Not only the centre of the town but also other suburbs and villages in its vicinity are worth seeing.
In Rožnov, once a market settlement of the house of Rosenberg and present Budějovice quarter, you can see farmsteads with Renaissance granaries with graffiti. Rudolfov, promoted by Emperor Rudolf II to a free mining town, is famous for its Renaissance monuments from the 16th century and for its former silver mining, about which we can get information in the local museum and while walking along the nature trail called “Rudolf’s town”.
České Budějovice is closely connected with the surrounding landscape. The dell where the South Bohemian metropolis is situated is lined from almost all sides with hill ranges. It is closed with the Rudolfov threshold in the south-east and with the dense woods of the Kluk a Kleť hills in the south-west. Only in the north-west direction the Budějovice dell passes to the plain of Hluboká and the Vodňany moorland with numerous ponds. The metropolis situated across the whole width of the basin and mountains farther southwards can be seen by visitors coming to Budějovice from the North. The western view of the city is limited by the Lišov threshold, where you can quite clearly see churches and hills over the Vltava and Malše rivers’ alluvial plain. The bird’s eye view shows the broad surroundings of the regional city as a flat depression of the South Bohemian basins surrounded by the undulating foothills of the Šumava hilly region and Tábor Hills.
Trips around the town of České Budějovice
Distance from České Budějovice: 1 km NW | GPS: 49°0'23.191"N, 14°25'50.647"E
Nature reserves at the north-east edge of
the town. Four ponds (Domin, Černiš, Starý
Vrbenský and Nový Vrbenský) started to be constructed
as early as in 1460. It is a significant ornitologic,
entomologic and botanic locality and
a nesting site of many kinds of birds. You
can take a nature trail along the pond dam.
Distance from České Budějovice: 10 km N | GPS: 49°3'2.203"N, 14°26'31.402"E
A town with 4,000 inhabitants situated
approximately 10 km north of České Budějovice.
On a hill over the town there is a New-Gothic chateau, which is highly visible
from far. It is one of the most frequented sights
in Bohemia. This strategically significant
place was inhabited as early as the 13th century,
when an Early-Gothic stronghold was
founded here, which was later turned into a
castle. In the middle of the 16th century the
castle was rebuilt in the Renaissance style
and at the beginning of the 18th century
in the Baroque style. The castle underwent
a significant building change from 1840 to
1971, when the Schwarzenberg family
reconstructed it in the style of the so-called
Tudor Revival. They were inspired by the
English noble mansion of Windsor.
Distance from České Budějovice: 9 km N | GPS: 49°2'30.760"N, 14°25'19.056"E
A Baroque hunting chateau not far from
Hluboká, built by the Schwarzenberg family
from 1708 to 1713. The castle houses expositions
of the Museum of Forestry, Hunting
and Fishing. Nearby on the banks of the
Munický Pond there is a small zoo focussing
especially on breeding European fauna. But
it also features many exotic species. The
Ohrada Zoo is a perfect destination for families
with children.
Distance from České Budějovice: 20 km N | GPS: 49°7'36.684"N, 14°27'10.956"E
A village north of Hluboká on the banks
of the Hněvkovická Dam. While the dam was
being filled with water, part of Purkarec got
flooded and had to be demolished. There is a
new ferry across the Vltava; the Museum of
Rafting - the Hall of Raft Shipping Purkarec
reminds us of the times of raft shipping.
Distance from České Budějovice: 18 km N | GPS: 49°6'43.531"N, 14°27'29.902"E
The former hunting castle of Charles IV
is today a romantic ruin on the left bank of the
Vltava, 2 km south of the village of Purkarec.
Note It is accessible by following the red-marked
trail from the Hluboká-Zámostí railway stop.
Distance from České Budějovice: 5 km E | GPS: 48°58'3.131"N, 14°31'43.193"E
A village 4 km east of České Budějovice. It is
famous for the Baroque pilgrimage Church
of the Virgin of the Sorrows, which was
built according to a design by Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer
(1689-1751). Its interior decoration
is valuable too. The frescoes were made by
painter Václav Vavřinec Reiner (1689-1743).
Distance from České Budějovice: 6 km NE | GPS: 48°59'36.743"N, 14°32'28.472"E
Originally a royal mining town, 5 km east
of České Budějovice. In the past it was a site of
silver ore mining, which achieved its greatest
boom in the middle of the 16th century.
Distance from České Budějovice: 9 km N | GPS: 49°2'12.573"N, 14°28'32.238"E
A village at an elevated site 7 km north of
České Budějovice, the first written mention
of which dates back to 1262. Its dominant feature
is the New-Gothic Church of St. Peter
and Paul, which is highly visible from far
and which was built in 1899-1900. The area
has several nice examples of Rural Folk Baroque.
Close to Hosín is the sports airport
of the Aviation Club of České Budějovice.
Distance from České Budějovice: 15 km W | GPS: 48°58'11.755"N, 14°16'22.304"E
A village approximately 15 km west of
České Budějovice, which was probably established
as early as the middle of the 13th
century. Its large square (210 × 70 m) is
surrounded by houses and homesteads that
were built in the style of South-Bohemian
Rural Baroque. Most of them date back to
about the third quarter of the 19th century.
Due to its compactness and purity of style, this
unique set of homesteads was inscribed in the
UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1998.
Distance from České Budějovice: 6 km S | GPS: 48°55'18.707"N, 14°26'3.201"E
A small village approximately 5 km south-
-west of České Budějovice on the left bank of
the Vltava, a frequent destination and final
station of canoeists. The first mention of
the village dates back to 1261. It boasts the
Church of St. Jacob Major, which was mentioned
as early as 1290 and which was reconstructed
in the Gothic style at the end of the
15th century. There is also the pasta factory
of the Zátka Brothers, which has been operating
here since 1884 and which used to be
the largest factory in all of Austria-Hungary.
Distance from České Budějovice: 20 km S | GPS: 48°51'18.957"N, 14°22'11.462"E
A village north-east of Český Krumlov and
a popular stop for canoeists. Its original name
was Svatá Trnová Koruna (Holy Crown of
Thorns). It is well-known due to a Cistercian
convent, which was founded by King Přemysl
Otakar II in 1263 (earlier than České Budějovice).
Nowadays the convent is among the most
significant Gothic sights in South Bohemia.
Distance from České Budějovice: 20 km S | GPS: 48°53'20.995"N, 14°21'26.466"E
Also called Maidstein, Divči kamen is a romantic
ruin. It is situated on a high rock over
the confluence of the Vltava River and the
Křemež Creek. It was founded by the Rožmberk
family in 1349, but they abandoned the
castle as early as 1506, which gradually led
it to fall into ruin. Not far from this popular
tourist destination by Třísov there is a Celtic
oppidum, which was probably founded in
the 2nd century B.C.
Distance from České Budějovice: 21 km S | GPS: 48°51'55.295"N, 14°16'59.786"E
The highest peak of the Blanský Forest,
a natural dominant feature of the region.
Its unmistakable silhouette is graced by
a 173-metre high television transmission
tower. At the peak there is the oldest stone
watchtower in Bohemia (1825), a tourist
chalet with a restaurant, and a little lower
down the highest-situated observatory
in the Czech Republic. When the weather
is favourable, you can see the Alps, which are
150 km away.
Note: Kleť is accessible by means of a chairlift
from Krásetín (close to the railway station on
the České Budějovice - Český Krumlov line).