Hukvaldy Castle — Attraction in okres Frýdek-Místek

Hukvaldy is wonderful. It's everything my imagination of a castle as a child was. My wife resisted going here for YEARS because, never having been there, she assumed it must be terrible. It's not. It's lovely. The hike up is friendly and strolly with some surprises on the way. I promise you it's worth it to see those beech trees. They look great in black and white with mottled sunlight sprinkled across them! Then the castle itself--you have to pay to get in, so it goes--is the most castely castle. Others are good too, but this is one of them. It continues to reveal surprises and corners and turns and is not tedious. You know how you get excited about some castles and then it's three hours of carpets and drapes? That's not this. There are a couple of small exhibit rooms--some weapons, a throne, another type of throne (a more practical pre-porcelain one)--but mostly it's the grounds, the walls, the stones, the stairs, the views, the just being there is so neat. And there are a couple of little souvenir shops that feel relevant to the place, not generalized, and then a nice little garden for the obligatory post-meander pivo. Go here, it's great! Oh--the town is nice too, with some lovely gardens and a fairly welcoming populace and a...

I first visited the castle several years ago. This time we brought our children. We all enjoyed it greatly. It was definitely worth the return visit.

Classifying the castle as "ruins" is somewhat misleading. It's definitely not in the finished and furnished state of some castles, but it's much more than a pile of rocks. The multiple area built out over time all had so.ething of interest. We didn't get a guided tour this time, but my prior experience (in English) was great. Access to the castle requires walking up a large hill/small mountain. The path is asphalt paved, but somewhat steep in some places. The surrounding grounds are nice, with wildlife and a...

A steep climb up to the castle, along a wide, winding, well laid path in part of a nature reserve; graced with the magical sight of a large herd of Fallow deer, in full, magnificent antlers. The castle itself is unrestored but with sufficient information, small displays and a scale models that give a sense of the grandeur and importance of the place when occupied and in its heyday. Those fit enough for stairs, to towers and galleries, are rewarded with breathtaking vistas across the Czech landscape, before taking a while to sit and enjoy a cool glass of beer, or koala from a cafe in...