The majority of Czech castles and chateaus close their gates for the winter season. But there are some historical pearls that welcome visitors all year round, even without any prior booking.

They include palaces in city centres or chateaus and castles in small villages. We have some tips for the most interesting sights across the country.

Karlštejn Castle

Mníšek pod Brdy Chateau

Dětenice Chateau

Northeast of Prague, in a region called Bohemian Paradise, you can visit the baroque chateau of Dětenice. It is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and the chateau offers fairy-tale tours for children. Apart from the chateau, you can also visit the popular medieval tavern that will take you from the 21st century to the Middle Ages, and you can also spend a night in a medievally-styled hotel. The historical building of the brewery near the chateau has been reconstructed and beer is brewed there.

Loučeň Chateau

Zbiroh Chateau

The Zbiroh chateau hotel between Prague and Plzeň offers the Chateau Tour in winter except for January. The tour will take you through the chateau history, the Masonic lounge, or the hall where Alfons Mucha painted the famous Slav Epic. You will learn about the history of the Order of Knights Templars and see some truly unique exhibits. The tours are available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day.

Loket Castle

The gothic castle of Loket in West Bohemia near Karlovy Vary is one of the most beautiful castles in the Czech Republic. It was built on a rocky point of land surrounded by the Ohře River on three sides. Emperor Charles IV used to stay there quite often. He was there for the first time at the age of 3, when he was imprisoned there. The castle exposition includes a vast porcelain collection and a collection of antique firearms. There is also a meteorite there; it fell on Loket in 1422. It is open daily until 4 p.m. in winter.

Hluboká nad Vltavou Chateau

The romantic South Bohemian chateau in Hluboká nad Vltavou is one of the most beautiful chateaus in the Czech Republic. The winter tours will take you through the private rooms of the last four generations of the Schwarzenberg family, including the hunter’s dining room, the servery or the flat of the last owner of the chateau, Dr. Adolf Schwarzenberg. There is a technical curiosity there: a personal and service lift. Hluboká is open daily in winter, except for Mondays (from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

Sychrov Chateau

Lednice Chateau

The South Moravian chateau in Lednice is one of the most visited sights in the Czech Republic. It used to be the representative summer house of the Lichtenstein family. The chateau is a part of the Lednice – Valtice Landscape Area, recorded in the UNESCO World Heritage list. In winter, it is open on the weekend ( from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), except in January. What can you see during the winter tours?

Slatiňany Château

A château, a stud farm, where horses are bred at a UNESCO Heritage Site, an English park, forests with a wealth of potential for sports, a nature reserve with deer and mouflons, avenues of cherry trees and edible chestnuts and, last but not least, one of the world’s largest equestrian collections. You won’t find many other places with such an amazing range of attractions spread across just a few hectares! Tours are available from Thursday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Source