Ceský Krumlov, Czech Republic

The old town of Ceský Krumlov unfolds in a maze of narrow winding streets, centuries-old houses, shops, and taverns. Very famous are also the castle gardens, complete with an open-air theatre and its peculiarity – the revolving auditorium.

 
However, Ceský Krumlov means more than only an exceptional complex of three hundred years of historical buildings. The town is also a cultural, social, and tourist center.

 
The best known one is the Five-petalled Rose Festival celebrated on the weekend of summer solstice in June. The whole downtown area is cleared of traffic and turned into a "medieval" town again, brimming with craftsmen, artists, musicians, and local people dressed in costumes ranging anywhere from peasants to members of the court and nobility. Activities such as jousting, fencing, historical dance performances, and folk theatre plays take place all over the town including the castle, local park, and the river bank. The festival is concluded by a spectacular firework show above the castle.