Montenegro village / Loket, Czech Republic

My name is Mathis, René Mathis. I'm your contact here...

In Casino Royale, Bond takes Vesper and the Aston Martin to a small village in Montenegro to meet with Mathis, Mi6's contact there. These scenes were actually filmed in the small village of Loket, only 15 min from Karlovy Vary, in the western part of the Czech Republic.

Loket is probably one of the best kept secrets of the Czech Republic, and because of that, the number of tourists are few in numbers, off season. The town centre itself features Loket Castle (Hrad Loket), a 12th century gothic castle which is one of the oldest and most valuable historical stone castles in the country. The village is surrounded by the Ohře river on three sides with only a bridge and a small piece of land connecting the village with the mainland. The town centre is a national monument and is preserved from modern developments.

Unfortunately the town square is a parking lot, and the cafés and bars featured in the film were built for the movie, exept for the small wooden terrace outside of Hotel Goethe (to the left). Here you can still have a Czech beer or a coffee while enjoying this legendary location. However, don't expect them to keep Bollinger in their wine cellars.

If you want to stay in Loket, there are two hotels featured in the film: Hotel Goethe and Bílý Kun opposite. Both of these hotels offer a nice view over the centre square, and you should definitely request it when booking.
The yellow building visble behind Bond and Vesper is Hotel Goethe, although with montenegrin letters. 

The only building with the Czech name still unchanged is Hotel Bílý Kun, visible behind Mathis in the last scene.





Bond is parking his Aston to the left of Hotel Goethe, and the church is briefly visible in the background. Parking is free if you're staying at a hotel.

Loket castle is also a museum and from here you have a good look over the town square and the surroundings. It's well worth a visit, and it also houses a small, cosy restaurant. The best time to visit Loket is probably during early summer. March-april is still a bit cold and the trees are not yet green.

Loket has beautiful surroundings and when you're driving down the road towards the village, with the tracks from Casino Royale in the car, you will agree that this is truly a spectacular location.