Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
square contains the ornate
Fountain of Sampson,
an 18th-century water well that
was once the town's principal water supply, plus a mishmash of baroque and Renais-
sance buildings.
One block northwest of the square is the
C
erná v
êz
(Black Tower),
which you can
see from almost every point in the city. Consequently, its 360 steps are worth the
climb to get a bird's-eye view in all directions. The most famous symbol of
C
eské
Bud
ê
jovice, this 70m-tall (236-ft.) 16th-century tower was built as a belfry for the
adjacent
St. Nicholas Church.
It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm;
admission is 20K
c
(85¢/45p).
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel Bohemia
The Bohemia really isn't a hotel but a small pension in the city
center, as you'll discover when you walk into the lobby and think that you've stepped
into someone's house. The staff makes you feel like one of the family, with their atten-
tive service, and the rooms are pleasant despite being a little small.
Hradební 20, 370 01 Ceské Budêjovice.
&
/fax
386-360-691.
www.hotel-bohemia-cb.cz. 18 units. 1,790Kc
($74/£36) double. AE, MC, V.
Amenities:
Restaurant. In room:TV, minibar.
WHERE TO DINE
U královské peceti (At the Royal Seal)
CZECH This typical Czech-style
pub serves up hearty food at reasonable prices. It offers a tasty goulash as well as
sví
c
ková
or game dishes. Located in the Hotel Mal
;
Pivovar, this is a very good choice for a
Czech food experience.
In the Hotel Mal; Pivovar, ulice Karla IV. 8-10.
&
386-360-471.
Soups 25Kc ($1/50p); main courses 65Kc-290Kc
($2.70-$12/£1-£6). AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 10am-11pm.
PLZEN (PILSEN)
88km (55 miles) SW of Prague
“Zde se narodilo pivo.”
The phrase (“the birthplace of beer”) greets you at almost every
turn. And they aren't kidding. Some 400 years ago, a group of men formed Plze
n
's first
beer-drinking guild, and today beer is probably the only reason you'll want to stop at
this otherwise industrial town. Unfortunately for the town, its prosperity and archi-
tecture were ravaged during World War II, and few buildings were left untouched.
The main square, nám
ê
stí Republiky, is worth a look, but after that there's not much
to see.
GETTING THERE
A fast
train
from Prague whisks travelers to Plze
n
in just under 2 hours without you
having to witness the mayhem caused by Czech drivers. Trains between the two cities
are just as plentiful and fit most every schedule. The train costs 210K
c
($8.75/£4) first
class or 140K
c
($5.80/£3) second class.
It is an easy 45-minute cruise by
car
on the new Highway D5, which leaves Prague
from the west.
VISITOR INFORMATION
Trying to be as visitor-friendly as possible, the
City Information Center Plze
n
,
nám
ê
stí Republiky 41, 301 16 Plze
n
(
&
378-035-330;
fax 378-035-332; www.
icpilsen.cz or www.plzen-city.cz), is packed with literature to answer your questions.
It is open daily April to September 9am to 7pm; October to March Monday to Fri-
day 10am to 5pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 3:30pm.
