Private tour guide in Český Krumlov
The town you came for, without the crowd.
Private walking tours of Český Krumlov with Sylva, a local tour guide who grew up on these streets. Just your own small group, €100 per group, in English or Czech.
Make a day of it: add a food tour, a beer tasting or rafting to your walk.
The Signature Walk: a private walking tour of Český Krumlov
Three hours with the town to ourselves
A private guided walking tour of Český Krumlov's old town and castle with a local guide who grew up here. Just your own group, at your pace.
Not "this was built in 1590." Why it was built, who paid for it, and what the morning after looked like.
- The old townHidden courtyards, plague column, and lanes the day-trippers miss.
- The castleThe bridge, the gardens and the Bear Moat, with the family stories behind them.
- The river bendThe best viewpoints over the Vltava, and when to be there.
- Beyond the routeWhere I eat, what I'd skip, and a plan for the rest of your stay.
Then add a tasting or outing below, if you like.
Add-ons to the walk: food, beer and chocolate tastings, rafting and more
Add to your walk
Make a day of it: a tasting or an outing before or after the Signature Walk. Priced per person.
These are add-ons to the Signature Walk, not tours on their own. Add the walk first, then pick as many as you like.
Hot Chocolate TastingA family chocolatier tucked in a courtyard.1 hour·€35 / person
Five single-origin chocolates from small farms, tasted with the maker, and a box of house truffles to take home.
- ✓Tasting of five single-origin chocolates
- ✓Time with the maker
- ✓A box of house truffles to take home
Czech Food ExperienceDumplings, svíčková and trdelník, the real versions.2 hours·€75 / person
Three stops: a bakery that sells out by noon, a South Moravian wine cellar, and a restaurant whose menu changes daily.
- ✓Three tasting stops
- ✓Dishes at each stop
- ✓Wine from a South Moravian cellar
Craft Beer TastingSouth Bohemian lager, from a 1898 brewery to a new taproom.2 hours·€45 / person
We start with unpasteurised lager from a small old brewery, then a craft taproom that opened last year.
- ✓Two venues, old brewery and new taproom
- ✓Several tasting pours
- ✓Background on Czech brewing
Local Market & TastingsHoney, cured meats and cave-aged cheese.2 hours·€65 / person
The Saturday market is a genuinely local affair. We taste straight from the producers.
- ✓Tastings straight from the producers
- ✓Honey, cured meats and cheese
- ✓Help choosing what to take home
Baroque TheatreA private look at a 1682 stage before it opens.1 hour·€55 / person
Stand on stage, operate the original wind machine, examine the 17th-century costume archive.
- ✓Private entry before opening
- ✓Access to the stage and machinery
- ✓A look at the costume archive
Egon Schiele GalleryThe controversial painter who was jailed here.1 hour·€25 / person
Schiele painted his mother's hometown and was imprisoned in Krumlov for obscenity. The gallery holds his work beside contemporary shows.
- ✓Entry to the gallery
- ✓Context on Schiele and Krumlov
- ✓Time with the permanent collection
Monastery & GardensBaroque frescoes almost nobody comes to see.1 hour·€30 / person
A 13th-century Minorite monastery that outlasted the Hussites and the Thirty Years War, a quiet contrast to the castle.
- ✓Entry to the monastery and church
- ✓The frescoes explained
- ✓A walk through the gardens
Vltava RaftingThe famous river bend, seen from the water.3 hours·€55 / person
We raft through the loop with the castle above, stopping for photos at the best angles.
- ✓Raft, paddles and safety gear
- ✓Instruction before we start
- ✓Photo stops at the best angles
Hike to Kleť SummitBeech forest, an observatory and a view of four countries.5 hours·€60 / person
An easy half-day hike to 1084 m with a medieval watchtower at the top.
- ✓Route through the beech forest
- ✓Entry to the watchtower
- ✓Notes on the observatory and the view
Something else in mind for your day? Ask about a custom tour, I'll tell you honestly if I can do it.
Add to your walk
Make a day of it: a tasting or an outing before or after the Signature Walk. Priced per person.
These are add-ons to the Signature Walk, not tours on their own. Add the walk first, then pick as many as you like.
Select any row to see what's included and the photos.
Hot Chocolate TastingA family chocolatier tucked in a courtyard.1 hour€35 / personDetails
Five single-origin chocolates from small farms, tasted with the maker, and a box of house truffles to take home.
- ✓Tasting of five single-origin chocolates
- ✓Time with the maker
- ✓A box of house truffles to take home
1 hour · €35 per person · added to the Signature Walk · EN · CZ
Czech Food ExperienceDumplings, svíčková and trdelník, the real versions.2 hours€75 / personDetails
Three stops: a bakery that sells out by noon, a South Moravian wine cellar, and a restaurant whose menu changes daily.
- ✓Three tasting stops
- ✓Dishes at each stop
- ✓Wine from a South Moravian cellar
2 hours · €75 per person · added to the Signature Walk · EN · CZ
Craft Beer TastingSouth Bohemian lager, from a 1898 brewery to a new taproom.2 hours€45 / personDetails
We start with unpasteurised lager from a small old brewery, then a craft taproom that opened last year.
- ✓Two venues, old brewery and new taproom
- ✓Several tasting pours
- ✓Background on Czech brewing
2 hours · €45 per person · added to the Signature Walk · EN · CZ
Local Market & TastingsHoney, cured meats and cave-aged cheese.2 hours€65 / personDetails
The Saturday market is a genuinely local affair. We taste straight from the producers.
- ✓Tastings straight from the producers
- ✓Honey, cured meats and cheese
- ✓Help choosing what to take home
2 hours · €65 per person · added to the Signature Walk · EN · CZ
Baroque TheatreA private look at a 1682 stage before it opens.1 hour€55 / personDetails
Stand on stage, operate the original wind machine, examine the 17th-century costume archive.
- ✓Private entry before opening
- ✓Access to the stage and machinery
- ✓A look at the costume archive
1 hour · €55 per person · added to the Signature Walk · EN · CZ
Egon Schiele GalleryThe controversial painter who was jailed here.1 hour€25 / personDetails
Schiele painted his mother's hometown and was imprisoned in Krumlov for obscenity. The gallery holds his work beside contemporary shows.
- ✓Entry to the gallery
- ✓Context on Schiele and Krumlov
- ✓Time with the permanent collection
1 hour · €25 per person · added to the Signature Walk · EN · CZ
Monastery & GardensBaroque frescoes almost nobody comes to see.1 hour€30 / personDetails
A 13th-century Minorite monastery that outlasted the Hussites and the Thirty Years War, a quiet contrast to the castle.
- ✓Entry to the monastery and church
- ✓The frescoes explained
- ✓A walk through the gardens
1 hour · €30 per person · added to the Signature Walk · EN · CZ
Vltava RaftingThe famous river bend, seen from the water.3 hours€55 / personDetails
We raft through the loop with the castle above, stopping for photos at the best angles.
- ✓Raft, paddles and safety gear
- ✓Instruction before we start
- ✓Photo stops at the best angles
3 hours · €55 per person · added to the Signature Walk · EN · CZ
Hike to Kleť SummitBeech forest, an observatory and a view of four countries.5 hours€60 / personDetails
An easy half-day hike to 1084 m with a medieval watchtower at the top.
- ✓Route through the beech forest
- ✓Entry to the watchtower
- ✓Notes on the observatory and the view
5 hours · €60 per person · added to the Signature Walk · EN · CZ
Something else in mind for your day? Ask about a custom tour, I'll tell you honestly if I can do it.
Or instead: special history tours of Český Krumlov
A special tour, on its own
Not the classic walk, but one story told properly. A special tour is booked on its own: no Signature Walk needed, just pick the one that speaks to you.
- Booked alone
- One per request
- Per person
Choose one
Tap a tour to read more.
The 90s in Krumlov
"I was a student when the borders opened. Overnight, the town I knew started to change."
We walk the streets I walked as a student, past the buildings that were nearly lost and the ones saved just in time. I'll tell you what the town was like in 1989, who opened the first guesthouse, and why some locals still avoid the main square.
Seven Centuries of the Castle
"Every family that owned this castle left something behind. Some of it they would rather we forgot."
This is the long version of the castle. We follow the families room by room and courtyard by courtyard, with access to spaces normally reserved for researchers. Bring questions; this one is for people who want the footnotes.
Krumlov After the Day-Trippers
"At six the coaches leave. That is when I take my own evening walk."
We meet as the last coaches leave and follow the river while the light turns gold. Two viewpoints, a few stories about the people who live here now, and a terrace table at the end. Starts about 90 minutes before sunset.
Request a private tour of Český Krumlov
Tell me what you'd like, and when
Choose the Signature Walk (with any add-ons) or one special tour, or just ask a question, you don't have to choose anything first. It is only a request: nothing is booked and nothing is paid. I'll reply within a day.
Nothing chosen yet, and that is fine. Add the Signature Walk (and any add-ons), pick a special tour, or simply send me your question.
Estimate only. More than eight of you, a special wish, an odd request? Write to me directly, I run this myself and I'm happy to work it out.
Český Krumlov private tours: FAQ
Questions, answered
Do I need a tour guide in Český Krumlov?
You can walk the old town on your own, it is small. A local guide adds what the signs leave out: who built it, why, and where to go once the coaches leave. On a private tour you also set the pace.
What is the difference between a private tour and a group tour?
On a private tour it is only your own party and your guide, so the route, the pace and the questions are yours. The Signature Walk is a flat €100 for up to eight people.
How long does a walking tour of Český Krumlov take?
The Signature Walk takes three hours and covers the old town, the castle and the best viewpoints over the river. Add a tasting or an outing if you want to make a day of it.
What does it cost?
The Signature Walk is €100 per group. Add-ons and special tours are priced per person.
Do I pay when I send a request?
No. A request books nothing. We agree the details by email first.
How big are the groups?
Small ones. Often it is only your own party.
What if we are more than eight, or have a special wish?
Write to me. I run this myself, so almost anything can be talked through.
Which languages?
All tours are in English or Czech.
How do we agree on a tour?
Send a request with a day that suits you. I reply within a day and we settle it by email.
Can I book just a tasting, without the walk?
Tastings and outings are add-ons to the Signature Walk, so they come with it. A special tour is different: it is booked on its own, no walk needed.
Can I combine a special tour with the Signature Walk?
Each request is either the Signature Walk (with any add-ons) or one special tour. Want both on different days? Send two requests, or just tell me in the message.
Something missing? Send me your question.
Meet Sylva, your local tour guide in Český Krumlov
I'm Sylva. I never left.
I grew up here in the seventies and eighties, in a neglected town nobody photographed. Then the nineties arrived and swept everything, and me, into a sea of possibilities.
Someone always turns up to help. For me it was my English teacher, who taught me the town's history and made me fall in love with its stories, and with meeting people. After all these years, this place is my life's work.
As a private tour guide I speak English and Czech, and the language of good coffee and slow pacing. Every tour is private: you, your people and the town.
Sylva