← Ostrava City Marathon·2 nights

Štramberk: Two Nights in a Hill Town

A small hill town in the Beskid foothills with a round tower, a steep main square and a local gingerbread cookie, and a much quieter place than the city to recover.

Duration2 nights
TransitRegional bus or rail from Ostrava; check a journey planner for the day
DepartsOstrava

After the Ostrava City Marathon: Štramberk

The Route: Ostrava → Štramberk → Ostrava Airport Logistics: Regional bus or rail with a connection; the airport's S8 service lists Štramberk, but the connection from Ostrava was not verified. Marathon Month: September Duration: 2 nights

Ostrava ──(regional bus or rail, check timing)──> Štramberk
                                                     │
        Ostrava Airport (OSR) ◄──(S8 train, check)───┘

Štramberk is the sort of place a marathon runner should go to be reminded that the world also contains hills that someone else is going to climb. The town sits on a slope in the foothills of the Beskids, and its main square tips downhill towards the road. After four laps of a flat city circuit, it is a good place to recover on foot, slowly.

September in Štramberk is a quiet month. Some businesses may keep reduced hours, so confirm that your room and a dinner table are open before you go.

Night one: the town

The main square is the heart of the place, with its wooden houses and cafés. Above it stands Trúba, a stone tower on the hill. Climbing it is optional and the stairs are narrow. Decide whether your quads will thank you.

The local speciality is Štramberské uši, spiced gingerbread cookies shaped like ears. Buy a few to take home. They keep.

Where to stay: Search for a small guesthouse near the square and confirm it is open, whether it has a lift (many do not) and whether you can leave a bag.

Where to eat: The town has small restaurants around the square. Ask your host which ones serve dinner on a weekday in September, and book.

Night two: a slower day

Take a gentle walk on the lower paths and keep the tower for the end. Do not plan an ambitious hike. Your legs will make the decision for you.

Getting to Ostrava Airport (OSR)

The airport's S8 service lists Štramberk, but the connection from Štramberk to Ostrava Airport may not be running in 2027. Check a Czech journey planner such as IDOS for the day, and consider a taxi for the last stretch. Leave at least a day between the last night here and your flight home.