Cesky Krumlov

Cesky Krumlov is a jewel of a medieval town wrapped in a tight bend of the Vltava in South Bohemia, its huddle of red-roofed houses and cobbled lanes overlooked by a great castle with a painted tower. A UNESCO site little changed in centuries, it is one of the most beautiful small towns in Europe, a fairy tale you can walk through.

History

A local branch of the Vítkovci family founded the castle shortly before 1250, and the town is first recorded in a deed of 1253 as Chrumbenowe, from the German for crooked meadow, after the bend of the Vltava. When the Vítkovci line died out in 1302, King Wenceslaus II gave the estate to the Rosenbergs, who made it their main seat: Peter I of Rosenberg built the upper castle in the early 14th century, the town prospered most under Oldřich II in the 15th, and in 1555 William of Rosenberg joined Latrán and the Old Town into one town and later rebuilt the castle in Renaissance style. In 1602 Peter Vok of Rosenberg sold Krumlov to Emperor Rudolf II, after 1620 it passed to the Eggenbergs, from 1719 to 1947 it belonged to the Schwarzenbergs, and since 1992 the historic centre has been a World Heritage Site (Wikipedia, Český Krumlov).

What you'll find

• The castle and painted tower - the great castle complex with its Renaissance tower.
• The old town in the river bend - the red-roofed houses in the loop of the Vltava.
• The castle gardens and Baroque theatre - the grounds and the rare 18th-century theatre.
• Rafting the Vltava - the gentle river trips through and around the town.

When to go

Late spring to early autumn for mild weather and river trips; December for a magical Christmas atmosphere. Early or late, or an overnight stay, avoids the day-trip crush.

Before you go

It is very popular and small, so by day it fills with coach and day-trip crowds from Prague. Staying overnight lets you enjoy it quiet in the evening and morning. It is a long trip from Prague, so an overnight makes sense.

Nearby

The South Bohemian lakes and Ceske Budejovice are nearby; Prague is three hours north.

Key facts