Year-round Baltic tour, 21 days from Warsaw; medieval towns and German castles

A fortress may have already existed at this site during the time of the Great Moravian Empire in the 9th century. From around 1055, Znojmo Castle served as the residence of a Přemyslid principality in the Moravian March of Bohemia and as a strategically important outpost near the border with the Austrian March of Bavaria to the south.

Although there is a written record of a castle in Vranov dating from 1100, the nearby settlement was not mentioned as a village until 1323. The noble Lichtenburg family took control of the castle and town in the 15th century, followed by the Althann nobility. Between 1790 and 1882, the town had a stoneware manufactory; after 1820, the manufactory began producing ceramics using Josiah Wedgwood’s methods.

Telč is a small town in the Jihlava District of the Vysočina Region in the Czech Republic. The town is known for its town square, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The town was first mentioned in writing in 1220. Before that, it was probably a Slavic settlement. More people arrived at the end of the 12th century. At the beginning of the 13th century, a Gothic castle was built, which was gradually converted into a Renaissance château in the 16th century.

Třeboň is a historic town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic.

Český Krumlov is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Its historic center, centered around Český Krumlov Castle, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992 and was granted this status together with Prague’s historic Castle District.

Hluboká Castle is a historic château in Hluboká nad Vltavou [1] and is considered one of the most beautiful castles in the Czech Republic.

Lipnice nad Sázavou is a town in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 650 inhabitants.
The Czech author Jaroslav Hašek wrote a substantial part of The Good Soldier Švejk here, at the Bohemian Crown Inn.
The town’s most notable landmark is Lipnice Castle, dating from the 14th century.

Kutná Hora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, featuring the historic town center, St. Barbara’s Church, and the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Sedlec.

Český Šternberk Castle is a Bohemian castle dating from the mid-13th century. It is located on the western side of the Sazava River, overlooking the village of the same name in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It is an early Gothic castle that was built, named, and is still owned by members of the same family. Today, Český Šternberk Castle is a residence with a long historical and architectural heritage, as well as an attractive tourist destination open to the public. It is considered one of the best-preserved Gothic Bohemian castles.

Karlštejn Castle is a large Gothic castle founded in 1348 by Charles IV, the elected Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia. The castle served as a repository for the imperial regalia, as well as the Bohemian Crown Jewels, holy relics, and other royal treasures. It is located about 30 kilometers southwest of Prague, above the village of the same name, and is one of the best-known and most frequently visited castles in the Czech Republic.

Křivoklát was founded in the 12th century and belonged to the kings of Bohemia. During the reign of Přemysl Otakar II, a large, monumental royal castle was built, which was later rebuilt by King Václav IV and subsequently expanded by King Vladislav of Jagellon.
The castle was damaged by fire several times. It was converted into a harsh prison, and the building slowly fell into disrepair. In the 19th century, the Fürstenberg family became the owners of the castle and had it rebuilt after a fire in 1826.
Today, the castle serves as a museum, tourist destination, and venue for theatrical exhibitions. It houses collections of hunting weapons, Gothic paintings, and books.

The city is known worldwide for Pilsner beer, which Bavarian brewer Josef Groll created here in 1842.

Gutštejn is a castle ruin southeast of Konstantinovy ​​Lázně in the Tachov District. It stands in a wooded, hilly landscape on a watchtower above the Hadovka stream at an elevation of 425 meters. It has been protected as a cultural monument since 1964. It is state-owned, administered by the National Heritage Institute, and open to the public.

Loket Castle is a 12th-century Gothic castle located about 12 kilometers from Karlovy Vary, on a massive rock in the town of Loket, Karlovarský kraj, Czech Republic. It is surrounded by the Ohře River on three sides. Once known as the “impregnable castle of Bohemia,” it is one of the oldest and most valuable historic stone castles in the Czech lands due to its thick walls.

Kadaň is a tourist center with highlights such as the Franciscan Monastery and the historic square with its late Gothic town hall tower. It is also home to the narrowest street in the Czech Republic—Katova ulička, measuring only 66.1 cm.

Kokořín Castle is a castle located about 10 km northeast of Mělník in the Czech Republic. It was built in the first half of the 14th century commissioned by Hynek Berka z Dubé. It was badly damaged during the Hussite Wars and lay in ruins until its reconstruction from 1911 to 1918. It was nationalized in 1948 and has been a national cultural monument since 2001.

Houska Castle is an early Gothic castle located 47 kilometers north of Prague in the Czech Republic (Houska 1, 471 62 Doksy). It is one of the best-preserved castles of its period. Notable features include a predominantly Gothic chapel, a Green Chamber with late Gothic paintings, and a salon for knights.
Folklore holds that this castle was built to cover one of the gates to Hell, preventing demons (trapped in the lower realms) from reaching the world.

Kost Castle is located in northern Bohemia, specifically in the Bohemian Paradise (Český Ráj) region, and is privately owned by the noble Kinský dal Borgo family. It was founded before 1349 by Beneš of Wartenberg as a possible building site and completed by his sons Peter and Marquard of Wartenberg in the High Gothic style. It retains most of its original features and is overall very well preserved and maintained.
The castle is known for its keep, the so-called "White Tower" (Bílá Věž), which is protected by two rings of fortification walls. In 1414, the Zajíc of Hasenburg family moved there because Nicolaus of Hasenburg married Skunka, the widow of Peter of Wartenberg. Later, the castle belonged to the Schellenberg (1497–1524), Biberstein (1524–1551), Lobkowicz (until 1576), and other families. Over the centuries, additional buildings were constructed near the castle and connected to it.

Trosky Castle is a castle ruin about 10 kilometers south of Semily, in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic. It is one of the most famous Czech castles and is situated on the summits of two basalt volcanic plugs. On the lower summit, 47 meters (154 feet) high, stands the two-story structure called Baba (Old Woman), while on the higher rock outcrop, 57 meters (187 feet) high, stands the four-sided structure known as Panna (Maiden). The castle is a landmark of the landscape known as Český ráj (Bohemian Paradise).

The city was founded around 1275 by the Bohemian King Přemysl Otakar II. The king settled the Dominican Order here and also invited German and Dutch colonists among the Czech settlers. The Czech language prevailed in the 15th century after the Hussite Wars. During the reign of Wenceslaus II, the Gothic Church of St. Nicholas (now St. Giles Church) and the Dominican monastery were built. The city was surrounded by fired-brick walls with about fifty towers and two defensive moats fed by the Elbe.