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Squeezed into a tight S-bend of the River Vltava, CESKY KRUMLOV (Krumau) is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque towns in the country, having hardly changed in the last three hundred years. This, however, is no secret, and the crowds are getting increasingly thick throughout the summer. The train station is twenty minutes' walk north of the old town, up a precipitous set of steps, while the bus station is just outside the old town. The twisting River Vltava divides the town into two: the circular stare Mesto (old town) on the right bank and the Latran quarter on the hillier left. For centuries, the focal point has been the Castle , the Krumlovsky zamek (April-Oct Tues-Sun 9am-noon & 1-4/5/6pm; 70kc per tour in Czech, 140kc per tour in another language) in the Latran quarter, as good a place as any to begin a roam. There's a choice of two hour-long guided tours: one concentrating on feudal opulence, the other peaking at the castle's eighteenth-century Rococo ballroom. Another covered walkway puts you high above the town in the unexpectedly expansive terraced gardens (open all year; free). The shabby houses leaning in on Latran lead to a wooden ramp-like bridge which connects with the stare Mesto. Head straight up the soft incline of Radnicni to the main square, where a long, white Renaissance entablature connects two-and-a-half Gothic houses to create the town hall (radnice). On the other side, the high lancet windows of the church of St Vitus rise above the ramshackle rooftops. Continuing east off the square, down Horni, the beautiful sixteenth-century Jesuit college now provides space for the Hotel Ruze . Opposite, the local Museum (Tues-Fri 9am-noon & 12.30pm-5pm, Sat & Sun 1-4pm) includes a reconstructed seventeenth-century shop interior among its exhibits. While you're there ask for directions to the Schiele International Cultural Center (daily 10am-6pm; 120kc), on Siroka, a whole series of galleries and exhibition halls housed in a fifteenth-century former brewery in the stare Mesto. The centre is devoted to the Austrian painter Egon Schiele, who moved here briefly in 1911, and contains many of his drawings and paintings, as well as featuring contemporary artists. There's a helpful tourist office (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat & Sun 10am-4pm; tel 0337/71 16 50, www.ckrumlov.cz ) at nam. Svornosti in the stare Mesto, which can organize accommodation for you. Hotel Ruze , Horni 24 (tel 0337/77 21 00, www.hotelruze.cz ; GBP40/$64/?72 and over), is the town's most beautiful and grand old hotel , bar the occasional dodgy bit of Seventies decor; the friendly pub/pension , Na louzi , Kajovska 66 (tel 0337/71 12 80, www.ck.ipex.cz/hotlouze ; GBP5-10/$8-16/?9-18) is a good bet. The central Travellers Hostel at Soukenicka 43 (tel 0337/71 13 45; under GBP5/$8/?9-GBP10/$16/?18) is a safe bet, with bike rental, a barbecue and other amenities. An even cheaper option is the hostel Krumlov House (tel 0337/71 19 35; under GBP5/$8/?9); to get there follow Horni out of the old town and turn right towards Rooseveltova 68. There's also a primitive campsite (May-Sept), 2km south on road 160 to Nove Spoli. As far as eating goes, there's a wide choice: Papa's Living Restaurant , Latran 13, offers funky Mexican, Italian and veggie dishes, while the fish restaurant Rybarska basta , off Siroka, is good value. A cheaper option still is to head for the basic stand-up Krumlovska fontana , on namesti Svornosti. Drinking is best done at the Krumovske pivnice , off Latran next to the brewery, or at the aforementioned Na louzi which offers local Eggenberg beer.
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