The Czech Republic has rebranded itself as Czechia to make it easier for English speakers. After shaking off the cobwebs from its time behind the Iron Curtain, it overflows with off the beaten track experiences. At the heart of Central Europe, it’s a Bohemian rhapsody of picturesque castles and charming medieval towns. Visit Prague and Český Krumlov for their history, culture, and well-preserved architecture.
Must Sees: Prague | Must Sees: Plzen | Food
MUST SEES: PRAGUE
Charles Bridge
Charles IV had Peter Parler design this Gothic stone bridge connecting Prague Castle with Old Town. There are Baroque statues of 30 saints lining the sides, including St. John Nepomuk, thrown off for protecting the confessional. It’s good luck to rub the plaque, ensuring a return to Prague.
Astronomical Clock
At Old Town Square, watch the Astronomical Clock and its two faces – one displaying time and the other a calendar. At the clock’s hourly performance, the bells start to chime as Death tugs on a chain. Above the clock face, the Apostles march past the two open windows.
Prague Castle
In 880, Duke Bořivoj founded Hradčany, a complex of palaces and churches where Bohemian kings and Holy Roman emperors ruled. Vladislav Hall with its Gothic rib vault ceilings was a space for coronation banquets and tournaments. In 1618, Protestant nobles threw Catholic officials out the palace windows, sparking the Thirty Years’ War.
St. Vitus Cathedral
St. Vitus Cathedral dominates the skyline at the center of Prague Castle. Peter Parler’s design innovations added diagonal rib vault ceilings to twin Gothic spires, gargoyle spouts, Rose Window, and flying buttresses. The Renaissance Bell Tower has a green Baroque spire.
St. George’s Basilica
The Romanesque basilica is the oldest church within Prague Castle from 920. It has a red decorative Baroque façade. Duke Vratislav I was obsessed with St. George and there are many sculptures of St. George slaying the dragon.
Golden Lane
At the northern wall of Prague Castle, narrow Golden Lane contains colorful homes. Originally for castle guards, the tiny cottages housed goldsmiths in the 17th century. Franz Kafka wrote for a year at cottage 22, now a souvenir shop.
Týn Church
The Church of our Lady before Týn is a Gothic church in Old Town. Gaze up at twin towers and their eccentric black spires. Each spire is topped by eight spires across two platforms with a turret at each of the four corners.
Josefov
In the Jewish Quarter, the old Jewish cemetery is known for its densely packed and stacked graves. The Jewish Town Hall has an ornamental Rococo façade with two clocks. The top clock has Roman numerals. The lower clock has Hebrew numerals with hands that go counter-clockwise.
Old-New Synagogue
The Gothic Old-New Synagogue is the oldest active synagogue in Europe – built in 1270. A legend says Rabbi Loew created a Golem out of clay to protect the Jewish community. After the creature completed its task, he hid it in the attic.
Jan Hus Memorial
Jan Hus was a Catholic church reformer and vocal critic of Catholic practices. The church excommunicated him and burned him at the stake in 1415. His work was vital to the development of the Czech language.
Vltava Cruise
An evening cruise is a lovely experience. Many of Prague’s sights border the Vltava River. At the midpoint of the cruise, the boat dips under the Charles Bridge. Prague Castle has a commanding position at the top of the hill. Listen to accordion music while you dine.
Strahov Monastery
Behind Strahov Monastery, admire the grand view of the city’s skyline just beyond an orchard. Pick out monuments from a sea of green copper domes and dark Gothic jagged spires.
Konopiště Castle
Konopiště Castle is 30 minutes from Prague to the town of Benešov. The Gothic fortification was the residence of Franz Ferdinand whose assassination set WWI in motion. The Archduke loved hunting and there are stag’s heads, foxes, and a bear everywhere. The rooms have elegant furniture, Meissen porcelain, and paintings.
MUST SEES: PLZEŇ
Plzeň City Hall
In Republic Square, Plzeň City Hall is one of the oldest Renaissance city halls in the nation. In 1914, sgraffito was added to the exterior of the building. Sgraffito is a technique that applies plaster and creates a design by scratching the plaster to reveal the base layer.
House of the Jousting Knights
Next to the colorful homes in Republic Square, there is a building with jousting knights on a golden background.
Great Synagogue
The Great Synagogue is the third largest synagogue in the world and second largest in Europe. It’s a mashup of designs with a Romanesque Revival style, Moorish ceiling, onion domes, and a giant Star of David. Emmanuel Klotz designed the synagogue so the towers were lower than the nearby Cathedral of St. Bartholomew.
FOOD
Vepřo Knedlo Zelo
This national dish consists of three items: roast pork (pečené vepřové), bread dumplings (knedlíky), and stewed cabbage (zelím). Wash this hearty dish down with a golden pilsner.
Bramboráky
Bramboráky are fried pancakes of grated potatoes, egg, flour, salt, pepper, garlic, and marjoram. The potato cakes are often filled with pork chops and eaten with red cabbage and sauerkraut.
Palačinky
Palacinky are crepe pancakes covered in sugar and filled with chocolate and strawberries.
Becherovka
Becherovka is an herbal digestif flavored with cloves for bitterness, anise for licorice, and cinnamon.Regions
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