Through the winding, cobbled streets of Cesky Krumlov

After a break, in this new post, I am writing about my experience while visiting the pretty, but not quite popular township of Cesky Krumlov (Český Krumlov) in the Czech Republic. Situated in the South Bohemian region on the shores of the Vltava River, this place will definitely be one of your favorites in Europe upon visiting!

There are not many highlights in this town, unlike Prague for example, but it gives much more a wholesome experience of a Czech town than any other. All the important tourist spots can be seen in one day, but can you feel the essence of this elegant, little town already? 

The main highlights include the Cesky Krumlov Castle, the Cloak Bridge, the Monastery of the Minorites, and the St. Vitus Church. These spots will be described in detail in my next post, while this post will give you a feeling of this vintage townscape.

The best feeling that I got during my trip to this town was that of relaxation. There are a large number of old, cobbled streets spread around that I and my friends explored with ease. Strolling around early in the morning when not many tourists are around, having a nice coffee at one of these small cafes in a corner while not bothered about time- these constitute my idea of travel. Due to this reason, visiting Cesky Krumlov turned out to be more like a relaxing break for me.

View of the Castle Tower from one of the streets

The river Vltava meanders throughout beneath the town. Towards the north-western side of the town, we crossed the river and could see the Cloak Bridge a few meters away. I particularly liked this small bridge that took us to the larger Cloak Bridge because we could see the river slowly brushing aside the basement rocks of the town, on top of which all the roofed buildings are neatly stacked.  

View of the town from the bridge on the way to the Cloak Bridge

The Cesky Krumlov Castle constitutes a large area with multiple buildings and courtyards. Giving glimpses of Renaissance and Baroque architecture prevalent in the 17th century, the different tours across the various buildings of the castle are recommended to understand the historical background of this town. Apart from this, the castle gives stunning views of the town from a different perspective! 

View of the town from one of the viewing terraces of the castle

The most interesting historical site is the castle itself, from which you can see the St. Vitus Church and other important buildings already from far. The Castle Tower, situated on the other end of the castle offers a view from even higher up if you are ready to climb some stairs up the tower. 

View of the St. Vitus Church from the Cesky Krumlov Castle

There are a variety of things to do in the town, and I would suggest staying in this charming town for two days to experience the nightlife here as well, apart from the tourist spots. This small town is more vibrant during late evenings, and the cobbled streets are full of people talking and drinking. There are multiple choices for tasting traditional food, which is also cheaper when compared to Prague. I love different varieties of soups from the country, so this was my chance to try my favorite ones!

Traditional soup with bread served as a bowl

A traditional restaurant that I found as interesting in the old town is Krčma šatlava, which blends with the mood of the winding, cobbled streets, and the dim yellow lighted by numerous hanging lanterns outside. Apart from this restaurant where having a wholesome dinner lifts your mood completely, there are also cafes at different spots in this old town, where you can enjoy a nice coffee on a typical afternoon. 

The interiors of an old town restaurant Krčma šatlava

The traditional buildings of Lofou village in Cyprus

 

In my previous post on my visit to the Lofou village in Cyprus, I mentioned that all the houses in the village are made of essentially limestone. This limestone was gathered from the surroundings by shepherds years ago for building up their houses as this was the only easily available rock material, apart from mud and clay. Giving the impression of an amphitheater, and situated in between and hidden by surrounding carbonate hills, no wonder this village is listed by UNESCO as an architecturally important village.

A street lined by neighbouring houses with limestone walls

The next day, while roaming around the streets, I saw a local church (Church of Chrysolofitissa) and a meeting place that is likely for tourists. The church has a few interesting murals and an influence from Gothic art. There were many abandoned houses and some spots that looked like archeological sites. It is to be recalled that people have lived here since the Bronze Age. This village is not much explored by tourists, and I guess that in a few years, this place will be known for its crude beauty. More than the beauty, I loved it that the village has maintained its traditional homes with wooden balconies.

Along the main street and a few meters away from the church stood one or two coffee shops and a souvenir shop. The shop owners were just beginning to open their shops and were looking in my direction quizzically. Of course, I look out of place to them! I sat down on a chair in one of the coffee shops, ordered coffee, and looked around. One of the two coffee drinkers started to talk in a friendly manner (it is impressive how good people here are in English!), and at some point was trying to be very helpful in suggesting to me ways to reach the city later that day. Limassol is the closest one, and reaching there would be by bus, which runs from the village only three times a day, or by taxi. All the people there were very warm towards me, and in the beginning, I was quite reluctant to respond. This is common among solo travellers to be cautious. Everything turned out to be good in the end, and they both bought a coffee and some cookies for me from the shop saying that I am their first acquaintance from India.

The next interesting sight was the local school, which is an example of neoclassical architecture, located away from the main part of the village. On my way back stood the home of the schoolmaster, with a name board, which looked quite interesting to me; I love these small details! I could not visit the Olive mill museum, but I have heard that they show the history of the village and show a collection of folkloric items. 

The schoolmaster's house near to the local school of Lofou

One important detail that is related to everything in Lofou is the abundance of cats, stray or pet ones. This is a common feature in the whole of Cyprus as well. In Lofou, I felt that even the stray cats were looked after really well jointly by groups of surrounding families. Small kittens on my way around the village piqued my interest and they entertained me until the end of the street. It seems that they are aware of their territories! 

My next visit was to a local wine shop, which is known to be the only shop having a large selection of Cypriot wines- Agrovino wine bar. This bar is located in the other side of the village, slightly away from all the main attractions. I loved the interior of the wine bar!💓

Sunset view of Lofou village and the surrounding carbonate hills

A small thunderstorm was on the horizon, so I opted for a taxi later even though it was not cheap. As the taxi had to come from Limassol to pick me up, the ride did not turn out to be the cheapest but surely more adventurous! The rain was pouring in heavily and I could barely see outside as the taxi winded its way down the carbonate platforms on the way to Limassol. From there, I got on an air-conditioned coach bus that drove to Paphos, one of the main cities in Cyprus. I came to know then that these buses run many times during the day covering the major cities- Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca, and Nicosia. 

My few days in Cyprus were initially planned to be spent in Paphos and Larnaca, but a few suggestions over internet took me here, as I wanted to experience the feeling of staying in a traditional village. After spending two weeks travelling over Cyprus as part of a geological field trip and holidays after that, this village was my best choice of them all, as I remember every nook and corner along its winding streets and its striking panorama!

San Gimignano and its medieval cityscape

 San Gimignano, situated in the Tuscan region of Italy, is known for its medieval townscape that can attract any enthusiastic traveler. In my previous blog posts, I described in detail the beauty of the old town and its surroundings.  In this post, some of the important buildings inside the ancient town complex are described in detail for enthusiasts of history and even romance. Being a UNESCO heritage site due to the creative genius of mankind, the towering buildings in the town complex need a special mention.

The stone-made Torre Grossa, the highest tower in the city, is not an easy climb after a hearty lunch! The tower gives a nice view of the city and its surroundings hills and pastures, and is worth climbing up. However, this is not the best part of the city that I would recommend. Probably the Devil's Tower nearby would have piqued my interest, if I was aware of the building during my visit (also if I knew that the building is associated with the video game Assassin's Creed!). 

View of Torre Grossa from the surroundings of the Piazza del Duomo

The Piazza del Duomo is one of the important spots for understanding the religious and political life during medieval times. A major example of this that I felt during my visit was the interior of the Cathedral of San Gimignano. At first sight, the altar and the passage looked like any other cathedral built in Florentine style, however, the life-size frescoes on both sides of the walls made this place look unique to me. 

The altar of the Cathedral of San Gimignano with frescoes on both sides of the wall

The frescoes inside the cathedral require a special mention, as it is these nicely preserved and bright creations that I love the most and do not want anyone who visits this city to miss. Even if you do not know each and every event in the Bible, the frescoes can be easily recognized as different scenes from the Old and New Testaments. These are portrayed separately on two different sides of the walls. So far, I have not witnessed frescoes anywhere that show an eventful portrayal of the Bible so vividly and dramatically.

Frescoes inside the Cathedral of San Gimignano

There are a few interesting museums that are combined with the Municipal Palace (Palazzo Comunale). Dating back to the 13th century, this building hosts many frescoes and historical artefacts related to the visit of the poet Dante Alighieri, which interested me. This also includes a visit to the Picture Gallery (Pinacoteca) showing some examples of Florentine art. At the end of the gallery, there is also the entrance to the Torre Grossa tower. If one is not an admirer of too much information and just wants to feel the place, just sitting in a corner in the courtyard and looking around can give what you want.

Entrance of Palazzo Comunale to the courtyard

The courtyard of the Palazzo Comunale caught my attention. There are some slightly worn frescoes around and a cistern dating back to the 13th century. It interested me that there are different sights to see even before entering the museums that are situated on the upper floors of the building that you see when you go further into the courtyard.

A cistern and some frescoes in the courtyard of the Palazzo Comunale

Spending a few days exploring the cityscape and outskirts of San Gimignano has been one of the best getaway holidays I've had recently. The charming medieval architecture, picturesque landscapes, and the serene atmosphere made for an unforgettable experience.