České Budějovice is the regional capital of South Bohemia, best known internationally as the home of Budvar — Budweiser Budvar — one of the Czech Republic's most famous breweries and the source of a long-running trademark dispute with the American Anheuser-Busch. The Budvar Brewery runs tours and has a good tap room where you can drink unfiltered lager straight from the conditioning tanks.
The old town is well preserved, built around the main square — one of the largest in the Czech Republic at 133 metres on each side. The Black Tower (Černá věž) offers good views over the rooftops and south to the Šumava hills. The Cathedral of St Nicholas and the Dominican Monastery — the oldest Gothic building in the city — are both on or just off the square.
České Budějovice makes a useful base for exploring South Bohemia. Český Krumlov is 25 km to the south — a UNESCO-listed medieval town in a river bend that deserves a full day. The Šumava national park is easily reachable, and several South Bohemian castles are within day-trip range.