The village chapel is a landmark on the village square in Malá Hrastice. There is also a hiking trail, an educational trail covering the history of gold mining, and a cycling route that starts and ends in the village. Visitors can choose from several different ways to spend their time: local history, hiking or cycling. When planning, the route, trail markings and cycling route information are especially useful; the bus service also helps with travel planning.
Chapel and local history
The chapel is the dominant building on the village square. It was probably built in the first half of the 19th century. Services are held there several times a year; if you would like to plan your visit around one, check the current date in advance. Nearby, there is a pastry shop with a bakery and a restaurant.
A parish for the Church of St Sigismund in Velká Hraštice is documented as early as 1360. Mass is held there on the first Saturday of each month. As service times can change, check the current date before visiting. This gives you two distinct historical connections: the probable construction date of the chapel and the parish history in Velká Hraštice, documented from 1360.
Hiking trails and gold mining
The green-marked hiking trail runs through the cadastral area of the municipality of Malá Hrastice from Voznice towards Nový Knín. A section of the “Nový Knín a okolí” educational trail runs along the eastern edge of this cadastral area. The trail connects history and landscape: ten information boards tell the story of gold mining in the surrounding area, which was already underway around the turn of the 14th century. Its circular route passes several mine adits and follows the valley of the Kocába River. The landscape’s specific locations thus add to the subject matter presented on the boards.
Cycling on “Za svatým Václavem”
The unmarked “Za svatým Václavem” cycling route starts and ends right in Malá Hrastice. It is 19 km long, with 357 m of elevation gain, and follows smaller forest tracks. The route is suitable for mountain bikes and is considered not particularly challenging. Unlike the green-marked hiking trail, it has no markings, so you should plan your navigation in advance. As surface conditions can change seasonally, check an up-to-date route source and the conditions before setting off.
Getting around by bus
Bus route 488 runs through Malá Hrastice towards Mníšek pod Brdy and in the opposite direction to Nový Knín. Connections to Prague are available from Mníšek pod Brdy. If you plan to use this connection for your journey there or onward travel, check the current timetable before setting off. This makes it easier to factor local routes and historical sites, along with the available bus services, into your stay.
Discover more destinations: Voznice, Dolní Hbity, Nedrahovice, Hořejany, Dlouhá Lhota, Druhlice, Dublovice, Tušovice.
For the broader travel overview: Příbram District.
