Discover
Czech Republic
Fairy-tale castles, bohemian culture, and the golden city of Prague.
Top Destinations
Explore our curated selection of landmarks and cities you must visit.
Prague Castle
The largest ancient castle complex in the world at 70,000 square metres, Prague Castle sits atop Hradčany hill overlooking the city and has been the seat of Czech royalty and presidents for over a thousand years. The complex includes St. Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, St. George's Basilica, and the Golden Lane.
Best Time
May–September. Arrive at opening time (9am) to beat the crowds. The changing of the guard at noon is spectacular.
Insider Tip
Buy the comprehensive ticket (Ticket...
Charles Bridge
A Gothic stone bridge built from 1357 under King Charles IV, spanning the Vltava River with 16 arches and decorated with a remarkable avenue of 30 Baroque statues of saints (17th–18th century). The oldest bridge in Prague, it connects the Old Town with the Lesser Town and the castle.
Best Time
Early morning (before 8am) for peaceful crossing without crowds. Sunset from the bridge towers creates stunning views.
Insider Tip
Cross the bridge at dawn...
Old Town Square & Astronomical Clock
Prague's main square, surrounded by Gothic, Baroque, and Romanesque buildings including the Týn Church and the Old Town Hall with its medieval Astronomical Clock (Orloj, 1410). Every hour the clock's animated figures — Death, the Apostles, and allegorical figures — perform their mechanical parade.
Best Time
Year-round. The Christmas market (November–December) filling the square is one of Europe's most atmospheric.
Insider Tip
Climb the Old Town Hall...
Český Krumlov Castle
A UNESCO World Heritage complex of a magnificent castle and Renaissance chateau, dramatically situated on a rocky promontory in a loop of the Vltava River, towering over the medieval town below. The castle's Baroque theatre is one of the best-preserved court theatres in Europe.
Best Time
May–September. Avoid weekends in July–August which bring massive crowds. Visit on a weekday morning for a serene experience.
Insider Tip
Take the rafting trip down...
Karlovy Vary Spa Town
A UNESCO World Heritage spa town in western Bohemia, famous since the 14th century for its 13 hot mineral springs and elegant colonnaded spa halls (colonnade). The town's Belle Époque architecture, grand hotels, and tradition of drinking mineral water from ceramic cups create a uniquely refined atmosphere.
Best Time
May–September for outdoor colonnade life. The International Film Festival in July brings international celebrity glamour.
Insider Tip
Buy a spa cup (lázeňský...
Kutná Hora (Bone Church)
A UNESCO World Heritage medieval town that was once the second most important city in Bohemia due to its silver mines. The Sedlec Ossuary (Kostnice) — a small church decorated entirely with the bones of 40,000–70,000 people, including bone chandeliers, garlands, and a coat of arms — is one of the most extraordinary buildings in Europe.
Best Time
Year-round. The town is much quieter than Prague and most atmospheric in the off-season.
Insider Tip
Visit the Ossuary first thing...
Adršpach Rock Town
A dramatic sandstone rock labyrinth in the Broumov Highlands near the Polish border — thousands of towering sandstone pillars, narrow gorges, crystal-clear pools, and natural arches carved by erosion over millions of years. The tallest rock towers reach 100 metres.
Best Time
May–October. Spring brings a small waterfall from snowmelt. Autumn colour in the surrounding forests is beautiful.
Insider Tip
The circular hiking trail through...
Lednice–Valtice Landscape
A UNESCO World Heritage 'garden of Europe' — 283 square kilometres of interconnected parks, formal gardens, fishponds, forests, and romantic follies (fake ruins, minarets, hunting lodges) created by the Liechtenstein family between the 17th and 19th centuries as the world's largest landscape garden.
Best Time
May–September. Bicycle rental is essential — the distances between castles are best covered by bike.
Insider Tip
Rent a bicycle in Lednice...
Telč Historic Town
A UNESCO World Heritage Renaissance town in the Moravian Highlands, built after a devastating fire in the 16th century and reconstructed in uniform Italian Renaissance style by the local lord Zacharias of Hradec. The elongated main square — ringed by arcaded Renaissance and Baroque houses with gabled facades painted in pastel shades — is extraordinarily well-preserved.
Best Time
May–September. The town is small and easily explored in half a day.
Insider Tip
Visit early morning when the...
Bohemian Paradise (Prachovské Skály)
The Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj) is the Czech Republic's first protected landscape region, featuring the finest sandstone rock formations in Bohemia. Prachovské Skály (Prachov Rocks) is the most spectacular section — a dense labyrinth of towering pinnacles, arches, and deep corridors through ancient sandstone.
Best Time
May–October. The rocks are most atmospheric in the mist of early morning.
Insider Tip
Take the longer upper circuit...
Šumava National Park
The 'Green Roof of Europe' — a vast primeval forest on the Bohemian-Bavarian border, one of the largest continuous forest areas in Central Europe. Šumava contains pristine peat bogs, glacial lakes, and ancient spruce forests that have never been felled.
Best Time
June–September for hiking and cycling. Winter for cross-country skiing on groomed trails.
Insider Tip
Rent a bicycle in Kvilda...
Brno Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul
A twin-towered Neo-Gothic cathedral perched on Petrov Hill, visible from across the city, which has dominated Brno's skyline since the 13th century. The cathedral has a unique tradition — its bells ring noon at 11am, commemorating the 1645 Battle of Brno when the ringing fooled Swedish besiegers into thinking it was already midday.
Best Time
Year-round. Brno is excellent for weekend city breaks with significantly fewer tourists than Prague.
Insider Tip
Visit the Villa Tugendhat (UNESCO)...
Kroměříž Gardens
A UNESCO World Heritage baroque ensemble consisting of Kroměříž Archbishop's Chateau and its two extraordinary gardens — the Flower Garden (the most complete Baroque garden in Central Europe) and the Podzámecká Garden (English landscape park). The chateau contains one of the finest picture galleries in Central Europe.
Best Time
May–September when the Flower Garden is in bloom. The rose garden peaks in June.
Insider Tip
The Archbishop's library is one...
Olomouc Holy Trinity Column
A spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Baroque plague column — the largest Baroque sculpture in Central Europe — created between 1716 and 1754 and standing 35 metres tall in Upper Square. Olomouc itself is Moravia's most beautiful historic city, with six Baroque fountains, an astronomical clock, and a remarkably preserved medieval cityscape.
Best Time
Year-round. The Christmas market in December is excellent. June for the outdoor Music Festival.
Insider Tip
Explore the Roman underground —...
Znojmo Underground
An extraordinary 27-kilometre network of underground passages, cellars, and tunnels built between the 11th and 17th centuries beneath the medieval town of Znojmo in South Moravia. The catacombs served as storage for wine and as refuges during sieges, and are some of the most extensive in Central Europe.
Best Time
Year-round (the underground temperature is constant). The Znojmo Wine Festival in September is a highlight.
Insider Tip
Znojmo produces some of the...
Litomyšl Castle
A UNESCO World Heritage Renaissance chateau, considered one of the finest examples of Italian Renaissance architecture in Central Europe, built between 1568 and 1581. The birthplace of composer Bedřich Smetana, Litomyšl hosts an international opera festival every June in the castle courtyard.
Best Time
June for the Smetana Litomyšl Opera Festival — a premier cultural event held in the castle courtyard.
Insider Tip
The Smetana Museum inside the...
Konopište Castle
A remarkably well-preserved 14th-century castle that became the private residence of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria (whose assassination triggered World War I) from 1887 until his death in 1914. The castle contains his extraordinary personal collections — hunting trophies (over 300,000), weapons, and art — exactly as he left them.
Best Time
May–September. The rose garden peaks in June.
Insider Tip
Take Tour III (the longest...
Mariánské Lázně
A UNESCO World Heritage spa town (with Carlsbad/Karlovy Vary and Františkovy Lázně) established in the 19th century and patronized by figures including King Edward VII, Goethe, Chopin, Mark Twain, and Franz Joseph I. The colonnaded main colonnade and elaborate Neo-Baroque spa architecture are beautifully preserved.
Best Time
May–September. The Chopin Festival in August honours the composer's visits. Autumn for peaceful visits.
Insider Tip
The singing fountain in front...
Třeboň Fishpond Region
A remarkable medieval aquaculture landscape of over 500 fishponds built between the 14th and 16th centuries by the Rožmberk family, connected by an elaborate system of channels and dykes covering 400 square kilometres. The regional tradition of carp farming (since 1367) has created a unique wetland landscape.
Best Time
June–August for cycling and swimming. September for the spectacular carp harvest when thousands of fish are netted from the drained ponds.
Insider Tip
Visit during the famous Třeboň...
Slavonice Renaissance Town
A perfectly preserved small Renaissance town near the Austrian border that fell into economic stagnation after the 17th century and was consequently never modernized — its two market squares are lined with arcaded Renaissance houses decorated with elaborate sgraffito geometric patterns, virtually unchanged from the 16th century.
Best Time
May–September. The town is very small and easily combined with a day trip from Telč (30 minutes) or Třeboň.
Insider Tip
Walk through both market squares...
Travel Tips for Czech Republic
- 1.
Carry small change for tipping
- 2.
Prague is very walkable
- 3.
Try trdelník and svíčková