If you have ever imagined a storybook country-side, you perhaps thought about Cesky Krumlov. It has narrow, winding streets, rickety bridges over the wide river which almost makes a circle around this town, and above all, it can boast of its castle. Cesky Krumlov is one of the most beautiful towns you can find in Europe. It’s known by various tourists and is listed as the second most visited place in the Czech Republic after Prague, of course.
Places become tourist attractions for a reason, and it’s simple to understand why Cesky Krumlov is one of them. It’s small, but there’s enough to do to fill a couple of days, especially if you don’t hurry up. Be sure to be awarded for staying overnight – the majority of tourists arrive on daytrips, especially from Prague, so the streets will be emptier in the evening and it’s easier to feel the place than if you come in town for a few hours.
Morning Trip
Start your day with wandering around the town, and don’t forget to climb the hill to the Cesky Krumlov Castle. As you are there, look over the walls to check out the bears that are housed in an enclosure next to the gate, and continue in to the sprawling labyrinth inside the castle. Different areas of the castle can be seen on a guided tour; by the way, you pay more for an English tour than a Czech one. Nevertheless, if you want to save your money, it’s easy to spend an hour or so just walking around the castle’s open spaces, enjoying the gardens and fountains, checking out the panorama of the town below.
Mini Tour
The tourist office suggests a one-hour tour starting at 12.30 that costs around €8 (200kc) and takes you through the streets of the old town until you reach the Eggenberg brewery. It’s short, but you can learn a bit about Cesky Krumlov and a lot about its beer. This tour ends with a free glass of beer in the brewery bar. Here you can also have a lunch – a traditional meal, choose anything that includes dumplings and cabbage.
Rafting
Don’t spend too much time on your lunch, though, while your next activity will be a rafting trip down the river. Malecek Rafting & Canoe has been working for 22 years and was my pick of the variety of companies who rent rafts on the Vltava River. If you visit Cesky Krumlov in high season, there is sense to book your raft in advance; try to get there before 2.30 pm to get the most out of the afternoon.
Prices differ depending on the sort of raft you rent and on the distance you want to travel; you will be transported to the launch point and picked up from your destination at an arranged time. Take a trip from Cesky Krumlov to Zlata Koruna, as it’s a pleasant journey with a bar to stop at about an hour into your adventure.
No matter what route you choose, you will perhaps have to do down one or more weirs, which is magnificent! You’ll get the instructions about which side to head for as you reach the weir, as a narrow channel for kayaks and rafts is constructed into each one; doing down is a mild journey that’s suitable for persons of all ages – my 2-year-old nephew enjoyed it!
Evening Time
As you’ll be picked up from the destination point and taken back to town by van, it’s high time to think about dinner. There is a large list of good restaurants to pick from, and the tourist office can suggest you a list of your options; two nice places in the old town to visit are the Gypsy Bar for gourlash and the Two Marys for medieval Bohemian meal with river views.