A visit to Hluboká Castle

We were back on the coach by 2.40pm and heading for Hluboká Castle, one of the most picturesque castles in the Czech Republic. Originally founded as a medieval fortress in the 13th century, the castle passed through the hands of several noble families before being acquired by the powerful Schwarzenberg family in the 17th century. Its present fairy-tale appearance dates largely from the 19th century, when Prince Johann Adolf II of Schwarzenberg and his wife, Princess Eleonore, transformed it into a magnificent neo-Gothic residence inspired by English castles, particularly Windsor Castle. Our guide told us about this connection as we walked up the hill from the car park, although I have to admit that I couldn't really see much resemblance to Windsor! Nevertheless, with its gleaming white walls, elegant towers, decorative battlements and beautiful gardens, it's an incredibly photogenic building. We had about half an hour to explore the outside, wander through the courtyards and admire the rose gardens, but didn't go inside the castle itself. It was an unexpectedly warm October afternoon, around 22–23°C, and after taking plenty of photographs, I decided to head back down the hill a little earlier than the rest of the group. I'd spotted an ice cream shop on the way up, and an ice cream in the sunshine seemed like the perfect way to finish our visit! A lovely little addition to an already memorable day trip from Prague.

We then had a two-hour drive back to Prague, arriving there at 6.45pm. I then took the tram back to my apartment. It had been a long and tiring day, but enjoyable nevertheless.Read more