The summer music festival Hrady CZ is the largest cultural and social event in the Czech Republic. It will be the 18th year and the organizers promise the most interesting and varied program in the history of the festival. In non-traditional locations near Czech and Moravian castles, festival areas with two stages will be created, on which the best of the Czech and Slovak music scene will perform. Each venue is something exclusive and interesting.
With this series of summer festivals, the organizers want to support the development of tourism and attract foreign tourists to Czech monuments. Thanks to the annual festivals, individual monuments are more visible. Every participant of the festival has the opportunity to visit the given tourist attraction free of charge.
The festivals also include a rich program for the whole family. Every castle regularly hosts a large masquerade parade, which includes a competition for the best carnival mask.
Schedule of individual festivals Hrady CZ 2023
- 14. – 15. 7. Turntable
- 21. – 22. 7. Kuneticka hora
- 28. – 29. 7. Švihov
- 4. – 5. 8. Rožmberk nad Vltavou
- 11. – 12. 8. Squirrel
- 18 – 19 August Hradec nad Moravicí
- 25. – 26. 8. Bouzov
- 1. – 2. 9. Bezděz
Line-up and program of the Castles CZ 2023 festival
The groups Kabát, Kryštof and Mirai are the biggest undisclosed attractions of the festival so far. The band is also published Dymytry, No Name, Vjecy Stovians a Michal Hrůza with your group. These performers will perform at all held festivals.
The festival line-up is for the most part always the same. However, the program also includes performers who will introduce themselves to the audience only at some stops.
Location of individual areas of the Castles CZ 2023 festival
The first festival takes place at the State Castle Turntable. The castle is located in the Central Bohemian Region, about 1.5 km from the town of Žebrák and 25 km from Prague. It is one of the youngest Czech castles. At the same time, it is one of the largest in terms of area. In the castle moat you will find two bears – Martin and Agatha. You can drive to the festival and park near the castle. If you arrive by bus and go straight to the castle, you will have to walk about 20 minutes from the bus stop.
Approximately 15 minutes by car from Pardubice will be enough for you to reach the next festival castle Kunetica mountain. The castle was already inhabited in prehistoric times, it was used a lot during the Hussite Wars and also during the Thirty Years’ War. The restoration of the castle has been going on for several decades and further repairs are still planned. If you go to the castle by car, there is a designated parking lot approximately 200 m from the entrance. The Ráby – Kunětická hora bus stop is marked and located approximately one kilometer from the castle entrance.
32 km from Pilsen and 12 km from Klatov you will find a national cultural monument – a castle Švihov. It is a beautiful Gothic water castle, which in its time belonged to the best fortresses. A moat runs around the castle, where you can ride on a punt. If you arrive at the festival by car, you can park on Švihov Square and in the surrounding streets. The Švihov u Klatov train stop is located very close to the festival grounds. The Švihov náměstí bus stop is about a kilometer away.
Rožmberk nad Vltavou – this is a beautiful Gothic castle surrounded by the Vltava river, which will make the CZ Castles summer festival an unforgettable experience. The castle dates from the 13th century and consists of the so-called Upper and Lower Castles, which include the beautiful Jakobínka tower. If you drive by car, the castle is about 5 km from the junction between Dolní Dvořiště and Vyšší Brod. Both a bus and a train go regularly to the city.
Another festival castle rises in close proximity to the Brno dam – Squirrels. The stone castle was built in the 13th century. It was expanded to its present form in the 14th century. Repairs and reconstruction of the castle are still being worked on. You can reach the castle by car or bus. A pleasant transport option is a boat trip along the Brno Dam.
Another breathtaking place of one of the festivals is Hradec nad Moravicí. It is located approximately 7 km from Opava. The original castle was reconstructed in the 16th century into a Renaissance castle with an ornamental garden. In the second half of the 19th century, the area was expanded to include the so-called Red Castle with stables, a carriage house and a fortification wall. Today it is a beautiful castle with an unforgettable atmosphere. You can get close to the castle by car or train.
The penultimate festival of the whole series takes place at a romantic castle Bouzov. It is a national cultural monument that several directors have chosen to shoot their films and fairy tales. One of them is the fairy tale About Princess Jasněnka and the Flying Shoemaker. The castle is built about 30 km from Olomouc. A parking lot will be designated for car travel – the village of Bouzov is mostly closed during the festival. The bus will take you directly to the village.
The final weekend of the CZ Castles festival will take place at the castle Don’t worry. The royal stone castle is located in the Liberec region, about 65 km south of Liberec. Lake Mácho is located nearby. The castle was built as an impregnable fortress, for a while it served as a monastery, and today it is a state-owned castle. You can arrive at the festival by car, train or bus. The festival area is located on the outskirts of the village of Bezděz, approx. 3 km from the train exit station.
Accommodation at the Castles CZ 2023 festival
Part of every festival is the possibility to stay in a tent city.
There is a free tent area to choose from, where everyone can set up a tent as they wish. Only a toilet, drinking water and trash cans are available here.
The VIP tent city will cost you 750 CZK for two days for an adult and 200 CZK for a child. It is recommended to book your place in advance, due to limited capacity. In this case, it is a guarded, fenced area with a reception, refreshments, showers, washrooms and regular cleaning of the surroundings.
Camp VIP Plus is a place where a tent for two people is waiting for you. Mats and sleeping bags are included. The equipment is similar to that of a standard VIP tent city. The price is CZK 1,450 for two people for 2 days. A child is free here. Again, it is advisable to book this type of accommodation in advance.
If you want your own privacy, a bathroom and four walls, then you will certainly find a pleasant guesthouse, hotel or other type of accommodation near the festival grounds. Due to the popularity of the festivals, it is advisable to resolve the issue of accommodation as soon as possible.
