České Budějovice

The town of České Budějovice is a royal town founded in 1265 by Přemysl Otakar II. at the confluence of the Vltava and Malše rivers.

The town is famous for its Budvar beer production - in addition to this world-famous brewery, there are several other breweries and microbreweries. Another global brand is the KOH-I-NOOR factory, which operates to this day right next to the river. Ceske Budejovice is also home to dairy products Madeta, Engineering Motor Jikov, sports teams of volleyball players, hockey players and footballers.

Tourists are looking for the Budvar brewery visitor center as well as the city center itself. On the large, almost square, square of Přemysl Otakar II. you will find the largest Baroque fountain in the Czech Republic - Samson Fountain. It passes the monumental Black Tower, where 225 steps lead. The other corner of the square belongs to the local town hall, which you can also see during guided tours. Towards the river you will find the Piarist Square and Dominican Monastery, which is the place where the city was founded and the local monastery is accessible after reconstruction. You can also find the original Solnice, where the microbrewery is located today. You will also find the KOH-I-NOOR factory mentioned above, where you can feel the smell of pencil making and you will see the Water Tower opposite the dominant chimney. In this tower you can expect a beautiful tour with visualisations of how it used to be with water and its story in this city.

The unique location allows rivers to be used for leisure activities - the upper part of the Vltava Trail offers commented cruises on the Vltava and Malše rivers on the Sv. Rozálie. The central point of this part is the Sokol Island and the Malše Blind Arm, where the floating Café Vlnna is located.

Lann's Shipyard under the Long Bridge is the beginning of the navigable Vltava River, from where sightseeing cruises regularly depart in the direction of Hluboká nad Vltavou.

On the way to Hluboká nad Vltavou, on the outskirts of České Budějovice, there is a protected port of České Vrbné. Next to the harbor is a wild canal within the Lída Polesná Complex, which is the seat of water sports and you can go kayaking, rafting or paddleboarding.

More information about the city and leisure activities in České Budějovice can be found at the Budějce.cz tourist website