Trip Tip in Czechia: Evening Český Krumlov Without the Crowds
An early-evening walk through Český Krumlov without the tourist crowds – the castle garden, the Baroque theatre, the Cloak Bridge and bears in the moat of this UNESCO-listed town.
Our latest trip took us to one of the most popular towns in Czechia – Český Krumlov. The town has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992, and the entire castle complex is even the second-largest in the Czech Republic, right after Prague Castle. 🏰
Since we were going to visit family near České Budějovice, we decided to make the most of the day and head out on a trip afterwards – we had never actually been to Krumlov before.
We set off in the morning so we could spend the morning with family, enjoy some pleasant time together, and continue on after lunch. After arriving in Český Krumlov, we parked by the castle garden at the paid P4 car park and set out from there to explore the town.
The Castle Garden: The Cascade Fountain and the Revolving Auditorium
Our first steps led straight into the castle garden. Our first stop was the monumental 18th-century Cascade Fountain. The sun was shining brightly, so the harsh light means the photos didn’t turn out quite the way I imagined, but in real life the fountain, with its statues of water deities, is really lovely. ⛲
We walked past the Bellarie summer pavilion, which once served as a resting place for the nobility, all the way to the famous Revolving Auditorium. Only a handful of people were strolling through the garden, so it had a wonderfully peaceful feel. 🌳
The castle garden in early-evening calm
The Baroque Theatre and the Cloak Bridge with a View of the Whole Town
From the garden we continued on past the castle’s Baroque theatre. It’s a truly one-of-a-kind sight worldwide, as it’s one of the best-preserved Baroque theatres anywhere, complete with its original 18th-century scenery and stage machinery. 🎭
Then we crossed the monumental Cloak Bridge. It’s a multi-level stone bridge lined with statues of saints, offering a breathtaking view over the entire historic centre.
Crossing the castle courtyards towards the Cloak Bridge
Castle Courtyards, Sgraffito and Bears in the Moat
We walked through the castle courtyards all the way to the castle fountain, and of course I took loads of photos everywhere. What caught my eye first were the drawings on the castle facades. These are so-called sgraffiti and illusionistic Renaissance frescoes from the 16th century, dating back to the rule of the Rosenberg family. They create the optical illusion that the facades are built from real stone blocks, giving the castle a fairy-tale look. 🏰
In the castle moat, we also came across two bears. Keeping bears at Krumlov Castle has been a tradition since the 16th century, again thanks to the Rosenbergs, who believed themselves related to the Italian Orsini family. I like to believe that the bears have a good life at the castle and are well looked after. 🐻
Sgraffito, courtyards and bears in the castle moat
The Budějovice Gate, the Riverside Promenade and Lazebnický Bridge
From the castle we continued uphill towards the Budějovice Gate, the only surviving town gate from the original fortifications built around the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries. From the stone bridge, another lovely view of the castle opened up in front of us.
From there we headed away from the centre along the riverside promenade beside the Vltava. On the opposite bank, on the Havraní skála rock, we spotted climbers on the Havranka via ferrata right above the river. 🧗
The Budějovice Gate and a walk along the riverside promenade beside the Vltava
We crossed the historic Lazebnický Bridge all the way to Svornosti Square and continued on to the Seminary Garden, which also offered a gorgeous view.
On one of the bridges we came across a young woman playing the violin. We stopped for a while to listen and dropped a few coins into her bowl. 🎻🎶
Along the way we only ran into a handful of tourists – probably because evening was approaching and almost everything in town was already closed. We sat down for a while to rest at Svornosti Square. As always, we had drinks and snacks with us in our backpack. The sun slowly began to set, so we set off back towards the car.
An evening walk back to the car, accompanied by music and the setting sun
We spent several hours walking around the town. Český Krumlov is a really lovely town, and I definitely recommend a visit – it’s truly worth it. 🙂 Have you already been to Český Krumlov, or are you still planning your visit?
