Located a 20-minute ride from the center of Prague – and currently open for day trips and overnight stays – the chateau is a dream-come-true for Czech-Danish couple Markéta and Finn Hansen.
The story of today’s Chateau Trnová began to be written in the 17th century when the first rooms were built as accommodation for the Sv. Jiljí Monastery. It has since been renovated, expanded, and rebuilt, and eventually served as the First School of Agriculture (founded in the location in 1791) and the holiday residence of famous opera singer Ema Destinnová.
The Hansens found the castle almost by accident, though the seed had been planted a long time before after the couple spent a company weekend at a small castle in South Bohemia.
The chateau is now a perfect example of “Hygge” – a Danish word used to describe a feeling of coziness and comfort that promotes wellbeing. “We tried to create a cozy, home-like feeling at the castle,” Markéta explains. “We do not want it to look like a museum, but a place where people feel well and like to spend time and enjoy themselves.”
Chef Pavel Veltruský, who once worked at three-star Michelin restaurants in France and England, is in charge of the kitchen and producing stunning dishes like Smoked salmon with thyme potato pancakes and caviar, Potato cappelletti with truffles and roasted pumpkin, and an array of desserts that include a selection of homemade ice creams and sorbets.