Medieval town offers alternative to Prague

By DEBORAH BLOCK
School of Communication
University of Miami

CESKY KRUMLOV, Czech Republic— Many travelers come to Prague to enjoy the breathtaking beauty and charm of the ancient city. But, for those who are not satisfied with what Prague has to offer, there is Český Krumlov— a small medieval town in southern Bohemian that attracts tourists and backpackers with its rich history and gingerbread-like quaintness.

The tower of the Cesky Krumlov chateau (Staff photo).

Český Krumlov is 9.7 million hectares with 14,756 inhabitants. It is protected by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organzation) as a historically preserved town of world significance due to the many original structures dating back as far as the 13th Century.

According to the UNESCO Website, Český Krumlov “is an outstanding example of a small central European medieval town whose architectural heritage has remained intact thanks to its peaceful evolution over more than five centuries.”

The town has survived much, including World War II and recent disasterous flooding. In 2002, the old city was inundated by the Vltava River in flooding that also damaged other cities farther north along the waterway, such as Prague and Dresden.

But the community preserved what it could and rebuilt the rest. For its history and medieval atmosphere, the preservation as well as other reasons, the town is growing in popularity among travelers.

“I came here because of a random hint from another traveler,” said Brett Harrie, a self-proclaimed “professional bum” from Australia who has been backpacking for the past year.

“It was a lucky tip because it is probably one of the most beautiful towns I’ve seen.”

Český Krumlov may resemble Prague in some of the architecture, street names and the river the two towns share, but it has a uniqueness that makes it worth the three- to four- hour journey from the Czech capital.

Colorful decorations are found in shops along the narrow streets of the Inner Town (Staff photo).

“Český Krumlov is globally different than Prague,” said Misha Tanová, a Prague native who moved to Český Krumlov a year ago after many years of visiting.

“Prague is too big, but here you can be in the woods in 10 minutes. And I like that there are so many interesting people I meet who are traveling here.”

Harrie agreed.

“It’s a hell of a lot smaller and a more laid back atmosphere,” he said.

Nevertheless, Český Krumlov was not always the bustling tourist village it is today.

“I was here 10 years ago and it was completely different,” said Bernd Strecher, who came for the weekend with his wife and 2-year-old daughter.

“The Czech Republic wasn’t a developed country then. Now there are lots of restaurants and stores, but there were very few then.”

The chateau, or castle, rests aside the Vltava River and looms large over the Inner Town (Staff photo).

The main attraction of Český Krumlov is the Krumlov Chateau—the second largest castle in the Czech Republic.

There are 10 tours of the castle from which to choose, including tours of the gardens and the tower.

The castle is made up of several uniquely painted buildings that can be reached by crossing a bridge over the former moat, where a bear now lives. To visit the castle, visitors should arrive on any day of the week except Monday, when it is closed.

“Everyone should definitely see the castle and castle gardens and just walk around town,” Tanová said. “If the weather is nice try inner tubing—its lots of fun.”

Visitors take a break in the square of the Inner City (Staff photo).

The older area of Český Krumlov, called the Vnitrni Mesto or Inner Town, is filled with shops and restaurants. But there are plenty of other activities for the more active visitors.

Inner tubing can be done on the Vltava River, which curves around the town and offers visitors several options for activities in the summer months. Rafting and canoeing are both popular, but participants should expect to get wet. Canoeing costs 300 kč ($12) per person and rafting costs 960 kč ($38) for a two-to-four person raft.

Those who chose not to participate can watch people float by from the bridge or one of the several restaurants with gardens that line the Vltava in Inner Town.

Canoeists prepare to ride down the Vltava River in Cesky Krumlov (Staff photo).

River sports are difficult to plan, however, because of the unpredictable Czech weather that could be as low as the 40s (Fahrenheit) in the evenings in the summer. Thus, Český Krumlov also offers land sports. Visitors can ride bikes for 150 kč ($6) or horses for 250 kč ($10) per hour. For all day sporting excursions—wet or dry—visitors can purchase package deals.

Rafters enjoy a ride downstream in the Vltava River while a kayer negotiates some rough water (Staff photos).

Other tourist attractions include the Regional History Museum, the Museum of Torture, the graphite mine, the Eggenberg brewery and the Krumlov Mill.

For an unbeatable view of the city, visitors can take a ride in an airplane or a hot air balloon. Guided walking tours of the town are available twice daily for 225 kč ($9) and a brewery history tour is available for 150 kč ($6).

To arrange for tours and other activities, visitors should stop by the Visitor Info Center, located at Náměstí Svornosti 2 in the town square.

To get to Český Krumlov from Prague, visitors can take the bus for about 160 kč ($6) or the train for about 240 kč ($10). Accommodations in Český Krumlov include hotels, pensions, privats and hostels. A hostel bed ranges from 70 to 380 kč ($3 to $15) per person, while privats, pensions and hotel rooms range from 500 to 6,880 kč ($20 to $275) per double room.

The most popular time to visit Český Krumlov is the summer, especially in mid-June when the town holds its annual Festival of Five Petal Roses and for two weeks in August for the International Music Festival.

Visitors walk the narrow streets lined with shops and cafes in the Inner City of Cesky Krumlov (Staff photo).

 

---