About Český Krumlov

Český Krumlov is widely considered the most beautiful small town in Central Europe. A UNESCO World Heritage site since 1992, the medieval town occupies a dramatic horseshoe bend in the Vltava river in South Bohemia, approximately 175 kilometres south of Prague. Its castle — the second largest in the Czech Republic after Prague Castle — rises on a rocky promontory above the river, surrounded by a virtually unchanged medieval and Renaissance townscape that has been preserved in extraordinary condition since the 16th century.

The castle complex alone takes two to three hours to explore properly — the painted Baroque Theatre, the castle gardens, the Baroque Fountain, the outdoor revolving auditorium used for summer performances, and the tower that offers the best views of the river bend below. The old town wraps around the base of the castle: cobblestone lanes, the main square of Náměstí Svornosti, Baroque and Gothic churches, and a network of streets that have changed almost nothing in four hundred years. In summer, the Vltava offers canoe and raft trips through the river bend — one of the most scenic waterway routes in the country.

By private car from Prague, Český Krumlov is approximately 2 hours each way — a comfortable day trip through southern Bohemia. Your driver drops you at the castle entrance or the town centre, waits while you explore at your own pace, and returns you to Prague when you are ready. The town is entirely walkable, so there is nothing to navigate once you arrive — your driver handles the journey from Prague and back, leaving the entire day free for the old town, the castle, and the river.