We may begin our trip by visiting the town of Kadaň, built on a rocky cliff above the Ohře River. We may park directly on the town square. Kadaň is a town with rich history that dates back to prehistoric times. Thorough exploration of all sites will certainly take up our whole day. What you definitely should not miss is the exceptionally well-preserved town square and its surrounding areas with a fountain of "continents" built in 1615, and the Town Hall from the 14th century with a massive tower, 53.7 m high. Many bourgeois houses on the square have Gothic cores and facades representing various architectural periods. Near the square we will find a castle built in 1261 as a Přemyslid residence. The castle was separated from the town by a trench and independent fortification walls. Kadaň also has well-preserved town walls from the 2nd half of the 14th century. As far as the town gates are concerned, only the Mikulovická Gate survived. To the west of the town centre, on Holy Hill we will find a former Franciscan monastery, which was declared in 1995 as National Historical Monument.
After exploring the town you can go by car (or walk and follow the red sign) to the nearby village of Pokutice. An educational trail begins here, which takes us on a tour of the significant table mountain Úhošť. First, we have to climb for about 1 km until we reach the upper terrace. Then we walk around the mountain edge. Please use caution here, because the slope on the edge of the mountain is very steep and reaches depths of many tens of metres. Úhošť is not only a dominant landscape feature, but it is also an important place for natural science (the highest protection level) and for history as well (a fortress from the Bronze Age can found at the top of the hill). After visiting the highest parts, we shall take the educational trail and follow the red sign down and below rocky cliffs and then towards a small road connecting Zásady and Pokutice. Here, the educational trail ends and we will head towards the right, along the road, and after 1 km of a moderate climb we will come back to Pokutice. (total length of the circuit is 7 km). From Pokutice we will go by car to the village of Krásný Dvůr, where we will visit a Baroque chateau that is open to the general public. The original fortress was reconstructed during the reign of F. J. Černín and turned into a representative residence. A large English-style park with an area of 96 hectares and with five ponds was built near the castle. We can find pastures with 100-year-old oak trees here. The oldest oak is about 1,000 years old. The park also offers romantic buildings, such as the Chinese Pavilion, Lord's Temple and more. A paid parking lot is located in front of the chateau. From Krásný Dvůr we will take our car and visit the town of Žatec. We may park directly on the town square. The town of Žatec also has a rich history (the first written record dates back to 1004) and offers many well-preserved monuments. The historic centre has been protected since 1961 by the town's historical heritage programme. We may see partially preserved town walls with towers here (e.g. the Kněžská Gate, the Libočanská Gate, Husitská bašta (Hussite Bastion)). You should definitely visit the double-towered Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the Capuchin Monastery with early Baroque Church of the Coronation of the Virgin Mary and the late Gothic Hošťálkův house No. 48 located on náměstí Svobody (the town square). Žatec is an important hop growing centre. Hops have been grown here for 700 years and therefore, every year at the end of August, a festival is organized here to celebrate the completion of the hop harvest - the so-called "dočesná" (hop harvest festival). Castle visiting hours: April and October: Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. ..................May, September: daily from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. except for Mondays. June through August: daily from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., except for Mondays.
