Photo: szerenka · CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Český Krumlov
A castle town in a loop of the river, best overnight when the day-trippers leave.
A small Renaissance town wrapped in a tight loop of the Vltava, under a huge castle with a painted tower. Day-trip coaches fill it from late morning to mid-afternoon, so stay a night and walk it early and late.
Places to see
- Český Krumlov CastleSight · Five courtyards climbing along a rocky ridge above the river, a round tower painted in…≈ A$29
Cloak BridgeSight · A covered passage carried over a deep ravine on tall stacked stone arches, joining the…Free
The old town and Svornosti SquareWalk · A maze of crooked lanes inside the river bend, with painted Renaissance houses, a sloping…Free
When to go
- Jan0° / -6°Some rainQuiet
- Feb2° / -5°Some rainQuiet
- Mar7° / -2°Some rainQuiet
- Apr13° / 2°Some rainBusy
- May18° / 6°Some rainBusy
- Jun21° / 10°Often wetVery busy
- Jul23° / 12°Often wetVery busy
- Aug23° / 11°Often wetVery busy
- Sep
Staying and getting around
Good areas to stay
The old town (inside the river loop). The lanes and main square inside the Vltava's bend: the church, museums and riverside terraces. Car-free and beautiful, with guesthouses and a few hostels.
Latrán and the castle hill. Across the bridge on the castle side: the castle, its courtyards, the Cloak Bridge and gardens, and a lane of shops and guesthouses running to the Budějovice Gate.
Flying in
Prague Václav Havel (PRG): Bus and metro into Prague, then a coach to Český Krumlov, about 4 h, ≈ A$29. RegioJet and FlixBus coaches from Prague (Na Knížecí) take about 3 hours and are often quicker than the train (check).
Flewaway's estimate for the usual budget way into Český Krumlov; check times and fares before you fly.
Getting around
You can walk everywhere. A single ticket is ≈ A$1. The whole town is walkable, with steep lanes up to the castle and Křížová hora. Coaches from Prague stop at the bus station on the edge of the old town; the railway station is a steeper 20-minute walk north (check).
Tourist tax
The town's local accommodation fee: usually up to about CZK 50 a person a night, added at check-in; under-18s don't pay (check).
