Karlštejn castle Archives

I must admit I have a bit of a sweet spot when it comes to castles. Maybe it is the child that still wonders within me or the fact that my husband proposed to me overlooking one of the most magical castles of all, Neuschwanstein in Germany. Whatever the reason, I adore visiting castles as they have a way of taking me back to the carefree days of reading Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia or dreaming of Sleeping Beauty’s castle in a fairytale.

It came as no surprise that during a recent trip to Prague, we decided to get out of the city for a day and see one of the Czech Republic’s most beloved castles: The Karlštejn castle (Hrad Karlštejn). Only 20 kilometers southwest of Prague, the Karlštejn castle is one of the most famous and visited castles in the country.

We arrived around 11 am by personal driver. Hiring a driver for the day was one of the best decisions that we made. For six hours, the cost was a mere $65 and we had the freedom to do and see as we pleased. Most tourists arrive via tour bus in a package deal that brings you to other sites as well. You can visit the castle either way but I am glad we did it on our own.

Once in town, there are two ways to reach the castle, both on foot. You can either walk up along the medieval village of Karlštejn bringing you past souvenir shops and restaurants (about one and half kilometers steep walk to the castle) or you can leave from the car park which takes about ten minutes walk through the forest. Once you arrive, you must purchase castle tour tickets if you haven’t already done so online (recommended) or as part of your tour package if you are coming via tour bus. The lines were quite long so I’m relieved we arrived early. One of the tours was already sold out.

The lovely forest surrounding the castle.

Built between 1348-1355 by Emperor Charles IV, the gothic-style Karlštejn Castle was a symbol of the Golden Age and served as a safe depository of the Bohemian royal and imperial jewels, holy relics, royal treasures and an archive of state documents. The history of Karlstejn is a mix of many myths and incredible true stories that can be heard while touring the inside of the castle. Despite its ornate beauty and massive size, it is said that Charles IV visited the castle only six times.

View of Hrad Karlštejn from above. Photo Credit: Wikipedia free commons

There is no better time to visit Prague than in the springtime when the city is waking up to blooming flowers and sunshine and the hordes of tourists are just beginning to arrive. The city becomes alive with outdoor restaurants, cafes and bars where you can sit and watch the world go by. The rain is tapering off and the unruly level of tourists (that most likely make summertime in Prague unbearable) is still at a manageable level.

We thoroughly enjoyed our four days in Prague, spending hours on foot exploring this spectacular city awash in history, culture and charm. I was mesmerized by the beauty of Prague with her immaculate architecture that has made this city one of the hottest tourist destinations in Europe. Little did I know, the Prague countryside is equally as lovely and magical as the crown jewel herself.

On a Saturday morning, we decided to hire a driver for the day and headed out to explore the glorious Prague countryside and see what the locals do in their spare time. It was a stunning May day with brilliant blue skies, a gentle breeze and not a sign of rain. We were grateful to have it after spending our first few days in Prague in the drizzling rain.

Leaving Prague

Our driver was an amiable young man who filled us in on the history of Prague. He had an encyclopedia of knowledge and a wonderful car with a front to back sunroof that gave us a bird’s-eye view of the passing countryside.

After leaving the city, it wasn’t long until we reached the lush fertile countryside. We immediately came across brilliant yellow fields of flowering rapeseed which emitted a delicious, heavenly fragrance that filled the car. We learned that rapeseed is the main crop allowed by the EU in the Czech countryside and accounts for about 75% of cultivated fields. It is used to produce canola oil.

Rapeseed

Thirdeyemom

Traveling the World and Doing Good

Tag: Karlštejn castle

A Visit to the Karlštejn castle

A Day Trip to the Karlštejn castle in the magical countryside outside of Prague