Hotel Růže
Why we like it: A hotel in the former sixteenth-century Jesuit college on Horní Street, with 71 rooms, views of the castle or the Vltava, a terrace and a heated pool for guests.
Duration1 night
From PragueDirect bus of 2 h 35 min to 3 h · 2 h 30 by car
Best seasonMay to September
BookingBaroque theatre and canoe
CastleMuseum and tower 280 CZK
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to leave Prague first thing by bus and return the next afternoon. From May to September everything is open; in winter drop the theatre and the canoe and keep the tower, the museum and the empty village.
Day 1
- 107:30Bus from Prague
You arrive around 10:30. Leave your bag at the hotel.
- 211:00Castle tower and museum
The view of the meander from the painted tower and the museum of the three families. 280 CZK.
- 312:30Courtyards and cloak bridge
Free. From May to October, continue to the Baroque garden.
- 414:00Lunch in the old town
Homestyle Czech cooking at Hospoda Na Louži.
- 515:30Baroque theatre or tour I
Seasonal and with a time slot: buy on the castle website before leaving Prague.
- 619:30Dinner at Krčma Šatlava
Wood-grilled meats and Budvar; open every day until 22:00.
Day 2
- 109:00The empty village
Svornosti square, St Vitus and the wooden bridges before the coaches arrive.
- 210:30Canoe on the Vltava
With Maleček: from Barevná skála to Krumlov, one or two hours, from 650 CZK per person with transport upriver included.
- 314:00Lunch and bus back
Eat in the centre and take the afternoon bus to Prague.
Český Krumlov can be seen in a day from Prague, but that is almost six hours on the bus to spend midday, the worst hour, among tour groups. With a night everything changes: you arrive mid-morning, see the castle, dine when the town empties and the next day paddle the Vltava by canoe before going back.
How do you get there from Prague?
By direct bus, from 2 h 35 min to about 3 hours depending on the company; it drops you ten minutes' walk from the square. By car, about two and a half hours via České Budějovice; leave the car in the P1 Jelenka car park or in one of the others around the centre.
Where to sleep?
| Accommodation | Area | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Růže | Horní street, former Jesuit college | Heated pool, views of the castle or the river |
| Hotel Dvořák | Radniční, next to the castle bridge | Four-star boutique, terrace over the river |
| Hotel Na Louži | Kájovská, in the old town | Simple, with family rooms and a tavern |
What if I have one more day?
Paddle down to the Zlatá Koruna monastery, three to four hours with Maleček, or, by car, stop at Hluboká castle on the way back to Prague.
With children
It works very well: the tower, the courtyards, the cloak bridge and the canoe. Sleep at the Hotel Na Louži, which has family rooms, or at the Růže, with a pool. Under-6s do not pay for the museum.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Český Krumlov, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Český Krumlov
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
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.
- Getting therePrague Václav Havel (PRG), the…
- Getting aroundOn foot throughout the old…
- Where to sleepHotel Růže, with a pool…
- ServicesDirect bus from Prague
Getting there
- Prague Václav Havel (PRG), the most practical from Spain
- Direct bus from Prague to Český Krumlov
- Linz (LNZ) and Vienna (VIE), if the trip continues through Austria
Getting around
- On foot throughout the old town
- Canoe or raft on the Vltava with Maleček
- Hire car only if you are continuing to other parts of South Bohemia
Where to sleep
- Hotel Růže, with a pool, on Horní Street
- Hotel Dvořák, by the river
- Hotel Na Louži, simple, on Kájovská Street
Services
- Direct bus from Prague
- Information centre on Svornosti Square
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.
70–140 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Na Louži, a ten-room…
- Getting aroundDirect bus from Prague, 2…
- Where to eatKrčma Šatlava, wood-fired grill
- ServicesInformation centre, on Svornosti Square
Where to sleep
- Hotel Na Louži, a ten-room guesthouse above a tavern
- Hotel Dvořák, next to the castle
- Hotel Růže, with a heated pool
Getting around
- Direct bus from Prague, 2 h 35 min to 3 h
- On foot through the old town and the castle
- Maleček takes you upriver so you can canoe back down
Where to eat
- Krčma Šatlava, wood-fired grill
- Hospoda Na Louži, home cooking
Services
- Information centre, on Svornosti Square
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.
80–150 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Růže, at the entrance…
- DrivingP1 Jelenka car park, the…
- Where to eatKrčma Šatlava
- ServicesCar parks P1, P1r, P2…
Where to sleep
- Hotel Růže, at the entrance to the centre
- Hotel Dvořák, next to the castle
Driving
- P1 Jelenka car park, the largest, below the castle wall
- Check the free spaces on the tourism website before arriving
Where to eat
- Krčma Šatlava
- Hospoda Na Louži
Services
- Car parks P1, P1r, P2 and P3, all year
- Information centre
How much does it cost?
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Nights1
Where to stay
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Hotel Dvořák
Why we like it: A four-star boutique hotel on Radniční Street, a few steps from the castle, with a terrace over the Vltava and a restaurant.
Hotel Na Louži
Why we like it: A ten-room guesthouse above a traditional tavern on Kájovská Street, with 1930s furniture and family rooms. Ten per cent off from four nights when booking direct.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Český Krumlov
Krčma Šatlava
What to order: a wood-fired grilled meat with Budvar beer, pale or dark.
Open every day from 11:00 to 22:00
Hospoda Na Louži
What to order: the home-style Czech dish of the day with a local beer.
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
Buy the return bus ticket in advance in summer: the direct ones fill up.
We'd skip it
Doing it in a day on an organised tour from Prague: six hours by coach for two in the village at midday.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Prague to Český Krumlov without a car?
By direct bus, from 2 h 35 min to 3 hours.
Where do I sleep?
In the old town: Hotel Růže, Hotel Dvořák or Hotel Na Louži.
Do I need to book the canoe?
In summer, yes; on its website.
Is it worth it in winter?
Yes, if you want the quiet village: the tower and museum open Tuesday to Sunday, but not the canoe or the theatre.