Protivín

"Forward the brave!" said the good soldier Švejk to himself. Duty calls. I must get to Budějovice."
But by an unfortunate chance instead of going from Protivín south to Budějovice Švejk directed his steps to the north towards Písek.

How to reach Protivín from Písek

By car:

• I/20 direction České Budějovice (14 km)

By bus:

• from the main bus station in Písek or from Budějovická Street, several daily connections including the weekend

By train:

• line no. 200, frequent daily connections

By bike:

• several cycling routes along the I/20, one can pleasantly explore the Žďár - Nová Ves area
• there is a direct cycling route no. 1146
• a popular route is the 1043 via Hůrky to Smrkovice, then continue on blue to Maletice and from there along the cycling route 1147 to Protivín

On foot:

• red to Smrkovice, then blue to Protivín (15 km)

Things to do

• For information on what to do, visit the ´chapel house´. This is a building adjacent to the Church of St Elizabeth of Portugal, which used to be a hospital and later was turned into flats. Nowadays, the building houses a friendly information centre and a small zoological museum showing original skeletons and taxidermy exhibits which are definitely for real.
• The local museum situated on the main square will reveal a number of interesting facts about the life and history of this town. You can find out what a so called corner pot or a non baptised form were used for. Your offspring might be intrigued by the interactive exhibition of exotic flora and fauna.
• If in Protivín, then visit the crocodiles. It is no joke, but a new tourist attraction. From the 1st of May till the 31st of October, you can visit the crocodile zoo located in a farm building near the square. Breeding crocodiles is undoubtedly a very unusual activity and you can see not only live reptiles here, but also their skeletons. The engaging and instructive lecture on crocodiles will transport you to the lands where crocodiles roam free. www.krokodylizoo.cz
• If you are into beer, try the local Platan (Plane tree) brewed in the local brewery. Unsurprisingly, the road to the brewery is lined with plane trees and you might like to go for a beer tasting session or to buy some souvenirs.
• The nature trail "Zelendárky" is well signed and takes you through picturesque countryside. The nature trail will provide you with much information on the historical, natural and technical points of interest. You will learn about old roads and highway robbers, you will forget about electricity and return to the 16th century when people started settling down in the local wilderness and Jiřík Zelendar started constructing a network of ponds.

Schweik's Recommendation

• A regional product in the name of fashion - take the opportunity to buy a jacket or some sportswear directly from the manufacturer. The workshop Alea is housed in the former granary and it can be reached from the main square via the arcade.
• The Protivín St Anne's Fair is well known in the area; it takes place every year at the end of July/beginning of August.

Protivín Information Centre

Masarykovo náměstí 37, CZ-39811
Telephone: +420 382 203 354
E-mail: infocentrum@muprotivin.cz
www.vyletdoprotivina.cz

File date: 5.11.2010