From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
Arrival day
Before Day 1. The old town is small enough to cross in minutes, so there is no hurry.Details
From Prague
Buses and some trains run between Prague and the town. Check ahead for the route that suits you, and for how long it takes on the day you travel. Leave the car behind if you can, since the old town is closed to most traffic.
On foot
Everything in the old center is a short walk, but the lanes are cobbled and several are steep. Flat, grippy shoes matter more than anything else you pack, especially after rain.
First evening
Walk over the stone bridge, find a table by the water and let the castle tower glow above you. Day 1 starts at that same tower, so you will already know the way.
Day 1. The castle and Latrán and the Vltava valley
4 stops · 12.5 km
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
1
MorningWorth the time, check ahead
Český Krumlov Castle
A huge castle complex on a rock above the river bend, with courtyards, a painted round tower and gardens behind. Walk the courtyards first, then check ahead for tours of the rooms and for whether the tower is open to climb. The tower view over the rooftops and the loop of the river is the one to earn.
Go whenMorning, soon after the gates open, before the day visitors arrive.
Local tip Walk the courtyards first. Check ahead for tours of the rooms and for whether the tower is open, and wear shoes made for cobbles.
A long park behind the castle, laid out in formal Baroque style with lawns, fountains and shaded paths. In the gardens stands an open-air theatre whose seats turn to face the stage. Check ahead whether it is open and whether a performance is on.
Go whenA calm morning, when the paths are shaded and quiet.
Local tip Walk the long axis of the garden slowly. Check ahead whether the open-air theatre is open and whether a performance is on.
Lunch
Svíčková with dumplings
Svíčková is sliced beef in a velvety cream sauce, served with bread dumplings and a spoon of cranberries. Dumplings, called knedlíky, are the heart of a Czech lunch.
Local tip Order one plate and add a second to share, since the portions are generous.
A monastery in the Vltava valley, founded by Cistercian monks in the 13th century, with a Gothic church and a quiet cloister. It lies a short ride from the town. Check ahead for visits and for how to get there.
Go whenMorning, when the cloister is quiet and the valley is cool.
Local tip It is a short ride from the town. Check ahead for how visits work and for how you will get back.
About 17 min by car or transit6.4 km
4
MorningWorth the time, check ahead
Kleť
The mountain above the town, with a lookout tower at the top and a long view over the hills of South Bohemia. Check ahead on how to get up.
Go whenA clear morning, for a view that stretches over the country.
Local tip A mountain with a lookout tower above the town. Check ahead on how to get up, on the lift and on the weather, since the top can be cloudy when the valley is clear.
If it rains. Český Krumlov Castle and Zlatá Koruna Abbey are covered, so keep them. Move Castle Gardens and Kleť to a dry day if you can.
Day 2. The castle and Latrán and the hill above the town
3 stops · 7.1 km
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Travel from KleťAbout 17 min by car or transit6.3 km
Where Day 1 ended.
1
MiddayWorth a short walk
Latrán
The old quarter at the foot of the castle, a short lane of painted houses that leads up to the castle gate. Walk it slowly and look up at the facades.
Go whenEarly morning or late evening, when the lane is empty.
Local tip Look up at the painted facades as you climb. It is the lane that leads to the castle gate, so you will walk it more than once.
About 2 min walk0.1 km
2
AfternoonA resting stop
Svornosti Square
The little main square of the old town, ringed by Renaissance and Baroque houses with a plague column at its center. Sit for a while and watch the town go by.
Go whenLate afternoon, when the day visitors thin out.
Local tip Find a bench near the plague column and look at the gables. The lanes that leave the square are quieter than the square itself.
Lunch
Dumplings and a local beer
A plain lunch of potato or bread dumplings with roast pork and sauerkraut, with a glass of local lager. Heavy, so keep the afternoon slow.
Local tip Ask for the daily dish, which often comes fastest.
A wooded hill above the old town, with a quiet path up to the top and a view back toward the castle tower and the bend of the river. Go for the last light, and carry a light if you plan to walk down after dark.
Go whenLate afternoon, around sunset (about 8:37 PM), when the light turns the roofs gold.
Local tip The path is a gentle climb through trees. Wear shoes with a grip, and carry a light if you will walk down after dark.
Dinner
A last supper in the lanes
End where you started: a candlelit table in the old town and a glass of local beer or Czech wine. Potato pancakes with garlic are a warm, homely finish.
Local tip Walk back down from the hill before the lanes fill with evening diners.
If it rains. Everything today is outdoors, so swap this day with a drier one if you can.
Day 3. The old town
3 stops · 0.2 km
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
1
MiddayPick your rooms, check ahead
Egon Schiele Art Centrum
A museum of art in the old town, named for the Austrian painter whose mother came from here. He painted the roofs and lanes of the town. Check ahead for what is on show.
Go whenA wet or hot midday, when you want an hour indoors.
Local tip Look for the paintings of the town itself, then go outside and find the same roofs. Check ahead for what is on show.
In summer, boats, rafts, canoes and tubes drift down the river through the bends of the old town. Check ahead on the water level, the season and the age and swimming rules before you go. Stay on the bank if the river is high.
Go whenA warm afternoon in summer, once the water level has been checked.
Local tip Check ahead on water levels, the season and the age and swimming rules. If the river is high or you would rather stay dry, watch from the bank near the weir.
Lunch
A long last lunch
Spend a full hour on the last big meal. A bowl of soup, a plate of roast meat with dumplings and a sweet dumpling or a pancake with fruit to finish.
Local tip Pick a table in the shade, and leave the plan for the evening open.
About 2 min walk0.1 km
3
AfternoonWorth a short visit
Church of St. Vitus
The tall Gothic church of the old town, whose steeple is one of the landmarks of the skyline. Step inside for the cool, quiet vaults.
Go whenMidday, when the church is cool and quiet.
Local tip Look up at the stone vaults. Check ahead for visiting times, since a church is not always open.
If it rains. Egon Schiele Art Centrum and Church of St. Vitus are covered, so keep them. Move The Vltava by raft or canoe to a dry day if you can.
Day 4. Hluboka and Ceske Budejovice and Rozmberk and the Lipno lake
3 stops · 70.6 km
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Travel from Church of St. VitusAbout 32 min by car or transit17.5 km
Where Day 3 ended.
1
MorningWorth the time, check ahead
Rožmberk Castle
A castle on a rock above the Vltava, in the village of Rožmberk nad Vltavou. It has a tower, a courtyard and a long view over the river bend. Check ahead for tours and the days it is open.
Go whenA full morning, then lunch in the village below.
Local tip It is a drive or a long bus ride from the town, so check ahead on the way there and back. Check ahead for tours and for the days it is open.
A white Gothic Revival castle on a hill above the Vltava, with a park around it. It looks like a castle from a book. Check ahead for tours and the days it is open.
Go whenMorning, with time for the park around it.
Local tip A white Gothic Revival castle on a hill above the Vltava. Check ahead for tours and for the days it is open.
The main city of South Bohemia, with a very large arcaded square and a long beer tradition. A lively contrast with the small town.
Go whenLate morning, then lunch in the old center.
Local tip The big arcaded square is the place to start. The city is known for a lasting beer tradition, so a glass of local lager is the local way to end the day.
A lake village on the Lipno reservoir, with a walkway that climbs through the treetops for a view over the water and the forest. Check ahead on opening and weather.
Go whenA dry day, when the walkway above the trees is at its best.
Local tip A long walkway climbs through the treetops above the Lipno reservoir. Check ahead on opening and on weather, since wind can close it.
If it rains. Vyšší Brod Monastery is covered, so keep it. Move Lipno nad Vltavou to a dry day if you can.
Departure day
After the last day. The town is quiet in the early hours, so keep the last morning slow.Details
Last morning
Take a final walk along the river before the day visitors arrive, when the lanes are empty and the water is still. Ask your lodging to keep your bags if your bus leaves later in the day.
Back to Prague
Check the bus or train times the night before and book a seat if you can. Arrive at the station a little early, since the walk from the old town has a cobbled stretch.
A last sweet
Buy a warm trdelnik or a paper bag of pastries for the road, and eat it on the bridge for one more look at the castle.
Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Cesky Krumlov?
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, May to October are the most comfortable months for walking around Cesky Krumlov. This plan is built for late May, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
How many days does this plan cover?
It covers 5 days in Cesky Krumlov, planned for late May. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
Who is this plan for?
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
Is anything on this plan booked?
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Can I plan my own days like this?
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Can I change this plan?
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
How much walking is there?
Each day has about 0.2 to 53.1 kilometers between its stops, and 72.6 kilometers in all across 5 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
4 days of beer and nights in PragueAbout 130 km away
4 days in SalzburgAbout 140 km away.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
_-_Kloster.JPG){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}