15 Czech Castles and Chateaus open in winter you can visit on a day trip from Prague
15 Czech castles and chateaus open in winter 2024/2025 you can visit as a day trip from Prague, including opening times, how to get there, ticket costs and insider tips.
The castle and chateau official winter season is from 1 November until 31 March and most state and private castles and chateaus are unfortunately closed during that time. But the good news is that there are still some places that are open in the winter.
I’ve included 15 castles and chateaus that are open through the whole winter, but there are also a few extra castles that open just during Advent weekends, which I’ve included in my Christmas blog post.
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When I was growing up, all castles closed at the end of October, so visiting castles in the winter is a bit of a novelty for me. I always make sure I visit at least one castle before Christmas because they have wonderful festive decorations in all the rooms and it’s a great way to start feeling ‘Christmasy’.
Over the years, I’ve visited all the 15 castles on my list and some, like Karlstejn and Krivoklat many times. I’ve organised the list in order of distance from Prague to make it easier for you to choose which castle to visit. Some can be done as 1/2 day trips from Prague, which I think is quite useful considering that winter days are quite short.
How to get there & travel arrangements
I’ve included castles and chateaus that are easily reachable from Prague by public transport because that’s how I travel and I know that the majority of tourists don’t rent a car when staying in Prague. If you do have a car, the distances will often be slightly shorter.
I’ve added up-to-date information about trains and buses, but for exact times check out the www.idos.idnes.cz website.
Castles winter opening times – what to expect
I should also mention that most of the large castles and chateaus open their smaller apartment tours over the winter, museums or towers. This is possibly because these are easier to heat than the large rooms on the summer castle tours.
Saying that, when I visited Mnisek pod Brdy this winter, there was only one room that was heated on the whole tour. So, wrap up warm, as the inside of these castles might be only a few degrees more than the outside!
The castle tours
Most castle tours will be done in the Czech language and apart from Karlstejn or Hluboka you won’t have an option for an English or other language tour unless you pre-book for a large group.
But all castles have English, German and other languages printed guides, which follow exactly what the Czech guide says. You have to ask for these as you are buying your ticket and they will either give you the notes then or tell you that the Czech guide will bring them to the start of the tour.
I always ask for the printed guides for my husband and these are always part of the admission and you shouldn’t pay any extra for them. You hand the notes back to the Czech guide as you leave the castle. The advantage of having a printed guide is that you often know what to look out for a a particular room before the locals!
Castle entrance fee
All the castles that open in the winter charge between 160 – 260 CZK for an adult ticket and concessions are available for children and senior citizens.
1. Mnisek pod Brdy
- Winter opening times: Saturday + Sunday 11 am – 3 pm
- Distance from Prague by public transport: 30 minutes
- How to get there: bus 317 from Praha – Smichovske Nadrazi and then 5 minutes walk through the village to the castle
The winter tour will take you through the best part of the castle as it includes eleven historical rooms representing the living quarters of the minor nobility at the beginning of the 20th century. You will see the winter dining room, the chapel, the grand dining room, the pantry, the grand salon with a clock tower, the men’s salon, the women’s salon, the library, the study, the hunting salon, and the arcade with the entrance staircase.
There are also extra tours for children with costumes from Czech fairy tales and stories tailored to younger audiences.
Insider Tip: I often use Mnisek pod Brdy as a starting point for nature and forest walks and the bakery (large barn between the church and castle) has one of the best cakes and bread I’ve tasted!
2. Karlstejn
- Winter opening times: Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10 am – 3 pm (from 1 March 2024 also Tuesday & Wednesday – all week from 9.30 am – 4 pm
- Distance from Prague by public transport: 40 minutes
- How to get there: train from Praha Hlavni Nadrazi also see the best way to get to Karlsten Castle blog post
The payable tour includes the historical interiors of the Imperial Palace and the Marian Tower with valuable furnishings from the 14th to the 19th century (Court Hall, Knight’s Hall with the Chapel of St. Nicholas, Marian Courtyard, Renaissance interiors of the deanery, Charles’ Bedroom with the Chapel of St. Wenceslas, Audience Hall, Royal Hall of Ancestors, and Banquet Hall, as well as the Castle Treasury, Jewel Room, and former castle prison on the ground floor of the Marian Tower). You will also see the replica of the Czech Crown of St. Wenceslas one of the noble Bohemian Kings.
If you don’t want to pay to go inside the castle, you can also walk around the castle grounds which are freely accessible. You can download a self-guided tour to your phone, which will take you through the castle entrance gate, to the castle courtyard and the Well Tower.
Insider Tip: Karlstejn is a lot less busy in the winter than in the summer and the hike up to the castle from the train station will warm you up! The castle tea room is hidden next to the ticket office and after my walk in the snow, I really appreciated the hot coffee there.
3. Veltrusy
- Winter opening times: Saturday + Sunday, 11 am – 3 pm (from 27 January 2024)
- Distance from Prague by public transport: 40 minutes
- How to get there: Bus 370 or 372 from Prague – Kobylisy and 15 minutes walk through the castle park
The winter self-guided tour will take you through the northwest wing will take you to the apartment of the last owner of the castle, Count Karel Chotek of Velké Březno, and his wife, Hungarian Countess Livia Mailáth.
The rooms overlooking the courtyard were their home from 1921 when Count Arnošt Chotek, the last member of the Veltrusy line of the Chotek family, invited them here to take over the chateau as his chosen heirs. You will learn more about what happened to the last owners during the Second World War and especially after, when they were displaced to Germany and their era sadly ended at Veltrusy Chateau.
Insider Tip: The Veltrusy castle park is huge and makes a great place for a long walk if the weather permits.
4. Melnik
- Winter opening times: from 1 March 2024 only – Monday – Sunday – all week – 10-4 pm
- Distance from Prague by public transport: 30-40 min
- How to get there: regular bus 369 from Praha Ladvi or fast bus from Praha Strizkov, trains are also available but they are slower (Praha Hlavni Nadrazi with change in Vsetaty to Melnik – about 1 hr journey)
Melnik is quite a unique castle, because, over the centuries 23 Czech queens and princesses lived there in the past. The winter tour will show you the Grand Hall with a unique collection of maps of all European cities from the 17th century.
A similar collection is owned only by the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf. You will also visit the majestic Concert Hal, a chapel, dedicated to St. Ludmila, which was built by Elisabeth of Pomerania, the wife of Czech King Charles IV.
Insider Tip: The castle tea room is super cute and you can try ‘Ludmila’ the locally produced vine there. The views from the castle vineyards are amazing and you can see the Vltava and Labe merging into one river from there.
5. Krivoklat
- Winter opening times: Saturday + Sunday, 11 am – 3 pm
- Distance from Prague by public transport: 90 minutes
- How to get there: Train from Smichovske Nadrazi with a change in Beroun (or fast bus to Beroun from Praha -Zlicin and then a local train from Beroun to Krivoklat. There is also a good 20-minute hike to the top of the castle hill.
Křivoklát is one of the oldest castles of Czech princes and kings, which was founded at the beginning of 13 century by the Bohemian King Premysl Otakar I. Its present form was given to it by the Fürstenbergs family, who held the castle until 1929 when they sold it to the Czech state.
The winter tour will take you to the oldest part of the castle – the Gothic palaces. You will be able to see the Second Courtyard, the Silver Chamber with an exhibition about the Manský House, the prison, the dungeon, the chapel, the Knight’s Hall with an exhibition of Wenceslas IV’s Bible, the Royal Hall, and the castle stables.
Insider Tip: The train journey from Beroun to Krivoklat is magical, following the river Berounka, passing other towns and villages and seeing the hills behind them. Once you make it to the top of the Krivoklat hill you can also continue to the Memorial of Karla Egona II. z Fürstenberga, where you get amazing views of the castle.
6. Radim
- Winter opening times: Saturday + Sunday (+ public holidays) – tours starts at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm
- Distance from Prague by public transport: 60 minutes
- How to get there: train from Praha Masarykovo Nadrazi with change at Pecky to Radim (in area of Kolin) and a short walk through the village to the castle.
Radim Castle is one of my favourite hidden gems and because it wasn’t open to the public when I was growing up, I visited this castle for the first time in the winter of 2023.
In 1610, Záruba z Hustiřan built a Renaissance castle on the site of the former fortress, which has been preserved almost in its original form to this day. The first written mention dates back to 1320 and refers to the manor of Bedřich of Radim.
The castle has had many owners, including the Lichtenstein family. The castle was owned by the state from 1948 to 1990, then it was returned to the descendants of Jaroslav Bukovský. In 2005, the castle was sold to a new owner, continued with a complete reconstruction and purchasing original Renaissance furniture to furnish the rooms.
Insider Tip: I ran from the train station to the castle, but was told by the smiling castle owner who sold me the ticket, that they always wait a few minutes extra for people arriving by train, because the train comes in about 5 minutes before the whole hour. The trains are also every 2 hrs, so they tie in perfectly with the start of the tour. The castle tea room is cosy and also open in the winter, so make sure you stop there too.
7. Plasy
- Winter opening times: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 10 am – 3 pm (last entry is at 2 pm)
- Distance from Prague by public transport: 2 hrs (one way)
- How to get there: Train from Praha Hlavni Nadrazi with change over at Plzen and local train to Plasy and about 25 minutes walk through the village to the castle grounds
The Metternich Palace is open during winter through self-guided tours and all signs and descriptions are also written in English.
You will see the palace set in the time of Metternich family around 1870. Metternich was the chief advisor to the Austro-Hungarian Emperor, who bought Plasy monastery and built the separate palace. You will be able to see various rooms decorated in style as well as walk through the servant corridor to see what the access to these rooms were like ‘from the other side’.
Insider Tip: The Metternichs’s Palace is part of Plasy monastery, which is a large complex of different buildings, including church, monastery buildings and various outer buildings. These are closed in the winter, but it’s lovely to walk around them.
8. Loucen
- Winter opening times: Daily – Monday – Friday – tours are 12 noon, 2 pm, 4 pm, Saturday + Sunday – tours are every hour from 11 am until 6 pm
- Distance from Prague by public transport: 90 minutes
- How to get there: Bus 405 from Praha Cerny Most, change at Mlada Boleslav to bus 499 to Loucen – bus stops in the village about 5 minutes from the castle park entrance
The Baroque Loučeň Castle is associated with the noble Thurn-Taxis family, which was one of the most influential families in the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, who owned the postal service and started the first personal transportation – TAXI anyone? They also gave the name to the toughest obstacle of the Velká pardubická steeplechase.
One of their sons also started the oldest football team in Bohemia after he spent some time studying in Cambridge in England. The Loucen Football team is still going strong, although it doesn’t play in any top leagues. Throughout its history, the castle has been visited by many important guests, including the Austrian Emperor Francis I, American writer Mark Twain, and the Czech national composer Bedřich Smetana.
Insider Tip: The castle park has the largest collection of outdoor mazes and it’s fun to do even in the winter.
9. Liblice
- Winter opening times: Sundays – one guided tour only 1 pm
- Distance from Prague by public transport: 60 minutes
- How to get there: Bus 400 from Praha Strizkov, change at Melnik – Bus 467 to Liblice
Liblice Castle is one of the most comprehensive examples of Czech rural Baroque architecture. It was built by the Italian architect Giovanni Battista Alliprandi in 1699 for Arnošt Pachta of Rájov.
The castle gradually changed hands and some of the well-known noble families included the Lords of Liblice or Anna Špetlová of Dubá. The last noble family to own the castle were the Waldsteins. In 1945, the property passed into state ownership and it’s owned by the Czech Academy of Sciences, who run it as a modern conference centre with accommodation facilities.
Insider Tip: The castle grounds and garden are open all year round and are perfect for a winter walk. The view from beyond the lake towards the castle is truly beautiful. The castle tea room has local cakes and makes great coffee.
10. Sychrov
- Winter opening times: January 2024 – Monday – Sunday (all week) 10 am – 2 pm (tours start at 10 am, 12 noon and 2 pm)
- Distance from Prague by public transport: 70 minutes
- How to get there: Direct bus no 345 from Cerny Most underground station to ‘Paceřice, Rohanka’ and then 20 minutes walk through an alley of trees and country roads (the bus stop for bus back is on the other side of a dual carriageway closer to the ‘Husa’ village)
Sychrov was the main residency for the French noble Rohan family after they had to escape from France in the middle of the 19th century. They took with them their collection of art, which is now the biggest collection of French art outside France.
The castle is very impressive and during the winter tour you will see the splendidly furnished Royal Suite, where for example, the French King Charles X, the Prussian King William I, or the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I stayed overnight. Part of the castle is dedicated to the private apartments of the prince and princess (offices, bedrooms, dressing rooms) and you will also see the reception salon, library, game room, and grand dining room.
Insider Tip: The walk from the bus stop is pretty cool and it’s also worth walking around the castle gardens where you can see the garden tower and large orangery. The castle tearoom (at the front of the castle) has the best selection of spa wafers I’ve ever seen outside the actual spa towns – my favourite flavour – for this year anyway – is the poppy seeds and plum wafers.
11. Slatinany
- Winter opening times: Thursday – Sunday, 9.45 – 3 pm
- Distance from Prague by public transport: 90 minutes
- How to get there: train from Prague Main Train Station with change at Pardubice to Slatinany and then a short walk through the village to the castle
Slatinany was originally a Gothic fortress from the 14th century transformed over 600 years into a modern residence of the noble family of Auersperg, who owned the castle for two centuries until 1942. The last owner František Josef of Auersperg (1856-1938) made a lot of modern upgrades including central heating, electricity and kitchen.
My favourite thing is that apart from the beautifully arranged bedrooms, library and sitting rooms, you also get to see the castle’s basement, with the castle kitchen, dishwashing room, and pretty cool boiler room.
Insider Tip: The castle park is great for winter walks and you can walk through the forest hills to the castle model that the Auersperg’s built for their children to play in. I also liked the park with a children’s animal farm, where the children learned how to farm.
12. Zbiroh
- Winter opening times: Open daily, 10 am – 5 pm
- Distance from Prague by public transport: 90 hrs
- How to get there: Train from Praha Hlavni Nadrazi to Karez and then local bus to Zbiroh and then about 20 min walk up the castle hill.
Zbiroh has a fascinating history. With its 224 rooms it is one of the biggest castles in the Czech Republic. The castle has the deepest well in the whole of Europe. Originally founded in the 12th century, Zbiroh was owned by various noble families, the Bohemian Kings, such as Rudolf II, who completely re-built the castle.
Alphonse Mucha, who rented a flat at the castle, painted his most famous work “The Slav Epic” here. He paid local workmen and women to come up to the castle and stand in for him, so he could paint the pictures using real people. There are 20 large canvases which have hundreds of people on them and it took Mucha the best part of 18 years to paint them.
After the Second World War the castle was owned by the Czech army and was used for spying on the West with powerful radars placed directly at the castle. Eventually the army moved out and the castle was opened to the public for the first time in 2005.
Insider Tip: The hike up the castle is quite steep, but there is also a nice walk from the Karez train station through the forest or following the creek to the Zbiroh town and then walk up.
13. Hluboka nad Vltavou
- Winter opening times: Tuesday – Sunday, 9 am – 4 pm
- Distance from Prague by public transport: 2 hrs
- How to get there: Train from Praha Hlavni Nadrazi with change at Tabor to Hluboka nad Vltavou – Zamosti and then 20 minutes walk to the castle
Hluboká Castle is one of the most beautiful castles in the Czech Republic. Originally it was built in 13th century, but when the Schwarzenberg family wanted to re-build the castle in the 19th century they used Windsor Castle in England as an inspiration. Schwarzenbergs also established an extensive landscape park in the mid-19th century.
The castle has 140 rooms and 11 towers in total, but the winter tour will take you through the private apartments of the last four generations of owners of the Hluboká estate.
Insider Tip: The castle grounds are lovely for a winter walk and if you have more time you can also visit the local ZOO, which is on the way to the train station and it’s also open every day in the winter.
14. Cesky Sternberg
- Winter opening times: Saturday + Sunday, tours at 11 am and 2 pm
- Distance from Prague by public transport: 2 hrs (one way)
- How to get there: Train from Praha Hlavni Nadrazi with change at Cercany to Cesky Sternberk – Zamek and then a short walk to the castle hill (bus connections with change at Benesov or Sazava are also available and are slightly shorter)
Český Šternberk Castle is one of the oldest and the best preserved castles in Bohemia and is still held by the Sternberg family, who founded it in 1241. The castle has a Gothic appearance, but the interiors were transformed into a chateau during an early Baroque reconstruction. At the beginning of the 20th century, the castle was again modified to meet modern living standards, with the installation of water pipes, electrification, and in the 1930s, central heating was added.
Insider Tip: The journey by the local train from Cercany is very beautiful following the Sazava river and well worth the trip.
15 Cesky Krumlov
- Winter opening times: Tuesday – Sunday, 9 am – 3.30 pm
- Distance from Prague by public transport: 3 hrs (one way)
- How to get there: Direct bus from Andel – Na Knizeci directly to the centre of Cesky Krumlov, see my guide to getting to Cesky Krumlov by public transport >>
Whilst Cesky Krumlov is advertised as ‘open in the winter’ you can only see the castle museum and the tower. None of the tours inside the castle are running and the garden is closed too.
This might be a bit disappointing, but the whole town is still beautiful to visit and it’s much quieter during the winter season. You’ll have a fantastic view from the tower and if you happen to have snow on the day you visit, then it will look like a fairy tale.
Insider Tip: Cesky Krumlov is very peaceful in the middle of winter and if you go mid-week, you’ll only meet a few people. It will be a much more pleasant experience than in the summer, when the town is as busy as Prague.
This blog post was originally written on 7 January 2024 and last updated on 7 January 2024
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