From star-shaped churches and Harry Potter-esque castles to rustic river camps and buzzing breweries, the Sázava valley is a tapestry of surprises. Hike to the river’s mystical source, wander Gothic monasteries and glass-adorned courtyards, or sip knockout beer by the water’s edge. Along the way you’ll find funparks with camels, fairytale bridges guarded by devils, boutique châteaux made for slow living, and dramatic fortresses still owned by their founding families—all woven together by the meandering Sázava as it flows toward its grand meeting with the Vltava. Over the past year I’ve followed this river on and off from its quiet source in the Žďárské Mountains all the way to its confluence at Davle, and each return has revealed something new, unexpected, and deeply memorable.