One of the most visited and architecturally beautiful towns in South Bohemia is the town of Písek. It is located on the road connecting Prague with České Budějovice, approximately one hundred kilometres south of the capital and fifty kilometres north of the South Bohemian metropolis.

The castle and the town of Písek were founded on the banks of the Otava River by Czech kings in the middle of the 13th century. The first written mention of the town dates back to 1243. The name of the town was derived from the river sand from which gold was mined here from time immemorial. It was thanks to gold mining as well as the lively trade and production that the town grew rapidly and enjoyed the favour of the rulers Přemysl Otakar II, Charles IV and Václav IV, who were frequent guests here.

Písek boasts the oldest preserved bridge in the Czech Republic and the rarest in Central Europe. In 1887, Písek was the first town in Bohemia to have permanent public electric lighting. The independent Czechoslovak Republic was proclaimed in Písek on 14 October 1918, two weeks earlier than in other parts of the country. The town has many poetic names - the Athens of South Bohemia, the town of schools and students, but also of pensioners and the Mecca of violinists. It is also becoming - as a city in a sea of forests - a popular resort and a popular tourist destination.

Do all these descriptions seem exaggerated to you? There is nothing easier than to come to Písek, located only an hour's drive from Prague and yet already in the beautiful landscape of southern Bohemia, to see for yourself.