Vrbno pod Pradědem – a small town in the Bruntál District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. Although not very well known, Vrbno has enough to offer. A wide range of possible outdoor activities and interesting biking and hiking trails are the town’s pride.
About Vrbno pod Pradědem
The small town that’s name means Vrbno under Praděd (the highest mountain in the Jeseník region and second highest in the Czech Republic) has a population of approximately 5 000 inhabitants. It’s location confluences Bílá, Černá and Střední Opava at an altitude between 520-590 metres. Bílý Potok, Vidly, Mnichov and Železná are villages and hamlets that are part of the town and are very close to the small but well-known spa village Karlová Studánka.
Vrbno used to be an important place for glass production. The former factories are now used for different purposes. However, there are two small businesses continuing in the glass production tradition and are open for visitation and shopping. “Sklářská huť TOMI” in Vrbno centre and “Sklárna u Jakuba” in Mnichov create historical glass that is also exported internationally. Fun fact: some of their glasses have been used several times in historical movies.
Outdoor activities
The town continuously expands its possibilities for tourists and locals by providing an interesting range of outdoor activities, such as bike paths, hiking trails and parks. There are a lot of playgrounds and parks scoured all over the town and surrounding villages. Often the parks are equipped with benches and pergolas, some are located along the river or the lakes, and are connected to numerous bike- and hiking paths leading through Vrbno to various trails.
Vrbno prides itself also on its skatepark in Železná, the tennis courts, and the Ski Arena Andělka which entails a ski slope, a bobsleigh and a bike park.
The town has installed a new electronic information board in the centre, next to the round-about. The board not only provides information about the weather, news and current events. It also provides public transportation schedules, maps for hiking and biking, and information about the town itself.
Bike paths and trails
Cycling is a well-liked activity for Czechs. When you visit the town, you can bring your own bike or borrow/loan a bike, e-bike or even a scooter at the rental shop. A nice bike path leads through Vrbno, Železná and Mnichov that is also adequate for inline skating.
One of the most scenic paths is the one going from Vrbno, through Mnichov in the direction of Drakov and then continues to Rejvíz. Along the way, you can stop at numerous places like for example at Sněženka in Mnichov, which is a small pub with home-cooked food.
Another nice day trip is walking, cycling or driving to Praděd. You can either go there by car, by bike or concrete buses that are driving regularly. Very popular is to drive up and walk down different paths. My personal favourite is driving by car to Karlová Studánka, parking the car, and using the bus to get to Praděd. Then walk back to Karlová Studánka and see the beautiful forest, waterfalls and streams together with the panoramic views.
When hiking through Vrbno and Mnichov’s forests and meadows, on some paths you’ll see streams and water wells with cups hanging on the fence or standing next to. In Vrbno it is “Mirkův pramen” and in Mnichov it is located next to the Sněženka pub. It is nature’s cleanest water and there is a saying that “the one drinking from the well will be provided with good health and good fortune”.
Surrounding Vrbno are many smaller mountains with stunning panoramic views. Hiking on some of them is a challenge but definitely worth it. Walking from Vrbno to Suchý vrch and Medvědí vrch and coming back over Mnichov is a day-long trip worth every step.
Where to stay while visiting
Although there is a hotel and some pensions in Vrbno itself, such as Hotel Stone, Penzion u Hradilů or Penzion Vrbno, we recommend accommodation in the surrounding area. A very nice hotel is Hotel Singer in Ludvíkov, which has a wellness and spa area and a great restaurant. Horský hotel Vidly has a wonderful location and view. A trend in this region is to rent a cottage or a chalet provided by private owners. Chatavjesenikach, Chata Brigit, and many others have great ratings and are often more comfortable than hotels or pensions.
Want to know more about beautiful places in the Czech Republic and where you can go for a trip? On our blog, you’ll find plenty!
Stay tuned for part 2 with more places to visit and fun events and festivals happening in Vrbno throughout the year.
Sources: Vrbno, Booking.com, Andělka
