Isn't it though? I went on an Eastern Europe trip covering six cities and this was my favorite! From the cobblestone streets to the Vltava River and 13th Century castle, Český Krumlov feels frozen in time. My first job when I was 15 was working at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. I had to dress up in medieval garb and hand out Italian Ice in oranges (very authentic, I know). So since then, I always found that time period fascinating.
Most of the architecture of the old town and castle dates from the 14th through 17th centuries; the town's structures are mostly in Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles. It is one of the best examples of what a city looked like during the medieval period and I could not get enough! I've always had a thing for cute towns and smaller cities so make it a point to seek out these hidden gems in between all of the big places that seems to be on everyone's bucket list. This gem is located about two and a half hours south of Prague, so it would even make for a manageable day trip. The old city and castle was constructed in 1240 and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The castle is a lot of fun to go through. They have guided tours in different languages and as you are taken through each room, the guide locks the doors behind you. A lot of the paintings and floor of the castle are original. You can also walk up about 136 steps to the tower and get these gorgeous views!
We stayed in a hotel that was originally used in 1584 as a Jesuit College and then military barracks 200 years later. It had a four-poster bed and literally a throne around the toilet!
I had fun walking around and stopping in the shops. There were a lot of marionette (puppet) shops which I have a weird fascination with. And there are a lot of restaurants that offer medieval feasts! Duck, chicken legs, pork, ham, every meat you could possibly want during medieval times followed by a tray of desserts.
Definitely a new place to add on your "bucket list" (even though I personally hate that term ;-) ).
