The first town that caught my attention is Bludov. Bludov has about 3,000 inhabitants and is known for quite a few things. Some people travel there to visit the children's museum, others travel there to visit the chateau, but I believe that most are attracted by the spa and thermal baths that it has to offer. Want to know why I decided to go there? To show you everything but the spa. I want people to see what more this town has to offer and consider staying there for a little while longer.
CHATEAU BLUDOV
What catches the eye right away when getting off the bus is the Chateau Bludov or bludovský zámek. It is a baroque chateau that has been owned by the Žerotín family since 1710 and some of its descendants live there to this day. The Žerotín family were one of the most important Czech and Moravian noble families. Not only is the castle itself a sight to see but the connecting English garden also has its charm. As soon as I laid eyes on the castle I felt like you could feel all of the history radiating off of it. This place has been visited by so many people during the past few centuries. It has lived through war and peace and it still stands as tall as before.
I sadly didn't have the chance to take a glimpse inside the castle. However, the building and the surrounding park are more than enough of a reason to visit. I probably spent way too much time to be considered normal, just wandering around the area, taking pictures and looking at everything the place had to offer. Whether you come to Bludov for a reason or simply drive through I urge you to take a little time out of your day and visit this historical monument in the center of town. It's a must-see!
NATURE TRAIL
One of the attractions the town of Bludov advertises is their educational nature trail - so naturally I just had to give it a try! If you don't count all the time I spent taking pictures I'd say it took me about an hour. The trail is about 4.5 km long but you don't need to walk that far if you don't want to! Since it starts and ends in one place (the castle parking lot) it can be accessed from several different places and you can shorten the route or continue on the hiking trails to your taste.
When I first started my adventure I felt like I was starring in a crime show. Except for being the strong independent female detective I was the next victim. An innocent young woman walks into a forest on a cloudy day and we all know how that story continues.
However this feeling quickly faded when I started paying attention to my surroundings. The first friend I found was this guy sitting on a log and enjoying his pipe.
As I kept on walking I discovered a fallen tree and it's roots made it look like a dinosaur. (A styracosaurus to be exact) A first I thought it was intentional but later I realised that it was just the beauty of nature and my imagination playing tricks on me.
After a while I walked past a tree that was swarmed with small birds. I spent a few minutes just watching them and trying to capture them on camera. After some research I now know that they were blue tits or sýkora modřinka however I still can't wrap my head around why that one specific tree was so attractive to them.
The highlight of the whole trail definitely is the Brusná lookout tower. It is located on the Brusná hill and on a good day you have the most beautiful view! With my luck, I of course picked the cloudiest day of the week to go to a lookout tower. (I swear I'm usually smarter than that) Nevertheless, I still had a great view of Bludov and its surrounding area. There are small info panels that tell you what towns and mountains you can see, which was very helpful for me as I had no clue as to what I was looking at. If you like pretty views and aren't too afraid of heights I definitely recommend checking it out!
In general, I really enjoyed this activity. I exercised, I spent time outside and thanks to the 10 information panels that you can find while walking I actually learned some things about Bludov's history and nature! Don't worry about taking children or elder people with you - the walk is for everyone as there is only one part that is a little steeper. Also you don't really need to worry about getting lost. As long as you follow the path that is marked with a yellow sign you should be good.
WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?
If you don't really like old buildings or walking or want to do even more in Bludov look no further!
Bludov is home to a fantastic children's museum - the Pradědovo dětské muzeum. The museum introduces the Jeseníky region in a playful, entertaining and interactive way that involves all of your senses. The exhibition offers games about nature, history and the Jeseníky Mountains. You will learn about famous celebrities from the mountains below Praděd and even taste local specialities. Sadly, I didn't have any children with me who I could have used as an excuse to go in and try it for myself.
If you want to relax and unwind visit the local spa - Lázně Bludov. They do not only focus on relaxation but also on treating various diseases.
If you want to find more information and tips you can also visit the information center in Bludov.
THE HIDDEN GEM
Mirror, mirror on the wall, which town has the prettiest bus stops of them all? Bludov!
It may seem like a strange thing to notice but while I was walking through the town I noticed how pretty the bus stops are. It's not just an abandoned bench on the site of the road. Every bus stop has a little garden with trimmed bushes, trees, and flowers. Most of them even had a small pavilion.
The thing that surprised me the most was the one bus station that actually had fitness equipment!
THOUGHTS
Bludov is a really nice town to visit if you want to go on a day trip with your family, with your children or alone like me. There are multiple restaurants but the thing I missed was a little café or bakery to get some coffee after the nature walk. Maybe there is one but I was unable to find one. This actually brings me to my next point. There is hardly any information available in English. The only reason why I understood the info panels was that I translated everything using my phone. In general people seemed very surprised to see someone walk around town with a camera.
Nevertheless, I really enjoyed my trip to Bludov and I loved that I was able to spend some time in nature.