Czechia

Krumlov, but with a condition attached. You must stay past five. Between eleven and three the main square is very full and the lane down towards the bridge is difficult to walk at all. Once the day groups leave it becomes a different town and the river under the castle goes quiet. I stayed until seven and the drive back in the dark was completely fine, if that is a worry for you.

Bus from Na Knizeci is about 200 czk each way. Three hours, proper coach, socket by the seat. I did that journey hungover in May and survived it. If the car is only buying you door to door time then what you are really paying for is two hours of extra sleep, which some days is a fair trade and no judgement from me.

Report back. Went on the Saturday, Krumlov, private car. Out at eight in the morning and back in Prague at half nine at night. Lena was right about the late finish. At two in the afternoon the bridge by the barber's was shoulder to shoulder and I was annoyed I had bothered coming. At six there were maybe ten people on it and I stood there twenty minutes doing nothing. 34 degrees in the square at lunchtime. The castle courtyard has no shade in it anywhere, so we sat the middle of the day out in a cellar bar down by the river and I am not sorry about it. Would I do six hours in a car for it again. Yes, but only with the late return. If the driver had needed me back in Prague by five I would have gone to Karlovy Vary instead.