Tip Nº 01
Hruška supermarket on Latrán (Žabovřeská 50, 4 min walk from Postel/Merlin/Travel Hostel via Lazebnický bridge, 5 min from Hostelskippy via Plešivec bridge, open 7h-21h daily including Sundays) is the catchment for hostel-courtyard dinners. Eggenberg dark 0,5L €0,90, six-pack €5, Plzeň salami 200g €2,60, fresh rye bread €1,40, frozen pierogi (10 pcs) €2,60. Card accepted, locals shop here — the only Old Town supermarket, otherwise it's the Plešivec corner Hruška for the south bank.
Tip Nº 02
The Plešivec corner Hruška (Plešivecká 18, 1 min walk from Hostelskippy) is the locals' top-up store for daily basics on the south bank. Same Eggenberg prices, slightly smaller selection, less of the tourist-aimed snacks. Use it for daily groceries on day 2 and 3; use the bigger Latrán Hruška for the day-1 stock-up if you're staying inside the Old Town.
Tip Nº 03
Cesky Krumlov courtyard summer-evening recipe: open the Hruška pack of Plzeň salami, slice Hospůdka-style 1cm rounds, lay on rye bread with mustard from the €1,20 jar. Add a side of cucumber slices (€0,60 the cucumber). Open Eggenberg dark, share at the picnic table. Total cost €4 per person, feeds two for one substantial dinner. The Krumlov restaurant equivalent (a goulash and a beer at any Latrán terrace) is €18-22 a head.
Tip Nº 04
Sunset timing for the courtyards / balconies: in summer (June-August) the sun sets behind the castle hill around 19h30; in shoulder season (April-May, September-October) around 18h30; in winter the angle is gone by 16h15. Postel's courtyard catches the latest light because the castle is to the west; Travel Hostel's back balcony catches the early-evening castle-frontal angle from 18h until sunset; Hostelskippy's riverside picnic area gets the post-sunset blue-hour reflection on the Vltava (best photo angle 19h45 to 20h15 in summer).
Tip Nº 05
The four hostel courtyards / balconies have different vibes: Postel's stone-walled cook-and-read space is the quietest, no on-site bar, strictly observed 22h quiet. Merlin's compact courtyard with the on-site bar is the social-pre-dinner spot until 22h. Travel Hostel's back balcony with the castle view is the photo-and-drink space, the courtyard barbecue is the cook-and-grill space. Hostelskippy's riverside picnic on Plešivec is the host-led evening-hangout space with the cheapest beer access (corner Hruška 1 min away). Pick by what your evening needs.
