Czech Republic Guide
West Bohemia
Loket
The tiny hilltop town of LOKET (Elbogan) is an exquisite, virtually undiscovered, miniature gem, just 12km west of the crowds of Karlovy Vary. It takes its name from the sharp bend in the River Ohře – loket means elbow – which provides the town with its dramatic setting. The fourteenth-century hrad (daily: April– Oct 9am–4.30pm; Nov– March 9am–3.30pm; 
www.hradloket.cz ; 80Kč), which slots into the precipitous fortifications, displays porcelain manufactured in the town over the last couple of centuries; you can also explore the castle's former prison, climb the lookout tower, explore the ruined Romanesque rotunda, and enjoy the tacky permanent exhibition on ghosts, plus the occasional concert, medieval market and fencing match. In July, during the Loketské kulturní létofestival ( www.loketfestival.info ), the castle provides a backdrop to opera performances. The pretty main square is overlooked by the Hotel Bílý kůň, where Goethe met his last love, Ulrike von Lewetzow, he in his 70s, she a mere 17. Hardly surprisingly, she refused his marriage proposal – his Marienbader Elegie describes the event – and then remained single throughout her long life. The rest of Loket's picturesque streets form a garland around the base of the castle, sheltering half-timbered houses and secluded courtyards like Sklenařská, where the redundant German sign Glaser Gasse remains unmolested since the forced expulsions of 1945 stripped the town of its German-speaking inhabitants.
The best place to stay is the Hotel Císar Ferdinand ( 
352 327 130, www.hotel-loket.cz ; Price: 1501-2000Kč), in the grandiose former post office at the top of the main square, with its own brewpub serving an excellent half-dark sv Florián beer. Cheaper is the amiable hostelLazy River ( 352 684 587, www.lazyriverhostel.com ; Price: Under Kč1000Kč), at Kostelní 72, conveniently located between the square and the castle.
Loket is easily accessible by bus from Karlovy Vary, but by far the most inspiring way of getting there is to walk the seventeen-kilometre-long, blue-marked track from Karlovy Vary, which crosses over to the left bank of the River Ohře at the halfway point and passes the giant pillar-like rocks of the Svatošské skály (Hans Heiling Felsen), which have inspired writers from Goethe to the Brothers Grimm.