# Český Krumlov A medieval town inside a bend of the Vltava, with Czechia's second-largest castle, an intact Baroque theatre and canoes on the river. Best with a night from Prague. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/czechia/cesky-krumlov · Revisado: 2026-11-12 Český Krumlov is an almost intact medieval town wedged into a double bend of the Vltava in South Bohemia, about 25 km from Austria. Above it, on a rock, stands the country's second-largest castle, with a painted tower, five courtyards and a Baroque theatre that still has its original machinery. Below are streets of Renaissance houses, wooden bridges and canoes passing beneath the walls. It is a World Heritage Site about three hours from Prague: you can do it in a day, but it is best enjoyed with a night, once the groups have gone. ## How do you get there from Prague? By direct bus, which is how almost everyone goes: FlixBus and other companies take between 2 h 35 min and about 3 hours, and drop you ten minutes' walk from the square. Buy your ticket in advance in summer. By car, about two and a half hours via České Budějovice. The historic centre has restricted access: park at P1 Jelenka, below the castle's north wall, or in the other paid car parks around the centre, open all year. There is a train, but it involves a change at České Budějovice and is slower than the bus. ## What to see in one or two days The castle. The courtyards and the cloak bridge can be walked through for free. The museum and tower open all year; tour route I of the interiors and the Baroque theatre are seasonal and timed, and the theatre has very limited places. Behind the fifth courtyard begins the Baroque garden. The town. Svornosti Square, the Gothic Church of St Vitus above the river, Horní Street and the Latrán quarter, across the bridge. The river. From spring to autumn, a trip down the Vltava by canoe or raft: from under an hour within the town to half a day to Zlatá Koruna Monastery, with transport back upstream included. ## When to go From May to September everything is open and the river is navigable, but the groups arrive at midday: start early and stay into the afternoon. In October the town empties. In winter the guided castle tours and the canoes stop, but the museum and tower are open Tuesday to Sunday and the town, without the crowds, has its own charm; in December there is a Christmas market. ## Is it worth it in a day? If you only have one day, leave Prague on the first bus, climb the castle tower, walk the courtyards and the old town, have lunch and return on the last bus. With a night you see the town at sunset and early in the morning, with nobody about, and you have time left for the canoe or the theatre. ## Dónde está - Cerca: Hluboká and České Budějovice (a 28.3 km), Tábor (a 71.6 km), Wachau (a 99.9 km · Austria), Göttweig Abbey and the Kamptal (a 107.4 km · Austria) ## Qué hacer - **Český Krumlov castle museum and tower** (1 h · All ages; under-6s free · 280 CZK adult; 220 CZK reduced; 80 CZK ages 6 to 17): The visit that works all year: the museum, opened in 2011, brings out of the castle's storerooms objects of the Rožmberks, the Eggenbergs and the Schwarzenbergs, the three families who owned it, and the ticket includes the painted tower, from whose gallery you see the bend in the Vltava, the red roofs and the square. You do it on your own, in a little under an hour. In winter it is open Tuesday to Sunday. - **Castle interiors: route I, from Renaissance to Baroque** (55 min · From about age 8 · 300 CZK adult; 240 CZK reduced; 90 CZK ages 6 to 17): With a guide, in 55 minutes, you tour the castle's Renaissance and Baroque interiors: the Chapel of St George, the rooms of the Rožmberks and the Eggenbergs and the Masquerade Hall, painted with carnival figures. Route II, on the Schwarzenbergs, ends in the corridor of the cloak bridge. Both run in season; buy your time slot on the castle's official website. - **The castle's Baroque theatre, with its original machinery** (1 h · Adults and teenagers · 400 CZK adult; 320 CZK reduced; 120 CZK ages 6 to 17): The best-preserved Baroque theatre in Europe in its original building: orchestra pit, stage, the wooden machinery that changed the scenery, the sets themselves, librettos and costumes. The guided tour goes down beneath the stage to see how it worked. Because it is so fragile, groups are small: buy on the castle website as soon as you know your day. - **Canoe or raft trip down the Vltava to the centre of Český Krumlov** (2 h · Families and groups; no experience needed · Short trip through the town from 440 CZK per person; Barevná skála–Krumlov from 650 CZK; Krumlov–Zlatá Koruna from 790 CZK): The Vltava loops several times around the historic centre and you can float down it by canoe or inflatable raft, with no experience: you pass small drops by the old mills and go beneath the castle. The easiest way is to be taken upriver and paddle down to the centre, from one to four hours depending on the stretch. The price includes boat, paddles, life jackets, dry bags and transport. It is seasonal: there is no boating in winter. - **Castle courtyards, cloak bridge and Baroque garden** (1 h 30 · All ages): Without a ticket you can walk the castle courtyards, which climb one after another up the rock, and the cloak bridge (Plášťový most), a three-storey viaduct with covered galleries over a ravine, with one of the views of the town. After the fifth courtyard begins the Baroque garden, from the seventeenth century, with fountains, parterres and the Rococo Bellaria pavilion, which opens only in season. Go early: the groups arrive mid-morning. - **Old town: Svornosti Square, St Vitus Church and viewpoints** (2 h · All ages; with a pushchair, cobblestones): The old town occupies a bend of the Vltava and can be walked in a couple of hours: Svornosti Square, with the town hall and the plague column; the Gothic Church of St Vitus above the river; Horní and Latrán streets, which climb to the castle; and the wooden bridges over the water. For the classic photo of the castle above the rooftops, climb the castle tower or leave the bend along the riverbank. ## Dónde comer - **Krčma Šatlava** (Restaurant, Český Krumlov, €€). Qué pedir: a wood-fired grilled meat with Budvar beer, pale or dark. - **Hospoda Na Louži** (Restaurant, Český Krumlov, €€). Qué pedir: the home-style Czech dish of the day with a local beer. ## By plane: Fly to Prague and take the direct bus to Český Krumlov Český Krumlov has no airport: you fly to Prague, with direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and other Spanish cities, and continue by direct bus, about 2 h 35 min to 3 h, or by hire car, about two and a half hours. Because of the distance, it deserves at least one night. Vienna and Linz are also within reach if you combine it with Austria. ### Dónde dormir if you're flying - **Hotel Růže** (Hotel): The house One of the oldest and best-preserved buildings in the town: the Jesuit college, from the sixteenth century, on Horní Street, at the entrance to the historic centre. It has 71 rooms, four of them apartments, historic reception rooms and a summer terrace over the Vltava. The rooms and what it offers The rooms have a historic-style décor and look onto the castle or the river. There is a heated pool and a wellness area free for guests, something rare inside the bend, and a restaurant. Getting there and parking The bus station is about ten minutes' walk away. By car, the historic centre has restricted access: leave the car in one of the car parks around the centre and ask the hotel about unloading luggage. - **Hotel Dvořák** (Hotel): The house A four-star boutique hotel on Radniční Street, between Svornosti Square and the bridge that crosses to the castle. From the restaurant terrace, beside the Vltava, you watch the canoes pass beneath the tower. Who it is for For a comfortable night in the centre, with breakfast, its own restaurant and staff who point you in the right direction. The whole historic centre is within walking distance. Getting there It is inside the bend, with restricted access for cars: park in the car parks around the centre and walk in, or ask the hotel about arriving with luggage. From the bus station it is about fifteen minutes' walk. - **Hotel Na Louži** (Small hotel): The house A house in the historic centre with centuries of owners (burgomasters, tanners, shoemakers) turned into a guesthouse and tavern. The ten rooms were renovated in 1992 with furniture and a feel of the 1930s. The rooms Five doubles, three triples and two family rooms for two adults and two children, all with their own shower and toilet. Breakfast is classic (coffee, tea, cold meats, cheese, bread and jam) and is served in the tavern downstairs. If you book direct for four nights or more, the room is 10% cheaper. Getting there It is on Kájovská Street, two minutes from Svornosti Square. Come without a car or leave it in a car park outside the bend. ### Servicios - **Český Krumlov information centre**: Tourist office on Svornosti Square, with information, maps and car-park status. - **Direct bus from Prague**: Direct buses from Prague in about 2 h 35 min to 3 h, depending on the company; the stop is about ten minutes' walk from the centre. ## Car-free: Bus from Prague and everything on foot inside the bend Český Krumlov is perfect without a car: cars do not enter the bend and everything is ten minutes on foot. The direct bus from Prague drops you at the gates of the centre. Presupuesto orientativo: 70–140 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir without a car - **Hotel Růže** (Hotel): The house One of the oldest and best-preserved buildings in the town: the Jesuit college, from the sixteenth century, on Horní Street, at the entrance to the historic centre. It has 71 rooms, four of them apartments, historic reception rooms and a summer terrace over the Vltava. The rooms and what it offers The rooms have a historic-style décor and look onto the castle or the river. There is a heated pool and a wellness area free for guests, something rare inside the bend, and a restaurant. Getting there and parking The bus station is about ten minutes' walk away. By car, the historic centre has restricted access: leave the car in one of the car parks around the centre and ask the hotel about unloading luggage. - **Hotel Dvořák** (Hotel): The house A four-star boutique hotel on Radniční Street, between Svornosti Square and the bridge that crosses to the castle. From the restaurant terrace, beside the Vltava, you watch the canoes pass beneath the tower. Who it is for For a comfortable night in the centre, with breakfast, its own restaurant and staff who point you in the right direction. The whole historic centre is within walking distance. Getting there It is inside the bend, with restricted access for cars: park in the car parks around the centre and walk in, or ask the hotel about arriving with luggage. From the bus station it is about fifteen minutes' walk. - **Hotel Na Louži** (Small hotel): The house A house in the historic centre with centuries of owners (burgomasters, tanners, shoemakers) turned into a guesthouse and tavern. The ten rooms were renovated in 1992 with furniture and a feel of the 1930s. The rooms Five doubles, three triples and two family rooms for two adults and two children, all with their own shower and toilet. Breakfast is classic (coffee, tea, cold meats, cheese, bread and jam) and is served in the tavern downstairs. If you book direct for four nights or more, the room is 10% cheaper. Getting there It is on Kájovská Street, two minutes from Svornosti Square. Come without a car or leave it in a car park outside the bend. ### Servicios - **Český Krumlov information centre**: Tourist office on Svornosti Square, with information, maps and car-park status. - **Direct bus from Prague**: Direct buses from Prague in about 2 h 35 min to 3 h, depending on the company; the stop is about ten minutes' walk from the centre. ## By car: By car from Prague, with parking outside the centre By car, Český Krumlov is about two and a half hours from Prague via České Budějovice. It lets you stop at Hluboká or at Zlatá Koruna Monastery. On arrival, leave the car in a paid car park outside the bend: the centre is pedestrianised. Presupuesto orientativo: 80–150 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're driving - **Hotel Růže** (Hotel): The house One of the oldest and best-preserved buildings in the town: the Jesuit college, from the sixteenth century, on Horní Street, at the entrance to the historic centre. It has 71 rooms, four of them apartments, historic reception rooms and a summer terrace over the Vltava. The rooms and what it offers The rooms have a historic-style décor and look onto the castle or the river. There is a heated pool and a wellness area free for guests, something rare inside the bend, and a restaurant. Getting there and parking The bus station is about ten minutes' walk away. By car, the historic centre has restricted access: leave the car in one of the car parks around the centre and ask the hotel about unloading luggage. - **Hotel Dvořák** (Hotel): The house A four-star boutique hotel on Radniční Street, between Svornosti Square and the bridge that crosses to the castle. From the restaurant terrace, beside the Vltava, you watch the canoes pass beneath the tower. Who it is for For a comfortable night in the centre, with breakfast, its own restaurant and staff who point you in the right direction. The whole historic centre is within walking distance. Getting there It is inside the bend, with restricted access for cars: park in the car parks around the centre and walk in, or ask the hotel about arriving with luggage. From the bus station it is about fifteen minutes' walk. ### Servicios - **Český Krumlov information centre**: Tourist office on Svornosti Square, with information, maps and car-park status. - **Car parks P1, P1r, P2 and P3 next to the historic centre**: Four paid car parks open all year around the centre, with about 630 spaces; P4, next to the castle garden, in summer only. ## As a family: A canoe, a painted tower and a tavern with a fire Český Krumlov seems made for children: a castle with a tower, a river you can canoe down and streets without cars. It works best with a night, so as not to put three hours of bus into the same day. ### What works best Canoe or raft on the Vltava, one to four hours Castle tower and museum, open in winter too Courtyards and cloak bridge, free A stroll through the old town, with the wooden bridges ### Where to sleep Hotel Na Louži, with family rooms Hotel Růže, with a heated pool ### Where to eat Krčma Šatlava, with the grill in view Hospoda Na Louži ### Keep in mind Canoeing is seasonal: no boating in winter Cobblestones make pushchairs difficult Guided castle tours close in winter ### Qué hacer as a family - Český Krumlov castle museum and tower - Canoe or raft trip down the Vltava to the centre of Český Krumlov - Castle courtyards, cloak bridge and Baroque garden - Old town: Svornosti Square, St Vitus Church and viewpoints ## With teenagers: Paddling beneath the castle and a Baroque theatre from the inside For teenagers, Český Krumlov is river and castle: a three- or four-hour canoe trip to Zlatá Koruna is a challenge to their measure, and the Baroque theatre, with its machinery, surprises those who think they have seen it all. ### What works best Canoe from Krumlov to Zlatá Koruna, three to four hours Baroque theatre, with the machinery beneath the stage Castle tower, for the view of the bend Castle route I, with the Masquerade Hall ### Where to sleep Hotel Na Louži Hotel Dvořák ### Where to eat Krčma Šatlava ### Keep in mind The theatre has very limited places: book Canoeing requires being able to swim and wearing a life jacket ### Qué hacer with teenagers - Český Krumlov castle museum and tower - Castle interiors: route I, from Renaissance to Baroque - The castle's Baroque theatre, with its original machinery - Canoe or raft trip down the Vltava to the centre of Český Krumlov - Castle courtyards, cloak bridge and Baroque garden - Old town: Svornosti Square, St Vitus Church and viewpoints ## Consejos ### Stay a night After six in the evening the town is a different place. ### Book the Baroque theatre as soon as you know your day Groups are small and sell out. ### Park outside the bend The centre has restricted access; use P1 or P2. ### Wear comfortable shoes Cobblestones and slopes up to the castle. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How long does it take to get from Prague to Český Krumlov? Between 2 h 35 min and about 3 hours by direct bus; about two and a half hours by car. ### Can you see it in a day from Prague? Yes, but it is a long day: almost six hours on the bus there and back. Better with a night. ### Is the castle open in winter? The museum and tower are, Tuesday to Sunday; the guided tours and the theatre are not. ### Can you canoe down the river? Yes, from spring to autumn, with companies from the town such as Maleček, no experience needed. ### Where can I park? In the paid car parks P1, P1r, P2 and P3, next to the centre. ### Where should I stay? Inside the bend: Hotel Růže, Hotel Dvořák or the Na Louži guesthouse.