A historical character and a brewing tradition

1. Namesti Premysla Otakara II is a huge square ringed with restored baroque structures of great architectural beauty. The recently restored Town Hall on the southwest corner is an elegant structure adorned with larger-than-life statues, bronze gargoyles, and splendid sculptures, while the opposite Yellow House is a fine example of late baroque architecture.

2. Climb the 360 steps to the top of Cerna Vez (Black Tower), from where you can enjoy a 360-degree bird's eye view of the town adjoining the junction of the Vltava and Malse Rivers.

3. Visit the Budejovice Budwar Brewery, taste the famous Budweiser beer, and learn about beer-production technology. Or, if your time is limited, enter one of the numerous pubs around namesti Premysla Otakara II and ask for pivo Budwar, probably the best beer in the world.

4. Visit the excellent South Bohemian Museum housed in a former guardhouse on Manesova south of the centre. Various exhibits related to the first horse carriage railway connecting Ceske Budejovice with Linz are on display.

Quick Tips:

1. The Tourist Information Office is found on namesti Premysla Otakara II 26. The efficient staff sells maps and theatre tickets and helps with accommodation. On namesti Pemysla Otakara II 2, the Municipal Office provides similar services.

2. The Budejovice Budwar Brewery accepts only group tours, no individuals. If you're travelling alone, however, go to one of the bigger hotels (Hotel Zvon, namesti Premysla Otakara II 28, will do it) and they will put you with one of the scheduled tours.

3. Every August, Ceske Budejovice hosts the largest international Agricultural Show in the country. Make sure that your visit does not coincide with the fair, when hotel prices go up considerably. For more information, visit: www.mesto.budweb.cz.

4. There are numerous inexpensive pensions and private rooms from which to choose, but the quality may not be up to standard. If in doubt, it's better to find something through one of the information offices. Hotels are more expensive, but the standard is usually higher.

5. The area around the train station and along Lannova trida, the avenue which joins the station to the centre, should be best avoided; it's not the best place to linger after dark.

Best Way To Get Around:

1. From Prague's Hlavni nadrazi, daily express trains to Ceske Budejovice cover the 169km distance in 2.5 hours. The price for a second-class ticket is 204Kc (about US). From the Florenc bus station, there are also several daily buses that take considerably less time for 118Kc (about US).

2. From Linz in Austria, two daily trains cover the 125km distance in 3 hours. In summer, a daily bus links Linz with Ceske Budejovice, but only two buses per week operate in winter.

3. The centre of Ceske Budejovice is small enough to be covered on foot. But if you intend going to the Budejovice Budwar Brewery, which is several kilometres north of the centre, it's advisable to catch bus no. 2, 4, 6, or 8. A ticket costs 8Kc (US.30).

4. The train station and the bus station are some distance east of the centre. Walk for a short distance along Nadrazni until you reach Lannova trida. Walk the whole length of Lannova trida past the Prior Department Store and the Julius Meinl supermarket until you reach the traffic lights on Na Sadech. Continue straight ahead on Kanovnicka, which leads directly towards the huge town square.

One of the most beautiful buildings on namesti Premysla Otakara II, Hotel Zvon is a cultural and historical monument that dates back to 1553. To reach the hotel from the adjacent train or bus station, walk the whole length of Lannova trida (about 600 metres) until you reach the traffic lights. Cross Na Sadech and continue straight ahead on Kanovnicka until you reach the Cathedral of St. Nicholas and the Black Tower. Kanovnicka opens into the huge main square, namesti Premysla Otakara II. Hotel Zvon is located on its east side.

Reconstructed some years ago and recently renovated inside and out, Hotel Zvon looks wonderful in its new coat of yellow paint. Decorated with rows of red geraniums and flags, its external Baroque architecture is one of the most splendid in town and comes close second when compared with the majestic Town Hall. Inside, the hotel's main hallway is decorated with a hand carved 17th-century ceiling and wonderful frescoes.

Grand Hotel Zvon is a four-star hotel with 75 spacious rooms, 20 of which overlook the traditional square. Each room has all modern comforts ranging from a modern bathroom equipped with both bath and shower to a direct-dial telephone with automatic wake-up call. The amenities available inside the hotel include: an exchange bureau, a travel agency, a souvenir shop, a flower shop, a conference room equipped with banquet facilities, an elegant restaurant, a cozy café and an excellent porter service. In summer, sun-shaded tables where you can have a snack, a drink or a full dinner are placed in the arched walkway in front of the hotel's main entrance.

The friendly receptionists speak English and go out of their way to help. Don't hesitate to ask for information about tours to the Budejovice Budvar Brewery or about what's on and where to find it. Everything you need to know about historical sights, theatres, cinemas, art galleries and shops is readily available at the reception desk.

The extravagant breakfast included in the price is served between 7:30am and 11am. Cereal, fresh fruit, fruit salad, hot dishes, a vast assortment of dairy products, biscuits, cakes and fruit juices are all available. You can opt for normal tea, herbal tea, espresso or cappuccino. All dishes are tasty, delicious and presented so well as to be equally tempting. If you still crave for something which you can't see on display, ask the restaurant manager and you can be sure it will appear in no time.

The hotel's dream location on the city's most wonderful square and the excellent way the receptionists pamper the hotel guests are Hotel Zvon's best assets. Add to this the tasty breakfast and the cozy traditional rooms and you'll understand why it is necessary to book weeks ahead.

Restaurant Dvorak is the elegant luxuriously furnished dining place of the 4-star Hotel Dvorak (formerly Hotel Slunce), which occupies a prominent space along the south side of the town's most beautiful square, namesti Premysla Otakara II. To reach the square from the adjacent bus or train station, walk the whole length of Lannova trida until you reach the traffic lights. Cross Na Sadech and continue along Kanovnicka, which opens into the square. Three sides of the square are lined with covered arched walkways. If you take the walkway on the south side, you'll soon reach restaurant Dvorak.

In summer, an elevated platform outside in front of the hotel's main entrance is equipped with facilities for dining. The atmosphere here is less formal than inside but the service is of a similar top quality. If you opt for a table outside, you can enjoy the wonderful view of Samson's fountain right in front of you and the splendid Town Hall a couple of metres away.

The extensive menu in English and Czech offers a rich selection of local and international cuisine together with a couple of vegetarian dishes. Renowned for its wide range of Italian fare, Restaurant Dvorak presents a wide assortment of pasta dishes and more than 20 varieties of pizza. Try their vegetarian lasagne layered with copious amounts of spinach or their pizza pepperoni flavoured with dashes of paprika. If you want to have something lighter, opt for Italian minestrone or Dvorak's tasty shrimp soup. Local dishes include: the unusual thick tripe soup called drstkova polevka which you shouldn't miss, a whole range of meat soups with knedliky or dumplings and a wide variety of homemade special dishes. If you have a hungry appetite, it is advisable to take both a starter and a main dish since dishes are usually far from abundant.

Restaurant Dvorak has a vast wine cellar from which you can choose local brands or imported varieties. Local wine costs about US$5 a bottle but imported wine is much more expensive, often three times as much. It's better to stick to local beer, which is both good and cheap. Budweiser is without doubt the top beer in the Czech Republic but for a change, try 'Prazdroj', which comes a close second, or 'Samson', which is a light lager of exceptional taste. In Restaurant Dvorak, all brands of local beer are always served on draught. Ask for the separate sweets and ice-cream menu. Their tiramisu is to die for. Or for a splurge, choose their delicious Italian-style spaghetti ice-cream, a mixture of three flavours topped with a thick strawberry sauce. A meal for two complete with beer and sweets sets you back about US$30. On Fridays, Saturdays and special days, your dinner will usually be accompanied by live music.

In summer, Dvorak's excellent open-air location on the town's wonderful main square together with its wide range of tasty meals are the reasons why more often than not you have to wait for a table.

If you're based in Ceske Budejovice, it's worth exploring the region of South Bohemia where small medieval towns were built amidst forests of spruce and pine or on the banks of one of the tributaries of the Vltava River.

The small town of Prachatice, 60kms west of Ceske Budejovice for example, has untouched medieval buildings with a taste of Bavaria while Trebon, 30kms east boasts a splendid historical castle still undiscovered by tourists. In an area of unparalleled natural beauty, the small village of Rozmberg has the largest natural carp pond in the country while the town of Pisek, constructed on the embankment of the Volary River has a stone bridge which comes a close second when compared with the famous Karluv bridge in Prague.

All this may seem interesting to travellers who intend to explore the region. However, if your time is limited, it's better to stick to one or two towns rather than move quickly from one to another without having the opportunity to discover and taste the historical atmosphere, culture, folklore and architecture of the area.

The small picturesque town of Cesky Krumlov, 25kms south of Ceske Budejovice and world famous for its preserved 13th-century Gothic castle and its numerous medieval buildings and narrow meandering streets is a favourite among group tours and travel agents. It has lately become a haven for Austrian and Italian tourists. To get a taste of the town's architectural beauty and to visit the castle's interior, you require at least a full day of sightseeing. If however you want to escape from the crowds of tourists and backpackers, it's advisable to take a day trip to each of the following:

1. Hluboka nad Vltavou is a small town 8kms north of Ceske Budejovice and easily accessible by frequent bus from the bus station in Ceske Budejovice. Buses run all day long and there's at least one bus every hour except on Sunday when buses are limited. If you have your own transport, take the E49 north and then drive along motorway 105 which is clearly signposted and leads you close to the town. The Tourist Information Office at Masarykova 35 in front of the church can provide maps, free brochures and information about Hluboka Castle.

Built in the 13th-century, this castle was rebuilt and renovated several times over the years. What you see today is the last impressive reconstruction of the mid-19th-century carried out by the rich Schwarzenberg family. This huge romantic castle in neo-Gothic style was remodelled after England's Windsor Castle. Its external architecture in stone was given a facelift a couple of years ago and is now in tiptop condition. The castle's interior rooms are furnished with elaborately carved wooden ceilings (removed from the Schwarzenbergs' residence at Cesky Krumlov), fine furniture and priceless paintings. About one third of the castle's rooms that can be visited on guided tours only are open April to October 9am to 4:30pm, closed on Monday. Tickets for tours in English (three daily at 11am, 2pm and 4pm) cost 100Kc equivalent to US$3.50 and they include a short detour to the Alsova Jihoceska Galerie housed in the adjoining former riding school. Being the second-largest art collection in Bohemia, it includes numerous interesting Gothic sculptures from the area and Dutch paintings. The extensive surrounding park laid out by the landowning Schwarzenberg family is open all year round and is worth exploring. Stroll towards the entrance to the castle's main chapel, its facade decorated with an unusual large yellow iron structure and enjoy the view of the surrounding untouched countryside.

2. Tabor, 50kms northeast of Ceske Budejovice can be reached easily by train since all trains between Ceske Budejovice and Prague pass through here. The Tourist Information Office at Zizkovo namesti 2 can help you with anything related to the town, transport and accommodation. The highlight of Tabor is Zizkovo namesti, a medieval square lined with burgher houses and the imposing Renaissance Town Hall which houses the Museum of the Hussite Movement. From the museum, you can go down a 650 metres stretch of 15th-century underground passages used formerly as war shelters and food stores. Enter through the arch on Zizkovo namesti and walk along Marianska, which soon leads into Klokotska. This street runs southwest to Bechyne Gate, which houses the modest Peasant Museum. Nothing remains of the adjoining 12th-century castle but you can climb the reconstructed round tower for a breathtaking view of the Luznice River and the surrounding countryside.

The founding of the town of Ceske Budejovice at the confluence of the rivers Vltava and Malse by King Premysl Otakar II in 1265 was a step towards strengthening the royalty in South Bohemia. Like all medieval towns, Ceske Budejovice was built around a central square and enclosed in a ring of defensive walls to provide strong support against feudal clans who were expanding their territory further north. Outside the walls, the town's suburbs were taken over by large agricultural estates that provided work for most of the population which numbered about 4 thousand in the 14th-century.

The town grew rapidly both physically and economically. Wide streets and splendid burgher houses were constructed. Business was encouraged thanks to the town's favourable position along established commercial routes. At the same time, the Bohemian king granted numerous privileges to the town and its citizens ensuring more economic prosperity. Economic development wasn't even hindered in the course of the turbulent 15th-century when large stretches of Europe were taken over by the Hussite Movement, spearheaded by a clan of anti-Catholic warriors who attacked and captured numerous Catholic towns. The 16th-century brought again an unprecedented economic growth particularly through silver mining, beer brewing and salt production. Situated at the crossroads between the Czech Kingdom and the Danube Basin, Ceske Budejovice controlled the major trade route between Austria and the northern countries. The profits earned through such economic activity were invested by the population to construct new buildings and to renovate what already existed. A Town Hall was built, the surrounding defensive walls were strengthened, the 70 metres high Black Tower was constructed to guard over the city and a mint was established to process the silver of the nearby silver mines.

The 17th-century however saw a number of incidents which halted for a while the economic boom the town experienced during the 16th-century. The Thirty Years' War of 1618-1648 which devastated most of Central Europe brought a period of decline though no major damages to the town's buildings were caused. However what the war was unable to do was done suddenly by a massive fire which burnt out more than half the buildings in the city in July 1641. To make matters worse for the city and its inhabitants, an earthquake and a flood produced more damages to the remaining public buildings and private residences.

Although most of the city was destroyed, the inhabitants never looked back and soon started on a major reconstruction and renovation programme which extended over several decades. A new Baroque Town Hall which you can still admire was built in 1731; Samson's fountain which still occupies the central position on the main square was built in 1727 and many public buildings and private houses were reconstructed or given a Baroque facelift. In a matter of 30 years, Ceske Budejovice was once again undergoing a period of economic prosperity and cultural upheaval. This was pushed forward when Empress Maria Theresa of Austria made Ceske Budejovice the seat of a newly created region. A Latin grammar school and a town theatre were built during this period. When in 1785 Ceske Budejovice was given the status of a bishopric, a seminary and an institute of philosophy were established.

The greatest time of economic prosperity however arrived with the construction of the horse carriage railway in 1824. Designed by Gerstner (a street in Ceske Budejovice is named F.A. Gerstnera) and operating for the first time in 1832, this first large railway on the European continent linked Ceske Budejovice with Linz in Austria. Since transport between the two towns was made easier with the opening of the railway, industry started to be attracted towards Ceske Budejovice. Vojtech Lanna, a local businessman took the opportunity to open the first export oriented company followed in 1847 by the Viennese firm Hardtmuth which produced pencils and ceramics. In 1895, the Czech brewery of Budvar started producing beer of first-class quality and soon the fame of the town spread to many countries all over the world.

Today the outskirts of Ceske Budejovice are still a prime industrial area producing more than one brand name of beer, high quality Koh-i-Noor pencils, ceramics and textiles. The inner historical town is being reorganised to attract more tourists who are obviously a new source of income for the hard-striving population. Manufacturing industry on the one hand and tourism on the other will for the second time make Ceske Budejovice the rich town of South Bohemia.