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GROUP ESCORTED TOURS

GREAT HOUSES OF BOHEMIA

A Journey Through Historic Estates, Stunning Gardens, and Architectural Marvels from Medieval to Art Deco
GROUP ESCORTED TOUR

ABOUT THE TOUR

The country houses of Bohemia rival those in the UK, both numerically and in the diversity of architecture, interiors and gardens. Yet many are little known. Under communism a few were open to the public but their history was rarely mentioned. Czechoslovakia was one of the first countries to restitute property after 1989.

During this unusual tour we will enjoy private visits to some of those estates which have been returned to the original families, now coming into the ownership of a new generation. We are fortunate that private visits play a large part in this itinerary. Important houses and gardens still retained by the state will also be seen as well as those belonging to the Metternich family.

From royal medieval castles and churches to the fruits of the Enlightenment and industrialization which are mirrored in extraordinary original interiors such as we will find at Nove Mesto nad Metuji where medieval, Baroque and Art Deco are found in a glorious mix. Originality and influence on other parts of Central Europe are the keynote of Bohemian architecture.

For most of our daily journeys to all points of the compass outside Prague we will travel through the beautiful countryside of the Czech Republic.

Many of the aristocratic owners of these country seats had palaces in Prague, hence the decision to stay in central Prague for the duration of the tour. This gives the opportunity for visits and the chance to wander at leisure through one of the most beautiful capital cities in Europe.

LED BY

TOUR LEADER

Harriet Landseer

Harriet lives between Ireland and Prague (with occasional stints in Andalucia) and has worked for Specialtours since 1996, with a focus Central Europe as her main area of expertise. Fluent in Czech, she is also at ease in German, French and Spanish. She studied History of Art at Yale University and has worked with Lucy for almost 30 years, also at Reality and Beyond Ltd.
Lucy Abel Smith l Tour Leader | The Ultimate Travel Company

Lucy Abel Smith

Lucy is an art historian who specialises in Central Europe and the Balkans. After many years working as a tour organiser and lecturer, she set up her independent travel company, Reality and Beyond Ltd to concentrate on this most fascinating part of the world. She first visited Prague in the early 1970s and wrote a Walking Tour of Prague published by John Murray in 1991. She lives in Gloucestershire with her husband David and together they founded the successful contemporary sculpture show Fresh Air in 1992. She has restored a house in Richis, Transylvania where she launched the Transylvanian Book Festival in 2013. She wrote the Blue Guide to the Greater Tarnava Valley in 2016 which is now in its second edition. Any spare time is spent researching the patronage of the 17th Century Duke and Duchess of Beaufort. She is a patron of the Gloucestershire Gardens and Landscape Trust.
THE PRICE BREAKDOWN

7 days from £4,185 per person

TOUR DATE: 08 OCTOBER – 14 OCTOBER 2025

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: £750

Price Includes

  • Accommodation throughout as shown in the itinerary
  • Breakfast daily; 7 lunches; 3 dinners
  • Group transfers and transportation as per the itinerary
  • All entrance fees, visits, excursions
  • Gratuities in restaurants for included meals; gratuities to guides/s; gratuities to driver/s; porterage
  • The services of your tour leader and guest lecturer throughout

Price Excludes

  • International flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Opera / concert tickets
  • Meals ‘under own arrangements’
  • Items of personal expenditure (e.g. telephone calls / laundry etc.)
  • Government levies or taxes introduced after costing and publication of this programme on 19/02/25
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Bohemian Country Houses & Castles Tour

Day-by-Day Overview

6 nights at Grand Hotel Bohemia

Day 1: Arrival in Prague & Old Town Exploration
Arrive in Prague, check into the Grand Hotel Bohemia, and enjoy an introductory walk through the Old Town. Visit the stunning interiors of the Obecni Dum, followed by a welcome reception and dinner in its French restaurant.

Day 2: Karlstejn Castle & Veltrusy
Explore Karlstejn Castle, home to Master Theodoric’s famous wood panel paintings. After lunch, visit Veltrusy Castle with its scenic park. Option for an evening concert at the Rudolfinum (subject to schedule).

Day 3: Orlik, Drahenice & Blatna
Visit the Schwarzenberg Castle at Orlik, followed by lunch at Drahenice Chateau. Stop at the picturesque Blatna Castle before returning to Prague for dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 4: Kynzvart Castle & Krasny Dvur
Tour the grand Metternich estate at Kynzvart Castle, then visit the Baroque mansion of Krasny Dvur with its landscaped gardens. Return to Prague after lunch.

Day 5: Kutna Hora, Kacina & Trebesice
Discover the Gothic beauty of St. Barbara’s Church in Kutna Hora, then visit the neoclassical Kacina Chateau. Enjoy lunch and a visit to Trebesice Chateau before an afternoon of free time in Prague.

Day 6: Nove Mesto nad Metuji, Castolovice & Kostelec
Explore the architectural mix of Nove Mesto nad Metuji. Have a private lunch at Castolovice Castle, followed by visits to Kostelec and Cernymi Lesy Castle, including a tea break.

Day 7: Nelahozeves & Departure
Visit the newly-opened Dvorak birthplace and tour Nelahozeves Castle. Enjoy a farewell lunch before transferring to the airport for the flight back to London.

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
“BEAUTIFULLY ORGANISED AND PERFECT RECOMMENDATIONS. ”
“What a fantastic trip organised by Ultimate. They listened to what we wanted and set up perfect destinations for us. Everyone was friendly and professional from the office in London through to on-the-ground support. The organisation of pick-ups, connecting flights and so on, went like clockwork.”
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
“MY FIRST PORT OF CALL FROM NOW ON. ”
“Efficient, friendly and helpful throughout. made everything a million times easier, Ultimate Travel Company will by my first port of call from now on.”
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
“FANTASTIC!”
“Sophie went above and beyond to ensure we had a fantastic honeymoon. We had 0 stress relating to planning and everything was taken care of from the moment we stepped off the plane. Sophie anticipated what we wanted when we didn’t even know ourselves. We will certainly be booking with Ultimate again.”
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
“PROBLEM FREE EXCELLENCE.”
“Efficiently organised, everything went like clockwork. This is all the more remarkable since the tour involved considerable complexity.”
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
“AN EFFICIENT AND RELIABLE COMPANY.”
“We have continued to ask Ultimate Travel to make our distant overseas travel arrangements for many years and they have always given us great service.”
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