Humpolec

Late spring to early autumn is the best time. Summers are mild and good for walks in the surrounding hills. Winters are cold and snowy, and several sights open only in the main season, so check before a winter trip.

The biggest annual event is the Medieval Festival at Orlík u Humpolce, held on a weekend in early July. Sword fighters, musicians, craftspeople and a medieval market fill the castle ruin, with a programme for children too.

• Orlík u Humpolce is a Gothic castle ruin on a wooded hill about 2 km east of the centre. Climb the restored keep for wide views over the highlands. The site also has a small exhibition.
• Kostel sv. Mikuláše on the main square is the town's main church. In summer you can climb 115 steps to a viewing gallery 30 m up the tower, past the bells and the old clock mechanism.
• Muzeum Dr. Aleše Hrdličky is one of the oldest museums in the region, founded in 1895. It covers anthropology, local history and folk crafts, and tells the story of Aleš Hrdlička, who was born here.
• HLINÍKárium is a funny little museum about Hliník, a character from the 1976 film comedy Marečku, podejte mi pero!. In the film he moves to Humpolec, and fans still send him letters and postcards.
• Toleranční kostel is a simple Protestant church built soon after the Edict of Toleration of 1781. It is part of the small Zichpil open-air museum, together with the former synagogue.
• Nápravníkovo stavení is the last original house of the old Zichpil quarter. Inside, you can see how poorer families in the town used to live.

The Bernard brewery also has a modern visitor centre with guided tours, and a lookout platform on its tall brick chimney.

A visit to Humpolec is short and relaxed. These are the things that make it different:

• Write to Hliník: Send a postcard to the fictional Hliník. Fans have done this for years, and the mail ends up on display in HLINÍKárium.
• Climb the brewery chimney: Walk up 189 steps around the working chimney of the Bernard brewery to a viewing platform above the town.
• Join the medieval weekend: In early July, watch sword fights and craft shows at the castle ruin, and try food from the medieval market.

Humpolec sits in the middle of the Vysočina Region, so many good trips are close by. A car makes most of them much easier.

• Lipnice nad Sázavou — about 15 minutes by car. A large castle above a small village, where the writer Jaroslav Hašek spent his last years.
• Želiv — about 15 minutes by car. A large Premonstratensian monastery with a Baroque church in a quiet river valley.
• Pelhřimov — about 25 minutes by car or bus. A pretty town square and a fun museum of records and curiosities.
• Havlíčkův Brod — about 25 minutes by car or train. A historic town on the Sázava river with a large square.
• Jihlava — about 25 minutes by car or bus. The regional capital has a big square, underground passages, a zoo, and places linked to Gustav Mahler.
• Telč — about 1 hour by car. Its Renaissance square and castle are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Humpolec belongs to Vysočina Region, a region of rolling hills, ponds and small historic towns.

• Nearby towns: Pelhřimov and Havlíčkův Brod are both close and easy to combine with Humpolec.
• Regional highlights: Jihlava is the regional capital, and Telč is the region's best-known UNESCO town.

• By air: The nearest international airport is Prague Václav Havel Airport. From Prague, continue by bus or car; the drive takes a little over an hour.
• By car: Humpolec has its own exit on the D1 motorway between Prague and Brno. Both cities are a little over an hour away.
• By bus: Long-distance buses between Prague, Jihlava and Brno stop in Humpolec. This is usually the easiest way to arrive without a car.
• By train: A local branch line links Humpolec with Havlíčkův Brod, where you can change for fast trains. It is slower than the bus from Prague. Plan trips on Czech Railways or IDOS journey planner.

• On foot: The historic centre, the museums, Zichpil and the brewery are all within a 10-minute walk of the main square. The castle ruin is a pleasant 2 km walk away on marked paths.
• Local buses: Few visitors need them. For regional buses, pay the driver or buy a ticket in advance through the journey planner.
• Cycling: Quiet country roads and marked cycle routes cross the hills around the town, but expect some climbs.

• Is a car worth it?: Not for the town itself, which is small and walkable. For day trips around the region, a car saves a lot of time.
• Parking: There are car parks around the centre and near the brewery. Check the signs for time limits and paid zones on and near the main square.
• The D1 motorway: Traffic on the D1 is heavy, especially on Friday and Sunday afternoons. Roadworks and accidents often cause long delays, so allow extra time.

Food here is hearty highland cooking. Look for potato dishes, mushroom and cabbage soups, roast pork with dumplings, and fish from the local ponds.

Beer is the local pride. The Bernard family brewery offers guided tours with a tasting, and Pivnice Na Štokách in the brewery visitor centre serves its beer fresh from the tank. For other restaurants and cafés, look around the main square and the streets just off it.

Humpolec is a very safe small town. Petty crime is rare.

The main risk is traffic on the D1 motorway and busy roads nearby, so drive with care. In the woods around the castle ruin, check for ticks after walks in spring and summer. Winter roads in the highlands can be icy.

Humpolec was first mentioned in 1178. From the 13th to the 15th century it was a silver-mining town.

At the end of the 14th century, a castle was built on a hill east of the town. Its owners later renamed it Orlík. By the 18th century it was a ruin, and people took its stones for building. Today you can climb its restored keep at Orlík u Humpolce.

From the 17th century, Humpolec became known for making woollen cloth. The trade reached its peak in the 19th century. The town also had a large Protestant community and a Jewish community. Toleranční kostel and the former synagogue in the Zichpil quarter still recall them.

Brewing has a long history here too. It goes back to at least 1597. In 1991 the Bernard family bought the local brewery and made its beer known across the country.

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