Rising in the dark mountains of the Bohemian Forest — the Sumava — behind us, the river would take us — if we let it — through the entire Kingdom of Bohemia past the fairytale castle seat of the Rozmberk dynasty, through the medieval, UNESCO-protected city of Cesky Krumlov (which later became their capital) and the more modern city of Cesky Budejovice (home of the real Budweiser beer), under the magnificence of Prague’s Charles Bridge and finally deliver us into the conjoined might of the River Elbe 35 km north of Prague.
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But we weren’t going that far. Our destination was Rozmberk nad Vltavou, only 10 km away yet still a three-hour adventure of white water, blissful Bohemian countryside and, rounding the final bend of our journey, a stunning view of Rozmberk Castle — a gothic fortress and Renaissance palace with baroque architectural stylings and a town dating to the 13th century at its feet.
For our valiant efforts on the river, we feasted on the finest cold Czech beer and hot Bohemian food at the riverside Hotel U Martina, housed in one of those medieval buildings in the quiet, untrammeled little town.
But before we get to the end of the journey, let’s start at the beginning.
The very name Bohemia resonates with romance and excitement, adventure and mystery. And so it should: Bohemia is the very heart of central Europe, a fertile crucible of rolling landscapes and majestic medieval towns encircled by chains of protective mountains. But the mountains have never stopped hordes of invaders — from Huns and Habsburgs to Nazis and Soviets — rolling in to occupy the rich Bohemian basin.
Because of the central role (both culturally and militarily) Bohemia has played in much of Europe’s history, it is not surprising that Bohemia is a land of castles — with more castles than any other country in Europe by almost every measuring stick. These range from imposing and impregnable mountain fortresses to grand chateaux and fanciful Baroque palaces to Prague Castle, the magnificent seat of Czech government looking down in all its Holy Roman Empire majesty on the old town of Praha (Prague) across the Vltava River.
What is surprising is Bohemia is only called that by non-Bohemians — since “Bohemians” have always referred to their native land as Cechy. The ancient Romans were the ones who dubbed the region Boiohaemum — land of the Boii, a Celtic tribe inhabiting the area when the Roman legions marched in — and later generations of foreign conquerers maintained the designation of Bohemia.
So the whole romantic notion of “Bohemia” — from the Bohemian artists of 19th-century Paris to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody — is as much a mythical creation as Brigadoon.
And yet ... and yet ... Bohemia does exist. And when you are there, paddling down the Vltava past 13th-century monasteries and farms that have been cultivated for a millennium under the shadow of the Sumava forests, you know you are in Bohemia and nowhere else in the world.
I was part of a group of two dozen travellers who entered the waters of the Vltava in a small flotilla of inflatable six-person rafts on an early-summer morning. Our launch point was at the village of Vyssi Brod, which grew up around the Cistercian monastery established there in 1259.
The Vltava is relatively calm but there is enough white water and rapids in the far south to make us glad we had an experienced guide from the Putzer company steering us through fast-moving narrows and around rocky outcrops.
But if you are an experienced canoeist, the Putzer company also rents kayaks, canoes and inflatable boats for two to six people so you can experience the river journey on your own. You can choose one of several destinations and a company vehicle will be waiting at the end to return you and your boat to the Putzer base camp in Vyssi Brod — or just the boat if you’re hiking onward through South Bohemia.
After about an hour and a half on the river, our small armada pulled into the quiet, wooded riverbank where, lo and behold, a rough but very welcome rustic cafe awaited us with cold bottles of Czech beer and snacks to take the edge off late morning hunger. Sipping a sharp, crisp lager and stretching cramped legs while basking in early summer sun on a bucolic Bohemian riverbank has to be one of the most satisfying experiences in the world.
Then it was back on the river for the second half of our journey — and an incredible, enchanting ending to the raft trip.
As we rounded the last bend in the Vltava before our destination of Rozmberk nad Vltavou, the rolling, forested hills on our right rose more steeply from the river. And there it was — the castle of the lords of Rozmberk, rulers of much of South Bohemia for 10 generations.
The Rozmberks would later move further down the river to Cesky Krumlov, a town so beautiful and full of architectural treasures it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. But here at Rozmberk — the Rose Mountain from which the family took its name — is where the dynasty began.
And here the castle tells the story in its stones. Only a crumbling tower remains of the original fortress, the Upper Castle built in the 13th century and destroyed by fire in the 16th. But below the tower is the Lower Castle, begun in the 1330s in the Gothic style and rebuilt in the 1550s in the Renaissance style.
It is an incredible sight from the river, and well worth the walk up the steep hillside and the small admission fee. The castle is open daily (except Mondays) May through September and on weekends in April and October. The great banquet hall with its 16th-century Italian frescoes is the centrepiece of the castle, but the whole complex is filled with paintings, statues, weapons, armour and, yes, even instruments of medieval torture. Plus there’s the chance you’ll cross paths with the local ghost, Bila pani — the White Lady (as so many European ghosts seem to be called).
Below the castle and across the river is the village of Rozmberk Nad Vitavou, unbelievably quaint, ancient and untouched by tourist mobs. There are several small restaurants and pensions if you choose to stay the night, but one place you cannot miss is an old stone and wood building beside the river — Hotel U Martina.
At long wooden tables on the sunny patio or in the vaulted dining rooms, you will feast with locals and fellow travellers on the finest meats and vegetables, prepared and served in traditional fashion, that South Bohemia has to offer. You can’t go wrong with the roast pork, dumplings and sauerkraut. It’s the quintessential Bohemian country inn, an experience that cannot be missed.
And after the perfect raft ride and luncheon feast, the cold, golden Czech beer flows long and leisurely through a Bohemian summer afternoon like the Vltava flows through the romance and beauty of the Bohemian countryside.
If you go
to Czech Republic
GETTING THERE
The best way to see South Bohemia is at your own pace in a rental car. Vyssi Brod, Rozmberk Nad Vitavou and Cesky Krumlov can all be reached in three or four hours driving, but you’re better to take three or four days to explore South Bohemian towns like Tabor and Trebon along the way. If you decide to use the frequent train or bus services south from Prague, you will be transferring at the main southern city of Ceske Budejovice, home of the brewery where the original, fabulous Budvar/Budweiser beer is made. The jewel of the south is the magnificent, UNESCO-protected town of Cesky Krumlov, which has ample accommodation and services but is a magnet for tourist mobs in the summer. Better to wander further afield and find your own bit of Bohemian heaven in one of the smaller outlying towns.
DETAILS
For information on river rafting in South Bohemia, go to putzer.cz. You can click on an English version. For more information on travel in the Czech Republic, including South Bohemia, goczechtourism.com.
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