Červená Lhota
- Not to be confused with Červená Lhota (Třebíč District).
Červená Lhota (Pluhův Žďár) is a village in South Bohemia. It is known mostly for its red renaissance château with which it shares its name.
Understand
The village and the château have a similar history, being founded some time in 14th century. Today, there are only about 30 people living permanently in this village, but it is packed with tourists (local and foreign) going to see the château. The château is one of the main Czech tourist destinations. Most tourists come in July and August when there are school holidays in Czechia. Everything is normally dead in winter, when the château is closed.
Get in
By bus
There is a bus stop in the village with frequent buses going from Soběslav. Soběslav lies on the main railway between Prague and České Budějovice, with trains from Prague going every hour or two. Use idos to find transportation, and don't forget to set it to search both for trains and buses. Changing from train to bus in Soběslav should be no problem, as the train and bus station are almost next to each other. Train tickets is can be bought at Czech Railways website for the best price, and bus tickets are obtainable only from the bus driver.
Červená Lhota is listed as "Pluhův Žďár,Červená Lhota" in idos and other search engines. If you only write "Červená Lhota", you will be taken to a completely different village in a different part of the country.
By car
There is a paid parking lot at the main road passing through the village with enough space for everyone. Driving time from Prague should be between 90 and 150 minutes as the traffic conditions on the main road between Prague and České Budějovice are not always perfect.
On foot
Červená Lhota is connected a few marked tourist trails from many near villages and towns. Most usable would be the blue one which connects Červená Lhota to the railway station in Kardašova Řečice and presents a 10 km-long hike in nice countryside. Use OsmAnd or Mapy.cz in outdoor mode to plan a hike.
By bicycle
Many sparsely driven roads are usable for biking, some of them marked as biking trails. As a bike greatly extends your range: You can visit Červená Lhota on a bike trip from Jindřichův Hradec, Kamenice nad Lipou, Tábor or Třeboň. You can also take the bike on the train and use it as a last leg instead of the bus. Again, use mapy.cz in outdoor mode for planning a bike trip.
Get around
The village is extremely small and you only need to walk a bit.
See
- 1 Červená Lhota château, ☏ +420 384 384 228, cervenalhota@npu.cz. 9.30–15.45. It was built in the 14th century as a castle, and was rebuilt in the 19th century to its current state. It stands on a rock in the middle of a pond and is brightly red, which makes it extremely photogenic. It is owned by the state, but the interior has been restored to a state similar to when the last noble family still lived there. There are guided tours of the interior (as in most Czech châteaux and castles, you are not allowed to see the interior by yourself). 100 Kč for adults, 70 Kč discounts for students and pensioners. You will be given a ticket with the time of your tour. The chateau is closed on Mondays and from the beginning of November until the end of March, which is a pity, as it is equally photogenic when covered by snow.
- 2 Chapel of the Holy Trinity. A small chapel in the chateau gardens, with an interesting wooden ceiling. Open if there are enough tourists to go inside, which means at least the whole summer. free.
- 3 Memorial of Collectivization. A large stone monument reminding people of the forced collectivization which happened in the 1940s and 1950s during the reign of the communist regime, and which destroyed the lives of many people and damaged the Czech countryside for a long time.
Do
- 1 Rent a paddle boat. You can rent a paddle boat to see the castle from the surrounding pond. This is especially popular among couples seeking to do something romantic. The pond has no water for the rest of 2018 and probably will have no water until the summer 2019. 80 Kč for 30 minutes, 150 Kč for 60 minutes..
- Cycling – There are many marked biking trails around, and many country roads with low traffic. This part of Czechia is quite scenic and popular among local tourist thanks to many ponds, castles and nice villages. If you do not have your own bike, you can rent one at many Czech Railways railway stations or most hotels. Use OsmAnd or Mapy.cz in outdoor mode to plan a bike trip.
- Hiking – Similar to biking, you can use the wide network of Czech marked tourist trails to hike in the area.
Buy
There are overpriced souvenir shops on the way from the main road to the chateau, which are best avoided. There is no food store in the village, so bring a snack.
Eat
There are a few restaurants in the village, but they are a bit overpriced as they mostly aim at foreign tourists. Check the prices before walking in or eat in some nearby town, which will probably present a more authentic gastronomic experience.
Drink
Local beer is served in all restaurants in the village. Czech people tend to have a few beers during the lunch even when riding a bicycle, even though this is illegal.
Sleep
There is no real hotel in the town, but there are at least two guest-houses. If you want to stay longer and save some money, look for accommodations in nearby villages and towns.
- 1 Červená Lhota restaurant, ☏ +420 384 384 305, mkoptis@instinct.cz. Biggest restaurant and accommodation provider in the village, they have 9 rooms. Closed from October to April. 400 Kč per night per person.
Connect
There is Wi-Fi in the restaurant and 4G everywhere.
Go next
Everything listed here is doable as a bike trip.
- Deštná – Nearby town with an aviation museum and rope museum.
- Kamenice nad Lipou – Laid-back town with historical narrow-gauge railway.
- Jindřichův Hradec – The biggest city in the region, with a historical central square and one of the largest castles in the Czech Republic