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Since its foundation in 1265, CESKE BUDEJOVICE (Budweis) - just two hours by train from Prague - has been a self-assured place, convinced of its own importance. Its wealth, based on medieval silver mines and its position on the salt route from Linz to Prague, was wiped out in the seventeenth century by war and fire, but the Habsburgs lavishly reconstructed most of Ceske Budejovice in the eighteenth century. Its real renown, however, is for its local brew Budvar, better known abroad under its original German name, Budweiser. Ceske Budejovice has a compact old town that's only a five-minute walk from the train and bus stations , both situated to the east of the city centre, along the pedestrianized Lannova trida. The medieval grid plan leads inevitably to the magnificent central namesti Premysla Otakara II , one of Europe's largest market squares. Its buildings are elegant enough, but it's the arcades and the octagonal Samson's Fountain - once the only tap in town - that make the greatest impression. The 72-metre status symbol, the Black Tower (Cerna vez), one of the few survivors of the 1641 fire, leans gently to one side of the square; its roof gallery (daily: March-June 10am-6pm; July & Aug 10am-7pm; Sept-Nov 9am-5pm) provides superb views. When the weather's fine, people tend to promenade by the banks of the Malse, where parts of the original town walls have survived along with some of Ceste Budejovice's oldest buildings. All that is left of the bishop's palace is the serene garden (May-Sept daily 8am-6pm), accessible through a small gateway in the walls. Round the corner, on Piaristicke namesti, stands the thoroughly medieval zbrojnice (one-time arsenal), once the centre of the town's all-important salt trade. The Budvar brewery , Karoliny svetle 4, is on the road to Prague (guided tour daily at 2pm; call 038/770 53 40; bus #2 or #4). Ceste Budejovice's popularity with neighbouring Austrians and Germans means that hotels tend to charge over the odds. The best-value options are Penzion JV (tel 038/53 47 5; GBP10-15/$16-24/?18-27), off Kanovnicka at Na mlynske stoce 7; or Hotel Maly pivovar , Karla IV 8-10 (tel 038/731 32 85; GBP35-40/$56-64/?63-72). There's a friendly tourist office (May-Sept daily 8.30am-6pm; Oct-March Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm, Sat 9am-noon; tel 038/63 59 48 0, www.budnet.cz ) at no. 2 on the main square, too, where you can book accommodation. You can also stay in cheap private rooms at Privat Petera at Panska 23 (tel 038/73 18 36 1; under GBP5/$8/?9-GBP10/$16/?18). From July to September rooms are available in student halls , located at Studentska 13-19 (tel 038/77 74 20 1; under GBP5/$8/?9-GBP10/$16/?18). There's also a good campsite , Dlouha louka at Stromovka 8 (tel 038/72 10 60 1; bus #16 from station; May-Sept). The most famous hostelry in town is Masne kramy at Krajinska 29, which serves huge quantities of Budvar all day. The Hotel Maly pivovar is widely recommended for great pub food and beer , as is the Hotel Zvon on the main square - head for the pub section, rather than the more expensive restaurant.
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