Cesky Krumlov On a Budget
Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
The town's climate is temperate and there are four separate seasons throughout the year. The hottest months are July and August. This is also when the majority of the tourists visit. The coldest months are January and February when the temperatures drop below freezing. It can rain anytime, year around, but in general the wettest months are between May and August.
Sights
The main sight in town is the Cesky Krumlov State Castle and Chateau. The complex where you'll find the castle is the most visited part of town. The complex itself is accessible for free but you have to pay for a guided tour of the castle interior and the Castle Baroque Theater. If you don't want to take a tour, you can pay to access the castle tower and walk to the top for the view. You should allow several hours for your visit and bring your own lunch which you can enjoy in the castle's gardens. There's a grocery store where you can buy supplies across the ulice from the castle entrance. The Unios Tourist Information Center is through the red iron gates in the first courtyard. This is also where you'll find public restrooms and a souvenir shop.Other sights and attractions around town include the Regional Museum, Muzeum vltavinu, and Egon Schiele Centrum Museum.
Neighborhoods
Cesky Krumlov is a small town with many streets that wander haphazardly through it. The most visited sight in town is the Cesky Krumlov Castle and Chateau, which is located on a large complex that is beautiful to visit and accessible free of charge.Activities
Popular activities in and around Cesky Krumlov include rafting the Vltava River, tubing along the river, and horseback riding. Popular festivals in the area include the Five Petalled Rose Celebration during June, the International Music Festival during the months of July and August and Open Air Krumlov, during July.Food and Dining
The restaurants in Cesky Krumlov are quite good and you're sure to find something you like while you're in town. As with any touristy town, you'll find the best, most reasonably priced restaurants outside of the main touristy areas. Talk to the locals to see which tavernas they prefer. Some places are very cozy and have a pleasant fire that you can enjoy on a cool evening while you drink beer. Czech cuisine can be very hearty and filling. Dishes are usually quite large, and if a half order is available, that is often a good way to save some money. Vegetarian options may be limited, but Laibon is a good vegetarian restaurant that is recommended. International restaurants are also available and include Italian and French.Transportation
The best prices for buses and trains in Czech Republic can be found on Omio (formerly GoEuro). They let you search across all train, bus, and plane routes throughout Europe.A large part of the experience when visiting Cesky Krumlov is to wander through the streets and soak up the atmosphere. There are 750 years of history along those streets and it can best be experienced on foot. You'll want to bring good walking shoes as most of the streets are cobblestoned and very uneven for walking. You should plan to get lost, because that is really the best part of the experience. You'll find the best sights and hidden alleys by getting off the main roads. There is really no system of order to the way the roads go, so just wander and know that the town is small enough that you can't be led too far astray. A popular route is to walk along Latran from Budejovicka Gate to the town square, Namesti Svornosti, then up Horni and across the bridge to the Barbakan. This entire walk should take you about an hour when you allow for time to stop and look around.
If you're interested in biking, there are some good routes coming in and out of Cesky Krumlov. Having a bike within the town limits is more trouble than it's worth and should be avoided. You can lock your bike up on the outskirts of town while you wander around on food for a while.
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