A castle on a wooded hill in a bend of a river is a striking introduction to Ústí nad Orlicí District. Litice stands in a bend of the Divoká Orlice and is surrounded by extensive forests. The destination combines such distinctive landscapes with fortress history, regional collections and trails that appeal to a range of interests.
Castles with a history of their own
Litice Castle was extensively rebuilt under Jiří of Poděbrady by 1468. In the 15th century, it was one of Bohemia’s most important fortresses. Its historical significance and riverside location give the site two distinct facets: one tells of the castle’s military importance, while the other reveals its landscape of hills, a bend in the river and forest.
Today, Lanšperk is a ruin on a wooded hill above the valley of the Tichá Orlice. The castle was probably founded in the mid-13th century. These sites therefore offer different historical perspectives: Litice is known for its 15th-century reconstruction and importance as a fortress, while Lanšperk’s ruinous character and presumed early origins shape how it is understood. Check current access arrangements for Lanšperk before travelling there.
Museums and military history
The Městské muzeum Králíky is dedicated to the history of the Králicko area. Its collections include nativity scenes, minerals, insects, birds and mammals. The museum also hosts exhibitions, lectures and concerts, and offers an information centre. If you are interested in a particular date, it is worth checking the current programme.
The military history trail in Králíky connects the Hůrka artillery fortress, the Králíky Military Museum, a viewpoint and the K-S 14 infantry bunker. The stops provide specific points of reference for exploring military history; check current access arrangements before your visit. You can reach the Králíky Military Museum by train to Prostřední Lipka station, followed by a walk of about 300 metres. Check the current timetable before travelling.
The craft museum in Letohrad explores historic food-production trades, including milling, baking, cheesemaking, butter-making, soda water production and beekeeping. A moving display features 25 carved craftspeople demonstrating 15 trades. There are also more than 100 historic nativity scenes, nearly half of them made by carvers from Králíky. The crafts and nativity scenes thus show two different aspects of the regional collection.
Elevations, rivers and forests
The Orlické hory extend into the eastern part of the district. There you will find Suchý vrch at 995 metres and Buková hora at 958 metres; the Králický Sněžník massif dominates the northeast. The district lies on the main European watershed. Its most important rivers include the Tichá Orlice, Divoká Orlice, Třebovka and Moravská Sázava. At 110 hectares, the Pastvinská reservoir is the district’s largest body of water.
The climate also varies significantly with elevation. Vysokomýtsko is the warmest and driest area, while Lanškrounsko is cooler and wetter. Králicko and the higher-lying Žambersko are among the coldest and wettest parts of the Pardubický kraj. Forests cover 31.9 percent of the district—the highest proportion among the districts of the Pardubický kraj. The central and northern foothills and upland areas without larger settlements are among the least affected by human activity in the region.
Stations of the Cross and water activities
Beyond the Tichá Orlice, the Stations of the Cross follow a forest path towards Andrlův chlum and comprise 14 stations. Stations I to XI are small chapels, while stations XII to XIV are larger. Station XIII is the Kalvárie Chapel, and station XIV is the Božího hrobu Chapel. A seven-kilometre hiking trail from Ústí nad Orlicí reaches the Andrlův chlum viewpoint via the Stations of the Cross. Trail conditions may change.
At the Pastvinská reservoir, you can go pedal boating, boating, stand-up paddleboarding and fishing. This offers a change from cultural and historical discoveries at castles and museums. Activities and equipment may vary by season; check availability if a particular activity is important to your plans. Cycling, inline skating, canoeing, rope-park activities and use of a climbing wall are also available in the Orlicko-Třebovsko area.
Discover more destinations: České Petrovice, Sobkovice, Kunvald V Cechách, Chocen, Cenkovice, Cervená Voda, Jablonne Nad Orlici, Klásterec Nad Orlicí, Vyprachtice, Dolní Morava, Horni Lipka, Letohrad, Lichkov, Lisnice, Mladkov, Nekor, Janovicky, Zamberk, Nová Ves, Dolni Orlice, Jamne Nad Orlici, Kraliky, Valterice, Vlckovice, Pustina, Ceske Libchavy, Sázava U Lanškrouna, Pastviny, Těchonín, Hejnice U Žamberka, Záchlumí U Žamberka, Brandýs Nad Orlicí, Bučina, Bystřec, Vysoké Mýto, Cotkytle, Džbánov, Damníkov, Dlouhá Třebová, Dolní Dobrouč, Dolní Čermná, Wildenschwert, Ceská Rybná U Zamberka, Česká Třebová, České Heřmanice, Sruby, Hnátnice, Horní Čermná, Horní Hermanice V Cechách, Koldín, Hrušová, Luková, Lanškroun, Libchavy, Svatý Jiří, Lukavice, Mostek, Orličky, Vračovice-Orlov, Ostrov, Písečná, Rudoltice, Rybník, Vraclav, Semanín, Sopotnice, Sudslava, Tatenice, Tisová, Třebovice, Újezd U Chocně, Verměřovice, Vinary, Voděrady, Zámrsk, Řepníky, Řetová, Řetůvka, Anenská Studánka, Běstovice, Studené, Bošín, Slatina, Dlouhoňovice, Dobříkov, Horní Heřmanice, Leština, Helvíkovice, Žampach, Horní Třešňovec, Hrádek, Libecina, Jehnědí, Kameničná, Kosořín, Krasíkov, Lubník, Velká Skrovnice, Mistrovice, Nové Hrady U Skutče, Nemcí, Zálší, Podlesí, Sudislav Nad Orlicí, Oucmanice, Petrovice, Plchovice, Přívrat, Radhošť, Skořenice, Stradouň, Strážná, Zádolí, Šedivec, Trpík, Týnišťko, Zářecká Lhota, Žichlínek, Zbudov, Rviště, Horní Morava
For the overview of the wider area: Pardubice.
