Hostie lies in Zlaté Moravce District, in the northeastern part of the Žitavská pahorkatina uplands, at the foot of the Tribeč Mountains and in the valley of the Hostiansky Stream. Local history, Hrušov Castle and marked trails give the village a variety of highlights. When looking for a holiday apartment in Hostie, you can first consider whether you would mainly like to include cultural sites, hiking trails or the scenery along the stream in your travel plans.
Landscape Along the Hostiansky Stream
The Hostiansky Stream is a regionally significant biocorridor, with an unregulated watercourse and sparse, natural riverside vegetation. The Rybník–Hrušov area forms another regionally significant biocentre. Permanently maintained grassland includes areas grazed or mown by horses; xerothermic, or warm and dry, habitats also occur around Hrušov Castle. Stream banks, grassland and warm, dry habitats illustrate different aspects of the landscape. The protected tree “Dub v Hostí” is also located within the cadastral area of Hostie.
Hiking Trails and Hrušov Castle
The ruins of Hrušov Castle lie within the cadastral area of Hostie. The castle was probably built towards the end of the 13th century as part of the domain of Matúš Čák. Trails to the ruins lead from Skýcov, from Topoľčianky via the green-marked trail, and from Jedľové Kostoľany via the red-marked trail. The walk from Topoľčianky takes about 2¾ hours.
The green-marked hiking trail 5123 runs from Topoľčianky to Veľký Tribeč and is 30 km long in total; 5.8 km of it runs through Hostie. Another marked hiking trail runs for 6.0 km through the cadastral area, past the castle ruins and north of the Rybník stud farm. The distances have different scopes for planning: 30 km is the full length of route 5123, while 5.8 km and 6.0 km refer to sections within the cadastral area of Hostie. Check the current trail markings on site.
Cycling Along the Stream
The blue-marked cycling route 11 runs for 5.8 km within the cadastral area of Hostie, along local roads beside the Hostiansky Stream in the direction of Jedľové Kostoľany. The also blue-marked cycling route 3 covers 5.5 km there and passes about 500 m from Hrušov Castle. Route 11 follows the stream and the direction of Jedľové Kostoľany, while route 3 is notable for its proximity to the castle. Check the current cycling route signs on site.
Local History and Culture
In the centre of Hostie, a monument erected in 1962 commemorates the anti-fascist fighters from Hostie who fell in battle. The Baroque Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was built in 1798 on the site of an older church, already mentioned in 1561. It is in good condition and continues to serve its religious purpose.
The tradition of the brass band festival is also still maintained in Hostie. If the festival is important to your travel plans, check the specific dates in advance.
Discover more destinations: Ladice, Žikava, Beladice, Topoľčianky, Slepčany, Skýcov, Červený Hrádok, Martin Nad Žitavou
For the broader travel overview: Zlaté Moravce.
