The castle in Bruntál has undergone a revealing transformation: at the end of the 16th century, a late Gothic castle was turned into a Renaissance château. Its interiors, which are open to the public, include a chapel and rooms on the first floor with Rococo wall paintings and original furnishings. Visitors can encounter different facets of the castle’s history here before turning their attention to the exhibitions and park.
Renaissance, Rococo and Crafts in Bruntál
The castle houses the permanent exhibitions Nature of the Bruntál Region and Craft Has a Golden Bottom. The latter focuses on crafts and trades in the Bruntál region in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It offers glimpses into a shoemaker’s workshop, a tailor’s workshop and a grocery store. Sensory exhibits feature gingerbread spices, craft tools and an anvil. Alongside the building’s history, everyday working life in earlier times is also in the spotlight. Check current access to the exhibitions before your trip.
The castle park adds further historical and artistic traces to the interiors: it contains remnants of the town walls, a Sala Terrena, a bastion and eleven sculptures. The focus at Sovinec Castle, by contrast, is on the history of the castle. Exhibitions on its history are housed in reconstructed rooms, and the view from the main tower stretches across Sovinec Nature Park. The two sites thus offer different perspectives: Bruntál combines accessible interiors with features in the park, while Sovinec pairs exhibitions in reconstructed rooms with a lookout point. Check the current access conditions before visiting.
Narrow-Gauge Railway and Slezská Harta
The Osoblažská narrow-gauge railway offers a technical contrast to the history of the castles. Its track gauge is 760 millimetres, the line is 20.2 kilometres long and has 102 curves; it has been in operation since 1898. These figures give the railway a distinctive profile. If you plan a ride, check current services before travelling.
Slezská Harta is a reservoir created in the 1990s, also known locally as the “Sea of the Jeseníky Mountains.” Several extinct volcanoes rise in the surrounding area and can be seen from sightseeing boats. Swimming, boat trips, fishing, sailing and windsurfing are available on the water. Some of these activities are seasonal or depend on the provider; check local conditions before making plans.
Karlova Studánka Spa offers a different kind of experience. It lies at an altitude of about 800 metres on the eastern side of Praděd, in the valley of the Bílá Opava. Mineral springs are used there for carbon dioxide baths, drinking cures and gas baths. If you are planning a particular treatment, check its current availability in advance.
Hiking, Cycling and Regional Discoveries
The Bílá Opava nature trail follows the deep valley of the Bílá Opava stream to the highest parts of the Jeseníky Mountains. Osoblažsko also has a KČT hiking trail network with routes such as “From Station to Station through the Land of the Robber Hotzenplotz,” “The Region of Lookout Towers with a View,” and “Through the Heart of Osoblažsko,” as well as “Osoblažské Jeseníky” and “Osoblažsko Highlands.” The names highlight different themes and perspectives within the route network.
For cycling, Osoblažsko has a network of unmarked routes. Maps, GPS coordinates and contacts for accommodation and food businesses are also available. Those interested in agriculture and horses can also find agritourism and equestrian tourism, with animal care, farm work and rides through hilly countryside. These activities offer a different way to experience the region than its exhibitions and sights.
Regional products and their history are also celebrated. The “Ochutnej Osoblažsko” gastro festival has been held since 2012; teams representing municipalities in the Osoblažsko microregion prepare local specialties for visitors to taste. Dates and programmes vary. The Ovocná stezka fruit trail has 14 stops and runs through Opavsko, Krnovsko and Osoblažsko. It introduces visitors to orchards, old and regional fruit varieties, traditional fruit-processing methods and historical forms of land management.
Winter Sports and Practical Information
Ski Annaberg in Andělská Hora has three slopes. Annaberg rents out and provides basic maintenance for alpine and cross-country skis, snowboards, sledges and bobs; visitor parking is right next to the ski slope.
Vrbno Bike Park has three downhill runs from the summit, each with a different level of terrain difficulty. It can be reached from the lower part of the ski area via Poštovská cesta, marked as Route 6069 on tourist maps. Local signage may change, so it is worth checking the latest information. There is also a tourist information centre at the harbour in Leskovec nad Moravicí, offering information on transport connections, regional attractions, and cultural and sporting events.
Discover More Destinations
Brauntal, Cakova, Dolni Moravice, Svetla Hora, Velká Stáhle, Slezská Harta, Vrbno Pod Pradedem, Rymarov, Karlovice, Stará Ves, Zator, Dolní Václavov, Mala Moravka, Sucha Rudna, Nova Plan, Bridlicna, Osoblaha, Andělská Hora Ve Slezsku, 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, Stará Rudná.
For the broader travel overview: Moravian-Silesian Region.
