The Original Budweiser, the Legend of a Frog and the Beautiful Český Krumlov

Hello and good morning!
You'll start the day with a… "technical stop", that is to say, to stretch your legs, in Pisek.
Leave the car here, and I will explain why I suggest you stop at this beautiful place.

This medieval bridge is nothing less than the oldest bridge in the whole of the Czech Republic.
This bridge was built in the 12th century and since then, it has endured floods, fires and has supported me crossing it more than 10 times... A very resistant bridge...
Its name in Czech means The Deer Bridge and this is because, at that time, they had decided to name it after the first to cross the bridge. It turned out that the first to cross the bridge was a deer that came down from the forest and... well, that's where it got its name.
That deer knew how to make himself be remembered forever.
Well, as I told you I have a thing about bridges, but also this city is very beautiful and being just passing through, I suggest you take a short walk to see it a bit more.

Another important sight to see is the square with the plague monument. As I mentioned earlier, in many Czech cities such monuments are erected to commemorate the end of the plague that struck the town in 1713.
On one corner you will see a remarkable building with frescoed walls and very ornate decoration, which inside is a clinic.....
The first time I visited Písek, while I was walking around this square, I saw that building and thought that inside there would be a nice hall or foyer in keeping with the beauty of the exterior... so I just went in, without asking, like children do! That's it!
As soon as got in there, a man came to me and said something in Czech, I asked to speak to someone in English and, after a while, a nice lady came and asked me if I needed to see a doctor.
When I told her I just wanted to see what it was like inside and take some pictures, she kindly invited me out .... hahaha.
So, the little I could see inside, it wasn't much, but I still keep how beautiful the building is on the outside!

Keep on the road, the best is still waiting for you in České Budějovice!

Welcome to České Budějovice! Where the original Budweiser was born a few centuries ago...
But first I propose you to go to a very special place.
Leave the car here, it's better to walk.

This restaurant is my favourite place in all of České Budějovice to eat and drink!!!
I'll tell you why: The most mind-blowing thing is that this restaurant is owned by a craft brewery, of the same name, which brews beer respecting traditional processes. The brewery is located a few meters away on Hroznová Street.
The beer served in the restaurant comes directly from the brewery through pipes that run under the square to the restaurant.
How wonderful that is!
But that's not all! The brewery bought this abandoned building. It turns out that it was built in the 16th century and as it was always used for storage, it has been little modified over the years. As a result, it is one of the few remaining Gothic buildings with the original roof in the whole of the Czech Republic.
In case all these facts don't make you understand why it's one of my favourite places, here's another one: their beer is delicious and their dishes are real delicacies.
Now enjoy! In a little while, you're going to see where the original Budweiser Budvar, was born. (When it comes to drinking, please consider that driving will be necessary, a short distance to the brewery, after lunch... I'm just telling you this because, this particular beer, goes down very easy into the body...).
Opening hours: Monday - Thursday: 11:00 - 23:00 Friday - Saturday: 11:00 - 00:00 Sunday: 11:00 - 22:00
For reservations and more information, click here.

Regardless of whether or not you're much of a church person, I think it's important to know them because they were the buildings where most investment was made in both ingenuity and art in the Middle Ages, and they achieved true wonders.
This grandiose church is next to the Dominican monastery, and both are the two oldest buildings in the city. They were part of the city wall that surrounded the city, following the course of the Mlýnská canal.
There is a legend I was told about this church.
There is a gargoyle of a dragon on the outside wall of the church, on the side, next to a pipe leading down from the canal. Everyone here knows it as The Frog (it looks like it has the face of a frog).
Legend has it that this mischievous frog slowly climbs up without anyone noticing, and that when it reaches the roof, the church will be destroyed, and it will be the end of the world... What a cute frog!
Opening hours: Monday - Wednesday: 09:30 - 18:00 Thursday: 09:30 - 16:30 Friday, Saturday: 09:30 - 18:00 Sunday: 13:00 - 18:00
You can get the tickets to visit it at the entrance

Now it's time to visit the Budweiser Budvar brewery.

Here, in České Budějovice, is where the famous Budweiser, the original one, was born.
During the tour, they will explain the whole process and also the history. But if you feel like it, I'll give you a brief preview.
I got to know the story because in a pub, here in the middle of the city, I asked (out loud, and they heard me at other tables and gave me a rude look...):
"But isn't Budweiser American?"
After the awkward moment, I got the story straight and understood the faces of the locals.
Budweis is the original name given to this city when it was founded by King Přemysl Otakar II. It is a German name, a language that was spoken in this area back in the 13th century.
In the 15th century, the town council established a brewery (Budweiser) whose lager soon became known as "the beer of kings", as it was a favourite of several emperors of the time.
By the end of the 19th century, Budweiser beer was already known worldwide and marketed as a designation of origin. At that time, an employee of a German brewery who had emigrated to America began to produce beer in the much-loved European style and when it came to a name, he thought of the well-known Budweiser name, which was easy for English speakers to pronounce. Nothing prevented him from using this name, as the Budweiser brand had not been registered in its place of origin.
Since then, the two companies have been in constant legal battles.
So, go and enjoy the whole brewing process and the history of the original Budweiser... and as a reward, at the end of the tour you will be able to taste one!
Remember to book your visit in advance, around 14:00 h. is the guided tour in English.
The brewery is open daily from 9:00 to 17:00 h. and the tour lasts about 1 hour.

Yes, I recommend you to come back and leave your car here, there are a couple of places to see and get to know this beautiful city a little more.

One of the most beautiful streets in the city along with its parallel Česká street. I recommend going down one and coming back along the other. They are very picturesque.

You can't leave this city without visiting the most emblematic icon here, its Black Tower.
You have to climb 225 steps (but you've already climbed more in Munich, that's nothing!!!) and from the top the views of the central square and the old town are beautiful, not to be missed.
As you go up, I'll tell you some interesting facts about the tower to make the climb more enjoyable...
This was a tower that had 2 functions: as a bell tower of the church next to it and as a fire watchtower. It has 6 bells inside and until the telephone was invented, the way to warn of a possible fire was to hang a banner net from the window if it was daytime or to light a red lantern if it was nighttime.
And here comes something very interesting:
In the tower there was a small flat with a kitchen where the guardian of the tower lived with his family. It is known that there were as many as 12 members of one family living up here.
They brought up water and everything they needed to live with a winch. It is also known that they raised animals up here: chickens, rabbits, turkeys and even a goat.
Yes, a goat living in a tower...
Wait, just one more thing:
One level below the flat, the family went to the toilet in two big barrels that were emptied once a year (in winter, it seems).
So imagine the smell in the evenings, when they closed the windows to keep warm!... Ooooooo...
But as you will see or, rather, smell... none of that happens in the tower anymore. So, you can go up knowing that there won't be a horrible smell waiting for you at the top. Just beautiful views await you!!!
Opening hours: From April to June & From September to October Tuesday - Sunday 10:00 - 18:00 Monday: closed
From July to August Monday - Sunday 10:00 - 18:00
Tickets to visit the tower can be purchased at the tower itself.

With the excuse of the Erratic boulder and a very funny anecdote I have with this stone, I suggest you to walk around this beautiful square. As you will see with its typical plague monument in the middle.
When I first travelled to this city, something very funny happened to me:
I met a guy on the train who was from Prague and didn't speak very good English. He said to me something like: "When you get to the main square look for the famous (I understood) "loose tile" which it's said that if you step on it, you will be lost in the city without finding where your home is until the following day.... "
Imagine my face when I arrived to this huge square and saw the amount of tiles here... I thought: "I'm going to spend my life looking for the loose tile... and being so famous, they should put a sign on it or something..." (… hahaha!!!)
Luckily, a lady who was passing by explained to me what it was and pointed me to the place where the "Erratic boulder" was...

Back to the car to go to the most beautiful town in the whole of southern Czech Bohemia: Český Krumlov!

Welcome to Český Krumlov!
The most beautiful and picturesque town in Southern Bohemia.

If you do this route between May and September, you have time to visit the castle gardens until 19:00 h. If not, don't worry, you can visit it the next day.
The beautiful garden was designed respecting the orography of the terrain, it is one of the jewels of this city and, luckily, it is open to the public and everyone can enjoy it.
Please check opening hours here.

The beautiful Český Krumlov Castle closes its gates early in the afternoon. Don't despair, it will be the first thing you will do tomorrow morning.
From this bridge (whose name means "Bridge under the castle") you have a great view of the Plášťový Pláš. An impressive bridge, similar to the aqueduct in Segovia, with a three-storey building on top. The top two covered floors were intended for the passage of royalty and the third, uncovered level for commoners (the only level open to the public). This bridge served to connect the castle area with the Baroque theater and the gardens.
However, from the bridge you are standing on, you can also take some magnificent pictures of the Old Town and the Vltava River meander.

As you have already seen in the central squares of the main Czech cities, there is a column dedicated to the plague in this square as well.
This square and all the surrounding streets are very charming.
Here you can really breathe the essence of the Bohemian atmosphere and I strongly suggest you to walk around these places without time. Enjoy going into the small shops, stopping to look at the facades and details of every corner, camera in hand.

This panoramic viewpoint of the city and the castle is fantastic, beautiful!
From here I've taken some great photos both day and night... and shall I tell you more? I've also given a kiss or two... It's just so romantic at night....

More photos here and, why not, more kisses here as well!!
Bridges also seem to me so ideal for romantic moments....
Such beautiful views from this bridge and don't go too far because the tavern that made you come to this city (very medieval and very beautiful) is not far from this bridge and the Vltava canal, in fact, it's right next to it.

I'm going to be very honest, this town has a brewery, with medieval origins, that gives tours and gives you considerations about its history and such... But really the tour is like the one you've seen in Pilsen, and it's far from being a "medieval" experience.
Instead, this tavern is a real trip back in time, it's a very medieval experience in my opinion and a place that has earned a little corner in my heart.
A tavern in an old house, which was part of the city walls and where the owners have preserved both the charm of the atmosphere and the traditions of cooking and drinking: here you can taste local beer, which has been brewed for centuries, and Grog, a drink also with a lot of history behind it.
I recommend ordering an Old Bohemian Fest (a feast of flavors). It is a typical southern Bohemian dish, with a mixture of smoked meats, cereals, dumplings and potato pie. Not to be missed and very plentiful!
The restaurant is open daily from 11:00 to 22:00.
For more information, click here.

A beautiful hotel with a luxurious location and, depending on the room you get, a beautiful view over the Vltava Canal and the castle.
Check-in is from 14:00 h. and check-out is until 10:00 h.
Remember to make your reservations in advance!
Have a good night!
If you still have some energy left, I recommend you to walk around the old town at night, it has a different charm than the one you have seen during the day.