Excursions

There are large possibilities for excursions from Prague. Kutná Hora, a UNESCO World Heritage site with Ossuary which is almost entirely decorated with human bones not to be missed followed by Karlovy Vary which is famous for its hot mineral springs; Plzeň and České Budějovice are both centres of the brewing industry, and the wineries of Mělník date back to the reign of Charles IV. Medieval Karlštejn Castle and the surrounding area are stunning in the summer, ringed by well-marked hiking trails. Nearby Křivoklát Castle was also used as a hunting lodge features numerous cultural exhibits around its grand interior, set in the ravishing countryside. Terezín, a prison camp where Jews were held throughout the Nazi occupation is also a perfect day trip for its proximity. The medieval city Český Krumlov is one of the most popular excursion destinations in the Czech Republic not to be missed.

The Spa Region Of West Bohemia

After Prague, the most frequented area of the country is the spa region. Towns like Marienbad (Mariánské Lázně) and Karlsbad (Karlovy Vary) feature curative waters, pleasant park walks and picturesque spa architecture. Lots of people visit for the atmosphere (with fountains and bands), to try the mineral-rich water, to visit the active spas, to utilize the Will pools to ease their ailments or just to unwind. The oldest is Karlovy Vary, featuring elegant promenades and ‘wedding cake’ architecture, but Mariánské Lázně is arguably more appealing, as it’s quieter and greener. Near to Karlovy Vary, in a Village called ‘Loket’, is a splendid castle on a hill-top.

The region’s biggest city, Plzeň, provides beer tours but, apart from the insightful tour of Urquell brewery, there’s not much else of interest.

Southern Bohemia

This is an uncovered goldmine in Bohemia, with magical castles and small towns scattered amongst the country-side and touched by the dense forests of the Šumava mountains alongside the border with Austria. The small city of Tábor is pretty and was inhabited by the Taborites in the fifteenth century. Its’ entwined cobbled pathways and network of tunnels underground are interesting to look round. Písek is also a pleasant town and boasts a footbridge from medieval times which, in fact, pre-dates the Charles Bridge in Prague. Deeper south, the Třeboňsko area is the swamp ridden home of several carp lakes based around the compact town of Třeboň which also dates back to medieval times. Near to this, the bigger town, Jindřichův Hradec, has an intriguing portfolio of architectural designs and a fantastic chateau from the Renaissance period.

The largest city in the area is České Budějovice. As well as the brewery of Budějovický Budvar, it’s got a huge cobble-stone square and a great tower where you can survey the fine scenery. A small trip down south brings you to the enchanted town of Český Krumlov, where the back-streets from medieval times run through a bend in the Vltava river that is S-shaped. All of this is over-looked by  a wonderful castle. Due to its position close to the border with Austria, it’s grown to be a popular border-jumping day out (as well as somewhat of a hangout for back-packers), but nothing detracts from its tranquility, particularly at night-time after the crowds have disappeared.

To the south of Český Krumlov, beyond the delightful town of Rožmberk nad Vltavou, the low Šumava Mountains start. Apart from just vanishing into the dense pine forests, either by bike or canoe (which you can rent) or on foot, the Šumava contains many small, enticing towns like: Kašperské hory, Klatovy and Prachatice.

Northern Bohemia

Not much here, but the attractions that do exist are definitely worth visiting. Less than one hour away from Prague, Mělník is a town with a great castle located up from the merged Labe and Vltava rivers. Further up north, Litoměřice is a town that boasts some great Renaissance architecture. Only a small number of kilometres away from this, is the (former) concentration camp of Theresienstadt (Terezín).

Throughout the splendid hill-tops of České středohoří, the Labe river flows through a number of tough industrial areas (like Ústí nad Labem) prior to passing down the picturesque, sandstone forest area of Hřensko—ideal for hikes.

Eastern Bohemia

Eastern Bohemia’s shape alters from completely flat in eastern Prague, to quite hilly in Český ráj to extremely mountainous in the country-side, Krkonoše. Kutná Hora is a quaint mining, medieval town in this area, with a wonderful cathedral and a morbid ossuary—a church adorned with 1000′s of human skeletons—in the close-by Sedlec. Hradec Králové is a town with a pleasant square and a great museum of modern art. Litomyšl is also a town with a beautiful square (that is arcaded) and a chateau that is very extensive.

The country-side is the main attraction, though: Český ráj has luxurious scenery of woods and sand-stone `cities’—strange rock structures that are real fun to negotiate through; Adršpach, towards the east, contains much of the same. The mountains of Krkonoše have the best skiing in the country during the winter months (especially at Pec pod Sněžkou and Špindlerův Mlýn) and excellent summer hikes.

Northern Moravia

Northern Moravia gets the same bad press as northern Bohemia, again, because of its substantial industrial areas. Nonetheless, Olomouc is a fantastic city with a weaving cobble-stone square and enticing gothic cathedral. Northern Moravia possesses some enchanting scenery and distinctive folk centres also: the mountains of Jeseníky close to the border with Poland are quite remote and deep, whereas the Beskydy area, alongside the border with Slovakia, has a diverse heritage of folk tradition. The big Skanzen (open-top folk museum) in Rožnov pod Radhošťem explores the intriguing history of village life in Moravia; the near hill-side town of Štramberk has its original wood cottages; and Hukvaldy is a village that has a museum in composer Leoš Janáček’s previous house. Great hiking routes are also offered in the mountains of Beskydy.

Southern Moravia

Based around the second city of the country, Brno, this area includes a variety of features, from the nice rolling western Czech-Moravian High-lands (Českomorayská vrchovina) to the southern large vine-yards and chateaux to the eastern religious sites of importance.

Although Brno can’t touch Prague with regard to the range of historical attractions, it’s definitely worth visiting, with a combination of well-maintained squares, the splendid Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, the formidable Špilberk fort that saw action during the invasions by Sweden in the sixteen hundreds and during the Nazi occupation, and an intriguing collection of the remains of important citizens in the Capuchin church which have been mummified. Right outside Brno is the famous battle-field area of Austerlitz (Slavkov to the Czechs), where Napoleon conquered the united Russian and Austrian troops.

Telč has a lovely square and a cavalcade of Baroque and Renaissance buildings. It is situated in the high-lands area loosely making up a border with Bohemia. In the south, is the Czech Rep’s wine-making centre located by the border with Austria, with autumn and summer festivals appearing in distinctive towns like Mikulov and Znojmo and lovely chateaux like Valtice and Lednice. Towards the east, the culture and landscape moves through to Slovakia. Noteworthy ecclesiastical areas, like Velehrad, play host to significant pilgrimages, whereas Kroměříž is the home town of a respected archbishop’s gardens and palace.