Český Krumlov and České Budějovice Day Trip from Prague

Český Krumlov old town

Český Krumlov sits in a tight double bend of the Vltava River about 170 kilometres south of Prague, and its historic centre has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1992. The town grew below the castle from the 13th century and kept its medieval plan almost untouched: around three hundred Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque houses crowd between the river and the rock, with painted facades, arcaded courtyards and steep red roofs, all overlooked by the round tower of the castle. The first guided walk of about 45 minutes takes you across the bridges and through the main square, Náměstí Svornosti, with its plague column and town hall, to the Church of St Vitus, a Gothic church of the 15th century with a slender tower.

After lunch a second shorter walk leads up toward the castle gate. If you are wondering whether Český Krumlov is worth visiting as a day trip from Prague, this is the town most travellers remember best from the whole country.

Český Krumlov Castle

Český Krumlov Castle is the second largest castle complex in Czechia after Prague Castle, a chain of five courtyards, a palace, a Baroque theatre, a moat and terraced gardens stretched along the ridge above the town. It was founded in the 13th century by the lords of Krumlov and enlarged by the Rosenberg family during the Renaissance, which gave it the painted round tower that is the symbol of the town, and later by the Eggenberg and Schwarzenberg families, who added the Baroque halls and the theatre. The guided visit of about an hour, with the entry ticket included, takes you through the courtyards, the Cloak Bridge, the multi-storey covered bridge with views over the roofs, and the castle interiors between April and October.

From November to March the interiors are closed, so in winter the visit covers the courtyards, the bridge and the gardens, still worth the climb for the view. Český Krumlov Castle opening hours and the exact route are confirmed by the guide on the day.

Lunch and free time in Český Krumlov

Lunch is served in a historic restaurant in the old town and includes water, a main course and dessert, with a vegetarian dish available if you tell us when booking. It is a sit-down break of about 45 minutes in the middle of the day, after the first guided walk and before the castle. The dishes are regional Bohemian cooking, the kind of roast meat, dumplings and sweet pastries that southern Bohemia is known for.

Later in the afternoon you have about 55 minutes of free time. Most travellers use it for the viewpoint on the castle terraces, the riverside path where rafts drift past in summer, the small museums and craft shops in the lanes, or a slow coffee on the main square. The guide gives you the meeting time and place for the coach so that you can wander without worrying. This free hour is also the best time to visit Český Krumlov for photos, as the morning tour groups have moved on.

České Budějovice

České Budějovice, the capital of the South Bohemian Region, was founded in 1265 by King Přemysl Otakar II as a royal town on the meeting of the Vltava and Malše rivers, and the main square still bears his name. It is a perfect square of about 133 metres on each side, one of the largest in the country, lined on all four sides with arcaded Renaissance and Baroque houses and the town hall with its three towers. In the centre stands Samson's Fountain, built in the 1720s, and at one corner rises the Black Tower, 72 metres high, which can be climbed for views in the warmer months.

The tour stops here for about half an hour on the way back to Prague: a ten-minute guided walk around the square and twenty minutes of free time for photos or a short stroll under the arcades. It is a brief but worthwhile contrast to the fairy-tale scale of Český Krumlov.

The road through southern Bohemia

The drive from Prague to Český Krumlov takes about two and a half hours and runs through the heart of Bohemia, past rolling farmland, forests and the lake-like fishponds that have been part of the southern landscape since the Middle Ages. Your guide uses the time on the coach to tell the history of the region, from the medieval noble families to the castles and monasteries that dot the hills, so you arrive in Český Krumlov knowing what you are looking at.

On the return journey of just under two hours most people rest, look at the sunset over the fields or sort through their photos. The coach is air-conditioned with comfortable seats, and the whole day is paced so that you spend about five hours in the towns and about five on the road. The trip runs year-round; spring to autumn gives you the castle interiors and the greenest countryside, while winter brings quiet lanes and sometimes snow on the roofs.