Freudenstein, also known as Šlik's Little Castle, is a ruined castle perched above Jáchymov on Zámecký vršek hill, 810 metres above sea level. It's the youngest castle in the Czech Republic and the highest-situated one in the whole of Northwest Bohemia — built in 1516-1517 to protect the town's famous silver mines.

Only two corner towers and a small stretch of the outer wall survive, but the hilltop setting makes the short walk worthwhile at any time of year. In summer the surrounding Ore Mountains forests frame the weathered stonework in green, autumn brings mist rolling up from Jáchymov below, and winter snow gives the ruins a stark, fortress-like edge. It's a peaceful spot to pause and look out over the mining town.

How to get there

• From Jáchymov town centre — about 1 km, easy walk, roughly 15-20 minutes
• A road now runs directly through the former castle grounds, so a drive-up option also exists

Practical information

• Protected as a cultural monument since 1964
• The defensive tower still shows traces of a semi-circular gun bastion; the residential tower has a distinctive corbelled gallery
• An 8-metre-deep cellar survives beneath the main tower

Fun fact: the residential tower once served as the home of the town watchman, who rang a bell and lit a lantern to mark the start and end of the miners' shifts — it was rebuilt in 1973 after a lightning strike burned it down in 1964.