Křivoklát Castle and forest: a royal hunting seat an hour from Prague

Prague has no shortage of castles within reach, and most of them make a point of being famous. Křivoklát does not. It sits on a rocky spur above a stream, deep in forest, and it spent its life doing two jobs: hosting kings who wanted to hunt, and holding people the Crown did not want to see.

If you like a castle that feels earned rather than polished, this is the one.

A castle in the woods

Křivoklát began as a royal castle and became a favourite hunting seat of Bohemian kings. The forest around it, Křivoklátsko, was kept as royal hunting ground, which is partly why so much of it survived. Today it is a protected landscape area and, since 1977, a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

The castle was rebuilt many times, and the National Heritage Institute shows it on set circuits. Check the official page for opening days and for which circuits run in English.

The prisoners

The prison years give the castle its best stories. Jan Augusta, a leader of the Czech Brethren, a Protestant church, was held here for many years in the sixteenth century. Edward Kelley, the English alchemist who worked at the court of Emperor Rudolf II in Prague, was imprisoned here too. If Rudolfine Prague appeals, Kelley is a colourful figure, and the castle is a reminder of how fast fortunes turned at court.

More of that world is in our guides to Prague legends and the Golem.

The forest

The forest is the reason to stay longer. Křivoklátsko has oak and beech woods, rocky valleys and streams, with marked trails of different lengths. Autumn colour is the best of it; our guide to Prague in autumn gives the seasonal picture.

Stay on marked paths, carry water, and download a map for offline use, since phone signal can be patchy. A half-hour walk out from the castle and back is enough to feel the place, and it keeps you near the village and the train.

Getting there

Trains run from Prague to Beroun, where you change for the local line towards Rakovník, which stops at Křivoklát. Allow roughly an hour and a half in total. The local line is less frequent than the Prague suburban network, so look up the last train back before you set off, not after. Check cd.cz and idos.cz.

From the station the castle is a walk uphill through the village, steep in places. Wear shoes with grip.

The first stretch shares a route with Karlštejn. Doing both in one day is possible with an early start and good connections, but one castle is enough for most people and leaves time for the forest.

Eating and drinking

The village has a few places for lunch. Our Czech food guide helps with the menu, and game dishes are worth a try if you eat meat. If you do not, the vegetarian guide covers the options. In autumn, read our mushroom picking guide before filling a basket.

Winter is quiet and cold, and the castle may be closed.

For another castle with a hunting story, see Konopiště, the Archduke's base south of Prague.

Frequently asked questions

Why was Křivoklát important?

It was a royal castle and a favourite hunting seat of Bohemian kings, and later a prison.

Who was imprisoned there?

Among others, the Czech Brethren leader Jan Augusta and the English alchemist Edward Kelley.

How do I get there from Prague?

By train via Beroun to Křivoklát station, then a walk uphill. Check cd.cz and idos.cz.

Is the forest protected?

Yes. Křivoklátsko is a protected landscape area and has been a UNESCO biosphere reserve since 1977.

Can I hike there?

Yes. There are marked trails. Stay on them, and carry water and a map.