Karpniki Castle is one of those Lower Silesian gems that stops you in your tracks — a neo-Gothic silhouette rising at the foot of Krzyżna Mountain in the Rudawy Janowickie range, wrapped in a sweeping English landscape garden. It is history you can actually stay in: the castle operates today as a boutique hotel and restaurant, while its courtyard and park are open to all visitors.

The village of Karpniki sits in a gentle valley surrounded by the wooded hills of the Rudawy Janowickie, within easy reach of the Karkonosze massif. The park around the castle is beautiful in every season — spring blossom, summer shade, and vivid autumn colours make it a rewarding stop on any hike in the area. The current neo-Gothic English appearance of the castle dates from 1846, designed by Friedrich August Stüler, and the romantic atmosphere it creates is genuinely special.

• Karpniki village (parking near the castle) — tourist trail continues toward Cieplice Śląskie-Zdrój, difficulty: easy

• The castle operates as a hotel and restaurant — interiors are reserved for hotel guests
• The castle courtyard and park are open to visitors without booking a room
• Accommodation highlights include the Royal Apartment with 19th-century furnishings and the Renaissance Apartment with original 16th-century wall paintings

A fascinating footnote: the great Prussian architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel visited Karpniki in 1832 and made sketches that directly inspired the later rebuilding of the castle — so in a sense, you are walking through one of his visions. The Renaissance gate portal, almost stolen by thieves in 1993, was rescued in time, restored, and still stands proudly at its original spot today.