Discover Zašová: Pilgrimage, Forest and Culture

Zašová combines a pilgrimage site on a hillside with forest paths, historic churches and a variety of leisure activities. The 4.6-kilometre circular walking trail Velký okruh offers a particularly direct way to experience the area. It begins at the Stračka pilgrimage site, leads around Stračka and Pohoř, and passes through the surrounding forests. This creates a clearly defined route where nature and religious history come together, without limiting the visit to a single building.

Stračka, Springs and Paths through the Landscape

The Stračka pilgrimage site is located on a hillside and has a spring that emerges there. Every day, pilgrims and visitors to Zašová draw water from the forest spring in the Stračka pilgrimage grounds. However, the water quality varies and may deteriorate particularly in high temperatures and after rain. The spring site is therefore not only a landscape feature of the circular trail, but also a place with its own religious and local significance.

Another way to access the surrounding area is via the educational trail through Veselá, which presents the history and nature of Veselá. In the nearby area, between Veselá and Hrachovec, there is a spring area near U tří studánek with four springs of varying output. The water flows into a hand-built pool depression where salamanders live. Those who, in addition to buildings, are looking for springs, forest and small-scale nature observations during their stay will find various reasons here to take an excursion.

Pilgrimage Church and Josephine Architectural History

The pilgrimage Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary in Zašová was built at the beginning of the 18th century by the owners of the Valašské Meziříčí–Rožnov estate. Inside, the Baroque high altar features a Gothic panel painting of the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child dating from the middle of the 15th century. This combination of Baroque furnishings and a significantly older painting makes the church a particularly vivid destination for visitors who want to discover religious art and regional history together.

For public visits, the pilgrimage church is open from 1 May to 28 September. On Saturdays, opening hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; on Sundays and public holidays, it is accessible from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Guided tours are available in Zašová on request for groups and excursions.

Veselá also adds to the cultural and historical picture. Its rectory retains its Josephine character from 1785 and is protected as a cultural monument. The Church of St. Martin has been a prominent landmark in the landscape since 1821 and is one of the last monuments of the Josephine style in Wallachia. In Zašová and Veselá, visitors can therefore observe different expressions of the same regional architectural history.

Monastery, Events and Discoveries for Different Age Groups

The Trinitarian monastery in Zašová is the only surviving monastery of this order in the Czech Republic. The monastery garden is freely accessible year-round and adds a place to the monastery visit that can be visited independently of the church’s seasonal opening hours. A mobile app also offers an experience game about the history and work of the Trinitarian Order. The offer is suitable for adults and children aged eight and over and can incorporate historical content into a shared discovery experience.

The annual events calendar also has fixed highlights. Zašovská pouť takes place every year on the first Sunday after 2 July, following the Feast of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary. Zašovské slavnosti is held every year on the first Saturday in September. Those who visit Zašová on one of these dates will therefore experience the area within a setting expressly shaped by the annual calendar.

Cycling, Wellness and Winter Sports

For active days, the Skály grounds offer a pump track for cycling, built in 2024. It is publicly accessible around the clock. Relaxační centrum Salza focuses on something different and offers a salt cave, massages, body and ear candles, biopedicures, an infrared sauna, a biolamp and other wellness services.

There is also a specific winter offering: Skiareál Veselá has ski slopes that are groomed and illuminated daily and covered with artificial snow. Zašová’s range of activities therefore extends from a short circular walking trail and springs to churches, a monastery and events, as well as cycling, wellness and winter sports. For further orientation, you can also find Seninka, Růžďka, Leskovec, Branky Na Morave, Velká Lhota, Lačnov, Francova Lhota and Horni Becva.

For the higher-level travel overview: Vsetín District.