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Most people flock to Prague and Bohemian Switzerland when they visit the Czech Republic. But I decided to stray a little bit off the beaten track on my last trip. I picked a small town in West Bohemia as a base for my stay in the country of castles, beer, and dumplings. The name of this town is Loket and it is as picturesque as it can get in the Czech Republic. In this post, you can find a complete travel guide to Loket with my best tips on things to do, where to stay and some excellent day trips in the area. Let’s go!
Loket, Czech Republic
Loket is located in the Karlovy Vary region in Western Czechia and is one of the most enchanting towns in the country. It’s small in size, with about 3000 inhabitants, and is mainly known by domestic tourists for Loket Castle, a dreamy fortress that dates back to the 12th century.
Loket is located on a bend of the Ohře river River, which only adds to its charm. The village is almost completely surrounded by water and also lies in a small valley with gorgeous viewpoints in the forested surroundings.
As you enter the center of Loket, it will feel like you are catapulted back in time. The old town will welcome you with cute cobblestone streets, colorful Baroque and Renaissance-style buildings, and an inviting main square with a cute historical appeal.
While Loket is small in size, there are plenty of things to do in and around the town. Here are the best things to do in Loket!
The main square of Loket, Czech Republic
While the center of Loket is accessible by car, it’s better to leave you’re car outside of the center at one the paid parking spaces or at one of the viewpoints. You can find a good paid parking space right next to the EuroOil gas station outside of the main bridge.
This parking space leading to one of the viewpoints is free, but you’ll need to walk a bit further to get to the bridge and into town.
The main attraction of Loket is Loket Castle, a beautiful medieval castle dating back to the 12th century. I’m not that fond of visiting castles but, since it was the main attraction of the town I was staying at, I gave it a go.
The admission to the castle is 7 € and you can find the entrance right in the center of town. There’s a small parking space at the foot of the castle (I think it’s free but I wouldn’t take my car into the center) but you can also walk to the entrance taking the stairs left from the tourist information center.
The castle complex includes a palace, a tower, an inside square, and a dungeon. It is well-preserved on the outside but I found that it could have been a little better maintained on the inside.
Inside the castle, you can find a bunch of things like 2 rooms with 19th and 20th-century porcelain, a brief history of the castle and its inhabitants, and a section about Goethe, who was a big fan of Loket.
Furthermore, you can also witness the ‘Loket meteorite’, one of the most famous artifacts of the castle that fell in the area in the 15th century. But the most interesting part in my opinion was the torture chamber in which you can witness a large collection of medieval torture instruments. Yikes.
While the center of the small town of Loket is beautiful, it’s even more mesmerizing when you watch it from a distance! When you park your car at Parkoviště P7 Pod lesem, there’s a hiking trail that will take you to two of the most beautiful viewpoints around Loket.
While it’s almost uphill all of the way, it’s not that far of a walk and you can visit both viewpoints in about 30 to 45 minutes with stops for taking photos. There’s an educational sign at the start of the trail with some information and be sure to take the stairs, not the straight way up into the forest.
The small cobblestoned streets of Loket are as dreamy as it gets! You can find a typical Bohemian atmosphere here and the fact that the town center is so small only adds to the charm.
The cute streets of Loket
You can find various small shops, restaurants and cafes around the main square, T. G. Masaryk Square, but it’s also worth it to explore the small alleys around it.
One of my favorite places to have a coffee and watch daily life in Loket go by was Galerie Cafe. They offer locally roasted Crudum Coffee from the nearby small mountain town of Dvory and have a selection of plant-based milks!
If you want to spend a (half) day out in nature, there’s no better place to go around Loket than Svatos Rocks. From the town center of Loket, you can access a 6-kilometer nature trail that leads you along the Ohre River to this impressive rock formation.
Svatos Rocks is one of the most famous natural sights around Loket but don’t expect scenery like Pravcicka Brana in Bohemian Switzerland. Svatos Rocks is cool to see, but not that grand.
Just before you arrive at Svatos Rocks, you can cross the bridge where you find a small kiosk with drinks, burgers, and pizza (cash only). When you walk a little further, you arrive at Svatos Rocks and Restaurace and Hotel Jan Svatos, a place with canteen-style buffet food (think spaghetti, goulash, and fried cheese).
The Czech Republic has a deep-rooted beer culture and this is no different in Loket. Loket right beside the main bridge at the edge of town, you can find Svaty Florian Restaurant and Brewery.
They brew five different beers, from blond to dark, and in varying degrees, the strongest one has an alcohol percentage of 11,3%!
You can discover the brewery on a tour or just go for a bite at the restaurant and ask the waiter to recommend you the best beer on the menu according to your own preferences.
Loket is cute, but the natural areas around Loket also bear a lot of charm. From the center of Loket, there are numerous hiking trails that you can take into the surrounding hills and up to small towns like the picturesque hamlet of Dvory (this is where I stayed).
The natural area south of Loket is called the Slavkov forest and it’s worth it to explore the numerous lookout towers, small ponds, and swamps. You can find more information on the website Slavkovskyles Nature.
since the Ohre River runs right by Loket, it’s possible to engage in water activities like kayaking. If you want to visit Svatos Rocks, but don’t want to make the 12-kilometer return walk over there, going by kayak or canoe is another option!
The best place to rent a kayak or canoe is Rafting Ohre. They are located at the start of the hike to Svatos Rocks on Rooseveltova Street. You can find the Google Maps location here.
They don’t only offer leisurely DIY kayaking and canoeing around Loket but you can also peddle your way all the way to Karlovy Vary in four hours!
Not as spectacular as the castle itself but absolutely noteworthy is the small amphitheater that has been created at the banks of the Ohre River. Loket might be small but the in the summer, the town is bursting with activities and this amphitheater plays a huge role in that.
At the time of my visit, there was a metal festival going on during the weekend. It’s worth it to ask your accommodation for tips on events that take place in Loket. You can also check out the event calender on the official Loket community website.
Haha, a beer spa. Isn’t that a dream for beer lovers? I was frankly very excited to participate in this rather unusual wellness experience but upon my arrival in Loket, I refrained when I saw the price. 89€ for two people for a short beer spa session was not worth it in my opinion.
But, if this is something that is on your wishlist in Czechia, check out the beer baths that can be reserved at Restaurant Old Slavic Cuisine. I didn’t engage in the beer bath but the food here is delicious though. Try the grilled vegetables with roasted potatoes if you are a vegan!
You can also contact them through their website to make a reservation for a beer bath.
While Loket is fun, there are also some great trips to be had in the surrounding area, particularly to a nearby lake and to the spa town of Karlovy Vary.
As a part of our trip, we also went to Bohemian Switzerland for a day but that was far too far of a drive. It took about two and a half hours from Loket to reach the highlights around the town of Hrenkso and you need more time than a day to explore the region.
It’s better to explore North Bohemia on a separate trip or on a road trip through the country.
West Bohemia is known for its spa towns and the most famous one in Karlovy Vary. Karlovy Vary or ‘Carlsbad’ is only 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) away from Loket and makes for the perfect day trip.
The main sights in Karlovy Vary are the collonades with their natural springs. You can buy a cup at one of the many tourist stalls and drink from the waters of the various taps you can find along the promenades of the Tepla River.
Drinking fountain and St Mary Magdalene Church in Karlovy Vary
The Mill Collonade is by far the most popular but there are other ones too like the Market Collonade and the Castle Collonade. One thing you can’t miss out on is Vřídlo, the largest hot spring in the center of the city that spouts water up to 12 meters high.
Other popular sights are the column of the holy trinity and the St Mary Magdalene Church.
Foodwise, I found the tourist area around the Collonades a bit too touristy and expensive. The best thing to do is to go in the direction of the shopping street, T.G. Masaryka, and look for restaurants there. Spunt & Knoflik is a good option for drinks and meat-eaters. Kus-Kus and Republica coffee also have options for vegans.
If you are looking for some fun in the water on a hot summer day, check out Bila Voda near the town of Chodov, a 25-minute drive from Loket. This non-touristy recreational area is an old quarry that now serves as a swimming lake for locals and visitors.
Access to the lake is completely free and there’s a small beach and bar/food stall that sells beer, sodas, fries, and burgers. You can also rent small boats to go out onto the water.
One point of caution when visiting this lake is the parking area. There is a decent-sized parking space located at the entrance of the lake just right next to a pump track. Our car got damaged here by someone who deliberately scratched the doors of our van with a key.
It was probably just bad luck but definitely something to keep in mind.
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There are various options for staying in Loket and it largely depends on your budget, travel style, and the company you’re in. Here are my top picks in and around Loket!
There are not that many restaurants in Loket but enough to have a variety of choices if you’re staying in the area for a week. Top choices are:
Loket is a small town but it is served by bus and train. From Prague, you’ll first need to take a train to Karlovy Vary (2 to 3 hours) and transfer there to a local bus or train to Loket.
Car is by far the easiest way to reach Loket if you are traveling as a family or a group of friends. There are several parking areas around the town and the traffic in Czechia is not hectic or crazy.
If you fancy going on an organized day trip from Prague to Loket that’s possible with this tour, taking in both Karlovy Vary and Loket.
Late spring or early autumn are definitely the best times of the year to visit Loket. The weather’s not too hot, there are few tourists and either flowers are starting to bloom or fall foliage kicks in.
I personally visited in the middle of August and I found that tourist numbers were actually great during the week. There were never any crowds, making it also an enjoyable destination in peak season, however, there were many more people on the weekends.
I also think that Loket must be a great destination to visit in the winter months, especially when it snows. The historic center covered in a layer of snow with the castle in the backdrop must be wonderful!
There you go! We are at the end of this post about the beautiful town of Loket. One last thing I want to warn you about is that, at the time of our visit, there seemed to be a plague of wasps in Czechia. It’s a bit crazy because in Belgium, the number of wasps is too low, but in Loket, they are thriving!
Not a big deal, but something to be aware of if you are maybe allergic to wasp stings.
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or drop me a message through my contact page.
Also, don’t forget to check out my resources page with my favorite booking platforms and tips to start planning your trip. Additionally, have a look at my favorite travel gear if you want to pack more consciously!
ENJOY!
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Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and yourself!
On this website, I cover different topics like slow travel, plant-based food guides, responsible travel, sustainable packing, eco-travel, and more!
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