Slavonice

Slavonice is a historic town of roughly 2300 inhabitants in 2022 in South Bohemia, near the border with Austria. Because of its well-preserved renaissance centre, it is called "smaller Telč". Slavonice is a charming town and definitely an off-the-beaten-path destination.

Renaissance houses in Slavonice

Understand

Slavonice used to be on main trading route from Bohemia to Austria. Most of the buildings in the historic centre are from this era. Then, merchants started to use different routes and Slavonice "fell by the wayside". Thanks in part to that, the historic centre is well-preserved. Before the Second World War the majority of the inhabitants of the town was ethnically German and mostly Lutheran.

• 1 Tourist information, nám. Míru 476 (on main square), ☏ +420 384 493 320, i@slavonice-mesto.cz. (updated Oct 2015)

Get in

By car

Slavonice is on the southern edge of the Czech Republic and it takes approximately 2 hr 15 min by car to get there from Prague.

By bus and train

Travelling by public transport is complicated and long. A direct bus from Prague exists, but it makes rather frequent stops and thus takes roughly three hours to get there. From České Budějovice, it takes approximately 2 hr 30 min using public transportation and there is no direct connection . There is no train connection from Austria.

Get around

The whole place is rather small and you should have no major problems getting around on foot.

See

House no. 480 with famous vault

Historic centre comprises of more than 50 houses in gothic, renaissance and baroque style located on Peace Square, Upper Square and surrounding streets.

• 1 Peace Square. Heart of the town, most of historic houses are there. (updated Oct 2015)
• 2 Town tower, Horní náměstí 529, ☏ +420 732 803 025. Town tower 56 m tall from early 16th century. Nice view of Slavonice and surrounding countryside. Adults 20 Kč, children under 15 years old 10 Kč. (updated Oct 2015)
• 3 Two town gates and remains of town walls. Two renaissance gates, Jilemnická and Dačická. (updated Oct 2015)
• 4 Historic underground, náměstí Míru 480, ☏ +420 777 038 978, podzemi@shslavonice.cz. July and August 09:30-17:00, June and September possible, after arrangement. Not for claustrophobics! (updated Oct 2015)
• 5 House no. 480, náměstí Míru 480. House famous for so-called "diamond vault" and sgraffiti interior. (updated Oct 2015)

Outside of the centre

• 6 Slavonice WWII fortification complex, J. Žižky 4, ☏ +420 606 124 829. May Jun Sep: Sa Su 10:00-17:00, Jul Aug: daily 10:00-17:00, or by arrangement. Museum of defensive fortification line of Czechoslovakia constructed in 1935-1938. (updated Nov 2015)

Part of 7 the fortification is restored and some of the bunkers are open for public (same times as the museum). The educational trail (2.9 km) can be accessed any time, also outside the opening hours.

Do

Arts

• 1 Mariz Ceramics, Horní náměstí 532, ☏ +420 702 180 764, mariz@mariz.cz. Apr-Oct: daily 09:00-19:00, Nov-Mar: W-Su 09:00-18:00. Buy a ceramic cups and other products. You can take a course or just drop by and paint your own ceramic cup or decorate textiles (T-shirts, table cloths, bags, also own ones) with stencils. (updated Oct 2015)

Another branch of 2 Maříž textile and ceramic workshps is located in Maříž village, just outside Slavonice. Jul Aug: daily 10:00-18:00; May Jun Sep: Sa Su 10:00-18:00.

Festivals

• Slavonice Fest. Film and music festival held in August. Czech films are shown in original (some of them with English subtitles), foreign films in original with Czech subtitles. (updated Nov 2015)

Cycling

Great way of exploring Slavonice and around is cycling.

• 3 Cyklo sport U Čápa (Bicycle shop, rental and workshop), Jana Žižky 51, ☏ +420 606 133 522, kaplancyklo@centrum.cz. Daily 09:00-18:00. 30 Kč/hour or 250 Kč/day or 1300 Kč/week. (updated Nov 2015)

Buy

• 1 Flop Store, náměstí Míru 481, ☏ +420 384 493 436, chalupa.slavonice@seznam.cz. 07:00–18:00 daily. Small department store on the main square (updated Oct 2015)
• 2 COOP, Svatopluka Čecha 124, ☏ +420 384 493 198, jednota@jednotajh.cz. M-F 06:30–18:00, Sa 06:30–11:30, Su 07:30–11:30. Department store in front of bus station. (updated Oct 2015)

Eat

• 1 Besídka Restaurant, Horní náměstí 522, ☏ +420 384 493 293, besidka@besidka.cz. Su-Th 09:00–23:00, F Sa 09:00–01:00. Part of hotel and very good restaurant with (family-)friendly atmosphere. International cuisine - pasta, pizza, french pancakes. Free wifi. (updated Oct 2015)

Drink

• 1 Cafe U Nás doma, náměstí Míru 465, ☏ +420 606 933 587, galerie@galerie-slavonice.com. daily 10:00–18:00. Café with small gallery. Good homemade desserts. (updated Oct 2015)

Sleep

• 1 Besídka Hotel, Horní náměstí 522, ☏ +420 606 212 070, besidka@besidka.cz. This design hotel with 8 unique rooms is another reason for a visit of Slavonice. (updated Oct 2015)
• 2 U Giordanů Pension, Horní nám. 517, ☏ +420 605 068 546. Pension in historic house with amazing Lutheran sgraffito. Free wi-fi. (updated Oct 2015)

Go next

Landštej Castle

• Nearby - in walking distance is, for example, the pilgrimage church Montserrat, Jewish cemetery in Dolní Bolíkov or Landštejn Castle.
• České Budějovice, Telč, Třebíč, Jindřichův Hradec and other destinations in South Bohemia and Bohemian-Moravian Highlands
• Lower Austria - borders are 1200 m from Slavonice.