Are you thinking of visiting Hluboka Castle? Hluboká Castle is a great white neo-Gothic wedding cake of a building, one that even stands out among the many castles of the Czech Republic.
It is as much confection as Castle, one built purely as a luxury residence, and it’s one of the most popular – and beautiful – castles in the Czech Republic.
My guide to Hluboká Castle tells you everything you need to know about this extraordinary grandiose chateau.
I tell you how to visit, what to see there and in the surrounding town, and the all-important how to get there, with options from Prague and nearby České Budějovice and Český Krumlov.
I also suggest other places to visit in the region to help you plan your trip to this wonderful part of the Czech Republic.
Let’s get started.
Facts about Hluboká Castle
- Hluboká Castle is located in the South Bohemia region of the Czech Republic, 9 km (6 miles) from the main regional city, České Budějovice
- The first Castle on the site was built by the late 13th century, and the present building is believed to be the fourth
- It was built in the 19th century by Prince Jan Adolf II Schwarzenberg, who took inspiration from Windsor Castle and English-style parklands
- Hluboká Castle is notable for its distinctive white exterior, resembling a fairytale castle, and its incredible ornate carved wooden ceilings and furniture, which bears comparison with that at magnificent Lednice Castle in Moravia
- Hluboká Castle Gardens are breathtakingly beautiful – we visited in late October, and were treated to a glorious display of autumn colours
- It is known as Schloss Frauenberg in German
- Now known officially as the State Chateau of Hluboká, it has been owned by the (Czechoslovak then Czech) State since 1945
Hluboká Castle History
Hluboká Castle’s history goes back to the Middle Ages, when a Castle was built on this elevated site above the river Vltava (Moldau in German). It was rebuilt in the late 16th century in Renaissance style, and again in the 1700s in Baroque.
What we see today is the fourth Castle on the site, a prime palatial residence partly inspired by Windsor Castle in the 19th century.
It was the main seat of the Schwarzenbergs, a prominent Central European aristocratic family who also owned the fine Castle in nearby Český Krumlov, from 1661 until World War two.
Hluboká Castle Tours
When I visited one Hluboká Castle tour was available, covering the Representative Rooms, and you’ll find this to be the case for around half the year – roughly October to March.
Most Czech castles close altogether between November and March, with a few exceptions including Karlštejn Castle and Prague Castle – so Hluboká Castle is a rare exception, open throughout the year – except Mondays.
The other four tours of Hluboká Castle run during Czech castle season, which is from April to September. These include the Main Tower, Chateau Kitchen, Private Apartments and Suite Rooms.
The Winter tour (November to March) is a short highlights trip including elements of the Representative Rooms, Suites and Private Apartments.
The one drawback with these Hluboká Castle tours is that photography is forbidden. Most Czech Republic castles do permit it, at least on part of each route, but unfortunately there is an outright ban on photography during tours in Hluboká Castle.
It’s a pity because images of some of the sumptuous interiors of the Castle would attract more interest and visitors – and even the Hluboká Castle website doesn’t show much of it.
Hluboká Nad Vltavou Town And Around
Hluboká Nad Vltavou is a pleasant small town below the Castle, with several hotels, cafes and restaurants along the street and square below the Castle. There’s not much to see in the town but it’s a lovely spot to while away an hour or so while sipping on coffee over double the price you’d pay in nearby České Budějovice.
The other attraction near the town is Hluboká Zoo, which is roughly a mile’s walk along the shore of the lake or, in summer, a short boat ride. Also known as the Zoological Garden of South Bohemia, it’s a small, compact zoo with a good mixture of animals, with a tiger, wallabies, otters and snakes among the many creatures to captivate our Little Fellow.
If you’re travelling to Hluboká by bus, see the Castle first then the Zoo – this way you don’t have to cross the busy main road back into Hluboká town as some poor souls we saw did.
Getting to Hluboká Castle
Getting to Hluboká nad Vltavou is straightforward, with good connections via the main regional city, České Budějovice. It’s likely that most visitors will want to visit Hluboká Castle from Prague or the gorgeous medieval town of Český Krumlov, so we show you how reach Hluboká from both of these.
Once you’ve arrived in Hluboká nad Vltavou, you can expect a 5-10 minute uphill walk (pictured) to the Castle from the main street. During the season a Hluboká Castle tourist train runs from close to the main bus stop and car parks.
However you choose to get to Hluboká Castle by public transport, you’ll need to change at České Budějovice, which is very easy to reach from Prague or Český Krumlov. České Budějovice bus station is situated on the roof of the Mercury Shopping Centre, across the street from České Budějovice train station.
If you’re heading from Prague to České Budějovice, there’s not much difference in price or journey time between the bus and train. The journey time is usually between 2 hours and 2 hours 15 minutes. In both cases one-way tickets for our family – two adults and a child – work out at less than 15 euros in total.
Regular trains depart Prague Main Train Station (Praha hl.n. on timetables) for České Budějovice – check Rome to Rio website for current times.
RegioJet buses depart from Prague Na Knížeci bus station in Smíchov – Prague 5 district, on the same square as the Staropramen brewery.
If you’re heading from Český Krumlov to Hluboká , the bus is a much easier option, as the bus station is a 5-minute walk (as opposed to 15 for the train station) from the Old town.
As for getting from České Budějovice to Hluboká Castle, bus is the easier, more convenient option, as the bus stop – Hluboká nad Vltavou Pod Kostelem, pictured – is much closer to Hluboká Castle than the train station.
Pod Kostelem means ‘below the church’, and in this case it’s a block (a 2-minute walk) down the hill from the church, as opposed to outside the church. Bus times can be found on the excellent idos.cz website.
Hotels in Hluboká Nad Vltavou
Hotel Podhrad is one of several hotels in Hluboká nad Vltavou
Most of the hotels in Hluboká are within a short walk of the Castle. And as befits one of the best-known Czech Castles, they are all top end, with guest reviews to match.
The luxury 4-star Hotel Podhrad (pictured) is on the main square and, as its name suggests, it’s below the Castle. They have one of the best restaurants in the town, and full wellness, spa and sauna treatments.
A few steps away from the square, Residence Hluboka is a guesthouse in a historic building with courtyard. It also gets exceptional reviews from guests.
And a few minutes’ walk up the hill, within a few metres of the Castle, is Hotel Štekl. It’s a wonderfully grand 4-star hotel that could easily pass for a Castle itself!
If you decide to stay in nearby České Budějovice instead, I heartily recommend the Grandhotel Zvon, which has been welcoming guests on the city’s main square since 1533. And after almost 500 years, they’re rather good at it.
Hluboka Castle – Final Words
I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon at Hluboka Castle. It’s one of the most photogenic Czech castles, but its location – and the lack of time available for many visitors means most never get to see it.
Take a look at my guide to the best places to visit in South Bohemia to find out more about this stunning part of Central Europe.
We stayed in the České Budějovice area for a few days, and I can’t recommend it enough. České Budějovice is such an underrated city. It’s a medieval and Baroque gem, but it has always played second fiddle to nearby Český Krumlov.
I planned a trip to the area including České Budějovice, Hluboka Castle, the nearby Zoo and the World Heritage village of Holašovice. All that and Český Krumlov.
I also strongly recommend visiting Český Krumlov. Many only get to visit the town on a day trip from Prague, but it’s worthy of more time if you have it.
I’ve written several articles on Český Krumlov, including a photo feature on Český Krumlov Old Town. Also check out my guide to the amazing Museum Fotoatelier Seidel, the home and studio of the town’s leading photographer in the 1920s and 1930s.
And don’t miss my guide to Český Krumlov in winter, a trip back in time to a snowy medieval European wonderland.
Take a look at our Czech Republic Travel Guide for more places to visit:
- Holašovice – a beautiful, uniquely preserved Bohemian village and World Heritage Site
- České Budějovice – regional capital and one of the most underrated cities in Europe
- Kutná Hora Bone Church – the stunning art of the Sedlec Ossuary
- Slavonice – town near the Austrian border with an astonishing array of sgraffito-decorated Renaissance-era houses
- Mikulov – gorgeous border town in South Moravia and centre of one of the main Czech wine regions
- Telč – a tiny country town with one of the most beautiful squares in Europe
And perhaps explore more Castles in the Czech Republic:
- Blatna Castle – wonderful water castle with deer park in South Bohemia
- Lednice Castle – opulent summer seat of the Liechtenstein princes in Moravia
- Valtice Castle – the other half of the Lednice-Valtice World Heritage Site
- Konopiště Castle – the favoured residence of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
- Křivoklat Castle – amazing medieval royal castle in forests west of Prague
- Kokořin Castle – remarkable Romantic castle in a spectacular forest area with fascinating rock formations
David Angel is a British photographer, writer and historian. He is a European travel expert with over 30 years’ experience exploring Europe. He has a degree in History from Manchester University, and his work is regularly featured in global media including the BBC, Condé Nast Traveler, The Guardian, The Times, and The Sunday Times. David is fluent in French and Welsh, and can also converse in Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech and Polish.