Ponds, wetlands and protected pine landscapes give Bolevec a distinctive natural character. Marked trails and places that reveal the history of the landscape and rural life add to this. You can shape your stay around your own interests: spend time by the water, go for a hike or focus on culture.

Ponds, Wetlands and Pine Landscapes

The Petrovka Nature Reserve covers the valley of the Bolevecký potok stream west of the Plzeň–Ledce road, adjoining southern slopes with pine stands, and geomorphological features. It protects a pine ecosystem containing the gene pool of a local Scots pine ecotype, wet meadows, and numerous protected or endangered species. The area also includes one of the oldest wetlands in the Plzeň region.

The Kamenný rybník Nature Reserve, located in Bolevec, offers another botanical perspective. 165 species of higher plants have been recorded there; such species counts may change as surveys are updated. The Bolevecké rybniční soustava, a system of ten ponds, lies on the northern outskirts of Plzeň. The Bolevecké rybníky are used for swimming in summer—here, nature watching and summer days by the water offer different ways to spend your time.

Two Trails with Different Profiles

For a shorter route, try the 4 km Olympijský okruh around Velký Bolevecký rybník. It is marked in blue and considered less challenging. The Kolem rybníků trail is 5 km long, marked in red and more challenging. Comparing the two can help you choose a route, as they differ in duration and level of difficulty.

Both walking trails at the Bolevecké rybníky are marked with information boards and are suitable for pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair users. The Kolem rybníků trail starts either at the terminus of tram line 1 or at the car park by Plzeň-Bolevec railway station. Check current travel information before setting out and route conditions before starting your walk.

Another option combines exercise with activities: the Spejbl and Hurvínek Experience Trail starts and ends at Šídlovský rybník and is 5.5 km long. There are activities for children and adults at ten stations. If you are interested in trees and forest education, the Sofronka Arboretum offers another way to explore nature: it is home to more than 60 pine species from around the world and also serves as a venue for forest education programmes. Visitors can observe fallow deer in a woodland enclosure from two viewing platforms.

Industrial Heritage and Rural Architecture

Kolomazná pec lies in the Bolevec wetlands and is part of the Sigmondova naučná stezka. This technical monument dates from the mid-18th century and is considered the best-preserved tar kiln complex in Czechia. It recalls the production of tar and other products through the dry distillation of wood. Its story is thus closely connected to the processing of natural resources in the past.

At the U Matoušů Open-Air Museum in Plzeň-Bolevec, the focus is on rural folk architecture. This national cultural monument documents the development of building styles and ways of life in the Plzeň region from the 18th to the 20th century. The farmstead complex includes a large residential building, stables, a two-storey brick granary and a large barn; most of the preserved buildings date from the Classicist period. The farmstead is part of the Bolevec village conservation area. Free exhibitions are open to visitors in the granary and barn.

Bolevec brings together a range of interests: ponds and wetlands, marked trails, plants and animals, as well as industrial and rural cultural history.

Discover more destinations: Lhůta, Tymákov, Nezbavětice, Pilsen, Letkov, Chrást, Štěnovický Borek, Dýšina.

For the overview of the wider area: Plzeň-Město District.