Ahoj. Welcome to Cesky Krumlov! We kicked off our adventure with a tour of the historic Cesky Krumlov Castle. Construction of this UNESCO World Heritage Site dates all the way back to 1240.
Cesky Krumlov Castle
This expansive castle includes forty buildings and five castle courts. During our stay, we wandered from courtyard to courtyard. When we reached the fourth courtyard, we stopped to admire a series of relief wall paintings dating back to 1588.
After immersing ourselves in the detail of these ornate wall paintings, we walked over to edge of the wide stone terrace. From the terrace, a panoramic view of the quaint Czech village emerged. As you’ll see from the image below, the lovely Vltava River frames this picturesque town. I couldn’t wait to stroll through the streets to see this Renaissance and Baroque architecture up close.
We continued our castle tour though the second courtyard, where we grabbed a park bench to relax in the shade. When you see this scenic setting, you’ll understand why. Although moved from the original location, this antique fountain below likely dates back to the late 1500s.
Much to my surprise, I soon discovered that Cesky Krumlov Castle has pets. I’m going to use this term pretty loosely here …because these “pets” are actually BEARS! Who in the world has pet bears? This seems like such a bad idea. That said, meet Hubert and Marie Terezie. These two adorable bears sure do love to play!
Shops of Latran Street
After touring the castle and watching the bears play, we sauntered into the village for a little shopping. In Cesky Krumlov, you won’t find a better place to start your shopping trip than the colorful street of Latran!
Cesky Krumlov’s Vibrant Art Scene
I was also delighted to discover that Cesky Krumlov’s art scene was alive and well. Along the twisting streets and alleys, we found murals, statues and studios.
Some of these art pieces were, shall we say, eclectic?
Strolling the Scenic Vltava
Eventually, we found ourselves strolling along the scenic Vltava River. When I noticed these happy people exploring the village via kayak, I realized that I should’ve allocated a bit more time here. While we opted to take a day trip from Linz, two nights in Cesky Krumlov would’ve been just perfect. I would’ve loved to hop on one of these kayaks myself!
Traditional Czech Dining at Svejk
Before heading back to Linz, we ambled back over to Latran Street for a traditional Czech meal at Svejk. We ascended a stairs to Svejk’s second floor entrance. Because we opted to dine during off hours, this otherwise popular restaurant wasn’t too busy. We sat near the windows to catch the summer breeze.
After perusing Svejk’s extensive menu, I chose to order the roasted trout with dill over fresh greens and bacon. As you’ll see below, this trout is stuffed with fresh dill and roasted whole to allow that bright dill flavor to permeate the fish. A bed of fresh greens, tossed with thick bacon, absorbed the warm tasty juices from the fish. I would order this dish again and again.
I also ordered a tall glass of Svejk’s homemade lemonade to accompany my roasted trout salad. Much to my surprise, this “lemonade” was absolutely nothing like what I’d typically see in the United States. You can imagine my surprise when I received a delicious fizzy drink loaded with chopped fresh fruit!
After our meal, we decided to call it a day. We grabbed a bus back to Linz to prepare for our cruise through the scenic Wachau River Valley.
