The reason that I say “preferred tour” is because Hluboká Castle offers a variety of tours which cater to different interests (and also run in a variety of languages).

Below, I’m going to give a brief overview of tours which are on offer, but you should view their website for a detailed breakdown of their opening hours and tour schedules, so you know what is on offer for your visit.

Winter Tour - As I’m writing this as we head into winter, it makes sense for me to mention this first. The Winter Tour, as you might have gathered, is available for tourists who are arriving in the winter months. This year, they’ve finally got some rooms which are heated for winter tours. You’ll get to view the private suites, large chamber rooms, the Hamilton Parlour of Princess Teresa, walk along the corridors and much more.

It sounds like they’ve done a bit of a “best of” with the Winter Tour in sharing some of the history of the property and family, and giving you a feel for what makes Hluboká Castle special.

As far as I can gather, the Winter Tour is the only tour running from November 12th - January 4th. However, that shouldn’t stop you from visiting, as this tour is literally set up to provide a comprehensive overview of the castle/chateau.

If it’s not in the winter months, then they’re running their 4 regularly scheduled tours which are as follows.

The Representation Rooms Tour - This tour shows “the piano of Hluboká Chateau, the morning room, reading room, smoking room, small and large dining room, library together with the personal rooms of Princess Eleonore and an exhibition of weapons – entrance hall to the armoury and chateau armoury.”

Having visited Hluboká Castle, I would say that, for a tourist, the highlights are going to be the incredible wood carvings that you’ll see throughout the tour, and some immensely valuable furniture, if that’s your thing. I was astounded by the paintings, some of which are over 500 years old, and would be an attraction at any museum.

You’ll also find over 10,000 books in the chateau library, and weapon aficionados will be swooning over the collection in the armoury.

The Private Apartments Tour - This is a more intimate look into the lives of Jan Adolf II Schwarzenberg, his wife Eleonore, and their respective family. The rooms are furnished according to the time period when the Schwarzenbergs would have lived there, which is a draw for many tourists. You’ll see the “hunting dining room, preparation room, study, marble room, bedroom, servant room and original sanitary facilities.”

The tour, in general, focuses on the humanizing the House of Schwarzenberg, and also has a special focus on the importance of hunting and “the hunt” as part of aristocratic social life in the 19th century.

The Chateau Kitchen Tour - This isn’t necessarily my jam, nor cup of tea (puns intended in both regards), but many visitors are surprisingly interested in learning about what operations would have been like in the kitchen of a large noble house. The kitchen is in the basement, so as to not disturb the tranquility of the rest of the house, but I think people will be surprised by its size. It’s huge, which gives some indication to the sorts of events and gatherings that would have been going on here.

The one thing that I like about this tour is that you’ll also simultaneously learn a bit about cold, hot, and confectionary cuisine during this time period. Like the other tours, this tour tends to highlight the comings and goings of Hluboká Castle during the 19th century.

The Chateau Tower Tour - I should note that this tour does not run during inclement weather, but if the weather is looking fine, then this tour provides spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. Photographers can also snag some dramatic photos towards the back of the castle, but obviously extra elevation always tends to spice things up a bit when it comes to photography.

The Neo Gothic Tower is very much an emblem of the property, despite only being build in the middle of the 1800s. How they actually constructed the chateau tower after the collapse of the original tower of the Baroque chateau is a genuine feat of engineering, so pay attention to those details on the tour.

Visitors who are a fan of lookouts - also be sure to visit the slightly taller Black Tower in nearby České Budějovice.

Visit the Aleš South Bohemian Gallery