Discover the winter treasures of northern Bohemia: Bohemian Paradise and the Pardubice Region offer unforgettable experiences

The Baroque castle in Dětenice offers not just learning but also a good deal of fun. Besides traditional tours showcasing the unique collection of weapons, you can step into a fairy tale. Every Saturday at an odd hour, a witch named Žizelda awaits visitors with a brand new humorous tour of the castle. In her own unique style, she will share stories about the castle’s history. Then on Sundays, get ready for a tour with a fairy-tale character. The castle is “in winter mode” and welcomes guests from November to March on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 AM to 5 PM.

Let yourself be enchanted by the atmosphere of the magical winter fairy tale tour at the Staré Hrady Castle. The winter tour of the fairy tale castle and its premises will be led by a lively witch, a princess, a devilish girl, or a castle wizard. You can expect to meet many fairy-tale friends, a magical bag full of delicious candies, and so much more. Staré Hrady is open from November to March every weekend and on holidays, as well as during school vacations, from 10 AM to 5 PM.

A castle in the northwest

You will discover a beautiful castle not far from Úštěk. Helfenburk, also known as Hrádek, was built in the first half of the 14th century by the Ronov family, and in 1375, it became the property of the Archdiocese of Prague. The impressive fortifications, which significantly altered the castle’s overall appearance, were constructed by Archbishop Jan of Jenštejn. The walls, standing up to 12 meters tall and topped by a tower over 17 meters high, are freely accessible year-round. However, the tower is only open on weekends. If you bring sausages, you can roast them on the fire pit.

The neo-Gothic Sychrov Castle served as the residence for the French Rohan family. Many notable figures have visited the impressive castle, including Emperor Franz Joseph I, Archduchess Maria Theresa, and Crown Prince Rudolf. The famous Czech composer Antonín Dvořák also stayed here seven times. The castle is wheelchair accessible, and you can visit it all year round, including Mondays, with current hours from 10 AM to 2 PM.

The basic tour is called Castle with Prince Kamil, where visitors can learn about the history of the castle and the Rohan family. Inside the castle, you can admire historic furniture, coffered ceilings, and wooden paneling, as well as collections of glass and porcelain. On this tour, you will peek into the bedrooms of noblewomen, the library, the dining room, and the maid’s room. On March 7 and 8, magical tours titled “The Stolen Pouch” are planned, and the beloved Easter markets will take place on March 28 and 29.

The second site open year-round in the Liberec area is the Imperial Zákupy Castle – here, visitors can experience the Winter tour, which includes the hunting room of Crown Prince Rudolf, the apartment of Archduchess Maria Theresa (stepmother of the heir to the throne, Franz Ferdinand d´Este), the cardinal’s room, and the luxurious apartments of Terezie of Fürstenberg, which are designed to reflect a lavish apartment from the period of the so-called First Republic. The tour also includes a visit to the historic kitchen. The closing day for Zákupy Castle is Monday.

The winter tour of Slatiňany takes you through the southern and eastern wings of the castle and focuses on the guests of the Auersperg family. Besides the castle’s interiors, visitors will get a glimpse into the bathroom, the dining room preparation area, and the basement, where you’ll find a unique section with historical kitchen, dishwashing area, and boiler room. The castle is continuously open on weekends, and visiting hours will be extended with the start of the season in April.
Slatiňany Castle is also a filming location for the new movie Princezna stokrát jinak, which is coming to theaters soon – in its library, Mr. Jaroslav Plesl, playing the scribe, received suitors for the princess’s hand with the help of a live goose; the film also features the castle’s stunning corridors as a backdrop.

The winter tour at Litomyšl Castle takes visitors to areas that underwent renovations in 2024. The interiors from the time of the Count Valdštejn family include spaces on the second floor – the oldest theater hall from the 1760s, guest apartments for the Valdštejns (a salon, a study, and a bedroom with an oratory), and the lord’s oratory. The winter tour also includes a historic kitchen. Currently, the castle is open Thursday to Saturday.

Exceptional access will be granted to the Litice Castle on Saturday, February 21, 2026, when a Winter Ascend to the Castle event will take place.