In today's report, we will talk about one of the most wonderful cities in the Czech Republic that I have ever seen - about Cesky Krumlov. I suggest you enjoy the cozy winter views of this town and the castle nearby.
19. A beautiful alley with benches leading towards the park.
20. We walked a bit in the castle park itself. Mossy stones and roots, everything, like in films about similar locations)
21. And the final frame with the castle goodbye.
Still, the Czech Republic is an amazing country. No matter how many times you visit its various corners, there is always something new and beautiful! By the way, quite recently, in early February, we visited two more cozy towns in the Czech Republic - Telch and Tabor. But about them - in the following reports;)
P.S. And for those who want to see my travels and adventures in real time, I suggest adding me on Instagram ;)
I will be very glad to new friends and readers in LiveJournal! Be friends ;)
If you liked this report, I advise you to look also:
See you soon!
The very cherry on the cake will be mine review of Cesky Krumlov, which was introduced on one's own. Many will agree that Prague is a real beauty, but falling into the arms of the gallant gentleman Cesky Krumlov (Chesky Krumlov), you understand that there is no limit to perfection. These two cities are similar in their history and architecture.
Finding the differences is very easy, just look at Krumlov from above and make sure that you are not just a geographical point on the map, you have a huge area with scenery in front of you, where every wanderer can feel like royalty or a street tramp.
My story will not consist of encyclopedic references. Your attention is a sightseeing tour of Cesky Krumlov.
The name of the city comes from the German word "krumm" - crooked, winding. The Vltava River, as if engulfed Krumlov in a narrow loop, thanks to which the island turned out.
Over the three centuries of the reign of the Rosenberg family, a unique originality and charm has been formed in the city. The five-petalled rose is a symbol of the power of the princely family; it can be seen on various facades of buildings in different parts of the city.
Initially, the tour began as a group. The conductor gave out a lot of boring information, which partially evaporated after an hour of our forced march. It may be better to hire an individual guide to walk around the fabulous city. On the day of our stay without an escort, they were not allowed into the castle complex.
Once again, we used the right tool - we “got lost” and, lagging behind the group, went on a tour of Cesky Krumlov on our own. Many will say that this is not how they treat guides in English. In our group, two couples really fell behind, but the guide did not even pay attention to this. The main thing is to always know the exact time and place of the group gathering before the return trip.
Despite the intricate interweaving of streets, you are not in danger of getting lost in the city of Cesky Krumlov. The castle, which majestically rises above the winding banks of the Vltava and ancient streets, will serve as a reference point. High fortress walls seem to protect the tiny world from any enemy.
Often, in order to save time, tourist groups take the route Gluboka nad Vltava - Cesky Krumlov. This excursion is planned for one day that you will remember for a long time.
We made a big mistake that we bought "two in one". It is impossible to thoroughly see these two sights of the Czech Republic in a short time. It is better to allocate at least one day for each city.
I have already told about the excursion to the castle Gluboka over the Vltava in the article. We only had enough time to explore the territory of the castle. In Krumlov, there was enough time for a three-hour walk around the city and lunch in a restaurant.
The bridge connects the city and the castle, which is built over the seething streams of the Vltava.
Thanks to the strong current of the river, lovers of canoeing and kayaking gather in Krumlov.
For all the time of its existence, there has not been a single major fire or natural disaster in Cesky Krumlov.
The urban landscape and architectural structures have hardly changed since the 17th century. Since 1992 Cesky Krumlov has been a World Heritage Site.
Looking at the multi-colored houses, you understand how carefully the history of the city was preserved, giving its appearance a certain mystery.
The striking combination of terracotta roofs, framed by the emerald hues of the forest, create magnificent angles for photographic stories.
From the height of the castle wall, St. Vitus Cathedral and the cylindrical tower of the castle attract the views of tourists.
When the powerful family of the Rosenbergs received Cesky Krumlov into their possessions, they directed all their efforts to its heyday. The city had to correspond to a noble family and received a variety of privileges - barracks, monasteries were built, trade and crafts were promoted.
As evidence of the influence of the Rosenbergs, there are residential buildings that, despite all the renovations carried out, have retained the medieval style of the city.
Miniature buildings dressed up, as if on the eve of a noisy holiday.
Small souvenir shops lure with their vintage gizmos. Walking along the narrow streets with cobblestone pavement, you involuntarily look into the half-open windows and look through the eyes of the locals. One gets the feeling that the city was completely given over to the needs of tourists and the entire population has long since left their fabulous abode.
Among the old facades, you don’t want to rush somewhere, it’s much more pleasant to feel in another dimension. And only thanks to the parked modern cars, you go down to the sinful earth….
You can come to Cesky Krumlov from anywhere in the Czech Republic, on your own or as part of a tourist group. From Prague you can get there by bus or train.
Independent travelers have long appreciated the convenience and optimal prices of the Student Agency bus agency. Official page http://www.studentagency.cz/
Train station Na Knizeci. Ticket price in 2014. 200 crowns. Travel time is 2.5-3 hours.
You can also leave from the Florenc station.
The train can be reached from Prague, but with one change in Czech Budejovice. The ticket price will be higher and the travel time longer.
Next time, you will find out why Cesky Krumlov is so attractive.
Czech Republic hotels on Romguru. The best prices from leading travel sites. Guaranteed!
Thank you for attention!
- Gathering at 7:45 on Wenceslas Square near the monument to St. Wenceslas on horseback
- Meeting with
- Take a seat in a comfortable bus
- Departure at 8:00
- There is a sanitary stop along the way.
- Throughout the tour you will be accompanied by a highly professional guide
- The tour is conducted in radio headphones
- Tickets to excursion objects are not included in the price of the excursion and are paid by tourists additionally
- On the tour you need to have a passport and medical insurance with you
- From 22.12 to 01.01.2019 (inclusive) Hluboka castle is closed, inspection of the castle exterior is provided
- The tour starts on 01.01.2019 at 10.00
South Bohemia is a land of unique beauty. It is famous for its medieval cities and captivates with mysterious, romantic castles. Does not leave indifferent any tourist who visited it. An excursion to one of the most beautiful castles in the Czech Republic - Gluboka nad Vltava, which is famous for the elegance of its Renaissance interiors, will be a real discovery for you. And the small town of Cesky Krumlov, reminiscent of a frozen stone fairy tale, it will spread like a precious pearl in the valley at the source of the Vltava, surrounded by the massif of the Blansky forest in the north and the hilly Šumava foothills in the south. Its medieval appearance, which has survived to this day almost unchanged, makes the city one of the most prominent tourist sites in Central Europe. And since 1992, this city has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
First stop – Castle Hluboka nad Vltava
The first point of our excursion Prague - Krumlov will be the well-known castle of the Czech Republic Gluboka nad Vltava, also known as the "Czech Windsor". Located 150 km from Prague, it was first mentioned in the records of chroniclers of the 9th century. Since its foundation, it has been rebuilt more than once, and at the present time, in its exterior, it is very reminiscent of Windsor Palace in London. And the interior of the castle is made in the style of the late English Renaissance. Moreover, during its existence, the castle changed 27 owners. The last of them, starting from the 17th century, was the influential princely family of Schwarzenberg. After World War II, the castle was nationalized. Having become the property of the state, it became a public museum, which it remains to this day.
During the tour, each visitor will have the opportunity to see with his own eyes the luxurious interior of this architectural masterpiece, admire the hunting trophies of the former owners, impressive knightly armor and the arsenal collected by the Schwarzenbergs, sophisticated antique furniture. In addition, it is here that the largest collection of tapestries in Central Europe is located. And the unique English park that surrounds the castle and where you will definitely have the opportunity to walk will allow you to plunge into the enchanting atmosphere of the Renaissance.
The entrance ticket to the castle is not included in the price of the tour.
Fabulous Journey to Cesky Krumlov (UNESCO)
After visiting Hluboka Castle, we will continue our tour from Prague to Cesky Krumlov, located half an hour from our first stop.
A fascinating sightseeing tour of the ancient historical center of this incomparable city, dating back to the 13th century, awaits you. For several centuries, Emperor Rudolf II, the family of Rozhenberg, Eggenberg, Schwarzenberg ruled here. As if "frozen in stone", the city hid in a steep bend of the Vltava and absolutely deservedly became a UNESCO heritage site.
Our guide will not only tell you a lot of intriguing secrets of the city soaked through with greatness, but will also lead you through the narrow streets of Krumlov with different houses, each of which was created by the tireless hands of ancient masters. Also during the tour of Krumlov you will see the Church of St. Vitus and the town hall, get acquainted with the legendary castle of Cesky Krumlov - the second largest castle after Prague Castle.
In free time
The duration of the tour around Krumlov is about an hour. Then you will have about 1.5-2 hours of free time. You can spend them on a more detailed inspection of the castle or a walk in the magnificent park surrounding it. Get a chance to visit one of the antique shops, look into the museum of realistic wax figures. Admirers of one of the greatest Austrian artists, Egon Schiele, will be able to see his best work in the art center located here. There will be interesting entertainment for little tourists who came on a tour of Krumlov with their parents. They will be able to get acquainted with bears - the famous inhabitants of the castle moat, to which many souvenirs are dedicated in the Czech city.
We guarantee that the visited excursion will remain a warm memory in your album and heart for many years. No wonder experienced tourists say that if you have not been to Cesky Krumlov, you have not seen the Czech Republic at all!
Start time: 08:00
Duration: 11 o'clock
The Český Krumlov and Hluboka nad Vltava castle tour is always popular with tourists, as it gives you the opportunity to see two sights at a time. They are located in South Bohemia, approximately one hundred and fifty kilometers from its capital, Prague. But the Hluboka castle itself is too big to devote only an hour to it. Of course, the town of Cesky Krumlov is no less interesting. And it also has many attractions. Therefore, many tourists who have been on a sightseeing tour come here again - this time to inspect everything more carefully. This article is about Hluboká Castle. It is also called Czech Windsor. And quite legitimately. After all, it was built on the model in the UK. How to get to the fortress Gluboka nad Vltava and what to see there, read below.
Where is the castle located
This attraction stands on a high cliff above the Vltava River. The Czech Republic is generally famous for its castles. There are about a thousand of them in the country. True, not all of them are as amazing as Gluboka over the Vltava. Many castles are romantic ruins. The best starting point for seeing Renaissance palazzos and proud feudal nests is Prague. Hluboka Castle separates one hundred and forty kilometers from this city. How to overcome this distance, we will describe below. In the meantime, let's describe the area, or rather, the enchanting landscape that opens up before the astonished tourists approaching the Hluboka castle. High above the valley of the Vltava River and the Budějovice Hollow, the white Gothic towers of a mighty fortress-palace rise. Don't be disappointed when your guide tells you that they are not medieval. The style in which the castle is built is pseudo- or neo-Gothic. But this fortress is very ancient. And now we will tell you her story.
Foundation of the castle
Deep above the Vltava was most likely founded by King Wenceslas the First or his son Přemysl Otakar the Second. But the first mention of the fortress refers only to 1253. True, she then had a different name. The Zbraslav Chronicle mentions Froburg, which can be translated as "the sovereign's castle" (located in the direct possession of the king). Later, the fortress was given to a feudal lord from Budějovice. Its name gradually began to sound like Frauenberg - "Lady's Castle". This gave rise to the creation of various romantic legends about beautiful owners who were cruelly tortured by their husbands. The modern name "Gluboka" was given to the fortress much later. Some believe that the castle was named so because of the proximity to the forest of the same name, located in the low valley of the Vltava. There is another version. There is a very deep well in the fortress, the fame of which gave the name to the whole citadel.
Further history of the castle
We can only guess how the harsh medieval fortress Froburg looked like. In those days, there were frequent fires and wars. In addition, do not forget that royal Prague was close. The castle Gluboka over the Vltava belonged to the capital's courtiers, who often fell out of favor with the sovereign. Sometimes it was simply given for debts. Sometimes he passed as a dowry to another noble family. During the four hundred years of its existence, the medieval Frauenberg changed twenty-six names of the owners! Over the years, the castle has been rebuilt several times. Each owner tried to bring something of his own to his appearance, to strengthen him according to the then fashion and the canons of defense construction. Archaeologists assure that the fortress Gluboka nad Vltavou has gone through all the stages of development of architectural styles. At first it was built according to the Gothic model. Then for some time it existed as a fortified "palazzo" in the style of the Italian Renaissance (architect Baltazar Maggi). At the beginning of the eighteenth century, it was replaced by a charming baroque palace.
Further history of the castle Hluboka nad Vltava
In the middle of the seventeenth century, the Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I granted Frauenberg to the Spanish general Don Baltazar de Marradas for his "merits" in the fight against the Protestants. The new owner was not interested in this Czech residence, and therefore in 1661 he sold it to Jan Adolf I Schwarzenberg. This famous family owned almost half of the country. The fortress remained in the ownership of the Schwarzenbergs until the year 1947. In order to nationalize the property of the family - the town of Cesky Krumlov and the castle of Gluboka, the state adopted a special law. Two years later, a museum was opened in the fortress. And Krumlov was included in the UNESCO list as a world heritage of mankind.
Transformation to Windsor
The medieval castle owes its today's perfectly recognizable appearance to Princess Eleonora Schwarzenberg, born Princess of Liechtenstein. More precisely, her voyage around Great Britain, which she made in the company of her husband, Jan Adolf II. Most of all in England, Princess Eleanor was struck by Windsor Castle. Returning to her castle in Hluboka, she, under fresh impressions, ordered the Viennese architect Franz Beer to develop a project for a gigantic restructuring of her palace. Large-scale reconstruction was carried out for quite a long time - from 1840 to 1871. The work was carried out according to the drawings of Franz Beer, and after the death of the latter, the no less famous architect Damasius Devoretsky took up the improvement of the palace. The “Czech Windsor” is obliged to him, first of all, by luxurious interiors. The residence of the Schwarzenbergs copies not only the building, but also the wonderful park laid out around it.
Museum
The town of Krumlov and the castle Hluboka nad Vltavou are the most visited places in South Bohemia. And a lot of tourists come here all year round. The castle has been operating as a museum since 1949. Opening hours depend on the season. In summer it is open from 9 am to 5 pm. But in the cold season it is better to visit the castle early. Indeed, in winter, tourists have access to the residence only from ten in the morning to four in the afternoon (the box office closes for lunch from 12:00 to 12:30). But during the Christmas holidays (December 22 - January 2) the museum works like in summer. The castle-museum has developed five excursion routes, so the ticket prices are different - from forty to one hundred and fifty kroons. And if you order a Russian-speaking guide, then a trip around the castle will cost two hundred and fifty crowns. Children under the age of six are allowed into the museum for free, while schoolchildren, students and pensioners go at half price. From the beginning of November to the end of March, except Mondays, there is a winter route for visitors. From June to September access to the private apartments, the kitchen and the tower is only possible on weekends. Photographing and filming the castle is only possible from the outside.
Castle Hluboka nad Vltava: how to get there
There is no train station directly next to the attraction. It is located three kilometers from the castle. If you want to see the sights as part of an organized excursion group, then Prague travel agencies will be happy to offer you their services. On your own or rented car, you can get to the castle along highway 105, which leads from Czech Budejovice to Tyn nad Vltava. After four kilometers, you need to turn onto highway 146 and drive another 1 km. The entire journey takes about twenty minutes. Getting to Hluboka Castle by public transport is a bit more difficult. First, you should get to the nearest town of České Budějovice, which is nine kilometers southeast of the fortress. Buses leave from there to the castle every half an hour (on weekends they run less frequently, several times a day). You can also buy a ticket from the driver. You need to get off at the stop "Under the Church". From there, walk five hundred meters to the castle. If you go by train Prague-Ceske Budejovice, then there will be a stop "Gluboka nad Vltavou". But from it, as we wrote above, you need to walk three kilometers to the fortress.
Castle Hluboka nad Vltavou: description
"Czech Windsor", as expected, surrounds the English regular park. There are ponds, flower beds, exotic trees and shrubs. Don't rush into the palace. The residence of the Schwarzenbergs is very beautiful, and with its Gothic style it resembles a real Hamlet's castle. The residence has one hundred and forty rooms, and each of them is unique and has its own purpose. Two courtyards, eleven towers, a hunting lodge "Fence" - it seems to the visitor as if he was in a fairy tale about brave knights and beautiful ladies. Tickets at the box office are sold separately inside the castle, the kitchen and the tower. The latter may be closed due to windy weather. But if you are lucky and there are no squalls, you should overcome two hundred and forty-five steps and climb fifty-two meters high to admire the picturesque view of the surroundings.
Kitchen
Do not forget that the castle is just an entourage, nothing more. Inside, the Schwarzenberg residence was equipped with the latest technology of the nineteenth century. And this is most clearly felt in the kitchen, which, together with storage rooms and rooms for servants, occupies the entire lower floor. Hluboka Castle had its own water supply and sewerage system. Chefs used innovations such as a potato peeler and an apple slicer, meat was fried on self-rotating skewers, and meals were served upstairs, in the dining room, using an elevator.
The immodest charm of the Czech aristocracy
Hluboká Castle impresses with its discreet luxury. The prince's quarters were located on the ground floor. Jan Adolf II was fond of hunting, he collected a large collection of knightly armor and ancient weapons. The second floor was occupied by Princess Eleonora. Her chambers are adjacent to the library, which has twelve thousand books in five languages. The princess also had a hobby. Her collection contains lovely porcelain pieces, antique tapestries, and an excellent selection of paintings.
We are a Czech travel agency, trade mark "OK TRAVEL", company Velky Sun s.r.o., ič: 27406865, registered on 12/15/2005 in the Commercial Court of Prague. We have been working in the tourism market for more than 7 years. Over 5 years of experience in organizing and conducting excursions.
We provide a full range of travel services in the Czech Republic, as well as a large selection of excursion programs in Germany, Austria, France, Italy, etc.
Transfers to any point, group and individual excursions in Russian - all this is for you.
Your positive feedback and good mood from the quality of the services provided is the best indicator of our work.
Are visits to cultural sites included in the price of the tour?
Entrance fees to museums, castles and other attractions are paid separately by the tourist.
Is lunch included in the price of the tour?
You can have lunch of your choice in your free time, our guide will tell you where you can eat tasty and fast without overpaying.
What do you need to bring with you during the tour?
Under the laws of the Czech Republic, you are required to carry your passport and health insurance valid in the EEA. Currently, the minimum sum insured is 30,000 euros.
For multi-day excursions, do not forget to bring basic hygiene items, change of clothes according to the weather and chargers.
Also, do not forget to bring a good mood with you!
What happens if I'm late, will they wait for me?
Convenience and service for our guests is above all. If you feel you can't make it, please let us know. +420 774 150 329 by calling or sending SMS. We will try our best to resolve this issue.
In what currency is the tour paid?
When paying for excursions at the office, you can pay for excursions in Euros, in Czech crowns at the rate of the Czech National Bank or by VISA, MasterCard.
