Page 138 - Off The Tourist Trail - 1000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives (Part 2 of 2)

306 6 MORE MEDIEVAL CITIES TO RIVAL PRAGUE

CITIES Český Krumlov Bologna Bratislava

NEED TO KNOW NEED TO KNOW NEED TO KNOW

LOCATION Český Krumlov lies in LOCATION Bologna lies .JMBO LOCATION On the Danube river in
the Southern Bohemia region of the (&3."/: in the Po Valley of northern 7FOJDF southwestern Slovakia, on the edge
Czech Republic, 110 miles (180 km) Italy, between the Reno #0-0(/" of the Little Carpathian Mountains 10-"/%
southwest of Prague and Sàvena rivers POPULATION $;&$)
10-"/% 3&16#-*$
POPULATION Around 14,100 1SBHVF POPULATION *5"-: Around 426,000
1M[Fŵ "ESJBUJD
VISITORS PER YEAR $;&$) 0TUSBWB Around 371,200 3PNF 4FB VISITORS PER YEAR 4-07",*" ,PTJDF
Around 1.2 million 3&16#-*$ VISITORS PER YEAR /BQMFT Around 686,200 7JFOOB
DAYTIME ė&4,Å ,36.-07 Around 1.1 million 5ZSSIFOJBO DAYTIME #3"5*4-"7"
4FB
TEMPERATURES -JO[ DAYTIME TEMPERATURES TEMPERATURES
Jan: 37°F (3°C); Apr: 54°F (12°C); 4-07",*" Jan: 36°F (2°C); Apr: 55°F (13°C); *POJBO Jan: 32°F (0°C); Apr: 50°F (10°C); )6/("3:
"6453*" 4FB
Jul: 70°F (21°C); Oct: 48°F (9°C) Jul: 73°F (23°C); Oct: 57°F (14°C) $BUBOJB Jul: 68°F (20°C); Oct: 50°F (10°C)
A popular day trip from Prague, Český Krumlov Italians call the city “Bologna la rossa” (Bologna It seems natural to compare Bratislava with Prague:
is nestled scenically between two loops of the the red) and it is not hard to see why – many of from the end of World War I until the “Velvet
Vltava River and also boasts a very attractive its buildings are painted in reddish hues, from Divorce” of the Czech Republic and Slovakia in
medieval center. The city’s main draw is a vivid red to terracotta, although the epithet is 1993, the two cities were yoked together as part
castle complex on a rocky outcrop above the also said to refer to the city’s left-leaning politics. of Czechoslovakia. But historically speaking,
river, which offers visitors guided tours to its The Old Town, which sits on the site of a Bratislava, which was once part of the Austro-
18th-century Baroque theater. But there is more settlement dating from the 5th century BC, was Hungarian Empire, has more in common with
to the city than its castle, and even with the damaged during World War II, but still impresses Vienna or Budapest. Though the modern parts of
trappings of modern tourism, it’s a pleasure to with its medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque the city will earn few devotees, the medieval Old
explore streets lined with medieval, Renaissance, buildings. It is also home to one of the world’s Town is a treat. At its heart are two beautiful
and Baroque town houses. In the summer, oldest universities. Today, the city is best known pedestrian squares, Františkánska námestie and
tourists and locals alike take to the Vltava River to Italians for its food, which is quite something in Hlavné námestie, with the distinctive Old Town
on kayaks, rafts, and even inner tubes. a country famed for its gastronomy. Hall on the latter. The City Gallery of Bratislava,
which is housed in three of the city’s impressive
palaces and also in the rebuilt castle overlooking
Practical Information Practical Information
the city, holds more than 35,000 artworks.
Getting There The easiest way to get to Český Krumlov is to take a bus Getting There Bologna’s airport is connected to many cities in Europe and
from Prague. You can also take a train from Prague, but you’ll need to its train station has direct connections to other cities in Italy.
change at České Budějovice. If you’re coming from the south, it may be When to Go Spring is generally the best time to visit Bologna. Summers
best to take a train to Linz in Austria, and from there, a shuttle bus. can be oppressively hot and many businesses close in August, while Practical Information
When to Go Visiting in summer means sharing the town with thousands of winters are usually very cold. Getting There The airport is 7 miles (12 km) from the city and is mainly
other visitors, but it also brings the best weather for rafting on the Vltava Website iat.comune.bologna.it used by low-cost airlines. It is also easy to fly to Vienna’s Schwechat Airport
River. Winter is cold, but the city can look very attractive at this time. and then make the 30-mile (50-km) transfer by bus. Regular ferries run
along the Danube river between Bratislava and Vienna.
Website www.ckrumlov.info
Fruit and vegetable market on a cobbled backstreet lined with When to Go Summer is the most pleasant time to visit the city, although it
distinctive russet-colored buildings, Bologna, Italy
can look very attractive when it’s covered in snow.
The charming city of Český Krumlov beside the Vltava river, with idyllic Website www.visit.bratislava.sk/en
wooded hills and fields in the background, Czech Republic
St. Michael’s Gate, the only surviving original gateway to the medieval
city, and street-side cafés, Bratislava, Slovakia

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