Český Krumlov in winter is captivating. This magical Czech town – immaculately preserved from the Middle Ages – is one of the most beautiful in Europe.
We had always hoped to see Český Krumlov in snow at some point, and over the winter the stars aligned and we got to see this gorgeous place turned into something out of a winter fairytale.
Sitting in our Prague apartment one snowy evening, I checked a Český Krumlov webcam, and found all the rooftops and cobbled streets coated in a few inches of the wondrous white stuff. Within minutes I had booked bus tickets for myself and my son – Český Krumlov is his favourite place in Europe – for the following day.
In this Český Krumlov winter guide we show you what to see and do, advise on what’s open and closed there in winter and how to get there from Prague.
We also suggest a range of places to stay in Český Krumlov, guided tours of the town including all-inclusive day tours from Prague. And we also have a selection of our images from our Český Krumlov day trip in winter.
If you ever get the chance to follow in our snowy footprints, don’t miss it.
Why Visit Český Krumlov In Winter
Český Krumlov is one of the most beautiful towns in Europe, a perfectly preserved medieval town built around a steep meander of the River Vltava.
Winter is such a good time for visiting Český Krumlov because only a fraction of the crowds of peak season visit in the colder months, and you can appreciate it so much more with less people around.
Český Krumlov is even more magical in the snow, a winter wonderland with the red rooftops of the medieval town coated white.
Český Krumlov also hosts a small Christmas Market in the main square – this is usually held throughout December.
What To Do In Český Krumlov In Winter
Walk Up To Český Krumlov Castle
After a snowball fight for the ages, the first thing My Little Man and I did was walk through the Old Town to the Castle. Even though the Castle tours don’t run during the winter, the Castle and precincts are still open.
You can walk all the way through the Castle, starting at the Main Gate where three bears reside – two on one side, one on the other.
You then walk through a large courtyard and an atmospheric uphill tunnel, passing through a smaller courtyard before continuing down to the splendid Cloak Bridge.
Explore The Old Town
For many, the highlight of their Český Krumlov sightseeing is simply wandering the Old Town. At any time of year it’s a wondrous experience, especially if you’re avoiding the crowds.
The Český Krumlov architecture is mostly from the Gothic and Renaissance periods, with some Baroque townhouses to be discovered as well.
You’ll see several examples of the brick-patterned sgraffito around the town and in the castle, as well as some more elaborate scenes etched onto some house fronts.
Visit Museum Fotoatelier Seidel
The extraordinary Museum Fotoatelier Seidel is one of the best small museums in Europe. It’s set in the home and studio of photographer Josef Seidel, who worked in the town when it was more widely known by its German name, Böhmisch Krumau.
It’s both a history museum and a museum of photography, indeed photographic history. On the one hand you get to learn all about the social life of a small Bohemian town up until the 1930s.
But you also get to see the vast hoard of photographic equipment around the house, as well as the studio where Seidel worked, including the many costumes in which his subjects would dress up.
The three of us loved this Museum – it’s easily one of the best things to do in Český Krumlov.
Commerce Museum – Muzeum Obchodu
The Commerce Museum is one of several Český Krumlov attractions open over the winter months, and is a great diversion for half an hour or so. When I first saw it I thought it might be a bit of a tourist trap, but it’s way too good for that.
It’s a re-creation of several Bohemian shops as they would have appeared in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and they also have a great collection of replica metal plates of different products from the period.
Český Krumlov Fairytale House
The Fairytale House is a small museum above a shop selling traditional Czech puppets which we visited as a family when we stayed in Český Krumlov a couple of summers previously.
You can set up your own puppet show in one of the medieval rooms upstairs, and the attic is a wild treasure trove full of puppets over the last century or more.
The gentleman in the shop waived our entrance fee a couple of times, and was so impressed by Our Little Man using a stick he found by the river as a staff that he presented him with a fossil as a gift.
Warm Up With Some Traditional Czech Food
When we visited Český Krumlov in winter, we were delighted to find that one of the few places open is one of our favourites – Hospoda Na Louzi at Kajovska 66, just down the hill from the main square.
Czech food is well-suited to warming you up and staving off the winter cold, and Na Louzi serves up some of the best pečeni kachna – roast duck with red cabbage and dumplings – that I’ve had anywhere in the country.
They also serve lots of great traditional Czech dishes including svickova and schnitzels.
Check Out Some of The Best Views Of Český Krumlov
There are some stunning Český Krumlov views to be found, especially if you’re lucky enough to visit when there is snow.
One of our favourites is from the garden below the Regional Museum, looking over the rooftops of the town to the Castle.
There is another one a little further away from the centre of town, looking over the Hotel Mlyn towards the Castle and town skyline.
And finally, if you cross the river and head up the hill, turn right onto Nad Schody and walk towards the open ground 100 metres away – from there you get a great Český Krumlov panorama with the Church of St Vitus on the right and the Castle on the left.
What Is Open And Closed In Český Krumlov In Winter
Some of the main Český Krumlov attractions are closed in winter – most notably Český Krumlov Castle. Bear in mind that the Castle tours are closed but you can still walk through the Castle grounds from the main entrance to the famous Cloak Bridge.
Does It Snow In Český Krumlov In Winter
As you’ll see from many of our images, yes, it does snow in Český Krumlov.
The weather varies each winter, but after a decade with little snow, in the early 2020s there have been two winters with substantial snowfall, with snow lingering in Český Krumlov for a week or so each time.
Where Is Český Krumlov
Český Krumlov is in the South Bohemia region of the Czech Republic, 25 km (15 miles) south-west of the much-overlooked regional capital, České Budějovice. It is also a short drive or train journey from the Austrian border and the city of Linz.
It’s also within reach of several other European cities, and here are some sample distances to Český Krumlov:
Prague to Český Krumlov – 172 km (107 miles)
Linz to Český Krumlov – 70 km (43 miles)
Vienna to Český Krumlov – 206 km (128 miles)
How To Get To Český Krumlov In Winter
Getting to Český Krumlov in winter is no different from getting there at any other time of year. The one difference is that, if there has been snow, you’ll need to drive more slowly, as we saw when a car in front of our bus had something of a mishap.
Many people visit Český Krumlov from Prague, and if you’re travelling under your own steam, you can get there by train or bus.
While living in Prague we’ve preferred travelling from Prague to Český Krumlov by bus, with direct services by Regiojet reaching Český Krumlov in less than three hours. The services start at Florenc bus station Prague (shown on timetables as Praha UAN Florenc) and also call at Na Knížecí bus station across the river in the Smíchov district.
Český Krumlov bus station (autobusové nádraží) is also considerably closer to Český Krumlov Old Town than the train station, and the Špičák stop, around 400 metres before the bus station is also a lot closer.
If you’re travelling to Český Krumlov by train, the journey takes a similar amount of time, and usually entails a change at České Budějovice. Trains leave from Prague main train station (Praha hl n on timetables), and there’s usually a direct service to Český Krumlov each morning.
Český Krumlov train station is over a mile north of the Old Town, which you can reach on foot, or by bus or taxi.
How Many Days In Český Krumlov
Ideally you need two days in Český Krumlov to see everything and enjoy a quiet night exploring the deserted streets and lanes. It’s wonderfully atmospheric at any time of year, but if there’s snow on the ground it’s even more wonderful.
Due to time constraints, many of you will only have enough time for one day in Český Krumlov, perhaps on a day trip from Prague. I had visited Český Krumlov twice before, including a 4-night stay with my family, but when I saw the Český Krumlov webcam I didn’t hesitate to book return bus tickets for the following day.
We only had six hours in Český Krumlov in the snow, but that was fine. We loved every moment of it, a huge winter dopamine fix which was exactly what we needed.
If you have the time available to stay in Český Krumlov, do so. But if a Český Krumlov day trip is all you can fit in, especially in winter, go for it.
Český Krumlov Tours
Tours to Český Krumlov – especially from Prague – run throughout the year.
You can go for a full day tour from Prague to Český Krumlov which includes transfers and a guided tour of the Old Town and Castle precincts.
Another option is a tour which includes a tour of Český Krumlov and a brief stop on the way back in České Budějovice, one of the most underrated places to visit in the Czech Republic.
If you’re already in Český Krumlov it’s also possible to arrange a private walking tour – some offer a general overview, while another focuses on the medieval architecture of the town. There is even a Christmas-themed private walking tour of Český Krumlov.
There are also private Český Krumlov tours from Prague, and one of these also offers a stop in the amazing village of Holašovice, a place I’d recommend to anyone.
Český Krumlov Christmas Market
Despite intentions to the contrary, we haven’t made it to the Český Krumlov Christmas Markets yet. They take place in December, and all the stalls – usually around ten of them – are all in the main square, Náměstí Svornosti (pictured above).
It’s a much smaller, lower-key event than, say, the Prague Christmas Markets, with a mixture of craft and food stalls. It would be a wonderful bonus if you’re spending a day in Český Krumlov in winter, and the Market happens to be on.
Český Krumlov Hotels
While visiting Český Krumlov in winter we noticed that a number of establishments – especially pensions and restaurants – only have limited opening hours, with some closing altogether. Even so, there are more than enough Český Krumlov hotels open to meet the limited demand in winter, and here are a few.
One of the best hotels in Český Krumlov is the Hotel Ruze, in a central location close to the Regional Museum and some of the best viewpoints in Český Krumlov.
It’s housed in a stunning medieval monastery and beautifully preserved, so if you want the full immersion into history including your room, this is a great option.
Just down the hill from there in the main square, there are two fine four-star hotels, the Old Inn and Hotel Zlatý Anděl. We ate at the restaurant at the latter two or three times, and the hotel looked very promising.
We stayed for three nights at the three-star Pension Galko, a two-minute walk from the square on Široká, and strongly recommend it if you’re visiting Český Krumlov with kids. The three of us loved the apartment we stayed in, and the service was excellent from start to finish.
Places To Visit Near Český Krumlov
České Budějovice, the regional capital, tends to be overlooked by time-hungry visitors with enough time to squeeze Český Krumlov into their schedules.
We spent a few days there, using it as a base to explore more places to visit in South Bohemia, and were rather blown away by its medieval Old Town. It’s also a great place to eat, and is home to the excellent Budvar beer.
It’s a short bus ride or drive from České Budějovice to the beautiful Bohemian village of Holašovice, a uniquely preserved series of 18th and 19th century farmsteads around a village green.
Holašovice is the only one of these ‘folk Baroque’ villages to have survived intact, and because of this it’s been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s also one of the most beautiful villages in Europe, well worth the journey off the beaten track to seek out.
It’s only 10 km from České Budějovice – so 35 km from Český Krumlov – to fairytale Hluboka Castle, an ornate 19th century rebuild inspired partly by Windsor Castle in England, and partly by a white wedding cake. Unlike Český Krumlov, its sumptuous interiors are open year-round.
Český Krumlov In Winter – Final Thoughts
Český Krumlov is breathtaking at any time of year, and is one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever seen in the snow. It takes a while to get there and back, but it’s one of the most rewarding day trips from Prague that you can take.
Even if there isn’t snow when you visit Český Krumlov in the winter, it’s still wonderful as you can appreciate it so much more without the summer crowds.
And if you’re anywhere near Český Krumlov in the winter, keep an eye on that webcam!
Take a look at these other World Heritage Sites in the Czech Republic:
- Telč Czech Republic – extraordinary country town with astonishingly beautiful main square
- Lednice Castle – sumptuous summer seat of the Princes of Liechtenstein
- Things To Do In Mariánské Lázně – also known as Marienbad, a splendid Bohemian Spa Town
- Landmarks of Prague – from the Charles Bridge to the Žižkov TV Tower