Cesky Krumlov - A Medieval Dream

The castle, which looms over the village and is visible from just about everywhere, is fascinating. We spent hours just walking around the town and the castle and taking in the sights. We enjoyed the peace and solitude of this town so much.

Quick Tips:

We rented mountain bikes and explored the areas around the castle and in the hills above the town.

There are tours of the castle in English, but they are few and far between and easy to miss, so check with the box office upon arrival to see when a tour in your language will be offered.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking is the way to go - the town is so small, we parked our rental car and didn't use it again till we left. Walking is a treat in Cesky Krumlov.

The Konvice was wonderful! Located just up Horni Ulice from Namesti Svornosti (the center of town) this small hotel was renovated in the early 1990s and really evokes the charming essence of Cesky Krumlov. Our room located was down a charming, quiet side street on the side of the hotel - we had a private entrance and a little private terrace. The room was nicely furnished and very comfortable, and had a well appointed bathroom. We arrived in Cesky Krumlov without a clue as to where we would stay, and were so pleased when we stumbled upon the Konvice. There is one employee who speaks English, and she was sweet and extremely helpful. In addition to the lovely room, one of our favorite things about the Konvice was the dining terrace, which afforded us wonderful views of the Castle''s magnificent painted tower as we ate our breakfast each morning (breakfast was included in our room price and was excellent - a wide variety of breads, fruits, cereals and breakfast meats was available and plentiful each day). We also ate dinner at the hotel restaurant one night - the food was excellent and the view of the tower and full moon were spectacular. Plus - the price was great - about $47 per night.

The Barbican is located up a steep staircase, which then leads you down to a patio that overlooks a serene wooded area with the Vlatava flowing below. It's the perfect place to relax, catch up on your letter and journal writing, and have a very inexpensive but delicious Czech meal. Particularly yummy was their "chicken saute" (the Czech's ubiquitous term for chicken cooked however the chef feels like cooking it). The beer is good and cheap. The one young waiter, who was on duty every time we went to the Barbican, is dressed in a silly medieval get-up, but it didn't detract from his courteous service.

We loved this place! It's terraced dining area sits right on the Vlatava with pretty views of Cesky Krumlov Castle across the river. We came here several times, for dinner as well as to have snacks and beers while taking in the view. I had a dish do delicious here that I have tried to replicate it at home -- chicken sauteed with green olives and pecans, it was fantastic! We also had very good appetizers here and their cabbage "salat" was excellent. The service was also very good, and the staff began to recognize us after several visits and treated us warmly. It is an unpretentious local restaurant that will allow you to linger over your meal or simply spend a few hours having a beer and sketching the landscape.

The castle dominates the little town of Cesky Krumlov, and is fascinating in so many ways. First off, the building itself is an imposing structure, built into rocks that jut up from the Vlatava, which flows peacefully hundreds of feet below. The castle is composed of several large buildings and many smaller ones: the Upper Castle; Lower Castle (which includes the stunning frescoed tower that looms over the town); New Burgomaster's House; and the Minthouse among them. The first buildings were erected in the mid-1200s by the Vitek family, one of the oldest and most important Czech noble families. In the 1300s, the castle was taken over and added to by the Rozmberks, and various additions were made up through the 1700s by the Schwarzenberg Family, who owned it till the Gestapo confiscated the property in 1940. The castle and town were listed as World Heritage sites in 1992.

The castle is in great shape and is painstakingly cared for. Just walking around the grounds is a treat. We were there in May `99 and saw few people (save for the occasional tour bus filled with Austrian and German pensioners - but they never stayed long). We read in the castle gardens and relaxed in the courtyards. It is a very peaceful place.

Getting into the castle can be tricky - there are several tours offered each day, but the tour administrators seem to change the times and languages to suit their own preferences. Check ahead for when a tour in your language will be offered so that you are not disappointed.

A climb to the top of the castle's beautifully frescoed bell tower is a must - the views of the town and surrounding areas are breathtaking! For a small fee, you can climb the tower and spend as much time as you want up there - bring a camera and/or sketchbook!

We also loved the bears - a bear pit is located under the main drawbridge entrance to the castle, and has been continuously inhabited by bears since about 1700. I was worried about the bear's health and happiness, but they were very robust and animated, appeared healthy and were playful (not jittery like some animals in captivity), so I felt better about them being down there. The castle has an official bear-keeper who cares for current bear pit residents Vok and Katerina, and their(enormous) cubs Daxi and Hubert. They are adorable.

We rented mountain bikes for about $10 per bike per day at the Red Gate Tourist Office (near the main entrance for Cesky Krumlov Castle). We biked up behind the castle gardens, where there are dirt roads and beautiful scenery. It is a bit difficult to bike around the town, due to the pedestrian traffic on the narrow roads and significant cobblestones, but it can be done. We preferred exploring the woods up above the town. Ride up through the castle and bear left to ride along the dirt road that edges the garden - it will lead you out of the castle complex and into some lovely fields and woods.

One of the things we loved most about Cesky Krumlov was how peaceful it was. We spent only three days here, but left the town feeling rejuvenated. The calm beauty of the town, absence of tourists (at least in May `99), serenity of the river and kind townspeople really helped us to kick back and relax. The town is so small that you can really get to know it well in a very short amount of time. We walked down every street, explored the dirt roads up behind the castle gardens on rented mountain bikes, and strolled through the castle at night. The cafes seemed to encourage long, leisurely meals. We spent a lot of time sitting in various cafes reading and drawing and admiring the scenery. We hated to leave - everything was so perfect. We arrived not really knowing what to expect or where to stay, and were completely awed by the town. It was a truly memorable experience.