Křivoklát, the castle of the kings of Bohemia in the middle of the forest, an hour from Prague.

Křivoklát is one of the oldest royal castles in Bohemia. The Přemyslids built it as a hunting lodge, the Luxembourgs and the Jagiellons enlarged it, and in the sixteenth century it became a feared prison: the bishop of the Czech Brethren Jan Augusta was held here, as was the English alchemist Edward Kelley, of the court of Rudolf II. Today it is visited with a guide and holds a late Gothic chapel, two knights' halls with medieval painting and sculpture, the Fürstenberg library with about 50,000 volumes, the dungeons with their collection of torture instruments and the round Great Tower. It stands about 55 km west of Prague, on a spur between the Rakovnický stream and the Berounka valley, surrounded by the protected area of Křivoklátsko, one of the largest forests in central Bohemia.

How do you get there from Prague?

By car, about an hour, leaving Prague westwards on the D6 motorway or on the D5 and Beroun, and then following minor roads through the forest. You park in the village, at the foot of the castle, and walk up for a few minutes.

By train, from Prague's main station to Beroun and there the regional train towards Rakovník, which follows the Berounka through the forests and stops at Křivoklát. Allow about two hours in all, depending on the connection; the last stretch is one of the prettiest in Bohemia. The station is in the village, about ten minutes' walk from the castle. On holidays special steam trains run from Prague and Plzeň: check the calendar on the castle website or on the Czech Railways site.

Which tour should I choose?

The castle has three tours, all guided in Czech and with texts in other languages.

• Tour 1, Gothic palaces (60 minutes, 260 CZK): the second courtyard, the silversmith's workshop, Augusta's prison, the dungeon, the chapel, the two knights' halls and the stables. It is the one open on the most days.
• Tour 2, the long one (80 minutes, 300 CZK): the same plus the library, the picture gallery and the Fürstenberg museum. It is the best value if you come from Prague.
• Tour 3, the grand tour (100 minutes, 360 CZK): everything above plus the walls and the Great Tower. Only from May to September and for 30 people per slot.

With children, 1 or 2: the dungeon and the torture instruments appeal from a certain age, but little ones find it hard to last more than an hour.

What else is nearby?

The Berounka valley is the great canoeing river around Prague: in summer you can rent canoes and float down between forests and crags, portaging round the weirs on foot. Half an hour away by car, the Lužná u Rakovníka railway museum holds the largest collection of steam locomotives in the country, in a depot with a roundhouse and turntable. And the train journey itself from Beroun, hugging the river, is already a treat.

When to go

From May to September, Tuesday to Sunday, all three tours are open and the village is livelier. In April two are open, from 10:00 to 16:00 or 15:30. From November to March the castle stays open, but only at weekends and with short hours: from 11:00 to 15:00 in January and February. On Mondays almost everything is closed for most of the year. Canoeing runs from June to August.

Is it worth staying overnight?

Křivoklát can be seen in half a day, but the village is small and quiet, and in the evening, when the cars have gone, the floodlit castle above the forest can be seen from the hotel terraces. Stay if you want to canoe down the Berounka the next day, walk in Křivoklátsko or carry on to Plzeň. There are three guesthouses at the foot of the castle, all with breakfast.

How much does it cost?

Tour 2 costs 300 CZK per adult and 90 CZK for ages 6 to 17; under-6s go in free. A meal in the village comes to around 300–500 CZK per person. A two-seater canoe for a day, about 600–700 CZK, plus transport. A double with breakfast, from 1,890 CZK.