This medieval Czech town sits on a granite rock above the Ohře River. Its 13th-century castle, once a royal residence, has appeared in James Bond's Casino Royale.
Loket sits on a rock peninsula formed by the Ohře River in western Bohemia. You'll find a 12th-century Gothic castle, a Baroque town hall from 1696, and the Holy Trinity Column in the town square. James Bond fans might recognize the town from Casino Royale (2006), where it appeared as a location in Montenegro.
Exploring Loket Castle
The 12th-century castle occupies a massive rock formation, with the Ohře river flowing on three sides. You can visit nine sections including medieval prison cells, a torture chamber, and a wedding hall. The castle museum displays an extensive collection of 19th and 20th-century porcelain and historical weapons. Look for the fragment of the Loket meteorite in one unusual exhibit - it fell around 1400 and originally weighed 107 kg.
Walking Through Town
T. G. Masaryk Street runs through the center of Loket's Old Town, where you'll see the 1696 Baroque town hall and the Column of the Holy Trinity. The narrow cobblestone streets follow the medieval layout within the natural boundary created by the river bend. You can walk across the entire Old Town in about 15 minutes.
Transportation and Access
You can reach Loket by train from Karlovy Vary in 20-25 minutes. The town has two stations: Loket and Loket Předměstí, both within walking distance to the Old Town. Some trains run direct, while others require a change at Chodov, Nové Sedlo u Lokte, or Sokolov-Těšovice.
Cultural Events
An open-air amphitheater below the castle hosts opera performances during the Loket Cultural Summer festival. The venue seats 1,800 people and uses the castle walls as its backdrop. The town also hosts the Czech Motocross Grand Prix, adding modern entertainment to its medieval setting.
Beyond Loket
Visit the Hans-Heiling Rocks (Svatošské rocks), where granite formations create natural pillars and walls along the river. A 17-kilometer marked trail leads to Karlovy Vary, a spa town with thermal springs. The path follows the Ohře River through pine and oak forests, passing granite cliffs and rock formations.
