Lassoed by its river and dominated by its castle, this enchanting town feels lost in a time warp. While Cesky Krumlov is the Czech Republic's answer to Germany's Rothcnburg, it has vet to be turned into a medieval theme park. When you see its awe-inspiring castle, delightful Old Town of shops and cobbled lanes, characteristic little restaurants, and easy canoeing options, you'll understand why having fun is a slam-dunk here. Cesky Krumlov (CHESS-key KROOM-loff) means, roughly, "Czech Bend in the River." Calling it "Cesky" for short sounds silly to Czech-speakers (since dozens of Czech town names begin with "Cesky"). "Krumlov" for short is okay. Since Krumlov is the second-most-visited town (1.5 million visits annually) in the Czech Republic, there's enough tourism to make things colorful and easy-but not so much that it tramples the place's charm. This town of 15,000 attracts a young, bohemian crowd, drawn here for its simple beauty, cheap living, and fanciful bars.
Because the castle and theater can be visited only with a guide (and English-language tours are offered just a few times a day), serious sightseers should reserve both tours first thing in the morning in person at the castle and theater (or call the castle), and then build their day around the tour times. Those who hate planning ahead on vacation can join a Czech tour anytime with an English information sheet. A paddle down the river to Zlata Koruna Abbey is a highlight (three hours, see "Canoeing and Ratting the Vltava," page 194), and a 20-minute walk up to the Krizovy Vrch (Hill of the Cross) rewards you with a fine view of the town and its unforgettable riverside setting (see "Hiking," page 195). Other sights are quick visits and worthwhile only it you have a particular interest (Egon Schiele, puppets, torture, and so on). The town itself is the major attraction. Evenings are for atmospheric dining and drinking. Sights are generally open 10:00-17:00 and closed on Monday.
Cesky Krumlov is extremely easy to navigate. The twisty Vltava River, which makes a perfect S through the town, ropes the Old Town into a tight peninsula. Above the Old Town is the Castle Town. Cesky Krumlov's one main street starts at the isthmus and heads through the peninsula It winds through town and continues across a bridge before snaking through the Castle Town, the castle complex (a long series of courtyards), and the castle gardens high above. The main square, Namesti Svornosti-with the TI, ATMs, and taxis-dominates the Old Town and marks the center of the peninsula. All recommended restaurants and hotels are within a few minutes' walk of this square. No sight in town is more than a five-minute stroll away.
Walking Tours-Since the town itself, rather than its sights, is what it's all about here, taking a guided walk is key for a meaningful visit. The TI sponsors three different guided walks. They are cheap, in English, and time well-spent. All meet in front of the TI on the main square. No reservations are necessary-just drop in and pay the guide. The Historic Town Walk offers the best general town introduction and is most likely to run (225 Kc, daily at 10:00, 90 min). The Rose Tour covers Renaissance and town architecture (160 Kc. daily at 14:00, 60 min). The Brewing History Tour, which is the most intimate of the many brewery tours in this land that so loves its beer, takes you through the Eggenberg Brewery (150 Kc, daily at 12:30, 90 min). For a self-guided town walk, consider renting an audioguide from the TI (60 Kc/hr).
Private Guides-Oldriska Balouskova is a hardworking, excellent, young english-speaking guide who can show you around her hometown (400 Êc/hr, mobile737-920-901, krumlovguide@hotmail.com). Jiri (George) Vaclavicek, a gentle and caring man who perfectly fits mellow Cesky Krumlov, is a joy to share this town with (350 Kc/hr, tel. 380-726-813, mobile 603-927-995, jiri.vaclavicek@scznam.cz). Karolina Kortusova is an enthusiastic young woman with great organizational skills. Her company, Krumlov Tours, can set you up with a good local tour guide, palace and theater admissions, river trips, and more (guides-400 Kc/hr, mobile 723-069-561, www.krumlovtours.com, info@krumlovtours.com).
The town's *** sight is its cobbled Cityscape, surrounded by its babbling river and capped by a dramatic castle. All of Cesky Krumlov's meager sights are laced together in this charming walk from the top of the Old Town, down its spine, across the river, and up to the castle.
-Start at the bridge over the isthmus, once the fortified grand entry gate to the town.
Horni Bridge: From this "Upper Bridge," note the natural fortification provided by the tight bend in the river. The last building in town (just over the river) is the Eggenberg Brewery (with daily tours-see "Tours," above). Behind that, on the horizon, is a pile of white apartment high-rises-built in the last decade of the communist era and considered the worst places in town to call home. Left of the brewery stands the huge monastery (not generally open to the public). Behind that on Klet', the highest hilltop, stands a TV tower that locals say was built to jam Voice of America broadcasts. Facing the town, on your left, rafters take to the river for the sloppy half-hour float around town to the take-out spot just on your right.
- A block downhill on Horni (Upper) street is the...
Museum of Regional History: This small museum gives you a quick look at regional costumes, tools, and traditions. When you pay, pick up the English translation of the displays (it also includes a lengthy history of Krumlov). Start on the top floor, where you'll see a Bronze Age exhibit, old paintings, a glimpse of noble life, and a look at how the locals rafted lumber from Krumlov all the way to Vienna. Don't miss the fun-to-study ceramic model of Cesky Krumlov in 1800 (note the extravagant gardens high above the town). The lower floor comes with tine folk costumes and domestic art (50 Kc, daily 10:00-17:00, until 18:00 in July-Aug, Horni 152, tel. 380-711-674).
- Below the museum, a little garden overlook affords a fine castle view. Immediately across the street, notice the Renaissance facade of...
Hotel Ruze: This former Jesuit college hides a beautiful courtyard. Pop inside to see a couple of bronze busts that stand like a shrine to the founders of Czechoslovakia. The one on the right, dedicated by the Czech freedom fighters, commemorates the first Czechoslovak president, Tomas Garrigue Masaryk (in office 1918-1934). The bust on the left recalls Masaryk's successor, Edvard Bcnes (in office 1934-1948; see sidebar on page 188).
- Walk another block down the main drag, until you reach steps on the left leading to the...
Church of St. Vitus: Cesky Krumlov's main church was built as a bastion of Catholicism in the 15th century, when the Roman Catholic Church was fighting the Hussites. The 17th-century Baroque high altar shows a totem of religious figures: the Virgin Mary (crowned in heaven), St. Vitus (above Mary), and way up on top, St. Wenceslas, the patron saint of the Czech people-long considered their ambassador in heaven. The canopy in the back, while empty today, once supported a grand statue of a Rozmberk atop a horse. The statue originally stood at the high altar. Too egotistical for Jesuits, it was later moved to the rear of the nave, and then lost for good. As you listen to the river, notice the empty organ case. While the main organ is out for restoration, the cute little circa-1716 Baroque beauty is getting plenty of use (sec photos of the restoration work on the far wall, church open daily 10:00-19:00, Sunday Mass at 9:30, tel. 380-711-336).
- Continuing on Horni street, you'll come to the...
Main Square (Namesti Svornosti): Lined by a mix of Renaissance and Baroque homes of burghers (all built upon 12th-century Gothic foundations), the main square has a grand charm. There's continuity here. Lekarna, with the fine, red, Baroque facade on the lower corner of the square, is still a pharmacy, as it has been since 1620. McDonald's tried three times to get a spot here but was turned away. The Town Hall flies the Czech flag and the town flag, which shows the rose symbol of the Rozmberk family, who ruled the town for 300 years.
Imagine the history that this square has seen: In the 1620s, the rising tide of Lutheran Protestantism threatened Catholic Europe, Êrumlov was a seat of Jesuit power and learning, and | the intellectuals of the Roman church allegedly burned hooks on this square. Later, when there was a bad harvest, locals blamed witches-and burned them, too. Every so often, terrible plagues rolled through the countryside. In a nearby village, all but two residents were killed by a plague.
But the plague stopped before devastating the people of Cesky Krumlov, and in 1715-as a thanks to God-they built the plague monument that stands on the square today. Much later, in 1938, Hitler stood right here before a backdrop of long Nazi banners to celebrate the annexation of the Sudetenland. And in 1968, Russian tanks spun their angry treads on these same cobblestones to intimidate locals who were demanding freedom. Today, thankfully, this square is part of an unprecedented time of peace and prosperity for the Czech people.
- The following three museums are grouped around the main square.
Puppet Museum: You'll see fascinating displays in three small rooms of more than 300 movable creations (overwhelmingly of Czech origin, but also some from Burma and Rajasthan). At the model stage, children of any age can try their hand at pulling the strings on their favorite fairy tale (80 kc, daily 10:00-21:00, Radnici 29, tel. 380-713-422, www.inspirace.krumlov.cz). For more on Czech puppets, see page 149.
Torture Museum: This is just a lame haunted house: dark, with sound effects, cheap modern models, and prints showing off the cruel and unusual punishments of medieval times (80 Kc, daily 9:00-20:00, English descriptions, Namesti Svornosti 1, tel. 380-766-343).
Egon Schiele Art Center: This classy contemporary art gallery has temporary exhibits, generally featuring 20th-century Czech artists. The top-floor permanent collection celebrates the Viennese artist Egon Schiele (pronounced "Sheila"), who once spent a few weeks here during a secret love affair. A friend of Gustav Klimt and an important figure in the Secessionist movement in Vienna, Schiele lived a short life, from 1890-1918. His cutting-edge lifestyle and harsh art of graphic nudes didn't always fit the conservative, small-town style of Cesky Krumlov. hut townsfolk are happy enough today to charge you to see this relatively paltry collection (180 Kc, daily 10:00-18:00, Siroka 70, tel. 380-704-011). The Schiele collection in Vienna's Belvedere Palace is far better.
o From the main square, walk up Radnici street and cross the...
Barber's Bridge (Lazebnicky Most): This wooden bridge, decorated with two 19th-century statues, connects the Old Town and the Castle Town. In the center stands a statue of St. John of Nepomuk, who's also depicted by a prominent statue on Prague's Charles Bridge. Among other responsibilities, he's the protector against floods. In the great floods of August 2002, the angry river submerged the bridge (but removable banisters minimized the damage). Stains just above the windows of the adjacent building show how high the water rose.
No Czech town is complete without a castle-and now that the nobles are gone, their mansions are open to us common folk. The Krumlov Castle complex, worth **, includes bear pits, the castle itself, a rare Baroque theater, and groomed gardens.
Round Tower (Zamacka Vez)-The strikingly colorful round tower marks the location of the first castle, built here to guard the medieval river crossing. With its 16th-century Renaissance paint job colorfully restored, it looks exotic, featuring fancy astrological decor, terra-cotta symbols of the zodiac and a fine arcade. Climb its 162 steps for a great view (30 Kc, daily 9:00-18:00, last entry 17:30).
Bear Pits-At the site of the castle drawbridge, the bear pits hold a family of European brown bears, as it has since the Rozmberks added bears to their coat of arms in the 16th century to demonstrate their (fake) blood relation to the distinguished Italian family of Orsini (the name means "bear-like"). Featured on countless coats of arms, hears have long been totemic animals for the Europeans. Pronouncing the animal's real name was taboo in many cultures, and Czechs still refer to bears only indirectly. For example, in most Germanic languages the word "hear" is derived from "brown," while the Slavic medved literally means "honey-eater."
Castle- The immense castle is a series of courtyards with shops, contemporary art galleries, and tourist services. The interior is accessible only by tour, which gives you a glimpse of the places where the Rozmberks, Eggenbergs, and Schwarzenbergs dined, studied, worked, prayed, entertained, and slept. (By European standards, the castle's not much, and the tours move slowly.)Imagine being an aristocratic guest here, riding the dukes' assembly line of fine living: You'd promenade through a long series of elegant spaces and dine in the sumptuous dining hall before enjoying a concert in the Hall of Mirrors, which leads directly to the Baroque Theater (described next). After the play, you'd go out into the chateau garden for a fireworks finale.
Cost, Hours, and Tours: To see the interior, you must take a 60-minutc escorted tour: Tour I (Gothic and Renaissance rooms, of the most general interest) or Tour II (19th-century castle life). Tours run June-Aug Tue-Sun 9:00-12:00 & 13:00-18:00, spring and fall until 17:00, closed Mon and Nov-March. Tours in Czech cost 90 Kc, leave regularly, and include an adequate flier in English that contains about half the information imparted by the guide (generally a student who's just memorized the basic script). English tours are preferable, but cost more (160 Kc), run less frequently, and are often booked solid. Make your reservation when you arrive in town-just walk up to the castle office-or you can call 380-704-721, though the number is often busy. You'll be issued a ticket with your tour time printed on it. Be in the correct courtyard at that time, or you'll be locked out.
**Baroque Theater (Zamecke Divadlo)-Europe once had several hundred fine Baroque theaters. Using candles for light and fireworks for special effects, most burned down. Today, only two survive in good shape and are open to tourists: one at Stockholm's Drottningholm Palace, and one here, at Krumlov Castle. During the 45-minute tour, you'll sit on benches in the theater and then go under the stage to see the wood-and-rope contraptions that enabled scenes to be scooted in and out within seconds (while fireworks and smoke blinded the audience). Due to the theater's fragility, the number of visitors is strictly regulated. There are only five English tours a day. limited to 25 people per group and generally sold out in advance. While it's a lovely little theater with an impressive 3-D effect that makes the stage look deeper than it really is, I wouldn't bother with the tour unless you can snare a spot on an English one. The theater is used only once a year for an actual performance, with attendance limited to Baroque theater enthusiasts. You can call 380-704-721 to establish English-language tour times and reserve a space; but as with the castle tour, you will likely do best by visiting the ticket office in person (180 Kc, tours daily May-Oct only; English departures at 10:00, 11:00, 13:00, 14:00,' 15:00, and 16:00; buy theater tour tickets at castle ticket office).
Castle Gardens -This 2,300-foot-long garden crowns the castle complex. It was laid out in the 17th century, when the noble family would light it with 22.000 oil lamps, torches, and candles for special occasions. The lower part is geometrical and symmetrical-French-style. The upper is rougher-English-style (free, May-Sept daily 8:00-19:00. April and Oct daily 8:00-17:00, closed Nov-March).
Zlata Koruna Abbey-Directly above the river at the end of a three-hour float by raft or canoe (see "Activities," next section), this abbey was founded in the 13th century by the king to counter the growing influence of the Vitek family, the ancestors of the mighty Rozmberks. As you enter the grounds, notice the central linden tree, with its strange, cape-like leaves; it's said to have been used by the anti-Catholic Hussites when they hanged the monks. The short guided abbey tour takes you through the rare two-storied Gothic Chapel of the Guardian Angel, the main church, and the cloister. Alter the order was dissolved in 1785, the abbey functioned shortly as a village school, before being turned into a factory during the Industrial Revolution. Damage from this period is visible on the cloister's crumbling arches. The abbey was restored in the 1990s and opened to the public only few years ago (85 Kc, tours in Czech run every 45 minutes, Tue-Sun 9:00-15:15, until 16:15 June-Aug, closed Mon and Oct-March, call 380-743-126 to pre-arrange an English tour, access via river float-see "Activities," next).
Sumava Mountains The Sumava Mountains (SHOO-mah-vah) are geologically Europe's oldest range. Separating Bohemia from Bavaria, this long ridge, known as the Murmuring Mountains, was the physical embodiment of the Iron Curtain for 40 years: The first 15 miles or so within the Czech border were a forbidden no-man's-land, where hundreds of Czechs were shot as they tried to run across to Germany. In 1989, the barbed wire was taken down, and the entire area-more than 60 miles long-was declared the Sumava-Baycrische Wald National Park. No development is permitted within the park, and visitors can't camp outside of designated areas. Since there's little industry nearby, these mountains preserve some of the most pristine woods, creeks, and meadows in Europe.
The most popular gateways into the Sumava Mountains are the trailhead villages of Nova Pec and Stozec, accessible from Krumlov by direct train (4/day, 1-1.5 hrs). The best destinations tor hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing arc on the slopes of the tallest mountain on the Czech side of the border, Plechy; the source of the Vltava River; and the Vydra rapids, where Smetana composed some of his greatest works. The red-marked trail that follows the border from Plechy to Zelezna Ruda is a highlight of any hiker's trip to the Czech Republic. The Cesky Krumlov TI has route suggestions and hiking maps; try the Klub Ceskych Turistut 1:50,000 scale map. For hikes closer to Cesky Krumlov, see "Hiking," below.Cesky Krumlov lies in the middle of a valley popular for canoeing, rafting, hiking, and horseback riding. Boat-rental places are convenient to the Old Town, and several hiking paths start right in town.
Splash a little *** river fun into your visit by renting a rubber raft or hard plastic canoe for a quick 30-minutc spin around Cesky Krumlov Or go for a three-hour float and paddle through the Bohemian forests and villages of the nearby countryside. You'll end up at Zlata Koruna Abbey (described above), where the rafting company will shuttle you back to town-or provide you with a bicycle to pedal back on your own along a bike path. This is a great hot-weather activity. Though the river is far from treacherous, be prepared to get wet.
On any trip, you'll encounter plenty of inviting pubs and cafes for breaks along the way. There's a little whitewater, but the river is so shallow that if you tip, you simply stand up and climb back in. (When that happens, pull the canoe up onto the bank to empty it, since you'll never manage to pour the water out while still in the river.)
Choose from a kayak, a canoe (fastest, less work, more likely to tip), or an inflatable raft (harder rowing, slower, but very stable). Prices are per boat (2-6 people) and include a map, a waterproof container, and transportation to or from the start and end points. Here are your options:
Quickie Circle-the-Town Float: The easiest half-hour experience is to float around the city's peninsula, starting and ending at opposite sides of the tiny isthmus. Heck, you can do it twice (350 Kc for 1 or 2 people in a canoe or raft)
Three-Hour Float to Zlata Koruna Abbey: This is your best basic trip, with pastoral scenery, a riverside pub on the left after two hours, and a beautiful abbey as your destination (about 9 miles, 700 Kc (or 1 or 2 people). From there you can bike back or catch a shuttle bus home-simply arrange a return plan with the
rental company.
Longer and FasterTrips: If you start upriver from Krumlov (direction: Rozmberk). you'll go taster with more whitewater, but the river parallels a road so it's a little less idyllic. Longer trips in either direction involve lots of paddling, even though you're going downstream. Raiting companies can review the many day-trip options with you.
Rental Companies: Several companies otter this lively activity. Perhaps the handiest are Pujcovna Lodi Malecek Boat Rental (open long hours daily April-Oct, closed Nov-March, at recommended Pension Mysi Dira, Rooseveltova 28, tel. 380-712-508, www.malecek.cz, lode@malecek.cz) and Cestovni Agentura Vltava (April-Oct daily 9:00-18:00, closed Nov-March. in Pension Vltava at Kajovska 62, tel. 380-711-988, www.ckvltava.cz). Vltava also rents mountain bikes (320 Kc per day) and can bring a bike to the abbey tor you to ride back.
For an easy 20-minute hike to Krizovy Vrch (Hill of the Cross), walk to the end of Rooseveltova street, cross at the traffic light, then head straight for the first (empty) chapel-like Station of the Cross. Turning right, it's easy to navigate along successive Stations of the Cross until you reach the white church on the hill (closed), set in the middle of wild meadows. Looking down into the valley at the medieval city nestled within the S-shaped river, framed by the rising hills, it's hard to imagine any town with a more powerful genius loci (spirit of the place). The view is best at sunset.
For longer hikes, start at the trailhead by the bear pits below the castle. Red-and-white trail markers will take you on an easy six-mile hike around the neighboring slopes and villages. The green and yellow stripes mark a five-mile hiking trail up the Klet' mountain-with an altitude gain of 1,800 feet. At the top, you'll find the Klet Observatory, the oldest observatory in the country (now a leading center for discovering new planets). On clear days, you can see the Alps (observatory tours-30 Kc, hourly July-Aug Tue-Sun 10:30-15:30, vrww.hvezdarna.klct.cz).
I lead about a mile and a half out of town, beyond Krizovy Vrch, for horseback rides and lessons at Slupenec Horseback Riding Club (1 hour outdoors or in the ring-250 Kc, all-day ride-2,000 Kc, helmets provided, Tuc-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, Slupenec 1, worth a taxi trip, tel. 380-711-052, www.jk-slupenec.cz, Rene Srncova).
Krumlov is filled with small, good, family-run pensions offering doubles with baths from 1,000-1,500 Kc and hostel beds for 300 Kc. Summer weekends and festivals are busiest and most expensive; reserve ahead when possible. Hotels (not a Krumlov forte) speak some English and accept credit cards; pensions rarely do either. While you can find a room upon arrival here, it's better to book at least a few days ahead if you want to stay in the heart of town. Cars are not very safe overnight-locals advise paying for a garage.
Sleep Code
(22 Kc = about $1, country code: 420)
S = Single, D = Double/Twin, T = Triple, Q = Quad, b = bathroom, t = shower only. Unless otherwise noted, prices include breakfast.
To help you sort easily through these listings, I've divided the rooms into three categories based on the price for a standard double room with bath:
$$$ Higher Priced - Most rooms 1,500 Kc or more.
$$ Moderately Priced -Most rooms between1,000-1,500 Kc.
$Lower Priced -Most rooms 1,000 Kc or less.
$$$ Castle View Apartments, run by local guide Jiri Vaclavicek, rents seven apartments. These are the plushest and best-equipped rooms I found in town-the bathroom floors are heated, all come with kitchenettes, and everything's done just right. Their Web site describes each of the stylish apartments (1,800-4,000 Kc depending on size, view, and season; the big 4,000-Kc apartment sleeps up to six, complex pricing scheme, reserve direct with this book in 2007 to claim a 10 percent discount off their online prices, fourth night free, non-smoking, voucher for breakfast at next-door Grand Motel, Satlavska 140, tel. 380-726-813, www.castleview.cz, info@castleview.cz).
Secluded Parkan street, which runs along the river below the square, has a row of pensions with three to five rooms each. These places have a family feel and views of the looming castle above.
$$ Pension Olsakovsky has an unbeatable breakfast area on a terrace next to the river. The owners father, a professional musician, can teach you classical dance or piano (Db-1,050-1,250 Kc, includes parking, Parkan 114, tel. & fax 380-714-333, mobile 604-430-181. www.ckrumlov.cz/penzionekolsakovsky, J.Olsakovsky@post.cz).
$ Pension Sladova is a standard family operation on the town side of Parkin street (Sb-800 Kc, Db-990 Kc. Tb-1,360 Kc, Parkan 125, mobile 602-363-049, fax 380-712-781, www.ckrumlov.cz/sladova, hana.sladova@seznam.cz).
A quiet, cobbled pedestrian street (Latran) runs below the castle just over the bridge from the Old Town. It's a 10-minute walk downhill from the train station. Lined with characteristic shops, the street has a couple of fine little family-run, eight-room pensions.
$$ Lobo Pension fills a modern, efficient, concrete building with eight fresh, spacious rooms Db-l,100 Kc, Tb-1,500 Kc, includes parking, Latran 73, tel. & fax 380-713-153, www .pensionlobo.cz, pcnsionlobo@email.cz).
$ Pension Danny is a little funkier, with homier rooms and a tangled floor plan above a restaurant (Db-890 Kc, apartment Db-1,190 Kc, breakfast in room, Latran 72, tel. 380-712-710, www .pensiondannv.cz, pensiondanny@tiscali.cz).
Rooseveltova street, midway between the bus station and the Old Town (a four-minute walk from either), is lined with several fine little places, each with easy free parking. Ihe key here is tranquility-the noisy bars of the town center are out of earshot.
$$ Little Pension Teddy has seven decent riverview rooms that share a common balcony (Db-lt200 Kc with this book in 2007t cash only, a bit smoky, Internet access in the bar-1 Kc/min, Rooseveltova 38, tel. 380-711-595. www.teddy.cz. info@teddy.cz).
$$ Pension Mysi Dira ("Mouse Hole") hides eight sleek, spacious, bright, and woody Bohemian contemporary rooms overlooking the Vltava River just outside the Old Town (Db-1,000-1,690 Kc, bigger deluxe riverview Db-l,200-1,990 Kc, prices depend on day and season-Fri-Sat most expensive, breakfast in your room, Rooseveltova 28, tel. 380-712-853, fax 380-711-900, www.malecek.cz). The no-nonsense reception, which closes at 20:00, also runs the recommended boat rental company (Pucovna Lodi Malacek, at same address) as well as the similar Pension Vok by the river, a five-minute walk away.
$$ Pension Anna well-run, with two doubles, five apartments, and a restful little garden. Its apartments are spacious suites, with a living room and stairs leading to the double-bedded loft (Db-l,250 Kc, Db apartment-1,550 Kc. extra bed-400 Kc. Rooseveltova 41, tel. & fax 380-711-692, pension.anna@quick.cz). It you book a standard Db and they bump you up to an apartment, don't pay more than the Db rate.
There are several hostels in town. Hostel 99 (closest to the train station) is clearly the high-energy, youthful party hostel. Krumlov House (closer to the bus station) is more mellow. Both are well-managed and each is a five-minute walk from the main square.
$ Hostel 99's picnic-table terrace looks out on the Old Town. While the gentle sound of the river gurgles outside your window, you're more likely to hear late at night a youthful international crowd having a great time. The hostel caters to its fun-loving young guests, offering free inner tubes for river Boats, rental bikes, and a free keg of beer each Wednesdav. Thc adjacent and recommended Hospoda 99 restaurant serves good, cheap soups, salads, and meals (65 beds in 4- to 10-bed coed rooms-300 Kc, D-700 Kc, T-900 Kc, use the lockers, no curfew or lockout, 10-min downhill walk from train station or two bus stops to Spicak, Vezni 99, tel. & fax 380-712-812, www.hostel99.com, hostel99C@hotmail.com).
$ Krumlov House Hostel is take-your-shoes-off-at-the-door, shiny, hardwood-with-throw-rugs mellow. Efficiently run by a Canadian, it has a hip and trusting vibe and feels welcoming to travelers of any age (24 beds, 6 beds in two dorms-300 Kc per bed. Db-800 Kc, 3-person apartment-900 Kc, family room, no breakfast but there is a guests' kitchen, DVD library, laundry facilities, Roosevcltova 68, tel. 380-711-935, www.krumlovhostel.com).
Krumlov, with a huge variety of creative little restaurants, is a fun place to eat. In peak times, the good places fill fast, so make reservations or eat early.
Na Louzi seems to be everyones favorite little Czech bistro, with 40 seats in one 1930s Style room decorated with funky old advertisements. They serve inexpensive, tasty Czech cuisine and hometown Eggenberg beer on tap. If you're always wanted to play the piano for an appreciative Czech crowd in a colorful little tavern...do it here (daily, Kajovska 66, tel. 337-711-280).
Krcma u Dwau Maryi ("Tavern of the Two Marys") is acharacteristic old place with idyllic riverside picnic tables, serving ye olde Czech cuisine and drinks. The fascinating menu explains the history of the house and makes a good case that the food of the poor medieval Bohemians was tasty and varied. Buck up for buckwheat, millet, greasy meat, or the poor-mans porridge (daily 11:00-23:00, Parkan 104,' tel. 337-717-228).
Cikanska Jizba is a Roma (Gypsy) tavern filling one den-like, barrel-vaulted room. The Roma staff serves Slovak-style food as if it's Roma. Krumlov has a big Roma history, and even today 1,000 Roma people live on the edge ot town. While this rustic little restaurant-which packs its 10 tables under a mystic-feeling Gothic vault-won't win any cuisine awards, you'll never know what festive and musical activities will erupt (daily, 2 blocks toward castle from main square at Dlouha 31, tel. 380-717-585).
Restaurace u Dobraka ("Good Man") is like eating in a medieval garage, with a giant poster of Karl Marx overseeing the action. Lojza, who's been tossing steaks on his open fire tor years, makes sure you'll eat well. Locals know it as the best place for steak and fish-expect to pay 350 Ke for a full meal. He charges too much for his beer in order to keep the noisy beer-drinkers away (open from Raster until Lojza "has a shoebox full of money," Siroka 74. tel. 380-717-776).
Rcstaurace u Mcsta Vidnc ("City of Vienna"), attached to a business-class hotel and the only dressy place in town, is where VIPs invariably end up. While there's hardly a hint of Cesky Krumlov in the dining room, the ambience is elegant, the presentation classy, and the French and international cuisine as close to gourmet as you'll find in town. Dine under a medieval vault or in the courtyard (allow 1,000 Kc per meal, a short walk beyond the castle at Latran 77, tel. 380-720-180).
Laibon is the modern vegetarian answer to the carnivorous Middle Ages. Settle down inside or head out onto the idyllic river terrace, and lighten up your pork-loaded diet with soy goulash or Mutabur soup (daily 11:00-23:00, Parkan 105).
Rybarska Restaurace ("Fisherman's Restaurant") doesn't look particularly inviting from outside, but don't get discouraged. I His is the place in town to taste freshwater fish you've never heard of (and never will again). Try eel, perch, shad, carp, trout, and more. Choose between indoor tables under fishnets or riverside picnic benches outside (daily 11:00-22:00, on the island by the millwhecl).
Restaurace Barhakan is built into the town fortifications, with a terrace hanging high over the river. It's a good spot for old-fashioned Czech cooking and beer, at the top of town and near the recommended Rooseveltova street accommodations (open long hours daily, reasonable prices, Horni 26, tel. 380-712-679).
Hospoda 94 Restaurace serves good and cheap soups, salads, and meals It's the choice of hostelers and locals alike for its hamburgers, vegetarian food, Czech dishes, and cheap booze (meals served 10:00-22:00, bar open until 24:00, at Hostel 99, Vezni 99, tel. 380-712-812). This place is booming until late, when everything else is hibernating.
Dobra Cajovna is a meditative teahouse. While directly across from the castle entrance, it's a world away from the touristic hubbub. As is so often the case, if you want to surround yourself with locals, don't go to a traditional place...go ethnic. With its meditative karma inside and a peaceful terrace facing the monastery out back, it provides a relaxing break (daily 13:00-22:00, Latran 54, mobile 777-654-744).
Almost all trains to and from ;y Krumlov require a transfer in the city of Ceske Budejovice, a transit hub just to the north. Ceske Budejovice's bus and train stations are next to each other.
From Cesky Krumlov by Train to: Ceske Budejovice (6/day, 1 hr), Prague (7/day, change usually required, 4 hrs-bus is faster, cheaper, and easier), Vienna (4/day, with at least one change, 6-7 hrs Budapest (4/day with at least one change, 11-13 hrs).
From Ceskv Krumlov by Bus to: Prague (7 day. 3.5 hrs, 180 Kc; 2 of the daily departures-12:00 and 16:45-can be reserved and paid for at TI, or simply buy tickets from driver), Ceske Budejovice (transit hub for other destinations; about 2/hr, 30-50 min, 30 Kc). The Cesky Krumlov bus station, a five-minute walk out of town, is just a big parking lot with numbered stalls for various buses (bus info tel. 380-711-190, timetables online at http://jizdnirady.atlas.cz).
From Ceske Budejovice to Trebon, Tele, and Trebic: An express bus goes from Ceske Budejovice to the Moravian city of Brno (5/day Mon-Fri, 2/day Sat-Sun, 4.5 hrs). Along the way, it
stops at Trebon (30 min from Ceske Budejovice), Tele 2 hrs from Ceske Budejovice), and Trebic (3.25 hrs from Ceske Budejovice).
By Shuttle Bus or Private Car to Linz and Beyond: If you
get to Linz, Austria, by bus or car, you'll have your choice of fast trains that run hourly from Linz to Munich, Salzburg, and Vienna. Pension Lobo in Cesky Krumlov runs a shuttle bus service to Linz (600 Kc, 90 min, departs daily at 11:00, 2 people minimum, tel. 380-713-153). A taxi to Linz costs 2.000 Kc (sometimes less). If money is no object, hiring a private car can be efficient, especially to Budapest (the TI has referrals).
With the natural moat provided by the sharp bend in the Vltava, it's no wonder this has been a choice spot for eons. Celtic tribes first settled here a century before Christ. Then came German tribes. The Slavic tribes arrived in the ninth century. The Rozmberks-Bohemia's top noble family-ran the city from 1302 to 1602. You'll see their rose symbol all over town. In many ways, the 16th century was the town's Golden Age. when Cesky Krumlov hosted artists, scientists, and alchemists from all over Europe. In 1588, the town became home to an important Jesuit college. The Hapsburgs bought the region in 1602, ushering in a more Germanic period. (After that, as many as 75 percent of the town's people were German-until 1945, when most Germans were expelled.)
The rich mix of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque buildings is easy to under-appreciate. As you wander, look up...notice the surviving details in the stonework. Step into shops. Snoop into back lanes and tiny squares. Gothic buildings curve with the winding streets. Many precious Gothic and Renaissance frescoes were whitewashed in Baroque times (when the colorful trimmings of earlier times were way out of style). Today, these precious frescoes are being rediscovered and restored.
With its rich German heritage, it was easy for Hitler to claim that this region-the Sudetenland-was rightfully part of Germany, and in 1938. the infamous Munich Agreement made it his. Americans liberated the town in 1945. Due to Potsdam Treaty-approved ethnic cleansing, three million Germans in Czech lands were sent west to Germany. Emptied of its German citizenry, Cesky Krumlov turned into a ghost town, partially inhabited by Roma (Gypsies).
In the post-WWII world planned by Stalin and FDR, the border of the Soviet and American spheres of influence fell about here. While the communist government established order, the period from 1945 to 1989 was a smelly time capsule, as the town was infamously polluted. Its now-pristine river was foamy with pollutants from the paper mill just upstream, while the hills around the town were marred with blocks of prefabricated concrete. The people who moved in never fully identified with the town-in Europe, a place without ancestors is without life-giving roots. But the bleak years of communism paradoxically provided a cocoon to preserve the town. There was no money, so little changed, apart from a build-up of grime.
Today, with its new prosperity, Cesky Krumlov looks like a fairy-tale town. In fact, movie producers consider it ideal for films. The Adventures of Pinocchio, starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas, was filmed right here in 1995, as was the opening sequence for the 2006 film The Illusionist.
A five-petal rose is not just the distinctive mark of Cesky Krumlov and the Rozmberk rulers (literally. "Lords from the Rose Mountain"). You'll find it, in five-color combinations, all over South Bohemia.
A medieval legend, depicted inside Cesky Krumlov's castle, explains the division of the roses in the following way: A respected nobleman named Vitek split the property he had accumulated during his lifetime among five sons. Each son was also assigned his own coat of arms, all of which shared the motif of a five-petal rose. The oldest son, Jindrich, received a golden rose in a blue field, along with the lands of Hradec and Telc. Vilem received a silver rose in a red field, with the lands of Landstejn and Treboh. Smil was given the lands of Straz and Bystrice, and a blue rose in a golden field. Vok kept his father's coat of arms, a red rose in a white field, and became the lord in Rozmberk and Cesky Krumlov. Finally, the out-of-wedlock Sezima had to make do with a black rose and the tiny land of Usti.
Over generations, the legend-which is corroborated by historical sources-served as a constant warning to the ambitious Rozmberks not to further split up their land. The Lords from the Rose Mountain were the rare Czech noble family that, for 300 years, strictly adhered to the principle of primogeniture (the oldest son gets all, and younger sons are subservient to him). Unlike Vitek, the patriarch, each successive ruler of the Rozmberk estates made sure to consolidate his possessions, handing more to his eldest son than he had received. As a result, the enterprising Rozmberks grew into the most powerful family in Bohemia. In 1501, their position as "first in the country after the king" became law.
Czechoslovakia was created in 1918, when the vast, multiethnic Hapsburg Empire broke into smaller nations after losing World War I. The principle that gave countries such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Romania independence was called "self-determination": Each nation had the right to its own state within the area where its people were in the majority. But the peoples of Eastern Europe had mixed over the centuries, making it impossible to create functioning states based purely on ethnicity. In the case of Czechoslovakia, the borders were drawn along historical rather than ethnic boundaries. While the country was predominantly Slavic, there were also areas with overwhelmingly German and Hungarian majorities. One of these areas-a fringe around the western part of the country, mostly populated by Germans-was known as the Sudetenland.
At first, the coexistence of Slavs and Germans in the new republic worked fine. German parties were important power brokers and participated in almost every coalition government. Hitler's rise to power, however, led to the growth of German nationalism, even outside Germany. Soon 70 percent of Germans in Czechoslovakia voted for the Nazis. In September 1938, the Munich Agreement ceded the Sudetenland to Germany-and the Czech minority had to leave (for more on the Munich Agreement, see "The Never-Used Fortifications," page 220).
Edvard Benes was the first Czechoslovak secretary of state (1918-1934) and later became the country's second president (1934-1948). Benes led the Czechoslovak exile government in London during World War II. Like most Czechs and Slovaks, Benes believed that after the hard feelings produced by the Munich Agreement, peaceful coexistence of Slavs and Germans in a single state was impossible. His postwar solution: move the Sudeten Germans to Germany, much as the Czechs had been forced out of the Sudetenland before. Through skillful diplomacy, Benes got the Allies to sign on to this idea. Shortly after the end of World War II. three million people of German ancestry were forced to leave their homes. Millions of Germanic people in Poland, Romania, Ukraine, and elsewhere met with a similar fate. Many of these families had been living in these areas for centuries. The methods employed to expel them included murder, rape, and plunder. (Today, we'd call it "ethnic cleansing.") In 1945, Cesky Krumlov lost 75 percent of its population, and Czechs moved into vacated German homes. Having easily acquired the property, the new residents didn't take much care of the houses. Within a few years, the once-prosperous Sudetenland was reduced to shabby towns and uncultivated fields-a decaying, godforsaken region. After 1989, displaced Sudeten Germans-the majority of whom now live in Bavaria-demanded that the Czechoslovak government apologize for the violent way in which the expulsion was carried out. Some challenged the legality of the decrees, and for a time the issue threatened otherwise good Czech-German relations.
Although no longer such a hot-button diplomatic issue, the so-called Benes Decrees remain divisive in Czech politics. While liberals consider the laws unjust, many others-especially the older generations-see them as fair revenge for the behavior of the Sudeten Germans prior to and during the war. In the former Sudetenland, where Czech landowners worry that the Germans will try to claim back their property, Benes is a hugely popular figure. His bust in Cesky Krumlov's Hotel Ruze is one of the first memorials to Benes in the country. The bridge behind the Old Town has been named for Benes since the 1990s. The main square-the center of a thriving German community 70 years ago-is now ironically called "Square of Concord."
By the 1980s, Cesky Krumlov was a haunted, dead town. It came briefly alive only in the summer, when Czechs paddling down the river hopped out of their canoes for a quick Eggenberg beer in one of the town's two pubs. The castle was closed, as the collapsing roof made it unsafe. The overpriced Hotel Ruze was the only hotel in town. Few dared to spend the night anyway. The town had dark streets filled with debris from falling roofs; a reeking, polluted river; and steep hills squeezing it claustrophobically on all sides. Its bizarre castle tower was on the verge of crashing. You could literally smell history here-it breathed at you from the mildew-covered, disintegrating houses. In 1992, Cesky Krumlov was placed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Tourists began to discover the place, and their money saved the buildings from ruin. Color returned to the facades, and the square took on a cheerful air. The town woke up from a nightmare. Cesky Krumlov returned to the time of the noble Rozmberks: Waiters dressed in coarse linen shirts, medieval artisans filled the square, and hotel rooms had rustic wooden beds and were connected by crooked, narrow corridors. The town was a spirited tourist's dream come true.
But as time wore on, tour groups gradually outnumbered adventurous explorers. The main drag was flooded with tacky souvenir shops, Soukenicka street turned into a nightclub row, and many hotels replaced creaking wooden floors with thick synthetic carpets. As Cesky Krumlov becomes more and more like Germany's Rothenburg, as its shops resemble those found in many other similar towns in Europe, and as locals continue to move away, some Czechs feel nostalgic for the Cesky Krumlov of the 1980s: a gloomy town that nevertheless had the power to bewitch. Today, although much care is put into preserving the town's old buildings, little goes into saving its spirit.
Well-known Cesky Krumlov is now a rack upon which tourists hang their medieval dreams. The question is not whether real life will ever return to the streets, but rather whose tastes will shape its new character. Fortunately, apart from midday tour-group onslaughts in midsummer, the town still retains its rare charm as it morphs into a prosperous tourist attraction.