Holiday in Český Krumlov

What makes Český Krumlov special as a destination?

Český Krumlov is a vibrant fairy tale from the Middle Ages — a small Bohemian town that nestles picturesquely in a loop of the Vltava River, and whose completely preserved old town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. The second castle of the Czech Republic (after Prague Castle) towers on a rock above the river, and below it spreads a tangle of pastel-colored Renaissance houses, cobblestone streets, and Gothic churches that have hardly changed since the 14th century. The Český Krumlov Castle is an architectural colossus made up of five courtyards, a Baroque theater (one of only three fully preserved Baroque theaters in the world with original scenery and mechanics), and the castle tower, whose brightly painted Renaissance facade looks like an oversized painting. The Cloak Bridge, a multi-story covered walkway, connects the upper castle with the castle garden and offers one of the most beautiful views in Central Europe from above. The Vltava River encircles the old town in an elegant S-curve and is full of canoeists and rafting enthusiasts in summer: The stretch from Vyšší Brod to Český Krumlov is one of the most popular paddling routes in the Czech Republic, passing by forests, castle ruins, and small weirs. The Egon Schiele Center commemorates the Austrian expressionist who lived in Český Krumlov in 1911 (the town was his mother's home) and created some of his most famous works here before he had to leave the town due to a scandal. The art gallery displays originals and documents his turbulent time in the Bohemian town. At night, when the day tourists have left, Český Krumlov transforms: The illuminated castle reflects in the Vltava, and jazz and blues play in the vaulted cellar bars.