Czechia, Beyond Prague: Castles & More – Hluboká, Český Krumlov, & Tábor

There’s so much to offer in Prague, but if you take the chance to leave the city, you really experience a fairytale wonderland – wooded forests, small towns and villages, green fields, and castles in all directions. We couldn’t possibly see them all, but here are a few highlights of the teeny towns and enormous estates.

The State Chateau of Hluboká

Hluboká Castle is a historic château situated in Hluboká nad Vltavou. Originally a royal castle, it became the property of the Schwarzenberg family in 1661. Since then, the chateau has been rebuilt in the Baroque style in the early 18th century and in the romantic style in the mid 19th century.

The main interior of the castle was closed when we arrived, but we could still climb the tower and experience the phenomenal view, not to mention count like 300 antlers. We also walked the gardens, and the walk up to the castle through Hluboká nad Vltavou was charming, too.

State Castle and Chateau Český Krumlov

As we explored Southern Bohemia, we stopped at the State Castle and Chateau in Český Krumlov town and gardens for a couple early afternoon hours on a sunny and warm September day. Enormous and stately, it would be easy to spend even more time here, touring the castle, trying out the restaurants, and shopping.

There’s a lot to see when visiting the castle, including a golden carriage, the Masquerade Hall, or the Baroque Theatre – all of which we didn’t do because we didn’t have the time. But we DID see the bear, which is a very surprising pet for a castle, if you ask me.

Another interesting fact – gingerbread making is a huge, and historical, deal in Český Krumlov. The first recorded documentation is from 1617 and remained central until WWI, when industrial gingerbread production and an increasing interest in other kinds of confectionery made the practice more or less obsolete.
But don’t despair, because now you can still today find tasty gingerbread crafted in the traditional forms. They are truly beautiful and the shop we entered, Český Perník, smelled divine.

The Medieval Town of Tábor

The Bohemian town of Tábor is a medieval gem so, although we didn’t see a castle here, the romance of the historical downtown was a great backdrop to enjoy lunch, stroll the streets, and buy some of the most beautiful chocolate from the Museum of Chocolate and Marzipan. And how could we say no to the small Hussite museum, since we didn’t really even know what Hussites were?

And so you know, here’s the scoop on Hussites from Britannica: Hussites were “followers of the Bohemian religious reformer Jan Hus, who was condemned by the Council of Constance (1414–18) and burned at the stake. Under King Wenceslas (Václav) IV of Bohemia, the movement spread widely. In 1419, however, he died and was succeeded by a bitter enemy of the Hussites, his half brother Sigismund, king of the Romans and of Hungary. In 1420, Sigismund, who had failed to get possession of Prague, published a bull of Pope Martin V proclaiming a crusade against the Hussites. Various crusades and battles against the Hussites failed for the next several years.”