In Chocenice, marked hiking trails meet buildings that reflect different chapters in the town’s history. When planning your visit, consider two questions: Which trails run through the town and to nearby destinations, and which historic details shape the town?
Hiking Trails from Chocenice
The yellow-marked hiking trail of the Czech Tourist Club runs from Bzí through Chocenice toward Kozí roh. From the village square, it continues to Chocenická velká skála, where it joins the green-marked trail from Srby to Blovice. This makes it possible to understand the route both by its path through Chocenice and by its connection to another marked trail.
The educational trail, with seven information panels, offers another way to find your bearings. It starts in the town center and ends at Velká skála u Bzí after less than five kilometers. The elevation gain is approximately 150 meters; the trail has two rest areas, including one by Vejsovák pond. For planning purposes, the educational trail therefore provides not only a destination but also an approximate distance, elevation gain, and places to rest. Before setting out, check the condition of the trail and rest areas on site.
The yellow-marked hiking trail focuses on its route and connection to the green trail. The educational trail also offers information panels, a route under five kilometers, and details about rest areas. These different points of reference can help you choose an outing based on your preferred route and the information available.
Chateau and Historic Architectural Styles
Chocenice Chateau was originally a late-Renaissance fortress. It was probably converted into a small Baroque chateau in the last quarter of the 17th century; valuable Neoclassical alterations were added later. In 1927, the chateau was converted into the Skupa convalescent home for children from Plzeň—another historic chapter in the building’s use.
The Old Chateau is a massive, two-story building with a mansard roof and a half-timbered upper floor. Among its surviving historic features is a Black Kitchen. These architectural styles offer a concrete impression of the features that make up Chocenice’s townscape.
The Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes also has a precise location: it stands in the center of Chocenice, on the road above the stream. Inside, a statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary stands on a pseudo-style altar. The Špejchar granary was built in 1723 on a rise above Vejsovský rybník pond and remains a defining landmark of the town.
Townscape and History
Chocenice lies in the Švihovská vrchovina highlands, in the valley of the Chocenický potok stream. The protected sessile oak Chocenický drnák grows at the northeastern edge of Chlumek. It was planted around 1720–1730. The granary and the oak offer different historical points of reference: the Špejchar is a striking building, while the tree is a protected natural monument with an approximate planting period.
Among the oldest buildings in Chocenice is the former brewery, house number 3. The Antonín Švehla monument commemorates another part of the town’s history. It honors a politician who was among the leading figures in the domestic resistance during World War I and later headed three Czechoslovak governments. Trails, buildings, and memorials thus offer different perspectives on Chocenice without requiring you to focus on just one aspect.
Discover more destinations: Dolce, Trebcice, Robčice, Horní Lukavice, Střížovice, Oselce, Ptenín, Nezdřev.
See the regional travel overview: Plzeň-Jih.
