Červený Kostelec: Fairy-Tale Trail, Culture and Pond Route

Červený Kostelec offers different options for planning your trip: a fairy-tale trail in the forest near the town centre, a marked hiking and cycling route to the Špinka dam, and cultural sites with their own architectural and local history. If you are looking for a hotel, it helps to first decide what brings you here. Nature trails, the annual folklore event and historic sites appeal to different interests.

Fairy-Tale Trail and Route to Špinka

The Božena Němcová Fairy-Tale Trail has six stops and is designed as an experiential trail with wooden features, activities, puzzles and a theatre scene. It leads through a forest near the town centre, is freely accessible and suitable for pushchairs. The wooden features, activities and puzzles offer different ways to engage with each stop; the theatre scene adds a storytelling element. If you are travelling with a pushchair, the trail’s suitability is a practical point to consider when planning.

Route No. 010 – Červenokostelecké rybníky offers a different focus. It follows a red-marked hiking trail and a cycle path to the dam of Špinka, the largest pond on the route. The fairy-tale trail focuses on stops and activities, while this route is defined by its trail markings, use as a hiking and cycling route, and connection to the Špinka dam. This gives you a choice between a purpose-designed experiential trail and a route that can be used for both hiking and cycling.

Cultural Sites with a History of Their Own

The International Folklore Festival in Červený Kostelec is held annually and brings people together through music, dance and traditions. If the festival affects your travel dates, check when it is scheduled before booking a hotel. The amateur theatre Divadlo J. K. Tyla was built in 1924–1925. Its auditorium can seat 398 spectators without any extensions.

The Church of St James the Greater (sv. Jakuba Většího) is originally a Gothic building from the 14th century and is documented as a parish church as early as 1362. It is listed as a cultural monument. The home of Božena Němcová is also listed as a cultural monument. The exhibition there includes historical furnishings and examples of spinning practices that were typical of Červený Kostelec in the first third of the 19th century. This offers a view ranging from architectural history to historical domestic objects and a local way of working.

The cemetery with the Chapel of St Cyril and St Methodius (sv. Cyrila a Metoděje) lies near the town centre on Chrby Hill and, with its abundant greenery, continues Smetanovy sady. The chapel was completed and consecrated in 1865. Its organ, dating from 1873, can also be used as a concert instrument. The Stations of the Cross at the chapel comprise fourteen stations by V. Střihavka, dating from 1875. The chapel, organ and Stations of the Cross each bring their own historical details to the story of this place.

The Žižkův sbor was completed in June 1927 and is accessible only from the outside. If you include this site in your plans, bear in mind that only the exterior can be viewed.

Discover more destinations: Zlícko, Hejtmánkovice, Libchyně, Sendraž, Běluň, Hronov, Velké Poříčí, Litoboř

For the broader travel overview: Okres Náchod.