Practical route guides for the historic heart of the Czech Republic. From medieval castles to sandstone canyons, these pages cover what to see, how to get there, and what to expect along the way.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Most visitors to the Czech Republic spend a few days in Prague and leave. That is understandable — Prague is extraordinary. But Bohemia, the western half of the country, holds a remarkable variety of landscapes and historic towns that reward slower travel.
I have been visiting this region for several years, and what keeps drawing me back is the contrast. Within a few hours of Prague you can walk through a medieval town that feels genuinely unchanged, hike through sandstone formations that look like they belong in a different continent, or sit in a colonnaded spa town that was once the playground of European royalty.
These guides are written from personal experience. I describe what I actually found, including the practical details that travel brochures tend to leave out.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
The castle complex covers over 70,000 square metres and contains palaces, churches, gardens, and galleries. Most visitors see only a fraction of it. This guide covers a full-day route through the complex and the surrounding neighbourhood, including the parts that are easy to miss.
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Image: Wikimedia Commons
A UNESCO-listed town that gets crowded in summer but rewards visitors who arrive early or stay overnight. Here is how to make the most of it.
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Image: Wikimedia Commons
Sandstone formations, river gorges, and forest trails in northern Bohemia. The park is compact but offers routes for all fitness levels.
Read the guide →Czech Railways (CD) connects Prague to most Bohemian towns reliably and cheaply. Buses often reach smaller villages that trains do not. Renting a car gives the most flexibility, particularly for Bohemian Switzerland.
May and September offer the best combination of good weather and manageable crowds. July and August are peak season — popular sites like Cesky Krumlov become very busy. Winter has its own appeal, particularly in Prague.
The Czech Republic uses the koruna, not the euro. ATMs are widely available. Costs are noticeably lower than Western Europe, though tourist-heavy areas in Prague have higher prices. Smaller towns remain good value.