2 nights or 3 in Cesky Krumlov

You’re correct in thinking Cesky Krumlov will be more crowded on weekends. Since September is still high season- CK will be very crowded on weekends. I would plan for three weeknights. After seeing the sights you have in mind any extra time can be spent simply enjoying the ambiance of this fairytale town. Note also that September 28, 2025 is St. Wenceslas Day- a national holiday in the Czech Republic.

Kenko, I am reading that the Castle is not open on Mondays. So I would have to do a pretty big shift on my vacation schedule. Do you know if other things there are also closed on Mondays? The town shops? Restuarants?

“Closed Mondays” applies to not only the Castle complex, but also the Egon Schiele Art Center. The Klastery Monastery and the Monastery of the Minorities are both OPEN on Mondays. The Church of St. Vitus is also OPEN Mondays. You’ll always be able to find shops and restaurants open, though some may close on Monday.
If you arrive on a Monday afternoon you could explore the town and see St. Vitus and the open monasteries. Save the castle for the day after arriving as it can easily take a half-day to enjoy it. The Egon Schiele could be seen on the second day as well, or the third day.
I definitely would avoid Saturdays and Sundays during September as the town can get crushingly crowded with not only Czech travelers but also 10 million Germans living 3.5 hours away in Munich and Nuremberg who, collectively, guarantee weekends in Cesky Krumlov will be jam-packed.
Have a great (weekday) trip!

Guided-tour-only access can sell out on any given day. Are you interested in the Baroque Theater? It may? have only one English tour a day.

I loved CK. It is a long way from Prague. You should not let that fact distract you from a dispassionate decision about how long it will take you to see. Do you have a car, and will you see other towns in the general area? Since we didn't want to kayak or hike, I think one night is enough. OPINION.

Hi, angela, I think you will love Cesky Krumlov and I agree with Kenko about spending 3 weeknights there. Yes, the castle is closed on Monday, but you can still go up there and explore as the courtyards are open at night. When I was there, my friend and I walked up the hill on Monday evening and found ourselves the only people around. We wandered through the stone corridors of the castle courtyards (the place is gigantic–second only to Prague Castle in size) and were able to look out through openings in the stone walls at the village below. The castle tower is a beautiful work of art, with rich colors and detailed illustrations, and as we walked under the tower and through the high arched hallways, we could almost feel like we had stepped back in time.

Then if you are there for another day or two, you could go back inside the castle. However, I do highly recommending visiting the exterior at night. It was really a magical experience.

We were just in CK in early September (weekdays) for three nights and it was not crowded at all. The central area was very compact so we saw it all (i.e., shopping) in half a day. I think 2 would be enough, but then I'm not a castle fan.

PS Our favorite thing was the evening raft trip around the town, which follows the loop of the river so you end up close to where you started. Note that its seasonal, so may not be running while you're there.

I see Stan mentions a raft trip…one of our best memories was a canoe trip from a local provider. Our visit was in May a few years ago, the river was shallow, paddling easy. We selected the itinerary (there were a few) suggested by the livery and it was perfect. Paddled up to a riverside campsite for grilled sausages and beer, and picked up at the end and driven back to town. All fun, flawless. Safe travels. CK is beautiful. We wandered at will and enjoyed every minute.