Major Tourist Attractions In Czech Republic

The Czech Republic has a number of towns and cities that are well known across the world - and Prague and Karlovy Vary are the best known of all.

Prague, the capital of the country, is also its most vibrant city, full of museums, cathedrals, cafes and markets that teem with life. It’s a city that combines history with the present- a city as known for its Baroque churches as it is for its jazz concerts.  Prague, generally acknowledged as one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe, contains some of the finest examples of European architecture- Renaissance era and later- to be seen. The combination of the river, the spired buildings, bridges and cobbled streets makes the city one of the loveliest you’ll see on the continent, and the centre of the city is the place to visit.

Central Prague-including the areas of the Old Town, the Lesser Town and the Jewish Quarter- has some of Prague’s most interesting monuments, and a day’s walk is usually enough to cover all of these. Amongst the not-to-be-missed attractions are the Royal Gardens and the Royal Summer Palace, the ornate, baroque St Nicholas’ Cathedral (Mozart had actually played on the organ keys here), and Prague Castle. The last-named encompasses, within its grounds, St Vitus’ Cathedral with its exquisite stained glass windows, tiny craftsmen’s houses, and a number of exhibitions relating to the country’s history.

The Old Town’s best known attraction is the former city hall, with its tower and astronomical clock; nearby is the statue of Jan Hus, and another St Nicholas’ Church- this one with a fabulous crystal chandelier. Most of Prague’s museums are also located in this area- the National Museum is the main one, but close by is the strikingly beautiful Obecni Dum, or Municipal House. The building is decorated with tile, silver, gold, stained glass and murals, and houses the Prague Symphony Orchestra, along with three restaurants, and space for travelling exhibitions.

Karlovy Vary, equally renowned for being the oldest Bohemian spa and for its cinema awards show, is the country’s most popular city amongst tourists, after Prague. It’s got a distinctly Victorian air, with its promenades, colonnades, parks and spa. The surrounding valleys and wooded hills are among the most picturesque in the country.

There are other cities, of course- Kutna Hora once a silver-mining town, but today a quiet place full of historic monuments); and the cities of Blatnice, Vlcnov and Straznice- all cultural centres known for their traditions and annual festivals. The village of Krivoklat may not be very big or very important, but it lies in one of the country’s most picturesque areas. It is situated beside the Rakovnicky Potok, a tributary of the Berounka River, and the surrounding area is very lovely indeed- wooded valleys, limestone bluffs and old bungalows. For those of an athletic bent of mind, there’s good trekking around Krivoklat- the Krivoklat Protected Landscape Region is a UNESCO `Biosphere Preservation’ area.

 The main attraction in Krivoklat is the 13th century castle, with its impressive halls, its Gothic chapel and its rather eerie prison and torture chamber. 

.The `Moravian Karst’ is the name given to the forested area north of the city of Brno. It’s known for its scenic views and for the underground Punkva River, which has carved the terrain into more than 400 caves, caverns and canyons.

The most popular place for exploring these caves is Punkevni, where tourists are admitted in groups of 75 every 20 minutes. The caves have been carved by centuries of flowing water into the most amazing rock formations- there are hundreds of stalactites and stalagmites all through, and some of the caves, including the Balcarka, Sloupsko-Sosuvske and Katerinska, have actually yielded archaeological finds, in the form of prehistoric human remains.  

If you’re interested in culture and folk art, the Moravske Slovacko region- especially the towns of Vlcnov, Blatnice and Straznice- are perfect for spending your vacation in. The region is one of the few places in Europe where traditions are still very much as they have been for centuries altogether- costumes, houses, music, dance, food and drink, festivals are all surprisingly unchanged. What’s even better is that this is actually the way people here live- it’s not all a farce for the benefit of tourists. If you can, try to visit the area during one of the local festivals, when the villages are at their liveliest. You’ll get to see excellent singing and dancing, eat good food (and drink- the region produces some of the best wine in the country!), and see Czech culture up close. Even otherwise, the area is a pleasant place- the people are friendly, the wine cellars are open for tours, and the weather is mild.