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October 13th, 2008
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Easter excursions

Child's Play

March 12th, 2008 issue

By Cecilia Sanchez Beltran

Spring getaways



<b>Chateau Mcely</b>
Tel.: 325 600 000
www.chateaumcely.com
<b>State Castle of Sychrov</b>
Tel.: 482 416 011
<b>www.zamek-sychrov.cz</b>
Hotel U knížete Rohana (at the Sychrov Castle)
Tel.: 485 146 089
E-mail: hotel@sychrov.com

For the Post 

One of the best ways to welcome spring in the Czech Republic is by celebrating Easter at one of the many castles and chateaus scattered all over the country. Two within the Liberec area, located about an hour’s drive from Prague, offer great family getaways.

Families with young children will enjoy a quiet Easter weekend at Chateau Mcely, recently converted to a five-star hotel. It sits on a hill near St. George’s forest, which cradles the rustic town of Mcely. If you can’t drive there, pick-up service can be arranged from the airport and other points in Prague (for about 3,900 Kč/ $237).
The forest was once hunting grounds for nobility. Around 500 deer still roam freely there, and you can see them on a guided walking tour offered by the chateau (1,500 Kč/hour).
The posh hallway of the chateau leads to the Piano Nobile restaurant, where a grand piano stands proudly amid fine china and tall wine glasses. It doesn’t seem like a place for children, but there is a children’s menu available, as well as special dishes for infants. In the corner by the wine bar, you’ll find a rattan chest with toys and books to occupy the little ones.
Looking out the window, you can see a swing hanging from the branches of an old tree. A few meters away is an English Garden, where children play pétanque in warm weather. The equipment waits near a wooden bench by the terrace, which is equipped with an outdoor Jacuzzi.
The library offers access to the most interesting feature of the chateau — an observatory. On clear nights, a telescope awaits anyone interested in star-gazing. It’s also a place to look at sunsets and sunrises over the view of the cottage rooftops and the forest below. Snacks can be delivered to the library from the restaurant.
There are six guest rooms for families. The Southern Seas room even has a charming wooden crib by a French window. The room includes a diaper changing mat, baby toiletries and extra touches, like a rubber duckie in the bath.
The Chateau offers packages for couples with newborns that include, among other things, baby-sitting service and relaxing massages for both parents. This luxurious weekend costs 29,200 Kč.
Over Easter weekend, there will be an egg hunt for the kids, with prizes. Children will also have fun painting on gingerbread baked in the Mcely tradition. And a historian is scheduled to narrate the medieval traditions of the townsfolk of Mcely.
Close to Liberec, about 30 minutes from Mcely, Sychrov Castle is known for its outdoor exhibition of free-flying birds of prey, which usually gets under way in late March. The castle grounds will be covered with markets stalls, March 15 and 16, selling porcelain and ironworks souvenirs, along with traditional Easter treats.
The castle has hour long guided tours beginning at 10 a.m. The last one starts at 2 p.m. during the cold months, and 4:30 p.m. in the warmer months. Entrance fees range from 90 to 220 Kč, depending on the age of the group members and what language is used.
This is a good castle to visit with elementary-school children, who will find the birds exciting and educational. Smaller children might be bored or scared, disrupting the guide’s narration.
The new U knížete Rohana hotel is a few minutes walk away from the castle, and offers a comfortable place to spend Easter weekend.
Spring opens many possibilities for children to have fun. But the long Easter weekend is the perfect chance to go with your children to near and faraway castles in the Czech lands.
Cecilia Sanchez Beltran can be reached at features@praguepost.com


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