OnTheRoad

Cesky Krumlov is another popular Czech spot; apparently in summer it's insanely crowded with backpackers drunk on Czech beer, but in winter it's almost deserted.

The town itself is very picturesque, nestled in a valley around a small river. The castle tours don't run in December (when I was there), but you can still wander the grounds.

There are, of course, plenty of hostels to cater to all us backpackers. Havana hostel was the cheapest, but is a little way out of town. And it's run by someone resembling an alcoholic Santa, which could be a plus or a minus depending on your perspective; I thought he was great fun :)