Czech it out! ... Prague, Karlstejn, Cesky Krumlov

Excuse the bad puns within this post, but they're so hard to resist.  The Czech Republic is a beautiful country which allows you to travel comfortably without breaking the bank.  It's Europe for a bargain!  Meals are usually under $10 Canadian, beer is cheaper than water, and you can hop on a train or bus for a fun and cheap day trip, no problem!

Old Town Square, Prague

We have been to Prague in both winter and summer now.  Well, what's the Prague-nosis you may be wondering?  I can say with confidence that this city would be beautiful in any season and everyone should try to visit if you find yourselves in central Europe.

John Lennon Wall, Prague

Vanessa and I went on a cheap day trip from Prague to Karlstejn to see the castle there.  The castle was founded in 1348 by Charles IV.  It was only 45 minutes away by train, and a lovely walk up the cute main road of town up to the castle.  If you don't want to walk up the road, there are horse drawn carriages that can take you up most of the way.  After our little hike, we got a cheap Gambrinus (local beer) to cool off... when in Czech Republic, do as the Czechs do.  Got it?  Czech!

View from castle, Karlstejn

Cesky Krumlov is sort of like a mini-Prague.  The town is small and picturesque, with a river running through it.  We wandered through the streets and stumbled upon amazing vistas overlooking the town.  I could get used to living in a small town like that!

We took a train/bus combination from Prague to get there, and checked into one of the first places in the town centre that we saw - "Pension Ametyst."  We were lucky because this place ended up being so cute, and they served us a huge breakfast to our room.  It was one of the best accommodations I enjoyed on our trip this summer.

Breakfast at Pension Ametyst

Cesky Krumlov also has a lot of lovely shops and restaurants.  We ate at a place called "U Dwau Maryi" (The 2 Marys).  The name came from the fact that two wall paintings of the Virgin Mary were discovered there during restoration of the building.  We both ordered the "Old Bohemian Feast."  I got the vegetarian version which included:  puffed barley with vegetables, steamed buckwheat with spinach, baked millet casserole, potato cakes with cabbage, dumpling, potato, and salad.  It was one of my favourite meals on the trip, and it cost around $8!

"Bohemian feast" (vegetarian version)

Dinner with a view, Cesky Krumlov

The restaurant was located right on the river, where we could enjoy a nice view of the castle tower.  The weather in Cesky Krumlov was pretty cold when we were there... it felt like fall!  We still enjoyed the town and did a nice free walking tour there run by a company called Wiseman, started up by one of the locals there.

Cesky Krumlov, view from the castle

The population of the town is only about 14,000 people but they get plenty of tourists per year.  The castle within the town centre is the second largest castle complex in the Czech Republic, behind the one in Prague.  It was built in the 13th century and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.  The castle area is surrounded by a moat with real live bears in it.  If I had to describe the town of Cesky Krumlov in one word, it would be "charming!"

Great view of the town!