Czech Republic Guide
North Moravia
Helfštýn
Opening time: March & Nov Sat & Sun 9am–4pm; April, Sept & Oct Tues– Sun 9am–5pm; May– Aug Tues– Sun 9am–6pm
Price: 30Kč
If you're heading east from Olomouc into the Beskydy by rail or road, it's difficult to miss the spectacular ruined castle of Helfštýn, which looks down from the wooded hills to the south of River Bečva, above the road-junction town of Lipnik nad Bečvou. Founded sometime in the fourteenth century, it's one of the largest medieval castles in the Czech Republic, and was used by the Hussites as a base from which to attack Olomouc, before being deliberately laid to waste by the Habsburgs following the Thirty Years' War. Sections of the complex have since been restored, but the place is still, for the most part, a ruin and you can wander at will. Concerts, mock battles and various other events are staged here over the summer (check 
www.helfstyn.cz ) and there's a permanent display of modern blacksmith artistry in one of the castle wings (expozice kovářství; May– Sept Tues– Sun 9am–5pm), plus an annual international blacksmiths' convention, Hefaiston, in late August. To get to the castle, you can walk the 5km along the red-marked path from the train station at Lipník nad Bečvou, which is served from Olomouc by regular train (some direct, some involving a change at either Přerov or Hranice na Moravě).