Guide
Which Czech castles are open in winter, and what you'll actually see
Most Czech castles close on 1 November, and they don't open again until April.
That catches a lot of people out, because the castle is right there on the hill and the gate looks open. But inside, the rooms are cold, the guides are off for the winter and the ticket office won't open again until spring.
Luckily, a handful stay open, and a quiet castle in December with hardly anyone else on the tour is honestly one of the better things to do in Czechia in winter. Here's what's open, what you'll actually see and what to check before you go.
Hours and prices were checked in late October 2026. They change every season, so check the castle's own website before you set off.
The castles that stay open
1. Prague Castle
It's open every day. From November to March the historic buildings are open 9:00 to 16:00 and the grounds 6:00 to 22:00. The Main Circuit ticket covers St Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, St George's Basilica and Golden Lane, costs about 450 CZK for adults and lasts two days. It's the easiest winter castle by far, because it's in the city and it never really closes. Prague Castle on Pinsko
2. Karlštejn
Until 20 December it's open Friday to Sunday, 10:00 to 15:00 (plus Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 November, for the holiday). It's closed 21 to 25 December, then open every day from 26 to 31 December, and Friday to Sunday from 1 to 3 January. The days for February and March 2027 aren't out yet, so check before you go. Only the basic tour runs in winter, because the chapels route is closed until April. The basic tour costs 300 CZK for adults. You can get there by direct train from Prague and then it's about 2 km uphill on foot, which is a nice way to warm up btw. Karlštejn on Pinsko
3. Hluboká
It's open Tuesday to Sunday on a shorter winter route, 9:00 to 16:00 until 20 December. Last winter it opened again from January to March, 10:00 to 16:00. The winter tour takes about 40 minutes and costs 200 CZK for adults. It shuts over Christmas and New Year, and the park stays open whatever the weather. Hluboká on Pinsko
4. Loket
It's open every day, 9:00 to 16:00 from November to March, and the last entry is 30 minutes before closing. You can walk round on your own for 145 CZK. It's a proper hilltop castle above a bend in the river, and the little town below is worth a walk round too. Loket on Pinsko
5. Český Krumlov
This is the honest one. From November to March the famous interior tours are closed, and what stays open is the Castle Museum and the tower, Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 to 15:30. Even those close for a few days before Christmas until just after New Year. But... the town is at its best in winter, because the day-trip crowds that pack the lanes in summer just aren't there. Český Krumlov Castle on Pinsko
6. Sychrov
It isn't open all winter, but it does open for Christmas. From 11 to 20 December it's open every day, 10:00 to 14:00, and from 27 December to 3 January you can walk round the decorated rooms on your own. Outside those dates, check before you drive. Sychrov on Pinsko
7. Špilberk, Brno
The castle above Brno is run as a city museum, so it stays open through the winter. The grounds are open 6:00 to 22:00, and the casemates and exhibitions daily from 9:00, and the new wartime casemates opened in August 2026. Špilberk on Pinsko
The ones that open early or close late
- Konopiště is open at weekends until the end of November (and on Tuesday 17 November), 10:00 to 15:00, and Mikulov stays open until the end of November too.
- Lednice is open at weekends in November and until about 19 December, closes in January and opens again at weekends in February.
- Bouzov and Slavkov (Austerlitz) open again in March and stay open until December.
- Pernštejn, Trosky and most other castles are April to October only.
What changes in winter
1. Fewer tours, and fewer in English
Most castle tours are in Czech anyway, with printed English texts. In winter there are fewer tours a day, so an English one might not run at all, and it's worth asking when you book.
2. It's cold inside
Most castles aren't heated, so keep your coat on, because you'll be wearing it for the whole tour.
3. The days are short
In December it's dark by about 16:00. Plan one castle rather than two, and start back before it gets dark.
4. Mondays
A lot of the castles that do open in winter are closed on Mondays, Hluboká and the Český Krumlov museum among them.
So don't ask: "Which castles are open in winter?"
Ask: "What will I actually see there in January, and on which days?"
The answer is usually less than in summer, but it's quieter, and honestly that's often the better trade.
Let's be realistic about winter and pick one good castle, a warm lunch and a short walk, rather than squeezing a summer-sized day into eight hours of daylight. On the Pinsko map the trip planner leaves out the places that are closed this month by itself.
Which castle would you pick for a winter day out?