The city of České Budějovice had cause for celebration this week as it was announced that it will be European Capital of Culture for 2028.
The prestigious title is a great chance to present the cultural environment of the city and the region to the whole of Europe. It’s exciting news for the whole country as České Budějovice and Broumov in East Bohemia both competed in the final round. The news has been well received with the city’s key figureheads.
"Congratulations to the city of České Budějovice for the victory. Culture is perceived as a link between European countries, thus helping the cultural and economic development of European cities and regions. It is now important to use the title as a marketing tool to make itself known to the world and to arouse the interest of tourists in visiting this picturesque South Bohemian town. It is for culture that international tourists often come here. The data show that last year, tourists from Germany (83,027), Austria (39,951) and Slovakia (34,210) were most interested in visiting the South Bohemian Region, which includes České Budějovice. I firmly believe that the award will multiply the visitor numbers, not only immediately after the award, but also in the coming years. The whole of South Bohemia will benefit from this, including, for example, Holašovice, Hluboká nad Vltavou or Třeboň," says Jan Herget, Director of the Czech Tourism Centre
"I am very happy and proud that České Budějovice has become the European Capital of Culture. The award is not only a tribute to our beautiful city, but also the result of hard work, passion and dedication of our entire team. We are looking forward to the next steps and there is a lot of work ahead of us. This is the result of over two years of hard work by the whole team, local politicians and the organisations involved and we are very happy that the city has been able to win the title." said Mayor Dagmar Škodová Parmová.
The European Capital of Culture title helps the cultural and economic development of cities and entire regions. Thanks to the award, the residents of České Budějovice and guests will be able to enjoy a number of cultural events throughout 2028. The regional city will commemorate its rich history during these events, and traditional and popular events such as the Colours Can't Escape Festival, RunCzech Mattoni ½Marathon, Země živitelka, the South Bohemia Classic Rally and the Autumn Plum Market should not be missed. After all, the South Bohemian metropolis at the confluence of the Vltava and Malše rivers with its 247 cultural monuments is one of the most important tourist towns in the region. It offers places where visitors can explore ancient history, take a trip along the route of the first horse-drawn railway on the European continent, taste South Bohemian carp and its world-famous beer.
Since 1985, the title of European Capital of Culture has been awarded by the European Union to one or more European cities for one year, giving them the opportunity to present their cultural life and development to Europe throughout the year. More than 60 European cities, ranging from metropolises to towns of ten thousand people, have been awarded the title of ECC. Prague (2000), Pilsen (2015) and our partner city Linz (2009) have also been awarded the title. Further information is available here
The news rounds off an exciting week for the country as it was also announced that Czechia has been nominated for the Most Desirable European Country in 2023 Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards.
"Congratulations to the city of České Budějovice for the victory. Culture is perceived as a link between European countries, thus helping the cultural and economic development of European cities and regions. It is now important to use the title as a marketing tool to make itself known to the world and to arouse the interest of tourists in visiting this picturesque South Bohemian town. It is for culture that international tourists often come here. The data show that last year, tourists from Germany (83,027), Austria (39,951) and Slovakia (34,210) were most interested in visiting the South Bohemian Region, which includes České Budějovice. I firmly believe that the award will multiply the visitor numbers, not only immediately after the award, but also in the coming years. The whole of South Bohemia will benefit from this, including, for example, Holašovice, Hluboká nad Vltavou or Třeboň," says Jan Herget, Director of the Czech Tourism Centre
"I am very happy and proud that České Budějovice has become the European Capital of Culture. The award is not only a tribute to our beautiful city, but also the result of hard work, passion and dedication of our entire team. We are looking forward to the next steps and there is a lot of work ahead of us. This is the result of over two years of hard work by the whole team, local politicians and the organisations involved and we are very happy that the city has been able to win the title." said Mayor Dagmar Škodová Parmová.
The European Capital of Culture title helps the cultural and economic development of cities and entire regions. Thanks to the award, the residents of České Budějovice and guests will be able to enjoy a number of cultural events throughout 2028. The regional city will commemorate its rich history during these events, and traditional and popular events such as the Colours Can't Escape Festival, RunCzech Mattoni ½Marathon, Země živitelka, the South Bohemia Classic Rally and the Autumn Plum Market should not be missed. After all, the South Bohemian metropolis at the confluence of the Vltava and Malše rivers with its 247 cultural monuments is one of the most important tourist towns in the region. It offers places where visitors can explore ancient history, take a trip along the route of the first horse-drawn railway on the European continent, taste South Bohemian carp and its world-famous beer.
Since 1985, the title of European Capital of Culture has been awarded by the European Union to one or more European cities for one year, giving them the opportunity to present their cultural life and development to Europe throughout the year. More than 60 European cities, ranging from metropolises to towns of ten thousand people, have been awarded the title of ECC. Prague (2000), Pilsen (2015) and our partner city Linz (2009) have also been awarded the title. Further information is available here
The news rounds off an exciting week for the country as it was also announced that Czechia has been nominated for the Most Desirable European Country in 2023 Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards.