout tower and geological rock formations to historic buildings in the village.

Hills, Panoramas and Distinctive Landscapes

At the summit of Bludný, views open up over Kelčský Javorník, the Hostýn Hills and the Javorníky Mountains. The grassy slopes of Bludný also have a botanical peculiarity of their own: rare plants grow especially on the northern slope.

A more extensive panorama is offered by the Maruška Lookout Tower. The two-storey wooden lookout tower stands at an elevation of 664 m, is 16 m high and has been open to the public since 2014. From its covered viewing platform at a height of 12 m, the panoramic view extends over the Hostýn Hills, the Vizovice Hills, the Javorníky Mountains, the Moravian-Silesian Carpathians, the Beskids, the Vsetín Hills, Kelčský Javorník, Radhošť with Pustevny, Lysá hora, Kohútka and Hošťálková.

Erosion has created honeycomb-like structures, overhangs, ledges, ridges, fissures and a small rock window in the whitish, locally honey-coloured rocks of Čertovy Skály. The Výhledové okno is located on a route from the centre of Hošťálková towards Čertovy Skály. You can reach it by bus to the “Hošťálková, tělocvična” stop or by car; parking spaces are available in the village centre.

Hiking and Cycling Routes

A nearly 5 km long, demanding climb leads to the Maruška Lookout Tower from Hošťálková Castle. From the Na Trojáku saddle, the lookout tower can be reached via a walk of approximately 2 km. Both routes are suitable for road bikes. This allows you to choose between a longer, challenging ascent and a shorter approach from the saddle, without equating the two routes.

For a longer tour, the Tesák Educational Trail is available. At 27 km, it is the longest educational trail in Wallachia. Along the route, 23 stations provide information about the natural attractions of the Vsetín region and the main ridge of the Hostýn Hills. The route is suitable for walkers and cyclists, combining landscape exploration with thematic stations.

Hošťálková also has wooden rest areas with integrated information boards, modern bicycle boxes with solar power supply and bicycle service stands. These specific points of reference are particularly useful if you want to structure your stay around longer routes or cycling tours.

Church, Castle and Wallachian Vernacular Architecture

Hošťálková has several landmarks that also make the village interesting for visitors interested in culture. The Roman Catholic Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross dates from 1798. The castle in Hošťálková is a building in the late Classicist style from the mid-19th century.

A particularly vivid example of regional architecture is rural homestead No. 16. It has been a cultural monument since 1999 and is considered the last surviving example of timber-block folk architecture of a uniform type of the original Wallachian house in the village centre. This historic setting is complemented by a stone toleration prayer house built in the Neoclassical style in 1831. Inside, there is a valuable baptismal font from 1791.

Getting There

The nearest railway station to Hošťálková is in Jablůnka.

If you would like to compare Hošťálková with other destinations, you can then view Lačnov, Lhota U Vsetína, Pozděchov, Novy Hrozenkov, Prostřední Bečva, Francova Lhota, Kateřinice and Valašská Polanka.

To the higher-level travel overview: Vsetín District.