After two nights in Brno, followed by one in Telč, we now find ourselves in the south Bohemian town of Český Krumlov; and what a town it is. We arrived here this afternoon, via the pretty town of Slavonice, which is situated very close to the border with Austria.
Quite simply put, Český Krumlov is the nicest town I have ever been to; full-stop. In terms of sheer picturesque beauty, it blows all other challengers off the map. Prague, aesthetically speaking, at least, is a mere pale reflection of all that this town has to offer.
Every last detail for which tourists typically clamour is here: the imposing chateau, the winding river, the pretty town square., the narrow alleys, the buildings with lovely gables, the rolling hills, the good food and drink… and so on and so on.
After just a couple of hours of looking around, Sarah and I were in agreement: it was the nicest town either of us had ever been to. Touristic in its beauty and charm, the place is swarming with people who come here to enjoy it, but strangely, that has not spoilt it by attracting corny, exploitative commerce.
For me, this is Middle Europe’s best kept secret. I knew I was in for a treat and I had been looking forward to this particular stop on our itinerary since we set out, almost two months ago now, but nothing could have prepared me for how beautiful and charming this old town is.
It’s not just a pretty face, either. You can take to the river here, go riding on horseback, while away endless hours on the terraces of the many cafés, etc., etc. We’ll be taking to a raft on the river Vltava tomorrow afternoon.
We’ve extended our stay from two nights to three, as we already know we won’t want to leave here. If you’re planning to come to Prague this summer (or any summer), you owe it to yourself to spend a couple of nights here.
ok so why dun you vist krakow n gdansk mmm? a kind of must-have experience ^ ^
Well, those towns are in Poland and we’re not.
Poland will be another trip, another day (well, more likely a month or more).