World Traveler

Hluboka and nearby Czesky Krumlov are must-sees on the Czech travel circuit. Photo by Ivo Jansch/Wikimedia Commons.

With the winter in Europe still pounding in, we thought we’d take a break from our regular semi-serious to serious to very serious blog coverage of news events, travel developments and do’s and don’ts for the traveler. In part, this comes as a response to a query I received from an associate after demonstrating World Traveler (after he learned that yours truly was once a hardworking manager in a Prague travel agency)—and in part this comes from the fact that yours truly is rather eccentric when it comes to castles, ruins and anything gothic or related to the middle ages.

And in part, this comes from… well, no I have no real excuse, but hey, this is a Friday blog, so let’s have some fun.

So back to the point.

The Czech Republic quite possibly exceeds all of its neighbors when it comes to outstanding castles in a relatively small space—although both Slovakia and Austria also rate highly in this regard. Below are nine World Traveler Online favorites, although this is by no means a complete list. In fact, one of the best things about the Czech Republic is castles seem to pop up in unexpected places. A good spring or summer road trip guarantees pleasant surprises, but even in winter the following castles (and a good Czech Hospoda or pub) are worth the journey.  

1. Hluboka/Czesky Krumlov. If you have time to make the three-hour train journey from Prague, Czesky Krumlov and especially Hluboka, which is nearby, is a must see. Hluboka has the wow effect that you might expect from a Disney movie. A real white castle full to the brim with the kinds of things castles are supposed to have, including tapestries, medieval furniture and an untold amount of stag horns mounted on the walls. Moreover, Czesky Krumlov is the kind of small Bohemian town that might make you wish you were born Czech. Good bars, great beer. The kind of under-the-castle, laid back atmosphere that you get at Renaissance fairs. A good day trip.
2. Karlstejn. Incredible on the outside in a Renaissance-but German-castle-on-the-mountain way, but much less impressive on the inside. There are a number of restored rooms worth seeing, but you won’t see them unless you have connections or royal blood. Skip the high-priced tours and get there yourself by train or car (about a 30 minute drive—Highway 4 to Strakonice and then the Karlstejn exit). The hike up to the castle is the fun part.
3. Hukvaldy. Although defined as a ruin and not a proper castle, Hukvaldy (near Olomouc in Moravia) is big, gothic and surrounded by forests. It also was a key bastion during the 30 years war—so yes, it saw plenty of fighting. The caste hosts medieval festivals and strange, somewhat undefined winter weekend parties where castle lovers from the region simply show up, wander around and drink hot wine. Worth a visit.
4. Perstejn. If you were a Hollywood film director and wanted to make a film about some mad duke or vampire in his castle above a sleepy hamlet in the forest, this would be the one. Perstejn, on the border of Olomouc and Moravia, is impressive both on the outside and the inside, and the laid back Moravian influence certainly does not hurt. Not particularly easy to get to however, as it is a bus-ride from Olomouc.
5. Kost. Another jaw-dropper—and a rare example of a Gothic castle that has not changed much since medieval times (in other words, the mid-1300s). Weapons displays and a strange “black kitchen” inside are worth visiting, but the countryside around Kost may make you want to stay forever.  About 18 kilometers from Jicin in the
6. Rabi. A big, white Gothic castle above a small town, which basically makes a very good postcard shot. (Not much to do in the town, however). Oddly, the Czech Republic is one of the few places where castles or ruins that actually saw fighting remain beautiful, if not intact. Unfortunately, Rabi was not indomitable, as it was twice conquered by the Hussites.
7. Helfenburk. If you want to hike to a castle (or to the ruins of a castle in the distance), Helfenburk (founded in 1355) is a good bet. About seven kilometers from Bavorov, or about 80 kilometers from Prague. It’s not hard to find as it towers over much of the surrounding country.
8. Boutov. Although not as impressive on the outside as some of the earlier-mentioned castles, Boutov definitely has the wow effect once you get inside. Gothic, but extravagant, would be the word, and this one (near Litovel) is worth a visit.
9. Kutna Hora. Okay, okay, the most dominating feature of the town (about a one hour train ride from Prague) is not a castle, but the Temple of St. Barbora. How anyone in the medieval period even came up with the design, much less built the temple, is a wonder. Think: Tolkien’s elves finally got that unlimited budget. Moreover, the paintings and artwork within the temple are also outstanding.

So there you go. We could continue well into the teens, as the list of worthy castles hardly stops at No. 9—but the fact is that not every traveler will have the luck or good fortune to live in the Czech Republic as so many expatriates (including yours truly) managed to do in the now nostalgic 1990s.

That said, we do have one last word to the wise—once out of Prague the language barrier often returns in force. It pays to research your trip ahead of time and be ready to stumble through some odd conversations out in the countryside. Many castles are located in or near small, relatively unknown towns (to those who are not Czech anyway), but it pays to either book ahead or to use mobile GPS or booking software (such as World Traveler’s Hotelzon) even for well-known destinations, such as Czesky Krumlov, as you may have a change in plans and finding available hotels in the Czech Republic during the tourist season can be a real nightmare.

Or you can just take it as part of the adventure. Many, if not most, hospodas are open until the wee hours of the morning, and honestly, in the Czech Republic almost any emergency hotel stay can easily be traded for a night of beer, singing and merry hospoda repartee.

Like I said, this is a Friday blog. Travel light.

By Preston Smith

Editor, World Traveler

This blogger can be reached at preston.smith@psiloc .com