The In the Footsteps of Aristocratic Families project is entering its 16th year – Travels of the Nobility
The In the Footsteps of Aristocratic Families project will enter its 16th year in 2026, with the subtitle Travels of the Nobility. The new theme will explore why, where, and how members of both renowned and lesser-known aristocratic families travelled, and how their experiences from near and distant parts of the world influenced everyday life as well as the appearance of castle and château interiors. Travel-related motifs will be brought to life at more than forty heritage sites managed by the National Heritage Institute through new and updated tour routes, exhibitions, and themed events. The flagship site of the project will be Telč Chateau.
The 16th edition of the series will take visitors to heritage sites back to the “long 19th century,” a period when travel underwent a fundamental transformation. The development of rail, shipping, and later automotive and air transport enabled faster movement across Europe and opened the way to discovering exotic destinations in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Members of the nobility gradually evolved from aristocratic travellers into modern tourists.
The travel theme will resonate across more than forty heritage sites administered by the National Heritage Institute throughout the Czech Republic. Visitors can look forward to the reopening of the Mitsuko tour route at Horšovský Týn Chateau, dedicated to Countess Mitsuko Coudenhove-Kalergi, the first Japanese woman to live in Europe. Another highlight will be an updated tour route at Telč Chateau, presenting the lifestyle of its last owners, the Podstatský-Lichtenstein family, and their motoring expeditions across Europe. At Červené Poříčí Chateau, a new exhibition titled Travel Fever: When the Aristocracy Set Out into the World will open.
Across other sites, the project will be presented through adapted tour routes, thematic exhibitions, enhanced interpretive texts, and displays of authentic souvenirs and objects brought home by aristocratic travellers.
At Hluboká Chateau, visitors will see a panel exhibition on Dr Adolf Schwarzenberg’s safari, together with his wife Hilda, in Africa during the 1930s.
Nové Hrady Castle will present a selection of travel literature from its historic library, and guided tours will be enriched with information about Count Karel Jiří Buquoy’s hunting expedition to Ceylon in 1912.
At Červená Lhota Chateau, visitors can symbolically follow Johann Schönburg on his journey to the Caucasus, while at Dačice Chateau they will learn about health-related travels undertaken by members of the Dahlberg family.
The diverse destinies of the Haugwitz family will be presented at Náměšť nad Oslavou Chateau, where guided tours will be complemented by authentic souvenirs recalling Sofia Haugwitz’s health stays and Heinrich Haugwitz’s journeys across the Mediterranean and to Monte Carlo for sport shooting.
The life of an aristocratic residence in the absence of its owners will be revealed through guided tours at the Metternich Chateau in Plasy, while the travels of the eccentric Countess Elvíra of Vrbno across Europe will be highlighted at Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou Chateau.
Jindřichův Hradec Castle and Chateau will also present the travel activities of the aristocracy. During his journeys, heir to the throne Franz Ferdinand d’Este visited the site several times, and his presence inspired the restoration of two halls on the second floor of the Adam Building — the so-called Imperial Apartments — arranged as a representative imperial residence.
