In the Heart of South Bohemia
Serving as the capital of South Bohemia, České Budějovice is best known outside the Czech Republic for being the birthplace of Budvar, the ancestor to contemporary Budweiser beer. While you can visit the brewery and sample the product, there is much more to this city than that.
České Budějovice is an important city historically that has maintained its relevance to the present. Established in 1265 as a royal city to enable the king of Bohemia, Přemysl Otakar II, to project his power into the region. The city was fortified and was strategically important in both the Hussite Wars and the Thirty Years’ War.
From a very early stage, the city flourished as a commercial, cultural and political hub for the region. It built its early wealth through the mining of local silver deposits, fish farming, salt, beer and transport. The city’s placement on the Vltava and Malše rivers made it very important for boat trasnport. In the early-mid 1800s it became part of the first horse drawn-tramway on Continental Europe when a line connecting it to Linz, Austria was established.
The city still serves as an important transport hub in the region as well as an important centre for beer production; it is home not only to the aforementioned Budweiser Budvar brewery, but also the Samson brewery. The city has also built its economy on manufacturing; a notable company in both historical and contemporary contexts to the city is Koh-I-Noor Hartmuth, one of the world’s oldest art and office supply manufacturers.
České Budějovice is also a centre for education, being the home of the University of South Bohemia and the Institute of Technology and Economics.
Let’s spend some time with České Budějovice:
Being in “Budějce”
Known locally by the nickname “Budějce”, the city presents a great balance of historic and contemporary aspects as well as urban development alongside a respectable amount of greenspace.
While it is not without attractions of its own for visitors, České Budějovice is a working city and a university town first and foremost that nobody could accuse of being particularly touristy, many would say that the somewhat lower level of tourism here is part of the city’s charm and I wouldn’t argue that.
In fact, with several higher traffic tourist attractions within easy reach, České Budějovice doesn’t need to be all that touristy. If you take accommodation here and use the city as your base for visiting other places of interest in the region, for which it serves very well, you’ll certainly appreciate the more relaxed pace and elbow room this town offers. After spending a day at the nearby and more heavily visited Hluboká chateau or town of Český Krumlov, returning to the more relaxed environs of České Budějovice is a great way to decompress.
The city has many restaurants and pubs, several of which have outdoor seating in the spring and summer months. Taking dinner at one of the restaurants on the main square on a clear summer evening with the warm light of the setting sun illuminating the historic buildings that line it gives a very peaceful atmosphere.
Directly west of the city’s historic centre, you can find the confluence of the Vltava and Malše rivers and Stromovka park which lies just beyond them. This area will give you a great opportunity for some walks in peaceful greenspace after a day of more touristic activities.
What to do Here
České Budějovice can be experienced in a number of ways depending on the length of your stay and your tastes.
If you arrive to the city via rail or bus, a good way to introduce yourself to “Budějce” is to walk to the historic centre along Lannova třída; a pedestrianised shopping and business district near the train and bus stations that leads directly to the centre. At the end of the street nearest the centre, you’ll get an introduction to the city’s contemporary artistic side through the highly visible “Humanoids” sculpture that depicts a group of business people on their way to work. The sculpture was created by locally born artist, Michal Trpák.
The city’s historic centre is a protected urban area that will provide history buffs and architecture enthusiasts with no shortage of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque style structures to take in and explore. Some sections of the old city walls are also still intact to be viewed. The centrepiece is the arcaded Přemysl Otakar II square and the Samson fountain that sits at the centre of it.
You can experience the square and fountain from ground level or view it from above by a climb up to the top of the Black Tower, which sits adjacent to the square. It must be said, however, that if you are claustrophobic or not physically fit, you may wish to avoid the tower.
Other notable attractions in the historic centre include Piarist square and the St. Nicholas Cathedral. A quick stop at the city’s tourist information centre on the ground floor of the city hall on Přemysl Otakar II square will provide you with a wealth of further tips on what to see.
If you enjoy good food when you travel, there are a number of well reviewed restaurants in the centre that serve a variety of cuisines, both traditionally Czech and otherwise.
Moving outside the centre, it is possible to visit the Budweiser Budvar brewery and take a tour. It is also possible to take sightseeing boat cruises along the Vltava river.
If you’re an active type, several cycling routes run in and around the city and this can be a very good way to see the city and immediate surroundings. As cycling is quite popular in the Czech Republic, bicycle rental places and bike sharing services are not difficult to find in places the size of this city.
As mentioned earlier, this city makes a great jumping off point to make day trips to other attractions in the region; Český Krumlov and Hluboka chateau to name but two such places that are easy to reach from here. As such, the city has a variety of accomodation options on offer to satisfy most travelling styles.
A Feel for the Place
Due to being a living city and a university town, České Budějovice comes across as an unpretentious place with a distinctively youthful feel to balance the historic side of things. The city is also an important sporting centre in the country and home to professional hockey and soccer teams at the national level. The city also hase several venues for other sports. As such, “Budějce” also comes across as an active city.
Getting there and Learning More
As České Budějovice is a regional capital, it is not difficult to access and is well connected by road and rail to other places in the Bohemian regions of the country
If you wish to know more about visiting České Budějovice and surroundings, the city’s tourism site carries a good deal of information about accommodation, transportation and other such vital information for travelers.
You can also find useful information on the České Budějovice pages of the VisitBohemia.cz website.
Beyond Prague 