Tábor

Tábor is a city in South Bohemia.

Understand

Castle tower Kotnov and Bechyne Gate

The city of Tábor was founded in 1420, during the Hussite revolution (Hussites were Czech Christian reformers following the teachings of Jan Hus). It has a relatively big old town with many splendid streets. It is located on the top of a hill and protected from one side by Luznice River, and in the other side by Jordan Lake, the oldest water reservoir in Central Europe. These days, Tábor is the second-biggest city in South Bohemia with a population of 35,000 people. A big castle, old town hall and other sights remind visitors of its interesting past.

• 🌍 Infocentrum, Žižkovo nám. 2, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. (updated Nov 2015)

Get in

By car

Tábor lies on the road connecting Prague with České Budějovice and it takes approximately one and a quarter hour to get there. From České Budějovice it takes 50min.

By bus

Buses from Prague to Tábor depart from Roztyly bus station on Metro C (red) line. It takes 1h20min.

By train

From Prague main railway station, it takes 1h30min to Tábor.

Get around

There are 16 bus lines in Tábor. To get from the main bus and railway station to the historic centre, use bus lines 11, 13 or 30. It's 1.6 km (one mile) walking (25min.).

See

Historic centre

Renaissance Water Tower and Town Walls

• 🌍 Zizka Square (Zizkovo namesti). Main square of historic core. Gothic town hall, big church with look-out tower and monument of medieval military leader Jan Zizka are right on this square. Other interesting sight are in walking distance. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 Church of "Proměnění Páně na hoře Tábor", Děkanská 297, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 8:00-18:00. Big church in late gothic style, right on the main square. Church tower is 87 meters tall and offers nice views of the city and surrounding landscape. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 Kotnov Tower and Bechyne Gate, ulice Na Parkánech (400 m from Zizka Square, follow Klokotska street). 8:30-17:00, closed Oct-Apr. Kotnov Tower is only remnant of Tábor Castle, which was destroyed because of fire in 1532. Bechyne Gate, the southwest entrance to historic centre is right next to the tower. 20 CZK. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 Renaissance Water Tower, ulice Žižkova (150 m from main square). Unusual water tower in renaissance style from 1502. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 The Town Walls. Well-preserved gothic town walls on northern edge of old Tábor. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 Jordán Lake. Large lake on eastern edge of old Tábor from 15th century, oldest water reservoir in Central Europe. Ideal for swimming. (updated Nov 2015)

Museums

• 🌍 Hussite Museum and medieval underground (right on the main square), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Apr-Oct daily 9:00-17:00, Nov-Mar Su-Tu closed, W–Sa 9:00-17:00. Located in gothic style former town hall, this museum contains expositions about reformer Jan Hus and Hussite revolution, with weapons and historical documents. Part of the museum is also medieval underground. 60Kč (Hussite exposition), 50Kč (medieval underground). (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 Museum of Chocolate and Marzipan, Kotnovská 138/13, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. May-Sep 9:00-19:00; Apr, Oct 9:00-17:00; Nov-Mar 10:00-17:00. If you get bored of many historic sights, why not to spend some time in this museum? adults 130Kč, children (6-14) 90Kč, family ticket 370Kč. (updated Nov 2015)

Outside of the centre

• 🌍 Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Staroklokotská 1 (1,2 km from main square. Follow Klokotska street, before Bechynska Gate turn rigt and go through Holeckovy Sady Park and lime-tree alley.), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Outside the historic centre (in quarter Klokoty), baroque pilgrimage church is definitely worth a visit. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 Hylacka look-out tower, Vetrovy, Tábor (4 km from historic centre, follow green tourist line or by bus line 30 to station "Tábor, Vetrovy"). Jun- Aug: 9:00-20:00 Apr, May, Sep: 9:00-18:00 Oct-Mar: 9:00-16:00. 25 meter tall look-out tower, nice view of Tábor. 20Kč. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 Tábor Zoo, Tábor, Větrovy 10 (In same part of the town as Hylacka look-out tower.), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Apr-Aug 09:00–18:00 Sep, Oct 09:00–17:00, Nov-Mar Sa,Su 9:00-16:00. Small zoo (however the largest in South Bohemia) with 80 species, mostly from America, including tigers and zebras. (updated Nov 2015)

Do

Hiking

There is lots of options for both shorter walks or longer hikes. Pintovka Nature Trail is a short trail just 1,2 km from centre of Tábor. There is a lot of quite interesting sights which can be reached by hiking. For example, Pribenice castle ruin (follow red hiking trail, which goes along Luznice river valley - 10 km), Hylacka (3,5 km) and Babice (4 km) look-out towers and Kozí Hrádek castle ruin (9 km). More information here .

Cycling

Canoeing

Luznice river is a good river for canoeing.

Buy

• 🌍 Žabka Department Store, Pražská 156/14 (just 50 m from the main square), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. daily 6:00-23:00. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 Billa Department Store, nám. F. Křižíka 505/23 (650 m from Zizka Square (historic centre), 1500 m from mian railway and bus station. Bus station: "Tábor, Křižíkovo nám."), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 7:00 (Sun 8:00) - 20:00. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 "Karel Dvořák - Obchodní dům" Shopping centre, 9. května 2886 (650 m from main train and bus station), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Mon-Fri 8:00-18:00, Sat 8:00-13:00, Sun closed. (updated Nov 2015)

Eat

• 🌍 Indian restaurant Tandoor, Žižkovo nám. 8, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. daily 11:00-22:00. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 Goldie Restaurant, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Part of Hotel Nautilus. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 Restaurant "U dvou kocek", Svatošova 312 (75 m from Zizka Square), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Su-Th 11:00-22:00, F-Sa 11:00-24:00. Standard Czech restaurant, don't expect anything great. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 Bistro Stárkův dům, Pražská 157/12, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Bistro in renaissance house from 1570. Ready meals all day long - every day one Czech traditional meal, one vegetarian meal, one steak and, of course, schnitzel and fried cheese. (updated Nov 2015)

Drink

• 🌍 Café Budík, Kotnovská 174/18, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 10:00-18:00 (19:00 on weekends). café, hot chocolate (lots of kinds and goo quality), desserts... (updated Nov 2015)

Sleep

• 🌍 Nautilus Hotel, Žižkovo nám. 20/20, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Luxurious hotel with wellness and restaurant located on the main square in the historic centre. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 Hotel Tábor, 9. května 617 (300 m from the main train and bus station.), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 23 rooms. (updated Nov 2015)
• 🌍 Staromestsky Pension, Křížová 93/8, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Family-friendly pension in house from 16th century. (updated Nov 2015)

Connect

Go next

Your next destination can be some of other pretty towns in South Bohemia and Bohemian-Moravian Highlands - České Budějovice, Písek, Pelhřimov, Jihlava, etc.