Weird Weather

Right now Cesky Krumlov is covered with snow. There is nothing weird about that - in this part of the Czech Republic the winter snow usually arrives in December and stays until March, when suddenly in a matter of days spring arrives. A white Christmas is virtually guaranteed as is skiing. If you go towards the Sumava mountains in the south and so rise 200 more metres you will find the winter snow lasts longer (starting at the end of November), which is good because there are some ski resorts there, the nearest to Cesky Krumlov being Ski Real at Kramolin.

No, what is weird is that only a week ago I was getting a suntan - sitting at a cafe table by the river and reading a book. It was that hot, well over 20 degrees. The winter snow failed to turn up for Christmas, made only a cursory appearance for New Year and then came for another too brief spell, before disappearing again. The Czechs all say they have never known a winter like it. I say it is like a British winter, and they say how lucky we are not to get snow. Of course that is not how I feel, I love the Czech winters - the diamonds in the snow, the bright winter sunshine, the crisp air - so much better than the depressing grey of England.

And South Bohemia

One of the reasons we keep coming back here is that we just love exploring the local countryside. Cesky Krumlov is set in some of the Czech Republic's most beautiful countryside. Cesky Krumlov is only a few miles away from the Sumava National Park, the largest national park in the country. The Sumava is the Czech's equivalent of the Lake District - only the Sumava hills and mountains are covered with forests. The area is a brilliant place for walking, mountain biking, canoeing, and other adventure holiday activities. The main lake - Lipno - is man-made and offers fishing and various boating activities. For more about Lipno and Sumava - check out www.ceskykrumlovholiday.co.uk/LAKE_LIPNO_&_SUMAVA_NATIONAL_PARK.html

Cesky Krumlov borders the Blanksy Les Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The magical Klet Mountain forms a backdrop to the town.

An Introduction to Cesky Krumlov

Let us start this blog by a few brief introductions to the town, where we stay - Cesky Krumlov and the area in which it sits. Cesky Krumlov is a UNESCO world heritage site, a few miles south of Ceske Budejovice in Southern Bohemia. It is the most incredible place - in many ways a perfect fairytale town. The town stands on two bends in the River Vltava and is dominated by the second largest castle complex in the Czech Republic, which almost seems to grow out of the rock formation on which it is built.

Welcome & Introduction

For some years now we have been enjoying trips to Southern Bohemia and especially the wonderful medieval/renaissance town of Cesky Krumlov. We now have friends there and return several times a year. We have even created a website - http://www.ceskykrumlovholiday.co.uk/ to introduce the town and area to others. But we also wanted a blog to just share ideas about, impressions of and updates on our Czech adventures. So here it is...