Cesky Krumlov is considered a jewel in the country of Czechia (otherwise known as Czech Republic) and it is totally worth seeing in 1 day if you have the opportunity.

Pronounced as Chess Ski Kroom Lov, this fairytale Czech city is located in the South Bohemia region of the country and is dominated by one of the largest chateau complexes in Central Europe.

Built along the bend of the River Vltava around the 13^th Century Gothic castle, Cesky Krumlov features stunning cobblestoned streets, colorful Gothic and Renaissance houses, a beautiful Christmas market (if you plan to visit during Advent season), amazing restaurants and foodie spots, plus quaint little galleries and shops.

I absolutely LOVED visiting this stunning village and what made my experience even more enchanting was staying at the most amazing boutique hotel in the city called Monastery Garden Bistro & Rooms.

Overall, I am so happy I ventured to this wonderful city and it was nice to be able to wander and see all of the hidden gems that Cesky Krumlov offers all within 1 full day and night.

Every year, I enjoy doing a Christmas trip during the month of December.

I started this tradition in December 2017 when I went to Lapland, Finland with Crawford Concierge.

In 2018, I visited Munich/Bavaria, Germany; Salzburg and Hallstatt, Austria; Budapest, Hungary; Bratislava, Slovakia and Vienna, Austria.

During December 2019, I started my Christmas trip in Kraków, Poland and then made my way to Prague and Cesky Krumlov, Czechia; Nuremberg and Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany along with Frankfurt and Cologne, Germany.

If you are planning on visiting Prague for the Christmas markets and have saved enough time, I highly recommend making your way to Cesky Krumlov for at least 1 day or even a weekend.

(I personally thought that 1 day in Cesky Krumlov was perfect for me, but 2 days would’ve been nice as well.) It is a charming Czech city filled with wonder.

**Please note that this blog post uses affiliate links meaning that if you make a purchase via my affiliate link, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only promote and talk about products and services that I have used and like. During my time in Cesky Krumlov, Czechia, Monastery Garden Bistro & Rooms hosted me for one night.

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Traveling to and Around Cesky Krumlov:

Cesky Krumlov was the third city I visited during my 2019 Christmas market trip.

Before I visited Cesky Krumlov, I spent two days in Prague and before that, two days in Kraków, Poland.

I found great flight deals through Skyscanner from NYC to Europe and used Omio to book all of my trains and buses to all of the different cities I visited. What I love about Omio is that they plan the most convenient and cost-friendly route for your travels around Europe.

If you are planning to road trip around Central Europe, I recommend renting a car.

From Prague’s main train station, I took the train 3 hours south to Cesky Krumlov’s train station.

What was nice about this journey was that I didn’t have to transfer or switch trains at any point!

When I finally arrived at Cesky Krumlov, there were no Ubers available in the city, so I had a choice of either calling a cab (there are signs for cab services at the station) or just walking to my hotel, which is what I did.

The walk from the train station to Monastery Garden was around 15 minutes. (I probably could’ve gotten there sooner if I wasn’t hauling my big luggage around the cobblestoned streets.)

Overall, the city of Cesky Krumlov is fairly small, so you could easily walk around while you are there and don’t need to call a taxi.

Staying at Monastery Garden Bistro & Rooms:

Like I mention above, staying at Monastery Garden Bistro & Rooms was one of the highlights of my stay in Cesky Krumlov. I was seriously amazed at how beautiful, charming and creative this lovely boutique hotel was.

The owners of Monastery Garden were warm and welcoming to me and they believe that when you stay in a stunning city like Cesky Krumlov, your accommodation should be a part of the experience – a place where time seems to have stopped to make space for dreams and exploration.

Let me tell you that staying at this stunning hotel definitely made time stop and totally placed me in a storybook during my 1-day and night in Cesky Krumlov!

From the moment I stepped foot into Monastery Garden Bistro & Rooms, I fell in love with the atmosphere and ambiance. I honestly wanted to move in right then and there because that is how beautiful and cozy it was.

The first floor was where the bistro and bar were situated. It was decorated beautifully for Christmas and there was also a wood burning stove that warmed the room up. I also loved how there was Christmas music playing in the background.

Upstairs is where all of the rooms are situated. Located in a 16^th Century building, Monastery Garden offers a unique blend of different rooms for their guests.

There is a cozy room with a shower, a deluxe double room with a bathtub and a signature suite, which is where I stayed in during my night at Monastery Garden.

The second I stepped foot into my room, I was impressed. The Signature Suite is considered the perfect place for the demanding hopeless romantics like me. (That’s how magical it was.)

The Signature Suite I stayed in had a gorgeous living room where I felt like I was placed in the Beauty and the Beast castle with that amazing book wall.

The room had a rustic and old-world European vibe and the furniture was lovely. There was a desk, couch, lounge chair, telephone, mirror and windows that had beautiful views of the fairytale streets and buildings of Cesky Krumlov.

After first entering the suite and checking out the living room space, I was wondering where the bed may have been. Hidden on the book wall is a secret door that leads into the bedroom where the king size bed is situated.

In addition to the bed, there was a couch, beautiful decorations and a lift up hidden TV that arose with the simple push of a button. I was amazed at everything!

What I loved most about sleeping in this hotel was that the down-feather pillows and duvets with Egyptian cotton bedding was so comfortable that I slept like a baby.

Next, the bathroom was also hidden behind what looked like a wardrobe. I absolutely loved the bathroom as it was spacious, bright and included a gorgeous bathtub.

Even though I love taking baths at home, I usually don’t take them when I am traveling, but I just had to during my stay at Monastery Garden! Plus, I loved all of the soaps, shampoo/conditioners, body washes and lotions they offered.

One thing to note about staying at Monastery Garden is that reception opens at 8am and closes at 6pm. If you are planning on arriving early or late, it is best to contact the hotel and let them know ahead of time.

Monastery Garden also has a breakfast bistro, which I unfortunately couldn’t enjoy since I had to catch the bus early the next day to Germany. I truly wish I did have the time to eat there because their breakfast menu and drinks looked amazing.

Their menu ranged from egg dishes to pancakes and French toast to granola. The drink menu at Monastery Garden included renowned wines, local beers, Prosecco, juices, homemade lemonade, coffee, tea, lattes, hot chocolate, mulled wine and more.

I totally recommend this magical hotel if you are planning on staying in Cesky Krumlov.

1 Day in Cesky Krumlov

What to do in Cesky Krumlov in 1 Day:

Enjoy the Cesky Krumlov Christmas Markets:

Since I visited Czechia during the month of December, I couldn’t wait to visit the Czech Christmas markets.

Even though I got a taste of the markets originally in Prague, I couldn’t wait to see what Cesky Krumlov offered!

Starting in late November through early January, Cesky Krumlov’s quaint and charming Christmas market takes place at the Svornosti Square in the city.

One thing I do want to inform you all is that Cesky Krumlov also draws a lot of tourism, so the market and city itself tends to get a bit crowded during Advent season.

It is definitely worth a visit though because Svornosti Square is absolutely magical during Christmastime.

Located in the square are wooden stands that offer mulled wine (called svarák in Czech) and hot beer with spices. You could also get Czech sausages (called klobása) with bread, trdelník (chimney cakes), pražská šunka, which is a smoked, boneless ham; langoš, which is a Hungarian flatbread topped with garlic, cheese and ketchup along with palačinky, which is similar to a French crêpe that is filled with either fruity jams, spinach and garlic or ham and cheese.

In addition to food, you could also find artisanal crafts, Christmas decorations, knitted clothing, paintings, lamps, candles and more at the markets.

Also situated inside Svornosti Square is a beautiful Christmas tree, nativity scene, carousel, stage for live performances and more.

There are a lot of fun Christmas-themed events going on in Cesky Krumlov during Advent season for everyone and you could experience a lot here in one day. Click here to learn more!

Wander and Get Lost in Cesky Krumlov:

As Rick Steve’s says, Cesky Krumlov is definitely Bohemia’s time-warp town that features characteristic buildings, charming cobblestone lanes and an enchanting castle that overlooks the entire city.

Overall, Cesky Krumlov was definitely one of the safest cities I’ve visited in the world. I even saw people leave their babies in strollers as they went about their business. (I heard this is a common thing to do in Scandinavia, but I guess it is popular here too! That’s how you know it is safe. I don’t know if I’ll ever see parents do that here in the United States, but maybe in the future.)

The city does draw a lot of tourists from all over the world, but most of them are there to do the exact same thing you’re doing.

I absolutely loved getting lost in the streets and alleyways of Cesky Krumlov.

The colorful buildings with orange tiled roofs are absolutely gorgeous and the churches and old historical sites are definitely something to admire.

As you wander through the streets of Cesky Krumlov, there will be various lookout spots where you can catch views of the castle, colorful houses Vltava River and more.

Visit the Church of St. Vitus:

There are two iconic landmarks in Cesky Krumlov: one of them is Česky Krumlov Castle and the other is the Church of St. Vitus.

As I was strolling the streets of Cesky Krumlov, I just so happened to stumble upon the beautiful Church of St. Vitus. (It also isn’t a far walk from the Christmas markets.)

This beautiful Gothic church is absolutely stunning and it offers a signature neo-Gothic tower.

Dating back to the 14^th Century, the Church of St. Vitus was originally built as a small chapel, but with the growing population in Cesky Krumlov, the church was expanded to what it is now.

(Located in one of the church’s courtyards is a small Christmas market that sells wreaths, mistletoe and other locally-made crafts and décor.)

Stroll Around the Castle Complex:

You cannot visit Cesky Krumlov and not see the astonishing Gothic castle that surrounds the city.

This amazing chateau complex is a breathtaking place to walk around and admire the Gothic and Renaissance architecture, catch picturesque views of the city and get lost in the gardens.

The original castle was founded by the Lords of Krumlov in the 13^th Century. When they died off, their relatives (the Rosenbergs) inherited the castle.

During the 16^th Century was when Cesky Krumlov flourished and the castle grew.

Overall, Česky Krumlov Castle has a lot of history and it is definitely worth it to make your way up to the complex to see how impressive it is.

(It also isn’t a far walk from Monastery Garden.)

Get a Thrilling Experience at the Museum of Torture:

For many years throughout the Middle Ages and beyond, torture was a common form of punishment throughout Europe (it was extremely common in the Bohemia region along with Central and Eastern Europe).

Torture was mainly used to force victims into confessing in a crime whether they were guilty or innocent.

Located in Svornosti Square is the Museum of Torture. It is here where you could walk down into the cellars of the town hall of Cesky Krumlov and see around 100 torture devices and some “fake” disturbing scenes with wax figures.

There was a witch burning and sword execution scene with audio effects that recreate the horrific punishments during the medieval times. Overall it isn’t too scary, but if I were to go back, I would go with someone else lol.

Savor Trdelník with Ice Cream:

A Czech staple that you cannot miss out on is savoring trdelník, or otherwise known as chimney cakes.

This delicious sugary cake is the official dessert of Transylvania, but they are also popular in Central and Eastern Europe. It is a sweet bread that is freshly baked into a cylinder shape with a hollow center that resembles a chimney. You pull it apart to eat it.

The traditional chimney cake is covered in cinnamon, but you could get it with different sugary toppings such as sprinkles, nuts, cocoa or fruity powder and other crunchy toppings.

Chimney cakes could even be filled with Nutella, white or dark chocolate, caramel, fruit jams, ice cream and more. It is absolutely delicious and heartwarming and you cannot visit a Central or Eastern European Christmas market (or city in general) without trying one.

In Czechia, it is really common for trdelník to be made into an ice cream cone and be filled with soft serve and toppings.

These types of chimney cakes usually aren’t at the Christmas markets, but could be found at one of the stands or shops on the city streets.

Even though it was cold outside during my 1 day in Cesky Krumlov, I knew I couldn’t leave Czechia without trying one of these delicious treats.

I got vanilla ice cream with raspberries and a chocolate drizzle at a storefront on the Latrán.

Go Shopping in Cesky Krumlov:

Located throughout Cesky Krumlov are numerous shops, both souvenir and local shops, where you could purchase clothing, home décor and other goods.

As I made my way around the city, I walked into a candy store, souvenir shop, jewelry store and a few more.

Enjoy the Restaurant and Bar Scene in Cesky Krumlov:

Throughout the city of Cesky Krumlov, you could find awesome restaurants and bars.

Since I was only in Cesky Krumlov for 1 full day, I ate lunch at the Christmas markets and savored dinner at an Italian restaurant and pizzeria across from Monastery Garden called Nonna Gina.

After savoring all of the Czech staples in Prague, I worked up an appetite for some pizza, so I enjoyed a delicious prosciutto and mushroom pie that hit the spot! The restaurant itself was also super cute and cozy!

Some other great restaurants to eat at in Cesky Krumlov that were recommended to me are Krčma Šatlava, DEPO and Papa’s Living Restaurant. You could also find a few great bars as you stroll around the city.

I hope you all enjoyed reading about my 1-day in Cesky Krumlov in Czechia and my experience staying at Monastery Garden Bistro & Rooms.

If you have any questions about my time in Cesky Krumlov, please email me at info@browneyedflowerchild.com.

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Basic Facts of Czechia/Czech Republic:

Currency: Czech Koruna, Capital: Prague, Time Zone: Central European Standard Time

Looking for the best agency to book your next bespoke travel experience? Contact Crawford Concierge!

*Anything could happen during your travels. Always make sure you are insured in case there are unforeseen circumstances such as lost luggage/theft, natural disasters, personal liabilities and more. Click here to get insured for your next trip.

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