South Bohemia

South Bohemia is certainly in no danger of losing its annual influx of eager travellers. Whether you are attracted by well known fairytale castles, wonderful places of natural beauty, mud spas, viewing towers, breweries, dark underground passageways, zoos or industrial and technical heritage sites, you’ll find them all here – and many more interesting places besides.

No visit to South Bohemia should be without a river trip along the Lužnice, Vltava or Otava, a sightseeing cruise on the reservoirs along the Vltava or a stroll around huge Lake Svět or Lake Rožmberk near Třeboň. Some of the region’s more unusual features include the Jindřichův Hradec narrow-gauge railway, art and pottery workshops, town walks in the company of mysterious figures, a chance to look behind the scenes at the country’s largest nuclear power station and following in the footsteps of the Hussites. Nor should you forget to taste Třeboň’s famous carp, whose distinctive flavour has lead the EU to award a Protected Designation of Origin Certificate.

Český Krumlov – The superbly preserved nature and beauty of the historical centre and castle complex was the reason UNESCO included this South Bohemian town on its list of world cultural heritage sites in 1992. The castle is the largest in the Czech Republic after Prague Castle and is also one of the most extensive complexes of its kind in the whole of Europe.

Holašovice – This well preserved South Bohemian village boasting houses in the folk Baroque style is also listed by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site.

Třeboň’s network of lakes– This is a UNESCO biosphere reserve and protected area, created from swampy land in medieval times. The history and technical side of the lakes is dealt with by the Třeboňsko exhibition at the visitors centre called ‘The Land and People’ in the cellars of Třeboň Castle.

Gothic stone bridge in Písek– This late 13th-century bridge spanning the River Otava is the oldest in the Czech Republic.

Zlatá Koruna – This monastery atop a promontory, with the River Vltava swirling below it on three sides, was founded by King Přemysl Otakar II in 1263. The basilica of the Ascension of the Virgin, with its cloisters and Chapel of the Guardian Angel, dominates the Gothic complex.

Castles and chateaux – The residences of the South Bohemian aristocracy have starred in a number of Czech film versions of fairy tales. Must-sees in the region include the castles at Český Krumlov, Helfenburk, Landštejn and Zvíkov, the castle complex at Jindřichův Hradec, where after-dark tours can be taken in the company of the infamous White Lady, the neo-Gothic chateau at Hluboká nad Vltavou, Blatná castle, Červená Lhota and Orlík chateaux, the castle at Strakonice, the Renaissance pile at Třeboň with its neo-Gothic Schwarzenberg Mausoleum, Lnáře Chateau, Dačice Chateau and the medieval forts of Žumberk and Cuknštejn u Nových Hradů.