When we woke up, it was snowing! The red roofs from the previous night were slowly being covered white. It wasn’t a lot but it changed the view and the atmosphere of the town. Since we were staying at a pension, we had access to the kitchen. The parents went grocery shopping in the morning and cooked us a great meal.
After our breakfast, we decided to walk around time. We found things to do online but realized that almost everything was closed for the winter. So the best we could do is just find things that were open.
The town was really cute and colorful. Each corner, each alley was worth a look. They were all picturesque. Also, some streets were just residential houses and some were shops. And some of these shops were really adorable. We visited a handmade soap shop and a handmade toy store and found joy in just looking around.
While looking around, we were slowly making our way towards the Castle. The first thing we saw was the Cloak Bridge from the bottom. This Bridge was really impressive! The size of it was much more grand than what I imagined from looking at pictures. The arches made it possible to go “outside” of town and from top, it collected the Castle.
Once “outside,” we found a slope that led to the Castle on the left side. We slowly climbed up the Castle walls and found ourselves at a great view point of the city. This was how the city was kept safe. The Castle and its walls protected them. And someone made a family of snowman for the occasion! Adorable!
Once at the wall, we took a right turn and headed for higher ground, hoping to find a better view. We ended up at the Gardens but since it was winter time, it was closed. This place would be gorgeous during the spring. I could already see it.
We turned back and headed towards to Bridge. Right before you hit the bridge, there was a small door that led to what looked like a balcony. The view here was the best. It provided a panoramic view without too many trees in the way. Great place to get a picture of the city.
Afterwards, we crossed the Cloak Bridge. The view from the Bridge was good too. But the wind was really strong here so just be careful.
We walked around the Castle grounds, just exploring. We couldn’t see any of the gallery or the state rooms since it was winter. According to the website, the Castle opens mid-spring to late-fall. So if you want the full experience, make sure you plan accordingly.
While walking around, we found a small free museum called Muzeum Obchodu(Museum of Commerce). It was inside a shop that was selling local souvenirs and was a quick walkthrough. It provided an exhibition of the past with goods from different era and also machines/gadgets. It was definitely worth a look.
We ended up eating dinner at the Christmas Market. A lot of the restaurants were closed or full and we just wanted a quick bite. Again, we looked around and this time, we ended up getting the sausages. We tried to get different ones to share. One of them was “spicy” but not spicy at all. They had little bar tables for people to eat at and with a bottle of wine, it was a good meal.
After the meal, we decided to walk around the town more. Most of the stores were closed and the streets were empty but it was nice to take a stroll. We walked to the other side of the town and saw a gate into the city and we headed back into the Castle to see if we get some night view. The view at night time wasn’t as spectacular as I expected but the Cloak Bridge at night time was worth it.
Moons on the Move 