Luká: Trails, Caves and History

If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Luká, the specific places to visit can help you decide what to focus on when planning. Options include trails through a karst landscape, the Javoříčko Caves and historic memorial sites. The trails’ lengths, stops and routes offer different ways to plan your visit; the memorial, exhibition and village church add cultural highlights.

Hiking Trails and Natural Landscape

The Špraněk National Nature Reserve lies in the western part of the cadastral area of Luká. Within the reserve, you may only use marked trails. The Špraněk Nature Trail is five kilometres long and starts and ends in Javoříčko. It leads through the nature reserve on a limestone hill; along the way are the collapsed Zátvořice shaft, Svěcená díra Cave and Zkamenělý zámek.

At one kilometre, the Javoříčko Nature Trail is shorter than the Špraněk Nature Trail; it has nine stops. It starts at a former school and passes newly marked foundations of houses that were burned down. The two nature trails therefore differ both in length and focus: in Javoříčko, you will encounter traces of history, while the Špraněk trail runs through the nature reserve on the limestone hill.

The Bouzov Nature Trail runs between Bouzov and Javoříčko through the Javoříčka stream valley and past the Panské rybníky ponds. It has seven stops; some have covered seating areas with views of the landscape. Another trail around the Panské rybníky ponds is five kilometres long and intended for pedestrians and cyclists. The two trails can be distinguished by their routes and intended use: the nature trail connects two named places through a valley, while the route around the ponds is specifically intended for walking and cycling.

The Javoříčko Caves

The Javoříčko Caves are open to the public and are distinguished by abundant stalactite and stalagmite formations and a complex system of passages, chasms and chambers. They lie in the Devonian limestone of Mount Špraněk and extend across three underground levels. Of the more than 3.5 kilometres of passages currently known, 788 metres are open to the public. This gives a sense of the scale of the entire system and the portion accessible to visitors.

Memorial Sites and Architectural History

The Javoříčko Memorial is a national cultural monument commemorating the tragedy of 5 May 1945. It stands directly above the mass grave of the victims and takes the form of a larger-than-life group of six figures. Next to the memorial is the former school, where a modern exhibition shows old Javoříčko before its destruction and provides information about the wartime events of the time. Since the Javoříčko Nature Trail starts at this former school, the trailhead and exhibition are at the same location.

The Baroque Church of St John the Baptist stands on Luká’s village square. The present church was built in 1734 on the site of an older church building. Compared with the commemoration of the events of 1945, the church’s architectural history offers a different point of reference in time: it reaches back to the 18th century.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Velký Újezd, Lipinka, Šumvald, Hlušovice, Nová Hradečná, Křelov-Břuchotín, Daskabát, Libavá

Return to the main travel overview: Olomouc District.