Czech Republic / Czechia
PAGE MENU >> Information • Regions & Cities • Transport • Links • All articles
It is not a large country but has a rich and eventful history. Czechs, Germans, Slovaks, Italian stonemasons and stucco workers, French tradesmen and deserters from Napoleon’s army have lived and worked here, all influencing one another. The Czechia contains a vast number of architectural treasures and has beautiful forests and mountains to match.
There are more than 2000 castles, castle ruins and chateaux in the Republic. Wherever you are in the Czechia, there will be some castle or chateaux nearby. The capital, Prague, is the most popular destination. Other highly visited destinations include Karlštejn Castle (map), Kutná Hora (map), Brno (map), Český Krumlov (map), *České Budějovice (map), Olomouc (map) and the *Lednice–Valtice Cultural Landscape (map).
+ More info > Wikipedia • Wikivoyage • UNESCO
Iconic landmarks of the Czech landscape are castles. Most picturesque and interesting are for example: Loket Castle (map), Karlštejn Castle (map), Kost Castle (map), Rabí Castle ruin (map), Český Šternberk Castle (map), Bezděz Castle (map), Křivoklát Castle (map), Bouzov Castle (map) and Pernštejn Castle (map).
+ THE VISUAL TRAVEL GUIDE TO CZECHIA
Renaissance, baroque or neo-classical, possibly every Czech town has its own chateau. For example: Konopiště Chateau (map), Valtice Chateau (map), Lednice Chateau (map), Hluboká nad Vltavou Chateau (map), Kuks Chateau (map), Mikulov Chateau (map), Vranov nad Dyjí Chateau (map), Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou Chateau (map), Červená Lhota Chateau (map), Děčín Chateau (map) and Orlík Chateau (map).
Brno (map) – the largest city in Moravia and its former capital, it offers several excellent museums, annual international fireworks festival Ignis Brunensis, a large historical centre, the second-largest ossuary in Europe (after the Catacombs of Paris).
Český Krumlov (map) – beautiful old town in South Bohemia with the country’s second biggest chateau.
Olomouc (Holomóc, map) — riverside university town with a thousand-year history and the second-largest historical centre in the Czech Republic.
*Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj, map) – A region of towering rock formations and isolated castles located north-east of Prague. The gateway city of Jičín (map) is an interesting destination in its own right, but Turnov (map) is closer to most of the castles and rock formations.
In addition to walking in the cities, there are a great number of hiking paths and scenery-rich trails going through the Czech Republic’s forests and natural areas, and the Czech Tourist Club (Klub českých turistů) has mapped and marked these trails.
::: Source: www.ezilon.com
The Czech countryside offers protected areas such as Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj, map), Bohemian Karst (Český kras, map) and Šumava National Park (map).
In South Bohemia, the *Šumava Mountains (map), also in *Bohemian-Moravian Highlands (map), *Jizerské hory (map) and *Moravian-Silesian Beskids (map) contain many hiking and cross-country skiing possibilities. The nature reserve *Rejvíz (map) is a popular destination in the Jeseníky Mountains.
Skiing resorts are located from Northern East to Northern West Czech Republic. The most famous and popular resorts lie in the Krkonoše Mountains (map). Krkonoše includes the tourist centre of Harrachov (map).
IDOS | Seznam – Both sites cover all Czech trains, buses and city transport and many train and bus lines abroad.
BUS > International bus service runs from many cities in Europe with direct connections from Germany, Poland, Netherlands, Slovakia, Switzerland, Austria, etc. Good service is offered by Eurolines and RegioJet. Cheap tickets from Poland are offered by FlixBus.
RAIL > The railway system of the Czech Republic is relatively fast, reliable and very dense. The journey between the two biggest cities (Prague and Brno) takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes. Most trains are operated by the state company Czech Railways (České Dráhy – ČD) + LEO Express • RegioJet. *Rail travel in Czech Republic
AIRPORTS > Václav Havel Airport – about 10 km west of the centre of Prague.
WATERWAYS > Korn Ferry • River Boats Prague
The Czech Republic is an excellent place for cycling. There are lots of pleasant country lanes, cycling marked paths and picturesque villages along these paths (always with a pub), it’s easy to find the way, and the trains have bicycle racks in the baggage section for when you get tired.
Mapy.cz – is a good source for cycling information – switch the map (via Změnit mapu – Turistická) to see cycling routes in violet color.