Ceský Krumlov, Czech Republic - It’s the sort of place you expect to see on the richly illustrated pages of a book of fairy tales: where a beautiful princess looks down from the tower of a castle on to the twisted cobbled streets of a town where her love – perhaps a mere commoner – makes his living as a weaver…
The town of Ceský Krumlov, in Southern Bohemia in the Czech Republic, almost looks as though life, and the upheavals of European history of the past few hundred years have passed it by. Its beauty and unique atmosphere have been recognised by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), which has declared it a World Heritage site. It’s not a place we would have thought of visiting on a recent trip through the “New Europe” (mainly the countries from behind what was the Iron Curtain)… but an enthusiastic recommendation from friends pushed us. And it was a push we never regretted.
After driving for nearly two hours from Vienna to the Czech Republic, the rural landscape suddenly changed.
Instead of the grassy fields and cultivated farmlands, dotted here and there with homesteads, the odd shop and a filling station or two, we found ourselves in a lush forest-like area. Down the slope, behind the first few rows of trees, you could see holidaymakers revelling on a fast flowing river in rubber dinghies, canoes or on makeshift rafts.
Nearby was Ceský Krumlov, idyllically situated in a valley in the Blansko forest and encircled by the crystal-clear Vltava river that you can see from just about every vantage point. Prague’s little sister in Southern Bohemia is indeed a gem.
From our room in the Dvorak Hotel, situated on the banks of the Vltava, we had a spectacular view of the town’s most famous landmark, a 13th-century state castle, Krumlovský Zámek, and its imposing tower. Over dinner on the hotel’s veranda, we savoured the full expanse of the brightly-lit castle walls, which tower high above the medieval Old Town or Staré Mesto.
After a good night’s sleep, thanks to the river’s gurgling water which was soothing music to our ears through our wide open window, we set out on foot to discover as much of this picturesque place as possible in our only full day in this town. Just as well we started early: with busloads of visitors arriving throughout the day, the town was soon jampacked, making it rather difficult to manoeuvre in the small shops and other places of interest that line the cobblestone streets.
The town boasts a vast array of small and intimate shops where you can find virtually anything, ranging from every conceivable type of souvenir, antiques reflecting the town’s rich history, and art shops brimful of original works of art, as well as beautiful machine-woven tapestries bringing to life the work of many well-known artists – from Monet and Matisse to Gustav Klimt – to the latest Bata shoe designs, a brand that originated in Prague.
You can spend hours in the town’s toy shops with their array of fine hand-crafted wooden or stuffed toys and marionettes and puppets. A shopkeeper told us that to this day, storytelling and puppetry are a favourite pastime in this region; also that devils and witches don’t represent evil but instead have playful, trickster and satirical characteristics.
One of many favourite tourist destinations in Ceský Krumlov is the Moldavite museum. It is said that the dull olive green moldavite crystals were formed 15 million years ago by the impact of a giant meteorite. Most of the rocks, melted by the impact and cooled while they were airborne, fell in central Bohemia. Besides exquisite moldavite rings, necklaces and earrings, jewellery shops offer a wide selection of garnet and amber jewellery.
Most stores in this town are not owned by Czechs, but by expats from the former Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, as well as a number of Vietnamese descendants of families brought to the town by the communities as labourers before 1989.
They stayed on to become shopkeepers and raise their families. The town continues to lure droves of visitors from various Eastern countries, who clearly enjoy shopping there.
Close to the museum is the charming town square, lined with hotels and shops painted in soft pastels. The plague column, topped with the statue of the Virgin Mary and the eight patron saints of the town and protectors against the plague, adjoined with a stone fountain, is the square’s landmark.
Just behind the town square, the impressive Catholic church of St Vitus, named after one of the town’s eight patron saints, keeps vigil over the old town. Built around 1400 and consecrated in 1439, the inner space of the church has the form of a beautiful three-nave hall and almost all of it can be observed from one place. Over the years, the church was remodelled several times and today richly reflects Gothic, Baroque and Neo-Gothic features.
Walking the streets of old town Ceský Krumlov, I also had my first smell – and yummy taste – of the Czech Republic’s “signature” delicacy, the Trdelink. A tasty dessert made from rolled dough, then grilled on a machine, the feather-light biscuit is served coated with a wide variety of toppings such as cinnamon, sugar and chocolate. Pure decadence, bite after bite!
Although the walk from the old town to the castle complex is not long, it’s rather stiff, especially for older folk. But braving the steps is certainly well worth the effort!
Known as “the Pearl of the Renaissance”, the state castle of Ceský Krumlov is one of the largest and most impressive historic sites in central Europe. The complex consists of 40 buildings and palaces, situated about five castle courts and a castle park spanning 7 hectares.
Built by the lords of Krumlov, who stayed there until the 1300s, four clans – each of whom added a specific style, ranging from Renaissance to Rococo – subsequently resided there before it was nationalised in 1947.
Filled with treasures, including exquisite artwork, tapestries, furniture and other items, the castle gives an intimate glimpse into the lifestyle of years gone by.
All the castle rooms are open to the public and it’s well worth taking a proper tour of these to learn first-hand about the castle’s residents, history and activities.
Being a nature lover and avid gardener, the complex’s exquisite gardens with their dainty and rather unusual floral combinations impressed me even more.
Consisting of two terraces, the lower one is dominated by a Rococo stone fountain that dates from 1561. A most beautiful sight!
On our way out, and quite to our surprise, we passed a bear moat where two chubby brown bears were tucking into a supply of fresh fruit.
The history of bear-keeping at Ceský Krumlov Castle goes back to the 16th century, and bears have been kept in the bear moat since 1707.
Reconstructed in 1995-1999, the moat has been a comfortable, spacious home to a number of bears such as the older occupiers Katerina and Vok, along with their son Hubert, and the younger female bear Marie Terezie, which has been donated to Krumlov chateau by Innsbruck parkland, we later learnt.
Over a final dinner in Ceský Krumlov at the hotel, we toasted our unexpected “lucky packet” – our memorable stay in a beautiful town.
If you go
l The Czech Republic has its own currency, the Czech koruna. Most shops will accept the euro, but you may get koruna in change.
l Festivals: A great time to visit is in June for the Five-Petalled Rose Festival, when the town’s inhabitants dress up in medieval costumes. The annual bear festival at the castle chateau is also very popular, especially among children.
l Theatres: Situated in the castle gardens, Ceský Krumlov’s unique open-air theatre, with its revolving auditorium, regularly draws large audiences.
l Restaurants: The town has a wide selection of restaurants, offering a variety of menus from traditional Czech dishes to Italian, Thai and Chinese, at prices lower than in Prague.
l Beer: Just north of the town is Ceské Budejovice, home to the brewer Budejovicky Budvar, which produces what many consider the original Budweiser, a pilsner brewed since 1895 in a town that has produced beer since the 13th century. Tours of the brewery are offered daily most of the year.
l Outdoors: It’s a great area to do rafting or canoeing and there are many tours offered.
Wilma de Bruin, Saturday Star