Attractions in South Bohemia (around Český Krumlov)
Fairytale towns and the Czech seaside 🏰🌊
Showing 48 attractions · Sorted by importance
Egon Schiele Art Centrum
📍 Český Krumlov
🖼 Art GalleryAn extensive gallery in a former Renaissance brewery featuring modern art and a permanent exhibit on the life and work of painter Egon Schiele.
Iron Curtain Trail (EuroVelo 13)
📍 České Velenice
🥾 Hiking & Cycling220km (South Bohemia section) moderate 4-day cycling route with 2,200m elevation gain. This historic route tracks the former border between East and West, passing through the Šumava National Park and the Novohradské Mountains. Bike rental: Cyklo Švec (cyklosvec.cz).
Lipno Reservoir
📍 Lipno nad Vltavou
🏔 Scenic ViewKnown as the 'South Bohemian Sea,' this vast lake offers swimming, sailing, and a scenic paved path for cycling and inline skating.
State Castle and Chateau Český Krumlov
📍 Český Krumlov
🏰 CastleA UNESCO-listed Renaissance castle complex featuring a famous round tower, Baroque theater, and bear moat that children find fascinating.
State Chateau Hluboká
📍 Hluboká nad Vltavou
🏰 CastleConsidered the most beautiful castle in the Czech Republic, this white neo-Gothic 'Czech Windsor' offers sprawling gardens perfect for family walks.
Šumava National Park
📍 Vimperk
🌲 NatureKnown as the Green Heart of Europe, this vast park offers families pristine forests, glacial lakes, and extensive cycling and hiking trails.
The Goldsteig - Czech Section (Zlatá stezka)
📍 Prachatice
🥾 Hiking & Cycling289km challenging 14-day trek with approximately 7,500m elevation gain. This cross-border trail network connects the Bavarian Forest with the Šumava Mountains. The Czech section leads through the 'Renaissance Pearl' of Prachatice and the wild heart of the Šumava National Park.
Zoo Hluboká
📍 Hluboká nad Vltavou
🐄 FarmVisitors can explore over 250 species of local and exotic wildlife in a scenic park next to the historic Ohrada hunting lodge, set amid alleys of old oaks on the shore of a large pond.
Aquaworld Lipno
📍 Lipno nad Vltavou
🌊 Water ParkA family-friendly indoor water park featuring a circular pool with current, whirlpools with lake views, and specialized sections for toddlers.
České Budějovice Old Town
📍 České Budějovice
🏘 Town / VillageThe region's capital featuring one of the largest medieval squares in Europe and the climbable Black Tower offering city views.
Lipno nad Vltavou Public Beach
📍 Lipno nad Vltavou
🏔 Scenic ViewA well-maintained pebble and grass beach offering a wide range of water sports, playgrounds, and family facilities on the shore of the 'South Bohemian Sea'.
Lužnice Valley Hiking Trail (Stezka údolím Lužnice)
📍 Planá nad Lužnicí
🥾 Hiking & Cycling55km moderate 4-day hike with 1,100m elevation gain. This is the first trail in the Czech Republic to receive the 'Leading Quality Trails - Best of Europe' certification. It follows the Lužnice River through deep canyons and historical towns like Tábor and Bechyně.
Museum of Forestry, Hunting and Fishing - Ohrada Castle
📍 Hluboká nad Vltavou
🔬 ScienceLocated in a stunning Baroque hunting lodge, this museum explores the natural history of forestry and the region's unique pond-fishing traditions through interactive displays.
Ski Resort Lipno
📍 Lipno nad Vltavou
⛷ Ski Resort709-900m, 11 runs, 13.5km pistes, Dec-Mar season, features modern lifts, a children's Fox Park, snow park, and night skiing.
South Bohemian UNESCO Loop
📍 České Budějovice
🚗 Road Trip85km paved loop (4-6 hours) connecting the region's most famous landmarks. Key stops include the historic center of České Budějovice, the fairytale Hluboká Castle, the folk baroque UNESCO village of Holašovice, and the world-renowned medieval town of Český Krumlov.
Šumava National Park Scenic Drive
📍 Železná Ruda
🚗 Road Trip115km paved mountain route (3-4 hours) traversing the 'Green Heart of Europe.' The drive winds through high-altitude peat bogs, dense spruce forests, and glacial valleys, passing through the mountain villages of Kvilda and Modrava before ending at the shores of the Lipno Reservoir.
Vltava Cycle Route (EuroVelo 7)
📍 Vyšší Brod
🥾 Hiking & Cycling150km (South Bohemia section) easy/moderate 3-day cycling route with 900m elevation gain. The path follows the Vltava River from the Lipno Reservoir through the UNESCO-listed Český Krumlov to České Budějovice. Bike rental: Lipno Centrum (lipnocentrum.cz).
Zadov Ski Resort
📍 Stachy
⛷ Ski Resort880-1,110m, 8 runs, 4.5km pistes, Dec-Mar season, primary hub for 50km+ groomed cross-country trails, including a dedicated XC stadium and night skiing.
Kleť Mountain and Blanský Forest
📍 Holubov
🌲 NatureThe highest peak in the Blanský Forest features the oldest stone lookout tower in the country and offers views reaching as far as the Alps.
Orlík Castle
📍 Orlík nad Vltavou
🏰 CastleA stunning neo-Gothic chateau located on a cliff directly above the Orlík Reservoir, accessible by boat and featuring historical weapon collections.
Rožmberk Castle
📍 Rožmberk nad Vltavou
🏰 CastleA picturesque Gothic fortress perched on a rock above the Vltava river, offering family-friendly tours focused on the White Lady ghost legend.
Rožmberk Pond
📍 Třeboň
🌲 NatureThe largest pond in the Czech Republic and part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, this historic man-made lake is perfect for birdwatching and cycling.
The Black Tower
📍 České Budějovice
🏛 LandmarkA historic 16th-century belfry offering families a bird's-eye view over the massive square and the South Bohemian landscape.
Zoo Tábor
📍 Tábor
🦁 ZooA modern zoo focused on the protection of endangered species, offering spacious enclosures in a beautiful forest setting.
Zvíkov Castle
📍 Zvíkovské Podhradí
🏰 CastleKnown as the 'King of Czech Castles,' this early Gothic fortress sits on a dramatic promontory at the confluence of two rivers.
Aquapark Frymburk
📍 Frymburk
🌊 Water ParkThe largest indoor aquatic center in the Lipno region, offering a 50-meter water slide, wild river, and a comprehensive sauna world open to the public.
Aquapark Jindřichův Hradec
📍 Jindřichův Hradec
🌊 Water ParkA large facility combining an indoor swimming hall with an extensive outdoor summer park featuring solar-heated pools and high-speed slides.
Bobovka Lipno (Bobsleigh Track)
📍 Lipno nad Vltavou
🎢 Theme ParkA premier bobsleigh facility featuring two distinct tracks—a mountain bobsleigh and a forest trough—winding through scenic landscapes.
Frymburk Public Beach
📍 Frymburk
🏔 Scenic ViewA peaceful lakeside recreation area featuring grassy banks, sandy entries into the water, and scenic views of the historic town of Frymburk.
Horní Planá Beach
📍 Horní Planá
🏔 Scenic ViewThe largest sandy beach on the Lipno Reservoir, known for its shallow waters and extensive family-friendly infrastructure including beach volleyball and a cocktail bar.
Království lesa (Kingdom of Forest)
📍 Lipno nad Vltavou
🧗 AdventureA massive forest-themed adventure playground featuring rope bridges, giant trampolines, and climbing frames inspired by local Bohemian wildlife.
Kratochvíle Castle Garden
📍 Netolice
🌿 GardenA rare and beautifully reconstructed Renaissance garden layout surrounded by a water moat, featuring symmetrical herb beds and period-accurate plantings.
Kvilda Ski Center
📍 Kvilda
⛷ Ski Resort1,040-1,100m, 3 runs, 1.1km pistes, Dec-Mar season, significant gateway to the Šumava National Park cross-country network with 60km of local groomed trails.
Návštěvnické centrum Kvilda
📍 Kvilda
🦁 ZooFamilies can walk along an elevated bridge to observe majestic red deer and lynx in their natural forest habitat within Šumava National Park.
Plešné Lake and Plechý Mountain Circuit
📍 Nová Pec
🥾 Hiking & Cycling15km moderate-challenging 6-hour hike with 630m elevation gain. This iconic day hike in the Šumava National Park climbs to the highest peak on the Czech side (Plechý) and visits the glacial Plešné Lake under a massive granite wall.
Safari Resort Hluboká u Borovan
📍 Borovany
🐄 FarmThis expansive park offers off-road safari tours to see deer and bison, alongside a large petting farm and adventure playground for children.
The Vltava River Valley Route
📍 Lipno nad Vltavou
🚗 Road Trip65km paved riverside road (1.5-2 hours) following the upper reaches of the Vltava River. This scenic drive tracks the river's meanders from the Lipno Dam through the deep valley to the Vyšší Brod Cistercian Monastery, the cliffside Rožmberk Castle, and into the heart of Český Krumlov.
Wolf Enclosure Srní
📍 Srní
🦁 ZooA unique wildlife observation area in Šumava National Park featuring an elevated walkway over a large wolf territory.
