Yeah, so this is a real place, a real town where people work and live (and dodge tourists like us who come to gawk and gape at this exceedingly well-preserved 14th-century castle town).
Although the bear family was hiding from spectators (they’ve lived in the moat here for centuries), we did get to wander around this incredible castle!
Some hoity-toity princess wanted to walk to the theater and gardens without having to descend to walk on the ground, so they built her this lovely bridge.
And some prince’s bastard son convinced a village girl’s parents to have her live in the castle with him. After he beat her, stabbed her, and threw her out the window twice (!!), they imprisoned him behind this bricked-in window. He missed out on one heck of a good view for the rest of his life!
To escape the castle crowds, we rented a raft for a little float. I think we lucked out with the rental company we choose: it was cheaper than competitors and came with a van ride up river to a further put-in, thus a longer and more tranquil float and an extra rapids segment.
Now, when I say rapids, don’t get nervous. These are actually boat-sized chutes that take you over little dammed sections of the river. They are exciting! But in a “I’m not going to die” sort of way. Like a fun water slide, but in a raft.
We also ducked into a mirror maze on a whim. I had never experienced one of these before. I was sceptical of the cost, but it was worth the 10 bucks! It is totally disorienting and illusion-y in there. A child turns a corner you didn’t know was a corner, and they’re gone forever, having turned the next corner which you can’t distinguish as a corner either. We all ran into a few walls a few times. I highly recommend the experience (if you know the space is not large and your child won’t actually disappear forever).
Worth the 2-hour bus ride out of Prague for sure!
Magrilless 
Jealous, jealous, jealous!
Sounds as if life as a princess was a little chancy. I wonder what she did when it rained. And those water chutes…reminds me of New Braunfels when we floated the Comal river. Oh My. Of course I was terrified that the boys didn’t have an adult with them in case of danger. What ever was I thinking
The castle looks amazing
Don’t worry – the bridge is quite covered. Life as a princess is good.
It is true; defenestration is a huge problem in Czech lore. I have a colleague (who will remain nameless) who has gotten academic publishing credit for finding out how many Czechs have fallen/been pushed/jumped out of windows and their survival rate. Who said Slavists weren’t scintillating?
I’ve always thought “defenestration” is such an exotic word to mean something as simple as “going out a window.” And what is the sum total of Czech defenestrations?
Love the raft ride! For the castle to be in as good of shape as it is……amazing!!
That raft ride looked so fun! Your smiles are telling me you’ve settled into the lifestyle… (We just got done camping for three nights in the mountains and I’m STILL jealous of your adventure! Do you need a live-in nanny (with two twin boys)?