Highlights of Central Moravia: what else you need to see and experience

Bouzov Castle - you may recognize it without even knowing it. If you've seen the classic Czech fairy tale about princess Jasněnka, or the series Arabela, you've definitely seen Bouzov. If not, how about the Italian fairy tale Princess Fantaghiro, the German war film Napola, or the Hong Kong action The Adventurers with Jean Reno? The castle even starred in an episode of George Lucas' American adventure series Young Indiana Jones. Bouzov is a celebrity among castles, so you may have to wait a while for a tour in the season. Visitors do not get put off by the fact that it is very difficult to get here except by car.

Helfštýn Castle near Lipník nad Bečvou attracts similar attention. It has a completely different character than Bouzov, but the view from the glass roof is extraordinary. You can walk around the ruins of the medieval residence on your own, but you won't be able to get to all the places for which only the guide has the right key. The biggest event of the season is the annual HEFAISTON - an international showcase of artistic blacksmiths.

You can find Šternberk Castle right in the centre of the town, just walk straight up the hill. Sightseeing tours with historical commentary are by no means the main experience. Follow what's happening at the castle and visit either of the special costumed tours, film and fairy tale screenings in the castle park, a theatre programme, or one of the creative workshops!

TIP! From the castle, head back to the Upper Square and check out the Šternberk Monastery too. In the interactive Ecce Homo exhibition, you can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the famous European hill climb car race, try to beat a seven-time European champion on a professional simulator, repair a car or change a wheel in a flash. A little bit further, you can play a space game, take a picture with the Hubble telescope and discover the 14 billion year story of the universe and time. Unique exhibits from more than twenty Czech and international museums, 3D models, and a number of interactive games await you at the Time Exposition.

Visiting the chateau grounds in Čechy pod Kosířem is like stepping into a Jane Austen novel. In addition to romantic walks through the park and castle interiors or a family picnic in the grass, you can reminisce nostalgically about your favourite Svěrák films in an exhibition full of authentic props. The association with Jane Austen is not accidental. Every May, the audience turns into charming ladies and dapper gentlemen in costumes as they join together for dance lessons, a picnic, a period fashion show, a lavish dinner, and a closing ball. You can enjoy the Empire Style Day as a spectator or put yourself in the shoes (and the costume) of Elizabeth Bennet or Mr. Darcy. In July, the mansion welcomes carriages of all shapes as well as carriage makers, knights, fencers, warriors, and conjurers. JOSEFKOL is a great summer event for the whole family. But the event calendar here is packed all year round!

TIP! We know how to make your children fall asleep quickly so that you can continue the evening in the spirit of the romantic story of Miss Bennet and Mr. Darcy... On the way from the Čechy pod Kosířem chateau, announce a hiking competition up the Mont Blanc of Haná - Velký Kosíř. Don't worry, calling the highest hilltop in Haná Mont Blanc can only be done with a considerable dose of exaggeration. From the chateau, it is about an hour's hike to the top of the 442 m tall hill. Add to that the 158 steps up the lookout tower and a pleasant feeling of tiredness will start to wash over your children.

Can you imagine summer without water? We certainly can't! The perfect place for a summer swim, a bike trip or a weekend relaxation are the banks of the Plumlov Dam. At the Žralok Camping near the neighbouring pond, you can rent canoes to take you to the Plumlov Castle on the opposite bank. Go and see the first 3 floors with the castle and the museum exhibition, where you can learn, among other things, what makes the castle building special and why it looks so strange. With children, we recommend a tour of the castle cellars with a narration of local stories and myths. And for connoisseurs, there's also a more challenging route through the unfinished areas of the castle, which will take you into the attic and the castle prison. Especially in summer, the castle and its courtyard become alive with concerts, theatre, historical crafts, fencing weekends, and workshops for the whole family.

TIP! Rent electric bikes at Camping Žralok or Hotel Zlechov and pedal from Plumlov to the Kopaninka lookout tower in Repechy. 

From Plumlov (and past the chateau in Čechy pod Kosířem) you can comfortably reach the chateau in Náměšt' na Hané. Take a look inside, walk around the park, and stop by the local information centre for some tips on what else to see or where to take a dip nearby.

You'll never guess what you'll see in Konice Castle... It's not a castle exhibition, but the world's largest collection of axes recorded in the Guinness Book of Records! Among the incredible collection of 800 axes of all shapes and sizes, exhibits dating back several thousand years as well as a giant replica of an executioner's axe await you here.

TIP! Konice region is a bit of a wonderland and the axes are just the beginning. Go to Lipová, to the local castle called Špacírštejn. The ruin on the hill is not the remains of a medieval mansion, but the work of an enthusiastic pensioner. For years, Mr. Procházka has been bringing metres of stones to the site to build a stone rotunda. Just for fun. And if you go for a walk in the forest near the village of Hvozd, you will discover a fairy turned into stone at the source of the Pilavka River. This is the work of yet another local enthusiast, a teacher who invented a really colourful legend for his statue. But you will learn the mysterious story on the spot. We do know it, but we spoil the surprise...