Humprecht is one of the most distinctive castles in the Czech Republic — its unusual elliptical silhouette crowns a basalt hill above the small town of Sobotka and catches your eye from miles around. Built between 1666 and 1668 as a hunting lodge, it blends Mannerist, late Renaissance and early Baroque styles into something you simply won't find anywhere else.

Set within the Bohemian Paradise Protected Landscape Area, just 0.5 km northwest of Sobotka, the castle is wrapped in a woodland park that turns spectacular shades of gold and red in autumn. Climb the tower and you'll be rewarded with sweeping views over the sandstone rock formations and rolling fields that define this magical region. In spring the building stands out beautifully against fresh green foliage — it's a place worth visiting in any season.

• Sobotka (town centre) — walk uphill, approx. 10–15 minutes, easy

• Humprecht is a National Cultural Monument of the Czech Republic
• The castle has 27 rooms, centred around a stunning elliptical banqueting hall, 16 metres high, with exceptional acoustics
• Concerts and weddings are regularly held in the banqueting hall
• The upper floors house a castle exhibition and the Sobotka Town Museum
• Access to the tower via the so-called 'mouse hole' offers panoramic views
• A swimming area with chalets is located at the edge of the woodland park

The golden crescent moon perched on top of the tower has a story behind it — it was placed there in 1829, replacing a rusted cross, linked to the legend that Heřman Černín was once held captive in Turkey. A small detail that gives this beautiful castle a wonderfully mysterious edge.