Valašská Polanka: Hotels and Accommodation

Valašská Polanka lies in the valley of the Senice River. The western part of the cadastral area lies at the foot of the Vizovice Highlands; the right bank of the Senice belongs to the Javorníky Mountains and the Beskydy Protected Landscape Area. A road and a railway line connecting Moravia with Slovakia run through the village.

Nature and Trails

Marked hiking trails from Valašská Polanka lead to the ridges of the Vizovice Highlands and eastwards to the border ridge of the Javorníky Mountains. The surrounding area is suitable for easy hikes, mountain biking and cross-country skiing in winter. A walk of approximately 2 km to the swing at Sulačov can begin at the Church of Saint John the Baptist. Sulačov offers views of the Senice valley towards Vsetín, as well as of the Javorníky Mountains and the Vizovice Highlands.

A cycling trip on the BEVLAVA cycle path begins in Valašská Polanka and follows the Senice River towards Prlov. The route from Valašská Polanka to the Huzuls and back is recommended for hiking, cycling and mountain biking in challenging mountainous terrain.

The traditional summer hiking day Pochod okolo Polanky takes place on 5 July and leads through Valašská Polanka and its surroundings. The route includes beautiful views and several refreshment stations. The 7 km-long Vartovna educational trail has seven stops and presents sights and the history of Seninka, Valašská Polanka and other places along the route.

At Neratov Pond in the nearby area, a preserved wetland ecosystem can be found. Rare and specially protected aquatic invertebrates and amphibians occur there.

Culture and History

The Church of Saint John the Baptist in Valašská Polanka was consecrated in 1778. In front of it stands a stone cross from 1779 bearing the coat of arms of the Counts of Illésházy; it is listed as a cultural monument. Inside is a small bell from 1720, known as the “umíráček.” It probably once belonged to a bell tower shown on old maps of Polanka.

The parish pilgrimage of Valašská Polanka is celebrated on the Sunday closest to 24 June. The Hody festival traditionally takes place every year on the third weekend of October and commemorates the consecration of the local church in 1778. The tradition of the “starovalašská dožatá” is also still alive in Valašská Polanka.

Above the railway station stands a wooden cross erected in 1948 and restored around the turn of the century by the children of the Pasekář couple Mikušek in their memory. Valašská Polanka also has a monument to those who fell in the First World War, dating from 1934, and a monument to those who fell in the Second World War, dating from 1947.

Residents of Valašská Polanka and Lužná presented the tradition of Valašská svatba at ethnographic exhibitions in Vsetín in 1892 and Prague in 1895.

Local

Valašská Polanka has a local coffee roastery where visitors can stop for a coffee. Slaughterhouse specialties are sold at the local fire station.

More Local Pages

More local pages: Lidečko, Študlov, Střítež Nad Bečvou, Prostřední Bečva, Janová, Liptál, Branky, Wesetin.

To the higher-level travel overview: Vsetín District.