Teplice Castle is a place where history literally rises out of the courtyard floor — the outline of a 12th-century Benedictine monastery basilica is still marked in the inner yard. Few buildings blend so many eras so seamlessly: a monastic origin, a Gothic stronghold, a Renaissance makeover by the Kinský family, and finally the Classicist façade you see today.

The castle sits right in the heart of Teplice, at the foot of the Ore Mountains (Krušné hory), in a spa town famous for its warm springs that once drew Europe's aristocracy and artists. Combined with the surrounding park, a visit here pairs perfectly with a stroll through the elegant spa town — lush and inviting in spring and summer, atmospheric and moody in autumn and winter.

• Teplice town centre — short walk from the train station or main square, a few minutes, easy route
• Public parking near the castle — convenient starting point for exploring on foot

• The castle houses the Regional Museum of Teplice (since 1947), with around 750,000 objects on the town's spa and regional history
• The castle church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross has served the Czech Orthodox Church since the 1950s
• Interiors preserve a Renaissance hall with a painted coffered ceiling and a Rococo hall with rich stucco decoration

Guests once entertained here include Goethe, Casanova, Chopin and Liszt — a fair sign of how prestigious this address once was.