Beyond Prague: Český Krumlov, the Bohemian Borgo in the Vltava's Embrace

Český Krumlov is one of the most photogenic towns in Europe: a medieval borgo built inside a meander of the Vltava River, dominated by a castle that is the second largest in Bohemia after Prague's. The difference here is that the scale is human, the streets can be walked in an hour, and the feeling is of having stepped into a fairy tale.

Český Krumlov Castle is a complex of forty buildings spread across five courtyards, with a cylindrical tower painted in trompe-l'oeil that has become the symbol of the town. The Baroque Theatre inside the castle is among the best preserved in the world: the stage with its original 18th-century scenography, the scene-change mechanisms, and period costumes are all intact. The summer performances — lit by candles instead of electric lights — are a singular experience.

The historic centre is a web of cobbled lanes descending toward the river, lined with Gothic and Renaissance houses painted in pastel colours. Náměstí Svornosti — the main square — is the heart of social life: café terraces, a Saturday farmers' market, and a 18th-century plague column at the centre.

The Vltava that encircles the borgo is navigable by canoe and kayak: the route through the meander offers a unique perspective on the town, with the castle appearing and disappearing behind each bend. In summer rafting is popular, and the sandy riverbanks are where locals come to relax.

The Egon Schiele Art Centrum displays works by the Austrian artist who lived briefly in Český Krumlov (his mother was from the area) and painted some of his most celebrated canvases with the town as backdrop. The museum also hosts temporary contemporary art exhibitions.

Eating in Český Krumlov is an authentic Bohemian experience: svíčková, gulaš, trdelník (the chimney-shaped pastry), and Eggenberg beer — brewed in the castle brewery since 1560 — which is one of the finest in Bohemia.

Český Krumlov is reachable from Prague in three hours by bus (Student Agency, cheap and comfortable) or by train. From Vienna it is about three and a half hours. The town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and deserves at least one night, to savour it once the day-trippers have gone.