Czechia
Travel destinations and tourist attractions in Czechia (Czech Republic) feature fairy-tale castles, medieval towns, and rich cultural heritage. The capital Prague is famous for its Old Town Square, Charles Bridge and Prague Castle, while the regions of Bohemia and Moravia offer UNESCO-listed towns such as Cesky Krumlov, spa resorts, and picturesque countryside.
General information
Czechia (the Czech Republic) sits in the very heart of Europe, a compact country of two historic lands — Bohemia and Moravia — studded with more castles per square mile than almost anywhere on the continent. Beyond the fairy-tale capital of Prague lie medieval towns, elegant spa resorts, rolling Moravian vineyards and deep forests. The Czechs are famous for their beer, which they drink more of per head than any other nation, and for a rich tradition of music, glass and puppetry. Czech is the language, English is common in tourist areas, and the country offers grand history and genuine charm at very reasonable prices.
Transport and how to get there
The main gateway is Vaclav Havel Airport Prague (PRG), with a smaller international airport at Brno. Czechia is a Central European rail crossroads, with direct trains to Vienna, Berlin, Dresden and Bratislava, and cheap, comfortable long-distance coaches. Domestic trains and buses reach the castle towns and spa resorts easily, and city centres are compact and walkable, with inexpensive trams and buses for longer hops.
Prices
Czechia is excellent value by Western European standards, though central Prague is pricier. Expect roughly 1,500-3,200 CZK per night for a mid-range hotel (about 60-130 EUR), with hostels from around 400 CZK. A meal in a traditional pub runs about 200-350 CZK, and Czech beer is famously cheap at 45-70 CZK for a half-litre. Local transport tickets are a few koruna, while castles and museums typically cost 150-350 CZK. The currency is the Czech koruna (CZK); prices are approximate and vary by season.
Main attractions
Prague is the star, with its castle, Charles Bridge and Old Town Square, but the countryside rewards exploration. Cesky Krumlov, a UNESCO-listed town wrapped in a bend of the Vltava beneath its own castle, is a fairy-tale in stone. The elegant spa town of Karlovy Vary lines a river valley with colonnades, while Kutna Hora offers a Gothic cathedral and the eerie bone chapel of Sedlec. Add the clifftop castle of Karlstejn, the wine country of southern Moravia and the beer city of Pilsen, and Czechia delivers far more than its capital.