Ceske Budejovice buying snow

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Ceske Budejovice buying snow

The snow, already half a foot deep, is falling softly in fat flakes. Large groups of friends and family are gathered together. I cannot hear a single English accent. We are in Premysl Otakar II Square, the historic centre of Ceske Budejovice, about 75 miles south of Prague in South Bohemia, having travelled for about three hours in increasingly nerve-inducing weather conditions as darkness set in. This small-but-perfectly-formed Christmas market is well off the tourist trail. It is the first night of our holiday and it is off to a suitably festive start. The Czech Republic celebrates the festive season in its own unique way, with many families enjoying a traditional Christmas dinner of carp on December But by the time we arrive in early December, the country has already become a playground of festive markets and church nativity scenes, all set against a backdrop of fairytale villages and castles. Just to complete the scene, the snow does not stop falling all night. We wake to the tell-tale muffled hush next morning to find that an army of snow ploughs have been out clearing roads. We set off from the cosy security of our hotel on a 25km trip to lively Cesky Krumlov, a UNESCO World Heritage site considered one of the most beautiful towns in Europe, and, after Prague Castle, the second most visited location in the country. Dominated by a castle built from the 14th century and stretching across the Vltava river, which cascades through the centre of the town, the already picturesque setting is made breathtaking by the deep blanket of snow. Warm cafes tucked into nooks along the narrow cobblestone streets are serving hot chocolate, and as the day goes on craft workshops show visitors how to make decorations and ornaments. It is with a mixture of reluctance and excitement that we set off out into the snow again for the journey to Prague, which would usually take a little over two hours but becomes an exercise in finding any road still open that has not been blocked by tankers and buses that have lost their battle with the conditions. The sausage and cheese come in handy, and the unexpected detours give us a Narnia-esque experience of the Czech countryside. The tree is dressed with giant Christmas stars and red and gold baubles, and is draped in , LED lights, making a spectacular sight set against the dark Gothic skyline. They are a major tourist attraction, drawing people from all over the world to their brightly decorated wooden huts, where you can purchase everything from handmade wooden puppets to traditional Christmas fish soup rybi polevka made from carp, vegetables, cream and brandy, and cooked in huge cauldrons. Every possible Christmas decoration is on offer, while the air is thick with delicious aromas of popular Czech foods such as large hams roasted on spits sunka , klobasa, flatbread topped with garlic, cheese and ketchup langos , chips hranolky , smoked meat dumplings knedliky plnene uzenym masem , sweet dumplings sladke knedliky and crepes palacinky. Rising above it all is the Old Town Hall Tower, almost 70 metres high with a viewing gallery at the top offering breathtaking views over the city. We make our way to the top, and look out over a scene of snow-topped roofs, Christmas trees, the glowing markets with smoke rising from the food stalls, and entire avenues of trees running through the city lit up with fairy lights. For more information on the destinations, go to visitczechia. By Josie Clarke, PA.