The starting point for our visit will be the renaissance U Rytířů (Knight’s Hall) (1), which stands at approximately the centre of the arcades that surround Smetana Square. From here we go around the gothic Town Hall Tower (2) and a number of baroque and classical houses to the statue of the composer Bedřich Smetana (3), where we turn to the left. We pass by the teaching college and Smetana Hall (Smetanův dům) (4), from were we aim for the pedestrian zone along the River Loučná. From here we cross Komenský Square and return to Smetana Square and take the first street on the left onto Jiráskova Street. We pass by the statue of the writer Alois Jirásek (5), the Regional Museum (6) and the Church of the Discovery of the Holy Cross (Kostel Nalezení svatého Kříže) (7), and up to the castle (8). We enter the grounds through the gateway, where we can buy tickets for both tours and for the castle cellars with the permanent exhibition of theworks of Olbram Zoubek. In the grounds we can visit the City Gallery exhibition and the apartment where Bedřich Smetana was born, From the castle it is only a couple of steps to the impressive reconstructed Monastery gardens (Klášterní zahrady) (9), which offer not only a view of the city, but also an opportunity to have a quiet rest. From here we go past the Church of the Raising of the Holy Cross (Kostel Povýšení sv. Kříže) (10) on Toulovec Square with the oldest sacred building in the city – the Church of Sending of the Apostles (Rozeslání sv. Apoštolů) (11) – and we then take the somewhat spooky Váchal Street (12) back to Smetana Square. We can have a rest at any of the gardens and watch the onset of the evening over the city, which is lit by romantic lanterns.
