Czech Republic

Thanks to its prime location in the center of Europe, the end of communism, and its entrance into the European Union, the Czech Republic has rapidly grown in popularity with international tourists, especially the capital Prague, which has become one of Europe’s most visited cities. Many tourists tend to be Prague-centric and stay only in or around the capital, leaving many other sites across the country undiscovered. By all means, discover the rest of the republic, which has a variety of other picturesque cities and towns to discover, as well as rich breathtaking landscapes of villages, forests, mountains, and rivers that are waiting to be explored.

Cities

As the country’s primary city, Prague naturally dominates most visitors’ itineraries, and for good reason. A mix of the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Brutalist, and Socialist, the capital is arguably one of Europe’s most photogenic cities. Visitors should enjoy the Old Town and gawk at its medieval buildings, stroll across the Charles Bridge, and make their way through the Malá Strana up to the dominating Prague Castle for fantastic views of the city. Outside of the capital, visitors can easily explore Kutná Hora, home to impressive churches like St. Barbara’s, and the morbidly fascinating Sedlec Ossuary. In the northwest of the country is Karlovy Vary, a stately and imperial spa town on the banks of the Ohře and Teplá rivers, which conjures feelings of a narrow Paris or Vienna in miniature. The city’s annual film festival, held normally at the beginning of July, draws in actors, directors, papparazzi, fans and film enthusiasts alike.

The city of Pilsen, home to its famous style of beer, is a blue-collar city, although its city centre is a mix of old and new, pleasant and unpretentious. Pilsen’s Gothic St. Bartholomew Cathedral presents fantastic views of the entire city and surrounding countryside. Following the Vltava south is the beautiful town of Český Krumlov, whose impressive castle dominates the Gothic and Renaissance river valley town below. Largely overlooked by tourists, nearby České Budějovice presents an enjoyable old town with its Ottokar II Square a centrepoint, surrounded by buildings from the last 600 years. Fiercely proud Brno, the country’s second largest city, often culturally and economically competes with Prague in a rivalry spanning centuries. Home to many students and with an active nightlife, Brno presents a compact and explorable old city centre, overlooked by both its impressive Špilberk Castle and the Gothic St. Peter and Paul Cathedral. Despite being metropolitan, Brno possesses a more relaxed atmosphere than Prague does, and is known throughout the republic for its high quality of life.

Olomouc, the historical capital of Moravia, remains as one of the Czech Republic’s best kept secrets, site of one of the largest old towns outside of Prague and the Holy Trinity Column, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its own right. The city’s medieval astronomical clock, destroyed by the Germans in World War II, was remade as a Socialist Realist clock during communism; instead of parading saints and religious allegories are peasants, scientists and workers. Olomouc’s impressive medieval walls mixed with parkland also makes for a pleasant trip. The city of Ostrava in Czech Silesia, often characterized as working-class, to the point, and industrial, is home to Lower Vítkovice, a massive former steel mill that now functions as a popular museum. The city also hosts the Colours of Ostrava, one of the country’s largest music festivals.

Natural attractions

The Czech Republic is ringed by a series of mountain ranges, creating the country’s distinctive borders that haven’t changed much in nearly a thousand years. Mountainous ranges include the Bohemian Forest to the west, and the Sudetes to the north and east, which the Krkonoše, Jeseníky, and Soví mountain ranges are a part of.

Within the country are 4 national parks, each containing rich natural beauty. Krkonoše National Park is one of the most famous and popular. Within Krkonoše close to the state border is Sněžka, the republic’s highest peak at 1,602 m (5,255 ft), where Czech and Polish hikers ascend from opposite ends of the mountain to meet at its summit. To the west near the German border is Šumava National Park, encompassing a large area of the Bohemian Forest. Often calculated as one of the coldest areas of the country, Šumava is home to gentle mountains, raised peat bogs, glacial lakes, and the remnants of primeval forests. With the area’s German inhabitants expelled in at the end of World War II, as well as being part of the Czechoslovak-West German border exclusion zone during the Cold War, Šumava has had little human interference since the 1940s. The park shares a common border with the German Bavarian Forest National Park, and forms together a UNESCO-protected biosphere. In the republic’s south, nestled against the Austrian border is Podyjí National Park, a forested land running along the deep Dyje River valley.

Near Brno is the Macocha Abyss, a massive sinkhole in the Moravian Karst, home to a narrow river gorge, an underground river and a large cave system. Unusual rock formations are also a major attraction in different parts of the country. The impressive Rock Theatre near Broumov is one such place to see these formations. Another is České Švýcarsko National Park, home to the Pravčická brána, the largest natural arch in Europe.

Castles & other rural monuments

The Czech Republic is a treasure trove of castles, palaces, monasteries, and other places of historical significance. A complete listing of the country’s castles and palaces is simply impossible. Karlštejn Castle, just outside of Prague, is a huge pull for curious tourists, attracted by its Gothic architecture perched above the banks of the Vltava River. The Lednice-Valtice palaces and gardens near the Slovak and Austrian borders are the massive former residences of the princes of Liechtenstein, and is today a combined UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lednice is known for its especially massive English gardens, while Valtice, for its fanciful faux-Roman architecture. Not far from these palaces in the town of Slavkov u Brna is the Austerlitz Battlefield, where Napoleon decidedly crushed the Austrian and Russian armies in 1805. To the west in South Bohemia near the town of Jindřichův Hradec is the Červená Lhota château, an iconic Renaissance palace starkly painted red, standing in the middle of a pond and linked only by a stone bridge. Hluboká Castle, not far from České Budějovice, is another massive palace, dating from the Middle Ages but heavily redesigned in the 19th century. To the very north of the country are the impressive ruins of Trosky Castle, whose Gothic ruins give dramatic vistas to the Bohemian Paradise. Kašperk Castle, located near the Bohemian Forest, is another Gothic legacy of Emperor Charles IV’s reign.

Hiking

The Czech Republic has an excellent and sophisticated system for trail blazing, with marked pathways located just about everywhere in the countryside. Choose an area, buy a hiking map for the area (the best brand is the Czech Tourist Club’s (Klub českých turistů) 1:50000 military-based maps, covering the whole country, available in most large bookstores.

Swimming

Many places in the Czech Republic are great for swimming, and there are many designated public swimming areas (koupaliště). A list of places suitable for swimming is available here: Plavcik.cz. However, be aware that in hot weather, the quality of the water in some places can fall below EU standard regulations.

Nudism/Naturism

Czech culture is rather impartial to topless sunbathing and nudism in general, with most locals not batting an eye. Although the country is landlocked, there are many nudist and naturist beaches near lakes. A full list is available at at Naturista.cz. Full nudity on other beaches is legal, but rare, and usually only happens in non-crowded places.