Rabštejn nad Střelou

Rabštejn nad Střelou is often described as the smallest town in Central Europe, but the reality is slightly different. Although Rabštejn has a castle, château and church, everything that a proper town should have, it is “only” a city district of the larger Manětín, situated north of Plzeň.

Tourists describe Rabštejn as a fairy tale revelation when seen for the first time. No more than a few dozen residents live in the deep valley of the Střela River, but you will still find a Gothic bridge and Loreta nearby, burgher houses at the square, a museum, château, monastery and the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, and half-timbered houses and cottages scattered around the streets and hillsides. The ruins of two medieval castles and the remnants of stone town walls give the town a mysterious look. A Jewish cemetery can be found on a nearby hillside.

Across Rabštejn

To explore Rabštejn, follow the almost seven-kilometre-long great educational loop trail, which starts at the top edge of the town, has fourteen stops, and takes you to the most interesting sites in Rabštejn and its surroundings. The trail can be divided into two separate loops, which might be better as the terrain is quite rugged with a high climb in elevation. In the Střela valley, among other things, you will also discover abandoned quarries where quality slate used to be extracted to cover the roof of St Vitus Cathedral in Prague and Karlštejn Castle.
The deep canyon-like valley of the upper course of Střela between Rabštejn and Mladotice is a true paradise for daydreamers and romantics. Water sports enthusiasts also love the river, which is navigable from the weir in Žlutice during spring when the snow melts, after heavy rain, or when water is released from the Žlutice water reservoir in mid-September every year. You can ride a horse at the Havraní kámen ranch, visit the popular destination with the giant Dědek and Bába boulders, and the rock formations with smaller and larger rocking stones near Žihle.