Český Krumlov from Cyprus: Flights to Prague, Buses, Trains and a Two-Day Plan

Red roofs packed inside a loop of the Vltava river, a painted castle tower above them, and narrow cobbled lanes: Český Krumlov looks like a stage set for a fairy tale. It is a small town in South Bohemia, close to the Austrian border, and an easy add-on to a city break in Prague.

Here is how to get there from Cyprus, what to see, and when to go.

Castle tours and opening hours change by season, so check the castle's website before you go.

Quick facts before you book

• Getting there: fly Larnaca–Prague (about 3h 45m), then about three hours south by coach or train.
• How long to stay: one night at least; two nights lets you see the castle without rushing.
• Money: Czech koruna (CZK). Castle tickets in 2026 run from 280 to 400 CZK per tour for adults.
• Season: castle tours and river trips are summer activities; in winter, come for Advent and the quiet lanes.
• Time: one hour behind Cyprus.

Why go

Český Krumlov's castle and historic centre have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. The castle is the second-largest castle and chateau complex in the Czech Republic: some 40 buildings and palaces around five courtyards, high on a rock above the river.

It is also simply a very pleasant place to be. Prague is wonderful but busy; Krumlov is small, walkable and much calmer in the evenings once the day visitors have left.

The direct flight from Cyprus

From Larnaca: Wizz Air flies to Prague all year, with about four flights a week in the winter schedule, and Smartwings adds flights in summer. The flight takes about 3 hours 45 minutes.

From Paphos: there are no direct flights to Prague, so fly from Larnaca.

Time difference: the Czech Republic is one hour behind Cyprus all year.

Our Prague page covers the capital if you want to spend a couple of days there first.

Getting from Prague airport to Český Krumlov

By coach (simplest):

• RegioJet leaves from the Na Knížecí bus station, next to Anděl on metro line B.
• FlixBus leaves from Florenc bus station (also on metro line B), with a few departures from Roztyly and Černý Most.
• Journeys take about 2 hours 25 minutes to 3 hours 20 minutes, about 2 hours 50 minutes on average, and cost about 220 to 430 CZK one way (2026). Booking ahead is usually cheaper.

By train: trains leave Prague main station (Hlavní nádraží) and usually change at České Budějovice for the branch line to Krumlov. One direct train a day leaves Prague at about 09:20 and arrives at about 11:49. A through ticket costs about 386 CZK in second class (2026), from Czech Railways.

From the airport: the Airport Express (AE) bus runs from Terminal 1 to Prague main station in about 40 minutes, which suits the train. City public transport tickets are not valid on it; buy your ticket at the Visitor Centre in arrivals or from the driver. For the RegioJet coaches, head to Anděl by city bus and metro.

What to see and do

The castle

• The castle tour: Tour Route I takes 55 minutes through Renaissance and Baroque rooms, including the Golden Carriage. Tickets cost 300 CZK for adults and 90 CZK for ages 6 to 17, free for under-6s (2026).
• The Baroque Castle Theatre: one of the two best-preserved Baroque theatres in Europe (the other is at Drottningholm in Sweden), with its original stage machinery, costumes and props. A tour costs 400 CZK for adults (2026), for small groups of up to 20, so book ahead.
• The Castle Museum and Castle Tower: the tower dates from the mid-13th century, with a belfry of four bells and a dungeon more than four metres deep, and has the best view over the roofs and the river bend. A self-guided visit costs 280 CZK for adults (2026). From 1 November to 20 December 2026 it opens Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00–15:30.
• The bear moat: in the First Courtyard. Bears are first recorded here in 1707. The tradition goes back to the Rosenberg family, who claimed kinship with Italy's Orsini; orsa is Italian for she-bear.
• The castle garden: a Baroque garden, free to enter.

The old town

Start at Náměstí Svornosti, the main square, and get lost in the lanes around it. Walk down to the river for the classic view back up to the castle tower.

The Egon Schiele Art Centrum, on Široká, the town's widest street, is housed in the old town brewery. The Viennese painter moved here in 1911, as Krumlov was his mother's home town. The townspeople disapproved of his bohemian life and he soon left, but he came back almost every year until his early death.

On the river

From May to October, you can paddle the Vltava through the town by canoe or raft. A trip of 2 to 4 km takes about two hours, over four small weirs, all of which you can shoot or carry the boat around. Most trips start at Nové Spolí, on the edge of town, where a sandy bank makes it easy to get in, and finish at the Kemp Krumlov campsite, with riverside pubs along the way. On the way you pass under the Rechle bridge, an 18th-century covered wooden bridge and one of the longest in the country. Local rental companies take you to the start and collect you at the end, and beginners can go with an instructor.

Best time to go

• May to September: all the castle tours are running, the river is busy with canoes, and the evenings are long. Summer days are crowded, so stay overnight.
• Autumn: fewer people, though the main castle tours ended on 31 October in 2026.
• Advent and Christmas: the town's Advent season runs from 21 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, with events across the town; check the programme on the town's Infocentrum website. The castle museum and tower are open until 20 December. Bring warm clothes. Our best winter trips from Cyprus compares the flights.
• January to March: very quiet. The castle hasn't published its early 2027 hours yet, so look before you book.

Where to stay

• The old town: inside the river loop, so you can step out into the lanes early and late.
• Latrán: the quarter below the castle, just across the river from the old town, also very central.
• Outside the centre: usually cheaper, and fine if you don't mind a walk into the lanes.

A two-day plan

Day 1: Prague to Krumlov. Fly in, take the coach south and check in. Walk the old town at dusk and have dinner by the river.

Day 2: The castle. Tower and museum first thing, then the castle tour and, in season, the Baroque theatre. Afternoon in the castle garden and at the Egon Schiele Art Centrum, or, in summer, two hours on the river. Next morning, head back to Prague.

If you have a third day, spend it in Prague before your flight home: the Old Town, Charles Bridge and Prague Castle are all walkable, and our Prague page has a plan.

Practical tips

• Currency: the Czech koruna (CZK). Pay by card or in koruna; euros are often accepted only at a poor rate.
• Documents: Cyprus is not in the Schengen area, so there are passport or ID checks on flights to Prague.
• Entry/Exit System: if you hold a non-EU passport, including a British one, you are registered with fingerprints and a photo at your first Schengen border. Allow extra time at Prague airport.
• Healthcare: take your EHIC, plus travel insurance.
• Shoes: the lanes are cobbled and the castle courtyards climb steeply.
• Book the coach: weekend and summer coaches can fill up, so reserve both ways.

For a spring break, see our spring trips from Cyprus guide, and for the school holidays our half-term trips with kids.