South Bohemia is often the first part of the country visitors explore outside Prague. This is usually on a day trip to the wondrous medieval town of Český Krumlov, and this is as far as most visitors ever get. But, as we found, there are enough places to visit in South Bohemia to warrant a separate trip to explore further.
They range from the region’s capital, the totally underrated České Budějovice, to the nearby World Heritage village of Holašovice, a tiny time capsule of Baroque farmsteads from the 18th and 19th centuries. The castles at Blatna, Jindřichúv Hradec and Hluboká are among the best in the Czech Republic, and the towns of Tábor and Třeboň are among the most beautiful in the country.
All of these places are well off the beaten track, and the cluster of so many places so close to each other is very tempting. I’m so glad we spent plenty of time in South Bohemia – check these places out to help you decide for yourself.
Český Krumlov
It’s the main reason most people ever venture to South Bohemia – and the reason I first did back in 1991. This gorgeous old town was largely bypassed by history, leaving an extraordinary, beautifully preserved centre tucked around a bend of the River Vltava, beneath one of the great castles of the Czech Republic.
It’s one of the most popular day trips from Prague, despite being almost three hours away by car, bus or train. You could spend a whole day just wandering the narrow cobbled streets of the Old Town, but don’t miss the 13th century Castle – the second largest in the country – whose grounds you can walk through for free.
Český Krumlov has become much more touristed over the last decade or so, with plenty more attractions opening up, ranging from a Fairytale House Puppet Museum to a Torture Museum on the town’s main square.
There are enough things to do in Český Krumlov to warrant at least a two-night stay – more of you’re planning to see more of South Bohemia by car.
And if you want to avoid the summer crowds, I strongly recommend visiting Český Krumlov in winter. My son and I visited with thick snow on the ground, and got to share this magical place with around ten other people over the course of the day.
Where To Stay: Hotel Ebersbach – grand restored 16th-century house on one of the most beautiful streets in the town
Museum Fotoatelier Seidel, Český Krumlov
One of the best museums in the Czech Republic, this wonderful exhibition tells two stories – the history of a small Bohemian town in the early 20th century, and also a snapshot of photographic history, the analogue glory days of glass plates, 10 x 8 bellows cameras and much more.
Josef Seidel was the town photographer of what was then known as Böhmisch Krumau, a small mainly German-speaking town in the Sudetenland region of what was then Czechoslovakia. The townspeople all went to Seidel to sit for portraits, and he also managed to corner the market in local postcard views.
He died in 1935, and the business was taken over by his son František, who continued to run it until 1949 It was then closed by the Communist regime, and the hoard of photographic treasures remained undiscovered for almost 50 years.
The Museum gives you a glimpse into life in the 1920s and 1930s, and also has an amazing collection of vintage photographic paraphernalia. Not to be missed.
See Also: Museum Fotoatelier Seidel – Why You Should Visit
České Budějovice
České Budějovice – also known by its German name, Budweis, is the capital of South Bohemia, and it has been rather in the shadow of Český Krumlov since the Czech Republic opened up to visitors from ‘the West’ in the early 1990s. It often tended to be featured on itineraries for its famous Budvar brewery. Its German name, Budweiser, is the same as the famous American (and vastly inferior) brew, and the two companies spent a long time embroiled in litigation over the matter.
České Budějovice is, as it turns out, one of the loveliest small cities in Europe. And during the season you’ll find a fraction of the crowds you get 20 miles down the road in Český Krumlov. The Old Town, in the streets around the vast main square, is a delight, full of medieval, Renaissance and Baroque houses. If it’s open, climb the Black Tower (Černa vez) for a great view over the main square (Náměstí Přemysl Otakar II), and the Bohemian countryside a few miles away.
If you’re contemplating travelling around the region and intend to use public transport, České Budějovice is a more convenient base than Český Krumlov. You have to change at České Budějovice to reach many places from Český Krumlov, so that one’s up to you!
Where To Stay: Grand Hotel Zvon – the oldest hotel in the Czech Republic, in a great location on the main square, right next to the Old Town
Holašovice
Holašovice is one of the most beautiful villages in Europe. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the only surviving fully intact village of its kind. It consists of just 23 farmsteads clustered around a village green, all built in the regional ‘folk Baroque’ style between the late 18th and mid-19th centuries.
Buses run there from České Budějovice through the Bohemian countryside. One of the houses is open seasonally as a small museum, otherwise you can stroll up and down the green and admire the gorgeous rural architecture. It doesn’t take long to see everything in Holašovice – we found the two hours between buses ample – but it’s definitely one for any Czech Republic bucket list.
Getting there: bus 320135 from České Budějovice runs every two hours
Where To Stay: České Budějovice is probably your best bet
Hluboká Castle
Hluboká is one of the most famous Czech Castles, a 19th-century white wedding-cake confection partly inspired by Windsor Castle.
It’s on a hill above the town of Hluboká nad Vltavou, a few miles’ drive or bus ride from České Budějovice. It’s the fourth castle built on the site, the luxury neo-Gothic residence of Prince Jan Adolf II Schwarzenberg.
It’s one of the most photogenic castles in the country, with stunning gardens and some superb interiors. It’s a pity that the photography ban inside is still in place, as some of the interiors would be as strong a draw as the exterior.
That said, the cosy little town of Hluboká doesn’t seem to be doing too badly, with plenty of Czech and German visitors and prices in many of the cafes and restaurants twice what you’d pay down the road in České Budějovice.
See Also: Hluboká Castle – One Of The Most Beautiful Czech Castles
Getting there: regular buses run from České Budějovice
Where To Stay: Hotel Podhrad – great 4-star option on the main square below the Castle
Hluboká Zoo
The moment our animal-loving son saw a flyer for Zoo Hluboká, there was no way we were going to be bypassing it on our way to Hluboká Castle. It’s always been a bit of a quid pro quo in our family – we spend a couple of hours walking around a zoo, then we walk around a medieval town for a few hours. But over time he has fallen in love with many historical places around Europe, and we’ve come to cherish our times wandering zoos in Europe with him.
Hluboká Zoo is the largest in the South Bohemia region, but is much smaller than the likes of Prague Zoo. It is home to several tigers, more carnivorous cats including Eurasian lynx, and popular favourites including wallabies, otters and wolves.
There is also a large bird collection, with a range including European owls and the laughing kookaburras we often hear in the tree outside our home in Australia.
Tábor
Tábor is one of the most beautiful towns in the Czech Republic. There are so many small towns like it around the country – incredibly picturesque, superb Renaissance architecture, and well off the beaten track – but Tábor Is younger than most others, having only been founded in 1420 by the Hussites, one of the earliest European groups to break from the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.
Tábor became a base for the Hussites, who fought a series of wars into the 1430s. The Taborite faction was led by Jan Žižka, after whom the main square Žižkovo náměstí, is named.
The square is the best place to exploring the Old Town. The Town Hall is the most impressive building in Tábor, it’s home to the Hussite Museum and is the gateway toa series of underground tunnels used for storage and defensive purposes. The Dean’s Church, across the square from the Town Hall, is the most prominent Tábor landmark, and you can climb the tower, provided you’re happy to crawl under a bell along the way!
The old town is magical, a network of cobbled streets with late medieval and Baroque houses running from the square down to the river. Head down Klokotska to the Kotnov Tower and Bechyne Gate – where tourist buses drop visitors off – and explore the small exhibition and superb view over the town’s rooftops.
The 30 bus also leaves from here, taking you to Tábor Zoo, less than 10 minutes away.
Getting there: Tabor is only 1 hour 15 minutes from Prague main train station (Praha hl n), and 45 minutes from České Budějovice.
Where To Stay: Boutique Hotel Nautilus – perfect location and superb restaurant on the corner of the town’s main square
Třeboň
Třeboň – pronounced Tr-ZHE-bon-y (the ň at the end is like the Spanish ñ, as in ‘España’) – is another Bohemian delight. There are so many of these gorgeous Czech towns, and you almost have to live in the country for a while, as we did, to see the best of them. And Třeboň – ten miles east of České Budějovice – is one of these.
The town is best known for its spas and its fish. The local speciality is a peat bath, in which you’re wrapped up in warm local peat with healing properties. Fans of Rick Steves may well have seen a video of him enjoying one of these. And the lakes nearby are home to the Třeboň carp. These fish end up on millions of Czech dinner tables on December 24th for the main Christmas meal – either as starter (carp soup) or main course (fried carp).
But I’d say the most compelling reason to visit is the town itself, full of fairytale Renaissance architecture, including one of the most magnificent squares in the country. The Castle (zamek) was the last home of the Rozmberk clan, which died out in the early 17th century. It was later taken over by the Schwarzenbergs, another family with a major role in Bohemian (and therefore Czech!) history.
Where To Stay: Hotel Galerie – 4-star hotel in the heart of the old town
Blatná Castle
Blatná is one of the most picturesque Czech castles, and one of a small number in the country to be built next to water – in this case on an island in a lake.
Its tower and one wing were built in the 14th century, and another wing was completed in the 15th century. The highlight of the tour is the 15th-century Green Chamber, much of which is covered by beautiful frescoes from around 1480. You also get to visit some rooms where Czech scientist Jan Purkyne taught the Hildprandt children between 1810 and 1813.
Many of the interior walls are decorated with hunting ‘trophies’ – the antlers of deer shot by the Hildprandts and their guests. The Deer Park across the bridge from the Castle can also be visited, and the residents are treated far better these days. The herd are tame, and come up to visitors hoping to be fed – a delight for the kids, including our animal-loving son.
See Also: Blatna Castle – One Of The Most Beautiful Castles In The Czech Republic
Slavonice
Slavonice is the last stop on the line, the train trundling to a halt in this quiet backwater a few minutes’ walk from the Austrian border, and what was once the Iron Curtain. Even 35 years later, the line hasn’t been extended across the border, but if you venture to this corner of the Czech Republic you’ll be rewarded with one of the most intriguing border towns in Europe, which you’ll likely have to yourself.
The town was once an important trading post on the Vienna to Prague route, but as alternative routes developed, so Slavonice faded into obscurity. But not before it grew rather wealthy, as you’ll see from the astonishing merchants’ houses around the town centre. This is one of the best places in Europe to appreciate sgraffito wall art, intricate cartoon-like friezes with portraits and morality tales from the 16th century.
It’s also a gateway to Česká Kanada, hilly forested border country with hiking and biking trails, and one formidable fortress, Landstejn Castle, a few miles west of Slavonice.
Where To Stay: Hotel Pivonka – reliable and popular 3-star hotel on the main square
Jindřichův Hradec
Jindřichův Hradec is yet another hidden Czech charmer, a small town 25 miles northeast of České Budějovice best known for its Castle, the third largest in the Czech Republic.
It’s also one of the most recognisable castles in the country – if you ever venture into Czech bookshops, you’ll often see it on calendar and book covers. It’s reflected in the waters of the Vajgar pond, making for a great photo if you’re there on a calm, still day. The Castle, said to be haunted by the White Lady ghost, has a partly Baroque interior, while the Round Tower hosts a curious collection of historical dog portraits.
The old town is also well worth a stop, with Renaissance and Baroque burgher houses and several churches. The most prominent of these is the Church of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary, where you can climb the 68-metre tower for great views over the town.
And if you’re wondering how to pronounce the town’s name, it’s Yindr-zhikh-oov Hra-dets. An American friend working on a film crew there gave up trying, and they all settled for ‘Jimi Hendrix’ in the end!
Where To Stay: Hotel Florian Palace – luxury 4-star in the heart of the Old Town
Rožmberk
Rožmberk nad Vltavou (Rosenberg in German) was the seat of the Rosenbergs, one of the most powerful Czech noble families, until they died out in 1611. They were responsible for building the imposing Rožmberk Castle, on the edge of the small town, which overlooks the Vltava River.
The original 13th-century Gothic Castle was modified in the Renaissance style in the 15th and 16th centuries, with some of the buildings decorated in the sgraffito style common throughout the country. It was then remodelled in the mid-19th century by the Bucquoy family in more of a Romantic Gothic style.
The Castle was one of the first museums to open in Bohemia, after its reconstruction was completed in 1857. The tiny town, across the river from the Castle, is also worth a stop for an hour or two.
Getting there: Bus 330517 runs there from Český Krumlov bus station, taking around 35 minutes.
Where To Stay: Pivovar Rozmberk – deluxe hotel attached to the town’s brewery
Lipno
Lipno and Vltavou is one of the best places in the Czech Republic to enjoy the great outdoors.
It’s located on the edge of the vast Lipno reservoir, and there’s a wonderful accessible treetop walk, leading to a lookout tower with astonishing views over the Šumava forests and countryside.
There are also a huge range of hiking and cycle trails, mainly around Lipno and nearby Frymburk.
One of my neighbours in Prague used to call the lake at Lipno ‘the Czech Riviera’, and she guessed that she has visited over 50 times. It has a wonderful setting surrounded by forests and mountains, and there are also a few small beaches along the shoreline.
Where To Stay: Amenity Hotel & Resort – 4-star lakeside luxury
Viššy Brod Monastery
This Cistercian monastery is the southernmost landmark in the Czech Republic. It was founded in 1259, at a site on the right bank of the Vltava River 13 miles (21 miles) south of Český Krumlov.
The standout building is the 14th century Gothic Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. During the summer months, one of the most famous relics in the Czech Republic, the Žáviš Cross, is displayed in one of the chapels. The golden reliquary is said to contain part of the True Cross of Jesus Christ.
The crypt of the church is the final resting place of over 20 members of the Rosenberg (Rožmberk) dynasty which ruled this part of Bohemia until 1611.
Pisek
If you’ve taken the bus from Prague to Český Krumlov, then you will have briefly stopped in Pisek along the way. It’s one of the most intriguing places to visit in South Bohemia, home to the oldest stone bridge in the country (built in the 13th century, a hundred years older than the Charles Bridge in Prague).
Pisek grew wealthy from the grains of gold found in the sands along the Otava river – which explains the existence of such a fine bridge in a relatively small town. The town’s name means ‘sand’ in Czech, so don’t be thrown if you’re searching for buses or trains there – sites tend to translate automatically to ‘Sand’!
We were drawn to Pisek (which happens to be twinned with my hometown, Caerphilly in Wales) by the Sladovna (Flour Mill). It’s one of the best places to visit in the Czech Republic with kids, with interactive exhibits ranging from the Anthill to an Animation Studio. If you don’t speak Czech, the best exhibit is the Anthill (Mraveniste). The attraction is very popular, and booking in advance is recommended.
Sladovna is next door to the regional Prachenske Museum, which covers the northwestern part of South Bohemia.
Where To Stay: Hotel Art – great 3-star option in the historic town centre
Best Places To Visit In South Bohemia – Final Words
South Bohemia is one of the most rewarding parts of the Czech Republic to visit, and if you’re thinking of branching out beyond Prague, it’s probably the best area of the country to do so.
As well as the places I’ve written about here, there are plenty more amazing places within easy reach of South Bohemia. One of the best is the gorgeous World Heritage town of Telč, a short drive away in the neighbouring province of Moravia.
And closer to Prague, there are several outstanding castles in Central Bohemia – check out my guides to Konopiště, Karlštejn and Křivoklát. All of these are within an hour of Prague, and well worth adding to any Czech Republic itinerary.