Bruntál District: Castles, Water and Trails

Bruntál District brings together castle history, water activities and trails through the Jeseníky Mountains, appealing to a range of travel interests. In Bruntál, castle rooms and exhibitions tell the story of the region; at Slezská Harta, the water and surrounding landscape take centre stage. There are also spa offerings, hiking and cycling opportunities, winter sports and regional traditions. You can put these themes together for your trip according to your own interests.

Castle History and Exhibitions

Bruntál Castle was transformed from a late Gothic castle into a Renaissance château at the end of the 16th century. The publicly accessible interiors include a chapel and first-floor rooms with Rococo wall paintings and original furnishings. The castle also houses the permanent exhibitions “Nature of the Bruntál Region” and “Craft Has a Golden Bottom”; check current access arrangements before your trip.

“Craft Has a Golden Bottom” focuses on crafts and trades in the Bruntál region in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The working environments represented include a shoemaker’s workshop, a tailor’s workshop and a grocery shop. Sensory activities feature gingerbread spices, craft tools and an anvil. The exhibition thus connects historic occupations with tangible objects and impressions.

The castle park also adds several reminders of the town’s history to your visit: it contains remains of the town walls, a Sala terrena, a bastion and eleven sculptures. At Sovinec Castle, reconstructed rooms house exhibitions on the castle’s history; from the main tower, the view extends across Sovinec Nature Park. Check current access arrangements before visiting.

Water, Volcanic Landscapes and a Spa Town

Slezská Harta is a reservoir created in the 1990s, also known locally as the “Jeseníky Sea.” Swimming is a seasonal activity; check local conditions before your trip. Other activities include boat trips, fishing, sailing and windsurfing, although some may depend on the season or the operator. Several extinct volcanoes rise around the reservoir and can be seen from excursion boats.

The Slezská Harta Tourist Information Centre is located at the harbour in Leskovec nad Moravicí. It provides information on transport connections, regional sights, and cultural and sporting events. For a stay focused on nature and outdoor activities, you can also consider the reservoir alongside other interests in the area, rather than limiting your visit to a single activity.

Karlova Studánka lies at an elevation of about 800 metres on the eastern side of Praděd, in the valley of the Bílá Opava. Its mineral springs are used for carbonic acid baths, drinking cures and gas baths; check the availability of treatments before your trip. The town combines a clearly defined high-altitude setting with a spa tradition, while the Bílá Opava also offers a distinctive perspective on the landscape.

Hiking Trails, Cycling and Winter Sports

The Bílá Opava nature trail follows the deeply cut valley of the Bílá Opava stream up into the highest parts of the Jeseníky Mountains. For mountain bike downhill runs, Bikepark Vrbno offers three trails from the summit with varying levels of difficulty. Access from the lower ski area follows Poštovská cesta, marked as route 6069 on tourist maps. As trail access may change, check the current signage on site; operation and trail conditions may depend on the season.

Ski Annaberg in Andělská Hora has three ski runs; their configuration and operation may change. Annaberg has a rental shop and basic services for alpine and cross-country skis, snowboards, sleds and bobsleds. Visitor parking is right next to the ski slope. As rental inventory may change, it is worth checking the current situation before your visit.

Osoblažsko: Railway, Farming and Food

The Osoblažská narrow-gauge railway has a track gauge of 760 millimetres; its route is 20.2 kilometres long and includes 102 curves. It has been in operation since 1898. Check current services before your trip. You can also explore Osoblažsko on foot via a range of themed routes: the KČT hiking trail network includes “Od nádraží k nádraží krajem Loupežníka Hotzenplotze,” “Kraj rozhleden s rozhledem,” “Srdcem Osoblažska,” “Osoblažské Jeseníky” and “Osoblažsko hornaté.”

Maps, GPS coordinates and contacts for accommodation and dining businesses are available for unmarked cycling routes in Osoblažsko. Agrotourism and equestrian tourism include animal care, farm work and horseback rides through hilly countryside. The “Ochutnej Osoblažsko” food festival offers a culinary occasion: it has been held since 2012 and gives visitors the chance to try regional specialities prepared by teams from the microregion’s municipalities. Dates and programme vary.

The Ovocná stezka stretches across Opavsko, Krnovsko and Osoblažsko. Its 14 stops introduce visitors to orchards, old and regional fruit varieties, traditional fruit-processing methods and historic forms of land use. The theme therefore extends beyond Osoblažsko alone.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Osoblaha, Bridlicna, Nova Plan, Sucha Rudna, Mala Moravka, Dolní Václavov, Zator, Stará Ves, Karlovice, Rymarov, Vrbno Pod Pradedem, Slezská Harta, Velká Stáhle, Svetla Hora, Dolni Moravice, Cakova, Brauntal, Andělská Hora Ve Slezsku, Stará Rudná, Bílčice, Brantice, Dětřichov Nad Bystřicí, Dvorce U Bruntálu, Heřmanovice, Holčovice, Horní Benešov, Město Albrechtice, Janov U Krnova, Jindřichov Ve Slezsku, Karlova Studánka, Krasov, Krnov, Hošťálkovy, Leskovec Nad Moravicí, Liptaň, Lomnice, Milotice Nad Opavou, Nové Heřminovy, Razová, Roudno, Rudná Pod Pradědem, Ryžoviště, Široká Niva, Slezské Rudoltice, Svobodné Heřmanice, Bohušov, Úvalno, Václavov U Bruntálu, Býkov-Láryšov, Vysoká, Třemešná, Dívčí Hrad, Dlouhá Stráň, Horní Město, Lichnov U Bruntálu, Hlinka, Horní Životice, Rusín, Jiříkov, Mezina, Ludvíkov, Malá Štáhle, Tvrdkov, Moravskoslezský Kočov, Oborná, Slezské Pavlovice, Staré Heřminovy, Valšov, Rýmařov-Harrachov.

For the broader travel overview: Moravian-Silesian Region.