Top places to visit in the Czech Republic

During summer, you can see water lovers finishing their canoe trip and relaxing in the town. If you choose to come in the winter period, most of the tourists will be gone, and you might get enchanted by the romantic view of the snow-covered chateau.

For architecture enthusiasts: the chateau and the town are a mix of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque. The Baroque chateau theater from the 18th century is one of the best-preserved Baroque theaters in the world. 

The royal mint got established in the early 14th century during the reign of King Wenceslas II, and Kutná Hora started producing the Prague groschen coins. It became the second most important town in the Kingdom of Bohemia. During the 16th century, the mines have run dry, and the town´s treasure soon became history.

Church of St. Barbara (St. Barbara´s Cathedral)

is a Roman Catholic church built in the Gothic style, and dedicated to St. Barbora, patron saint of miners. The construction took almost 500 years. The first architect is said to be Johann Parléř (son of Petr Parléř, the famous architect of St. Vitus Cathedral and Charles Bridge in Prague).
You will get enchanted by the interior full of Gothic and Renaissance paintings. Part of the UNESCO heritage and one of the most beautiful churches in Europe is certainly enough time to visit the Cathedral of St. Barbora.

Italian Court

is a former royal mint where silver coins were made in the Middle Ages. In the original box offices, there is an exhibition of coins and minting. The complex of buildings is now used as a town hall and as a museum.

Stone Fountain

The Gothic stone fountain on Rejsek Square was built in the 15th century by the architect Matěj Rejsk (the author of the Powder Gate in Prague, who also worked at the Church of St. Barbara). The large fountain has twelve sides, is four meters high, and originally had a hexagonal roof.
When the local water supply was interrupted during silver mining, the fountain served to supply Kutná Hora. Water got supplied through wooden pipes from a well several kilometers away. After dark, you can enjoy the view of the beautifully lit fountain.

Sedlec Ossuary (Bone Church)

If you like unusual things, this place should be on your list of places to see. The ossuary is located around 1 km away from the Kutná Hora train station - you can get there by either train, bus, or taxi. The ossuary is in the underground chapel of the Church of All Saints, founded in the 13th century.

The present appearance is the work of a woodcarver František Rint, commissioned in 1870 to decorate the chapel. For that, he used between 40 000 - 70 000 bones. His fantastic creations include a coat of arms of the local aristocratic Schwarzenberg family and a chandelier that contains every bone in the human body.

Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady at Sedlec

If you visit the ossuary at Sedlec, take a short walk to the Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Cathedral was built in the High Gothic style in the 13th century as the most magnificent church in the Bohemian Kingdom. The church got burnt down by the Hussites and again refurbished in the 18th century in the Baroque Gothic style. 

The Karlštejn Castle also served as the King´s retreat, and the King personally supervised the construction works and interior decorations. The most precious part of the castle is the Chapel of St. Cross, decorated with gemstones, gold, and a unique portrait gallery of The Army of Saints.

The castle stands on a hill, surrounded by other hills, so you cannot see it unless you are close. And since it is impossible to see the castle from afar, it never was conquered in the past! 

Today, Czechs also love Karlštejn because of a musical from the 1970s, which tells how King Charles forbade women to stay in the castle to find out that his wife was hiding there in disguise.

We suggest spending some time at the picturesque village, admire the works of local artists. If you fancy a bit of hiking, you can visit the beautiful geological sites (Mexiko, Malá Amerika, Velká Amerika) located few kilometers away. 

The town was established in the 14th century by Karel (Charles) IV - the King of Bohemia and Roman Emperor. Karlovy Vary ("Charles Spa") has become the most visited spa town in the Czech Republic. 

Hot Springs and collonades

patients with oncologic treatments, diabetes, pancreas, digestive system illness etc. from Czech and abroad travel to Karlovy Vary for their treatments. The healing hot springs (and prescribed health procedures) fasten their recovery process.

The hot springs are free to try - you have over 13 hot springs to choose from. Be prepared the taste is very unusual yet healing. The historical collonades has become the meeting point for tourists and locals. You can even visit the undeground hot springs! 

Moser glassworks

Ludwig Moser establised the glass store and the engraving shop in the 19th century. It has become one of the most known luxury Czech glass manufacturer in the world. If you have time, definitely visit the Moser Museum. 

International Film Festival

takes place each July. Stars such as Robert De Niro, Leonardo Di Caprio, Sharon Stone, Uma Thurman and many others have attended this annual festival. If you want to experience the true festival atmosphere with thousands of spectacors and watch movies every day, this is the best opportunity to do so. 

Becherovka

The Becherovka liquor origins go back to the beginning of the 19th century. It is made of herbs and spices and its original purpose was to cure the stomach illness, and the patient´s soul! Czechs usually drink it after their dinner to digest the meal.

Karlovy Vary wafers

The first wafers were prepared in around 1800. The present wafers´s look differs - two sugary wafers are layered on top of each other and in between you will get different flavours (hazelnut, vanilla..) combined with the Karlovy Vary spring waters and salt. They taste fantastic both hot and cold. Great present from Czech Republic, too! 

History

Terezín is a fortress built by the ruler Josef II in the 18th century, located in the North Bohemia. It was named after his mother, Maria Theresa. The original purpose of the fortress was to secure the bridges across the Ohře and Labe rivers against the Prussian troops.

Ironically, it became a prison and during the World World II a Jewish ghetto and a concentration camp. 

The Small Fortress and the Big Fortress during World War II

The Prague Gestapo police prison was set up in the Small Fortress in 1940. Over the two year period the camp (Big Fortress) was re-built to hold a massive capacity of over 150 000 prisoners, mainly Jews from Czechoslovakia as well as Germany and Austria.

Although not primarily death camp, thousands of people died there because of the poor hygienic conditions and thousands of Jews were sent to Auschwitz and other "work camps" in Europe where the death was almost inevitable. 

The camp and prison were liberated in May 1945 by the Soviet Army. It is said only around 17 000 Jews survived the Terezín concentration camp. After the war, the camp was used as an internment camp for ethnic Germans. It was closed in 1948. 

Ghetto Museum

is located in the centre of Terezín town and helds a permanent exhibiton displaying living conditions of Jews imprisoned in the Terezín concentration camp. Often, lectures are held there. Although the exhibition might be emotionally draining, it carries an important message: 

It show us that even at times of despair, prisoners would find their way to express themselves through art (performing plays watched even by the Nazi, classical music concerts, etc). You will learn that at these awful times facing death on daily basis, they still kept strong will to live and love. 

The Schwanzerbergs (aristocratic family tracing their roots to the Middle Ages) lived at the castle until 1939, then the last owner fled the country to escape from the Nazis. The castle is now a National Cultural Monument of the Czech Republic. 

The castle has 140 rooms and 11 towers. You might have a peak inside the private rooms as well as grand ceremonial halls or you might want to visit the castle kitchen with lots of kitchen equipment preserved from the late 18th till the beginning of the 20th century. If you are into tapestry, we recommend to check the collection (the biggest in Europe) of the unique Flemish tapestries. 

A book lover? The castle´s library contains of over 12 000 books and a spectacular Baroque fire place. If you visit the armory, you will be treated to the collection of weapons from the 13th until the 19th century. Before, during or after the tour feel free to take a walk in the beautifully kept English - style park (190 hectares). 

The first inhabitants of the Brno area date back to prehistoric times, however, the area was settled around the 11th century. 

Brno is the seat of the Supreme Court in the Czech Republic as well as a great administrative and higher education center. The city is pulsing with culture, art and is known for its very friendly atmosphere. Její Pastorkyňa (Jenůfa or also Her Stepdaughter), the famous opera by Leoš Janáček, was premiered in Brno in 1904.

Špilberk Castle 

Špilberk Castle was built in the mid-13th century. Over the centuries it has been both a symbol of safety and protection as well as the oppression of citizens - first as a royal castle and later on a Baroque fortress; the most rigorous prison of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and finally, a barracks of the occupying army. Nowadays it is a national heritage monument hosting the City Museum.

St. Peter and Paul Cathedral

A Romanesque chapel stood on the current spot of the cathedral back in the 11th century. It was rebuilt into a Gothic basilica two centuries later. The church was badly damaged during the Swedish siege of the town in the 17th century. A century later, reconstruction took place and since then the building stayed largely unchanged, meaning the interior of the temple is distinctly Baroque, whereas the exterior is Gothic.

Náměstí Svobody (Freedom Square)

is the main square in the Brno city center where in the morning locals enjoy sipping their coffee in one of the cozy cafés and in the evening have a beer or Moravian wine in one (or more) of the many pubs. If you come during winter season, you might enjoy a festive and very warm spirit of Christmas market, try the mulled (warm) wine...

The Ossuary of St. James´s Church

was established in the 13th century and is located next to the St. James Church. It is the second largest ossuary in Europe. It was a place of burial of victims of plague and cholera, the Thirty Years' War and the Swedish siege and more than 50 000 people are buried there. 

Villa Tugendhat

is the historical building located in the Černá Pole district. The villa was built by the famous German architect Maria Ludwig Michael Mies in 1929-1930 and commissioned by Greta and Fritz Tugendhat who came from the rich industrial families in Brno. This true gem of modern architecture has also been included in the UNESCO world heritage list. The villa broke from all period trends in all respects with its functionality, and its interior was way ahead of its time. The villa is opened for public nearly every day, however we recommend to reserve the tour there in advance. 

You´ll find many pavillons and hunting houses located in the landscape, such as Neo-classical collonade, Minaret (that provides magnificent views) and more. 

History:

In the 13th century, the Liechtenstein family came to Lednice and century later acquired Valtice as well. The complex remained the main Liechtenstein residence until 1939. Then the World War II begun, the Liechtenstein family fled the country, the complex was confiscated, then it became part of Czechoslovakia and it has remained as the Czech Republic property till now even though there have been numerous attemps to return the complex to the family. 

The Lednice country house was originally a Renaissance villa and then it was remodelled to reflect Baroque, Classical and finally in the mid-19th century, Neo-Gothic styles. The foundation of Valtice country house is medieval, however it has been remodelled into Renaissance, Mannerist and, most importantly, Baroque styles. 

Practical Information:

The distance between the houses is around 7 km (4.6 miles). There is a bus running all day or you can rent a bike or hike there. The land around Lednice-Valtice has been very generous, creating the best place for vineyards. Treat yourself and visit them or the wine cellars where you will be served the best wine...

Your first step should lead to the square where you can just sit at one of the cafés or restaurants, enjoy the moment of stillness and admire the colorful Renaissance and Baroque houses with high gables and arcades. Visit the Telč Chateau to see the beautiful Renaissance architecture. 

Although highly popular amongs foreigner visitors, the town has managed to kept its quietness and a very intimate atmosphere. 

Telč Chateau

is a gem of the Moravian Renaissance architecture. The chateau was originally a gothic castle built in the 14th century, century later it was rebuilt into a Renaissance style. Its original interiors remained in very good condition. Many of them are representative examples of the intervention of Italian art in Czech Republic. You can also take a walk in the English-style built park by the chateau.

If you want to have some great views of the historic city centre (which include the Renaissance City Hall, Baroque reconstruction of the Archdeacon’s house and Franciscan Monastery) we highly recommend to climb up the tower. 

The Great Synagogue

was built in the late 19th century and is located near the city centre. It is the second largest in Europe and the third largest synagogue in the world. The synagogue also serves as an important exhibition place as well as a fantastic concert venue. 

Festivals and events

Plzeň hosts some of the locally and internationally well known events and festivals, i.e the Smetana Days, the Theatre Festival, International Drawing Biennial, Skupa’s Plzen, and the International Big-Band Festival. The Liberation Festival is a special event taking place in early May giving thanks to the U.S. Army who liberated Plzeň. People are freely dancing in the streets, you can hear jazz everywhere...

Pilsner Urquell

If you are a beer lover, do not miss a trip to the world renowned brewery. You will learn about the ingredients used, about the current and past breweries...And of course, you will taste the filtered Pilsner Urquell beer straight from the barrel! In the Brewery Museum you are free to explore the Gothic house with well and learn more about the history of beer brewing.