In 60 seconds
Curled inside an exaggerated horseshoe loop of the upper Vltava River in South Bohemia, Český Krumlov is one of Europe's most theatrical Renaissance townscapes. Crowned by a massive pastel-painted castle second in scale only to Prague Castle, the town was the dynastic seat of the powerful Rožmberk (Rosenberg) and Schwarzenberg noble houses. Its crown jewel is the 18th-century Baroque Castle Theatre, one of only two in the world preserved with its complete original wooden machinery, scenery backdrops, and costumes. By day, wooden rafts and canoes shoot the river weirs beneath the colossal arches of the Cloak Bridge; by dusk, when day-trippers disperse, its lantern-lit cobblestone alleys reveal intimate tavern hearths pouring South Bohemian lagers.
Best for
Known for
Skip if
You cannot abide tourist foot traffic during peak midday hours; stay overnight to experience the enchanting, silent town at dawn and late evening.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Český Krumlov fits them. Choose interests
See
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Immense 13th-to-18th-century fortress complex spanning five courtyards, Gothic battlements and gardens
Climb the cylindrical pastel castle tower for the defining aerial panorama of the Vltava horseshoe and traverse the multi-tiered Cloak Bridge.
One of the most impeccably preserved 18th-century theatre buildings on Earth, complete with stage machinery
Tour this miraculous time capsule where wooden winches, pulleys, and original canvas backdrops still recreate sea storms and celestial illusions.
Striking contemporary art centre in a 16th-century brewery celebrating the Viennese expressionist's Krumlov works
Examine Schiele's melancholic drawings, self-portraits and townscapes inspired by his mother's hometown in airy Renaissance vaulted halls.
Eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Where to eat the food this city is actually known for.
Atmospheric medieval prison tavern roasting meats on an open stone wood-fire grill
Feast on thick grilled pork steaks, South Bohemian sausages and roast potatoes cooked directly over roaring beechwood flames.
Riverside historic tavern reviving authentic medieval and Renaissance Bohemian recipes
Order the Old Bohemian feast platter featuring baked millet, barley, roast pheasant, cabbage and dumplings overlooking the castle tower.
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Fine dining restaurant inside Hotel Bellevue pairing regional South Bohemian game with French technique
Enjoy venison loin with rosehip sauce and delicate smoked trout carpaccio paired with Moravian and Austrian cellar wines.
Specialty third-wave coffee bar and bakery set in a clean-lined historic interior
Recharge with precision-pulled Moravian roastery espresso and warm plum koláče right at the base of the castle hill.
Beyond the obvious
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Art Nouveau glass-roofed photography studio preserving 140,000 glass plate negatives of pre-war Bohemian life
Step into the intact working darkrooms and glass-skylit studio of Josef Seidel to witness evocative photographic portraits of the multi-ethnic Bohemian forest.
Traditional timber raft voyage gliding along the town's river weirs directly beneath castle cliffs
Float gently down the river bends on lashed wooden logs with a glass of local beer, experiencing the town from water level.
After dark
Traditional, unpretentious South Bohemian pub lined with vintage enamel beer advertisements
Sit on rustic wooden benches sharing pints of cold South Bohemian tank lager with locals in an authentic pub unchanged for decades.
Practical
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
The Lords of Krumlov construct the earliest Gothic castle on the rock above the vital Vltava river crossing.
Vilém of Rožmberk transforms the medieval fortress into an Italianate Renaissance palace, establishing alchemy and Renaissance arts.
Český Krumlov's intact historic centre and castle complex are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Further out
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Romantic Gothic clifftop castle and ancestral seat of the Rosenberg lords over the upper Vltava
Tour the atmospheric Knights' Hall and English Tower high above the winding river gorge.
