The Magical Town of Český Krumlov

I only had 3 short days in the Czech Republic and because of this, I kept going back and forth as to whether I should visit Český Krumlov.  With only 3 days, staying in Prague would make the most sense, but after seeing numerous photos of Český Krumlov, I decided that I had to make the trip there.  I had planned to visit Český Krumlov after Prague and before Slovenia, which made sense when you look at a map.  However, the logistics of departing from Český Krumlov were a bit more inconvenient as most trains and buses only depart out of the bigger cities. 

I had pre-purchased a RegioJet ticket online for my 3 hour bus ride to Český Krumlov.  This was a wonderful experience that included complimentary Wi-Fi and a hot beverage between each stop.  I would highly suggest pre-booking online and selecting your seat as I saw a bunch of people being turned away at the bus stop.

The bus stop at Český Krumlov is about a 10-15 min walk from the main square, but like many European towns, it is all cobblestone streets, so be weary of this if you need to drag your suitcase across town. 

The town is beautiful.  Everywhere you look, there is one stunning view after another.  The heart of the town really is at the main square though.  Although it is not a big town, the farther you step away from the main square, the quieter it got.  You can probably walk across the whole town in about 20 minutes, so for someone like myself, being able to spend half a day there was the perfect amount of time.

My first stop was at Seminrni zahrada, a little park next to the Regional Museum.  There were quite a few people gathered here to take pictures as the park looked down at the river.

From there, it is a short walk to the main square, where the hustle and bustle of all the tour groups made the town come alive.  The main square was decorated with colourful buildings, similar to what I had seen in Prague.

There was even a Chinese restaurant in the main square.  Although I shouldn’t be surprised as it seems that the Czech Republic is a favourite amongst Chinese tourists.

After crossing a bridge, I spotted the Castle looming in the distance.

I started the ascent towards the Castle.  The beginning portion consisted of a couple of flights of stairs, but after that, it was just an incline road.  What was quite peculiar to me was the fact that the buildings within the Castle complex. Instead of being built by bricks, they just painted on what looked like bricks.  In person, you don’t actually even notice it unless you’re paying attention, but from this picture, it does look quite fake.

There were 2 major viewing points at the top of the Castle and everyone seemed to have the same idea, as I saw more cameras and tripods than anywhere else in town. 

I am so glad that I decided to take the time to come to visit this little town. It is small enough that you are able to walk everywhere, but at the same time, it offered enough to become one of the most memorable places for me.