I will be traveling with my family (incl 2 teen boys) to Europe in July. We want to visit Prague and possibly Cesky Kremlov (CK). I am seeking opinions on how many days to stay in Prague and whether or not CK is worth the trip.

In Prague, we definitely want to see the Castle and St Vitus Cathedral, but we're not overly excited to do detailed tours of every palace, church, and art gallery in the city. We've traveled a lot in Europe the last several years and seen lots of these, so we just want to see the highlights. I'd rather spend time experiencing the culture. I want to do some shopping, wandering around different neighborhoods, and possibly doing a food tour. I'd love ideas you may have of other off-the-beaten-path options. I wondered about doing the Black Lights Theater at night.... Thoughts? How many days would be appropriate based on our interests?

CK was mentioned as an option to me by a travel agent a year ago. I have done a little research and it seems a little sleepy. Is that the case, or is it worth a trip? I'd love to hear opinions.

Thanks to all!

We, like you and your family, traveled quite a bit in Europe from the U.S. with our Tween/Teen children and they were into wherever the holiday took us. And then six years ago we ended up moving to Vienna. After the first year, give or take of day tripping on weekends to see this castle or that palace the then-Teens staged a rebellion. Every old building looked like the previous old building to them, understandably. However, if there was an outdoor element to the plan (hiking or cycling) they are/were onboard. Where I am going with my rambling is here: ask your teens what they are interested in doing and seeing, and then decide how many days you will need in Prague. If hiking/cycling appeals to you I would be happy to suggest ideas.

Regarding shopping, with Prague being a mere 4 hours up the road my friends and I enjoy shopping weekends from Vienna to take advantage of the lower prices at European and UK brand stores. (That, and Vienna lacks true department stores.) The Palladium, and Kotva across the square are good for regular shopping within the Stare Mesto; and for luxury brands, Ulice Pařížská won't disappoint. Any of the Manufaktura shops will have all the lotions, potions, and notions you never knew you needed, as well.

As for CK, you will probably receive a balance of responses: some love it, others find it, "Meh." DH and I enjoyed our first visit in 2001 more so than a return visit in 2014 because the tourist count had risen in the intervening years. We preferred Zamek Hluboká nad Vltavou to CK in nearby Ceske Budjovice (and with better crystal prices), actually; and a friend's "Must See" recommendation of Kutna Hora creeped all of us out.

I hope this is useful. Happy Planning!

Krumlow is very touristy.
But where will you go afterwards? There are direct buses from Krumlow to Salzburg and other Austrain towns.

Thank you for the suggestions, fourfortravel!

Neckervd...thank you. We will likely go to Salzburg or possible Vienna.

Ceske Budjovice is a pretty town, or at least the centre is. It's also the home of Budweiser Budvar, who do an excellent Brewery Tour.

We visited CK from CB by public bus, and quite enjoyed the place.

We were there in November time a few years ago, starting and finishing in Prague. We travelled around easily enough by train. For the full fortnight the country was in complete 'White Out'.....quite magical

I have an active family - one of our favorite things was a bike tour in Prague. Since we are a family of five, it is usually only a small incremental cost to go from a group tour (paying for 5) to a private tour, so we frequently do that. We loved our bike tour in Prague - it also is a great way to start and to get a layout of the city.

https://www.prahabike.cz/bike-tours-prague

It was fun to climb the Old Town Hall Tower - it was closed last year, but I think has re-opened.
https://www.prague.eu/en/object/plac...own-hall-tower

At the bottom of Prague Castle, make sure you save room for these:
https://www.google.com/search?q=pota...w=1527&bih=789


We took a day trip to Cesky Krumlov - with a stop at Hluboka Castle. Worked out great. Was a nice day away. Yes, you will be in the car (van) for a few hours, but much easier than dealing with metros, buses, shuttles... On one trip, we actually went Prague - Cesky Krumlov - Munich airport drop off, so we combined that trip along with the getting to Munich part.

https://mike-chauffeur.cz/

have a great trip!

All great suggestions, LancasterLad and surfmom! Thank you!!

It's been a decade, but most of the sights are the same. We spent four nights in Prague (with a day trip to Sedlec and Kutna Hora, and that was about perfect. We then traveled to Český Krumlov (photo below), which we loved. Chapters One - Five describe our time in Prague and Český Krumlov (with lots of photos)

https://travelswithmaitaitom.com/cen...e-venice-2008/

You may have a look at
https://www.ckshuttle.cz/transports/...cesky-krumlov/
https://www.beanshuttle.com/en/trans...iAAEgI6lvD_BwE
https://shop.flixbus.com/search?depa...ate=18.04.2019

You may also take a train from Budweis to Linz an der Donau and from there to either Vienna aor Salzburg

Some less touristy ideas for Prague proper, since you seem interested in that:

Vysehrad - gorgeous views, very peaceful (and less full of tourists) at night, centuries old gravestone with very unique markers, nice for an evening stroll!
Stromovka park in Holesovice, and the Holesovice neighborhood in general! Cross Club - it's a bar, but it's super unique (designed to look like the inside of the machine) if you're looking for something like that. I know you have teens, so maybe not - although one could certainly appreciate the design of the bar without the drinks! Also lots of great art galleries and street art to be seen on foot in this neighborhood! I believe there are even street art tours (self-guided) that you can look up online for this neighborhood. Could be a fun activity for you and the teens!
Walk around Zizkov neighborhood
Veverkova street has a lot of fun, hip new boutiques, artsy stores, designers, etc.
And lots of shops on Na Prikope, although this area is MUCH more touristy.
See a show at Narodni Divadlo
I loved Cesky Krumlov because it's adorable. Also loved Karlstejn castle as a day trip.

We were in Prague and Cesky Krumlov (CK) last September - both were heaving with tourists, but that didn't deter us in any way. It helps to stay at least a night in CK, after the day-tripping hordes are long gone and truly appreciate its charm. We used CK Shuttle (https://www.ckshuttle.cz/) to get from Lienz (they also service Salzburg) to CK and Regiojet's bus service (https://www.regiojet.com/) to travel between CK and Prague.

We loved Cesky Krumlov, too, and I highly recommend going there. But you must spend at least one night. It is very crowded during the day with daytrippers, but very peaceful and lovely at night. One of my favorite memories is having drinks at night at a cafe overlooking the castle, all lit up. Gorgeous!!!

We drove from Prague to CK, and stopped along the way at Hluboka Castle. It is gorgeous!!! I highly recommend. At the time (2009), this castle was not in my guidebook. The owner of our pension in Prague suggested we go there, and it was one of the highlights of our trip.

I also agree with Fleur de Lis about Vysehrad. It's beautiful and peaceful with fewer tourists. The cemetery is beautiful, and there is a very pretty small church, Sts Peter and Paul. And gorgeous views overlooking the river and the city.