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A Family Trip to South Bohemia (I)

My old man visited us earlier this month. Even before he had booked the tickets, he said he wanted to go see the Treetop Walkway in Lipno.

Finding accommodation wasn’t easy due to the season and the rather short notice. We wanted to stay near the attraction, but most hotels were either fully booked or too expensive. We searched a until we found one in Český Krumlov, which was somewhat further than planned, but we didn’t mind. Our last visit to Krumlov had been six years before and we were looking forward to seeing that charming city again.

The hotel, Penzion Vodotrysk, turned out to good. It’s hidden a couple of hundred metres from a busy road, past a fishpond surrounded by trees, ten minutes by foot to the centre of town. The building looks like it has seen far better days, but the facilities were clean, it was quiet, the staff was very friendly, the breakfast was all right, and the rooms, though without much in terms of luxury, were spacious and comfortable. It was also excellent value, considering the season and the location.

But the trip proper didn’t begin in Krumlov.

Taking the opportunity that we were heading to South Bohemia, my wife arranged a meeting related to a project of hers in a village near Prachatice, were she left the three generations of Bahnsons to piss about while she took care of her affairs.

What a pleasant surprise Prachatice was! The old town comprises a bundle of winding lanes and alleys, once enclosed behind walls, of which a short section and one of the gates have been preserved. It’s dominated by a gorgeous square surrounded by some impressive Renaissance buildings from the city’s golden age, when it was one of the main centres of the “Zlatá Stezka”, an important trade route between Passau and Prague. A great destination for a day trip if you happen to be in the region.

It also has a microbrewery! Pivovar Prachatice, like the town, was a pleasant surprise. The main entrance is on one of those winding lanes I mentioned earlier and also has a back entrance through the main square. The pub is nicely put together and not too big, but we chose the cozy small courtyard in the back to have our lunch. The food and the service were very good.

They had three beers on tap. I begun with the 11° Světlý Ležák. It wasn’t much of a looker, murky enough to be considered Craft by some, perhaps. It tasted much better, though. Fresh, vibrant, almost juicy. I think a few more days in the lagering tank would have done no harm, but it was pretty fine as is. Bradáček, the 13° Polotmavý, on the other hand, was a bit weird. It tasted dry and sweet at the same time. Maybe it was the hint of green apple I noticed in the background that sowed discord between those two. In any case, it was drinkable but unenjoyable. I couldn’t have the third, the Weizen, my daughter wouldn’t let me, she wanted to explore the city; and explore we did until the missus came to pick us up.

Pivovar Prachatice
49°0'43.964"N, 13°59'48.860"E
Horní 174, Prachatice
+420 606 096 994
Mon-Thu: 11-22, Fri: 11-24, Sat: 12-24, Sun: 12-18

Comments

  1. Loved your descriptive style of writing, helps one imagine how it all must have been. Sounds like a lovely family trip, looking forward to more posts about it soon.

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  2. Such a nice vacation. We missed such trips for quite a long time now. Due to travel restrictions.

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