Kralovec: Hiking, Railway and Cultural Heritage

Those choosing Kralovec as a destination can plan their stay around hiking trails, the railway and local history. The destinations described include Královecký Špičák and the Lom Královec quarry in the Vraní hory. A church, a former chapel and historic monuments also tell the story of the area's sacred heritage. For planning purposes, it helps to consider the different route options and the seasonal railway connection separately.

Hiking routes and the seasonal railway

The Žacléř Tourist Railway connects Kralovec with Žacléř and Lampertice. Selected special trains also run via Bernartice and Trutnov střed to Trutnov. The service is seasonal and subject to the timetable; the 2026 timetable lists the corresponding connections. Before your trip, check which services run on your planned travel dates. If you are considering returning by bus, it is also worth checking the timetable: there is a bus connection from Bernartice.

Two different route options are described for Královecký Špičák. One hike can start in Kralovec, pass through the Vraní hory area and return to Bernartice. Another route to the mountain branches off from the blue hiking trail in Bernartice and follows the Traverz Vraních hor cycle path to the mountain slope. The two descriptions therefore differ both in their starting point and in their course; they should not be understood as a single route. This distinction is useful when planning your tour's starting point and return point and taking the onward bus connection into account.

The route to the summit includes a viewpoint and a rest area. At 881 m above sea level, Královecký Špičák is the highest peak in the Vraní hory. The mountain is also used by paragliders from the Czech Republic and Poland. If you plan to fly yourself, check local conditions and applicable rules in advance.

Church and local history

The Church of St. John of Nepomuk was built between 1924 and 1928 and consecrated on August 5, 1928. It is a classicizing building. A prism-shaped tower stands on the façade; the nave is rectangular, while the presbytery has a semicircular end. These clearly identifiable forms distinguish the building's layout: the tower and nave define the façade and the body of the building, while the presbytery forms the semicircular end. Details about the architecture and construction period offer a concrete insight into the area's architectural history.

An older chapel dedicated to the same saint is part of the site's history. It was consecrated on September 22, 1812. After the new church was consecrated, the former chapel was demolished in 1933. A statue of St. John of Nepomuk dating from 1762 still stands at its original site. The chapel, its former location and the later church thus form a clear chronological sequence, without the buildings being confused with one another.

Several individual monuments are also identified around the church. A stone reconciliation cross stands beside the steps to the church. A statue of St. John of Nepomuk is also located along the access path, 50 m along the path; it was restored in 1993. These details should be distinguished from the statue dating from 1762 at the original chapel site: the locations and dates given describe different aspects of local history.

Landscape and geology

In addition to the routes around Královecký Špičák, the Lom Královec quarry offers a geological connection to the landscape of the Vraní hory. It is a clear exposure of Permian rhyolite. Kralovec thus brings together several different themes: trails and the summit as points of reference for a hike, the seasonal railway as a connection between several places, as well as architectural and local history and the geological exposure. You can take these highlights into account when choosing your destination and planning your stay.

Discover more destinations: Borovnice U Staré Paky, Horni Olesnice, Hřibojedy, Malé Svatoňovice, Dolni Lanov, Čistá V Krkonoších, Mladé Buky, Borovnicka.

For the wider travel overview: Okres Trutnov.