Charming Czech Adventures: Joyful Journeys to Delightful Destinations

This holiday, occurring on February 21st, was created by UNESCO in 1999. It serves as a gentle reminder that more than half of the approximately seven thousand languages worldwide are at risk of disappearing, urging us to value what we often overlook. Our Czech language is not merely a part of our cultural identity but is also a significant aspect of who we are.

Merry Christmas

Even though the Dictionary of Standard Czech suggests that the Czech language has around 250,000 words, there isn’t a single town in the entire Czech Republic called Šťastná. The only Šťastná Street exists in one spot, specifically in Doubravčice in Central Bohemia. As more residents moved to this area, new street names needed to be created a few years back. This generation of names included not only joyful ones such as Veselá (Cheerful) and Šťastná (Happy) but also Slunečná (Sunny) and Přátelství (Friendship).

On another note, there’s the Happy Tower: this year-round observation tower was constructed on the property of a private business in Spálené Poříčí, and its summit provides an amazing view of the surrounding landscape, highlighting the local castle, the Brdy mountain range with Kokšín Hill, and the Buddhist stupa situated above Těnovice.

The mood is even brighter with Veselá: you will come across villages named this near Rokycany and in the Vysočina region. Znojmo proudly features a Veselá Street, as do Liberec, Heřmanův Městec, Kroměříž Vsetín, Prague, and Brno. Interestingly, two villages named Veselá exist in the Bohemian Paradise: one is located between Mladá Boleslav and Mnichovo Hradiště, while the other is just a short distance from Rovensko pod Troskami. There’s also another Veselá near Slušovice, which, according to historical records, was initially named Sviňoryje, so it makes sense that the locals opted for a friendlier name. Additionally, we shouldn’t forget about Veselý Kopec, the open-air museum in eastern Bohemia, or the Na Veselé golf course in Beroun, and the village of Veselý Žďár located near Havlíčkův Brod.

Cheerfully to Veselí

There are numerous delightful options for those who wish to settle in Veselí. Your choices include Veselí nad Moravou, Veselí nad Lužnicí, or simply Veselí, located near Janovice nad Úhlavou or near Přelouč, close to Oder, not far from the Vírská dam, near Štětí, near Loštice, adjacent to Zákupy, near Železný Brod, or near Lomnice. For those selecting Veselíčko, Veselka, or Veselice, there’s also a similarly diverse array available. Excursions featuring the Kudy z nudy portal will guide you, for example, to the Podvrší lookout tower close to Veselice or to Veselíčko near Přerov, where visitors can stroll through the castle park and follow the Countess’s nature trail.

A journey from Radostice to Rozkoš

Even with happy thoughts, the natural landscape of the Czech Republic is wonderful: from Radostice in South Moravia you can take a walk or bike ride along the Bobrava River (yes, going downstream, meaning it’s an easy downhill journey) to Modřice, and from Radostice, the route leads to Žižkov’s farmstead in Trocnov. In addition, another Radostice (and the Veselice ski resort, just to add to your luck) is found near Velhartice, Zlatá Koruna, or Lovosice.

But the amazing list of charming place names continues. In the Rakovník area, there’s the village named Milý, while in Milíkov near Cheb, you can visit a remarkable half-timbered farmhouse. In another Milíkov found in the Vysočina region, you’ll see unique sculptures. The list of delightful places in the Czech Republic is definitely extensive and isn’t limited to the Rozkoš reservoir near Česká Skalice. Several ponds share the same name, and you can also find villages named Rozkoš near Moravské Budějovice, Rakovník, Průhonice, and Humpolec, not to mention streets with this name in Velké Meziříčí and Světlá nad Sázavou.

Did you know that…

• • There’s a chance that the name Milíkov doesn’t relate to lovely nature, as it may come from charcoal kilns where charcoal was produced. This village might also be named after its founder, a person named Milík.

• • The legend concerning Smíchov in Prague suggests it got its name from Horymír’s happy laughter when he and his loyal horse Šemík leaped over the Vyšehrad walls, crossed the Vltava, and safely landed on the opposite bank. However, this story is fictional. Linguists indicate that the district’s name derives from the personal name Smích, as Smíchův dvůr (Smích’s Court) once stood in this area.