Czech Republic: How to Discover It in a Single Day?
Prague, 12.5.2011
Would you like to visit the Czech Republic but you are pressed for time? We will recommend you places that you can visit in a single day. We have already presented Prague in a different article so let’s head off to other towns now and to the countryside, nature and the renowned Czech spas. Full steam ahead! Our superfast Czech tour is just beginning!
If You Want to Taste Czech Beer...
…there is no better place than Pilsen. You will be introduced to the mystery and history of the unique Pilsner Urquell beer on your visit to a local brewery and the "Na Spilce" restaurant, situated right in the brewery courtyard, offers beer tasting. You must also visit the Brewery Museum, the only museum of its kind in the world. However, Pilsen, recently announced as the European Capital of Culture 2015, has more to offer than just its beer: the historic centre with a large square is dominated by St. Bartholomew's Cathedral with a 102.6m tower, the tallest tower in the Czech Republic. Have a look at the town of Pilsen from a bird’s eye view! The Local Meditation Garden and the Great Synagogue are also worth visiting. The latter is a neo-Romanesque building with oriental ornaments and abounds in superlatives: it is the largest synagogue in the Czech Republic, the second largest in Europe and the third largest in the world!
If you like fairytales, ghosts and maybe some mystery you should definitely not miss visiting the Marionette Museum, historical underground or the Ghost Museum. Have a stroll in a vast zoo and a botanical garden, admire prehistoric lizards in the DinoPark or visit a permanent aquarist exposition in the town centre! The Techmania Science Center, an interactive technical museum with a playroom and other attractions, will introduce your children to physics, mechanics, optics and other natural scientific disciplines. Last but not least, all war history lovers will surely appreciate the Patton Memorial in Pilsen, which was ceremoniously opened on 5 May 2005, the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Pilsen and South-West Bohemia by the American troops.
If You Like a Magical Atmosphere...
... there is no better place than Český Krumlov. It is often referred to as a two-tower town: whereas the tower of St. Vitus Church, dominating the historical centre, is a symbol of church’s power, the chateau tower embodies secular power. The historic centre of Český Krumlov, enclosed by the loop of the River Vltava, awaits you with a maze of winding narrow lanes, little squares and mysterious secluded places. It is no wonder that this town has its place of honour on UNESCO’s list of monuments. Český Krumlov is dominated by a chateau and castle with the already mentioned scenic tower and a chateau garden where you can attend a theatre play in summer, from the seat of the unique revolving auditorium. You will learn something of the history of the Český Krumlov dominion in the Castle Museum, opened in January 2011, and you can also enjoy a lively Renaissance atmosphere during June Five-Petal Rose Festival or the court culture of Rosenberg residences that will be brought back during the “Renaissance Night” taking place in September.
Quite a number of artists have taken a fancy to Český Krumlov; one of them was an outstanding Austrian painter Egon Schiele (1890-1918) whose mother was born in this town. Thanks to that you can see an exhibition in the Egon Schiele Art Centre, a year-round exhibition illustrating Schiele’s life and works and associated with the reconstruction of his Krumlov motifs. Other popular destinations include the Seidel Photographic Studio Museum, Torture Museum, The Eggenberg Brewery, The Wax Museum or the Marionette Museum. In summer you can also enjoy raft cruises. If you are interested in technical sights do not forget to visit the Museum of Historical Motorcycles or a graphite mine: the underground circuit is more than two kilometres long and you will travel 1.2 km on a miner’s train and walk the remaining 800 metres on foot led by a guide.
If You Want to Try the Renowned Czech Spas...
... you simply should head off to Karlovy Vary, the destination of the cream of society from around the world for many centuries now. You will find no other place in the whole of the Czech Republic with so many mineral and thermal springs than this West Bohemian spa. What’s more, the three most famous spa towns, i.e. Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně and Františkovy Lázně, were nominated for UNESCO’s List of World Heritage thanks to their unique character.
Karlovy Vary, founded in the 14th century by the Czech king and Roman emperor Charles IV, is one of the most famous spa towns in the world. Its hot and cold healing springs are used for oral treatment, baths and other procedures. The symbol of Karlovy Vary and the most famous spring is Vřídlo (“hot spring”, literally) – do not forget to take an interesting walk in the town’s underground. Do take a walk on the colonnades, admire impressive spa architecture, have a bath in the thermal pool in the Thermal hotel and take a funicular to popular scenic points called Diana and Jelení skok (“deer’s leap”).
The Visitors Centre of the Moser Glassworks is also very popular with the town’s visitors and glass made under this renowned brand has been produced since 1893. Another frequented sight is Jan Becher’s Museum. Its exposition illustrates the history of this famous herbal liquor called Becherovka, produced since 1807. A visit to Jan Becher’s Museum includes tasting, of course!
If you are able to resist picturesque colonnades, parks and springs, you can visit, for example, nearby Loket Castle, Teplá Monastery or the castle and chateau of Bečov nad Teplou, where you can admire St. Maurus Reliquary, one of the most precious cultural monuments in the Czech Republic.
Tips for Two or Three-Day Trips in Bohemia
If you have more time for trips in Bohemia you can extend the above-mentioned one-day trips and add some more destinations. Český ráj (“Czech Paradise”), for instance, a region full of magnificent rock structures or “towns” with countless castles and chateaux, is easily accessible from Prague. Will you try the impressive gothic castle Kost, Valdštejn castle or the chateau of Mnichovo Hradiště with a theatre equipped with original set pieces, Duchcov library once managed by Giacomo Casanova himself and the tomb of the famous commander Albrecht of Wallenstein?
Another interesting destination is the town of Terezín, located at the confluence of the rivers Elbe and Ohře. It is a fortress town founded at the end of the 18th century surrounded by massive banks until now that served as a ghetto from 1941 where Jewish citizens were gradually deported by the Nazis. After the Second World War a Memorial was created here that reminds us of the suffering of tens of thousands of people. A visit to Terezín can be combined with a trip to the near town of Litoměřice with a historical centre and original gothic fortification.
Another option is to take a trip from Prague to Karlštejn, a castle founded by the Czech king and Roman emperor Charles IV, where you can admire a replica of St. Wenceslas’ crown worn by Czech kings. If you like, you can also squeeze in a visit to the Koněprusy Caves or the Hořovice chateau to make it an eventful single-day trip.
Bara Ticoalu
Assistent
CzechTourism Scandinavia
Villagatan 21, Box 26 156
100 41 Stockholm
Sweden
T: 46 8 44 04 221
F: 46 8 41 12 855