Libětice – Hillfort, Chapel and Trails

Libětice: Elevated Setting and Early History

The Hradiště u Libětic hillfort lies on a prominent ridge above the Volyňka River. Its summit plateau was fortified as early as the Early Iron Age and later became the acropolis of the hillfort. This destination therefore brings two historical periods into view: the early fortification and its later role as an acropolis. When looking for a hotel for your trip to Libětice, you can plan around the subjects that interest you: archaeological history, sacred architecture, or cycling and hiking destinations.

The Route to the Hillfort

The route to the hillfort starts at the church in Libětice and initially heads south. It then follows a field track to the forest. For the final stretch, the route leaves the track and climbs northeast through the forest to the top of the hill. When planning, pay particular attention to the forest climb in the final stretch and check local trail conditions before setting out.

Chapel and Small Sacred Monuments

The chapel on the village square in Libětice is a simple, enclosed building with a roof lantern that serves as a bell tower. Together with a stone cross, it forms a single ensemble. The chapel is one of the small-scale sacred architectural features for which the land-use plan sets out protection requirements. South of Libětice, in the Nad Liběticemi fields, there are roadside shrines known in Czech as Boží muka. The chapel and roadside shrines thus offer a different focus from the fortifications at Hradiště: here, the emphasis is on small-scale sacred architecture.

Trasa 2A Cycling Route

The Trasa 2A cycling route covers 18 km and 182 m of elevation gain. It passes through Drachkov, Sousedovice, Libětice, Švejcarova Lhota, Kraselov, and Smiradice, then returns to Drachkov via Sousedovice. The distance and elevation gain give you two separate indications of the overall scale of the loop; the sequence of places shows its specific course. From Libětice, Trasa 2A heads towards Úlehle but does not reach the village. On the more challenging climb, you can take a detour on the yellow-marked hiking trail to Kbíl. The final 150 m are very challenging and suitable for experienced mountain bikers. This difficulty rating applies to the section mentioned, not to the entire 18 km route.

Hiking Destination: Kbíl Lookout Tower

The Kbíl Lookout Tower is another possible hiking destination in the Libětice area. It is 42 m tall overall; the observation platform is 27 m above the ground and offers views of Strakonice, the Šumava Mountains, Boubín, Bobík, Libín, Kleť, the Brdy Mountains, and Temelín. There are two access options: the yellow-marked hiking trail crosses the road from Libětice to Úlehle south of Strakonice. Alternatively, the route from Švejcarova Lhota leads to the trail junction on the edge of Švejcarova Lhota, and from there continues for about 1 km along the yellow trail to the tower. The distance of about 1 km applies to the section from the junction, not to the entire route from Švejcarova Lhota. Check local trail conditions before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Radošovice, Stozice, Tourov, Přešťovice, Buzice, Strakonice, Předslavice, Čichtice.

Return to the overview of the wider area: Okres Strakonice.