If you can only visit one other place in the Czech Republic after PRAGUE, then CESKY KRUMLOV is that place. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and totally walkable.
CESKY KRUMLOV is a gorgeous and charming MEDIEVAL VILLAGE in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, around 200 km's south of Prague.
It's compact size is one of the reasons Cesky Krumlov is a great town to visit.
Everything is walkable and not only are there genuine historic buildings everywhere you look, lots of good restaurants and bars to choose from, and fun and easy rafting on the Vltava river, that loops around town.
Cesky Krumlov's cobblestoned streets are packed with shops, restaurants and bars. It is also home to a massive CASTLE complex that's only slightly smaller than the one in Prague.
It's not surprising that Cesky Krumlov is the second most popular place to visit in the Czech Republic (after Prague).
HOW LONG?
Although it is possible to do a quick visit in one day from Prague, with 3 hours travel each way not much time is left for sightseeing, and Cesky Krumlov is definitely not at it's best in the middle of the day when it is packed with hoards of day trippers. So, if time permits a stay of 1-2 nights is best to really enjoy this wonderful town, then you can expreience it outside of the peak times of 11am to 4pm.
TOP ACTIVITIES IN CESKY KRUMLOV
Castle
Old Town centre
Rafting
Food & Drink
CESKY KRUMLOV CASTLE is massive and with its perch above the town can be seen from everywhere. The castle is made up of 40 buildings, that sit around 5 castle courts and a park that spans 7 hectares.
There are a couple of (real) bears that live in the moat area by the castle entrance. If you find keeping animals captive morally questionable then maybe don't look down when crossing the bridge between the first and second courtyards. The tradition of keeping bears in the castle grounds dates back to the 16th century.
Climb the castle tower for amazing views of the town, take a tour of the building interiors, visit the well preserved Baroque theatre, stop for a meal at one of the onsite cafes or wander the beautiful gardens. There is something here for everyone.
There is a good website for the local tourist office, that details ticket prices, opening hours etc.
GETTING TO CESKY KRUMLOV FROM PRAGUE
TRAIN - There is 1 direct train a day and several others that require a change of trains in Cesky Budejovice. The direct service departs at 8am in summer and takes 2hrs50mins, you can book direct (in English) on cd.cz.
BUS - There are several companies that operate direct daily bus services, with travel time of around 2hrs45mins. RegioJet is the most frequent bus service, with hourly departures from Prague to Cesky Krumlov, starting at only €5.20. RegioJet is a pretty comfortable way to travel on this route, with seatback tv screens, free hot drink and wifi, and you can choose your seat when you book. Other options are FlixBus and Leo Express.
MINIBUS/SHUTTLE - Plenty of private operators run shuttle bus services, the benefit being door to door transport, and sometimes you can choose your departure time. They are quite a bit more expensive than bus or train but if you are time poor or have a lot of luggage then a shuttle may be the best option. CK Shuttle and Bean Shuttle are popular, but you can find other companies on the Cesky Krumlov tourism site.
I'm normally a train person, but for this route bus is my preference because of the choice of departure time and the drop off in Cesky Krumlov is closer to town.