Hořejší Vrchlabí: Nature, Brewing Culture and Architectural History

Hořejší Vrchlabí brings together several distinct reasons to visit: the protected Labská soutěska gorge, a hike along the Elbe, the taproom of the Hendrych family brewery and two historic buildings. These attractions differ considerably and provide a practical basis for planning your stay around your own interests.

Nature and hiking

Labská soutěska is protected as a natural monument within the cadastral area of Hořejší Vrchlabí. Its character can be described through several named features: potholes, rapids, waterfalls and 53 erosion-formed giant potholes. This highlights both the visible movement of the water and the effect of erosion on the rock. The protected status and geology offer different perspectives: the protected status identifies the area, while the geological formations give a concrete impression of its character. If you are interested in nature and geology, the gorge is a clearly defined destination to include in your travel plans.

The Labská Hiking Trail offers a different perspective: it provides an 8 km hike along the Elbe to Hořejší Vrchlabí. Unlike a geological look at the gorge, the focus here is on a specific route with a stated length and destination. This lets you weigh up whether a hike or the geological formations of the natural monument better match your travel interests.

Brewery and taproom

The Hendrych family brewery has been making beer since September 2012 and offers regular and limited batches in kegs and bottles. It also operates a taproom in Vrchlabi-Hořejší that is open to visitors and serves draft and bottled beer. The taproom is the focus of a visit, while the information about regular and limited batches puts the brewery's production in context. If you plan to include the taproom in your itinerary, check the opening hours listed there in advance.

Blacksmith's forge and chapel

The old blacksmith's forge is a protected national monument and is considered a valuable example of traditional Giant Mountains architecture. It has two storeys and is partly built using log construction. The wooden house stands on a masonry ground floor. A gallery runs around part of the log-built living room.

Opposite the forge stands the Chapel of St. John of Nepomuk, a Baroque chapel built in 1709 and a protected national monument since 1958. Its massive octagonal dome is topped by a lantern with wooden columns. Their facing locations offer a clear point of comparison: on one side, a historic residential and working building with a gallery; on the other, a Baroque chapel whose dome is a distinctive architectural feature.

Finding a hotel to match your priorities

When looking for a hotel in Hořejší Vrchlabí, you can use these differences to decide what matters most to you. If you are planning the 8 km hike, include the route along the Elbe in your travel plans; if you are interested in architectural history, consider the forge and the chapel opposite as points of architectural comparison. A visit to Hendrych's taproom is a separate activity in its own right.

Discover more destinations: Horni Olesnice, Starobucke Debrne, Upice, Pec Pod Snežkou, Lánov, Dolní Malá Úpa, Dolní Olešnice, Chotevice

For the broader travel overview: Okres Trutnov.