Guide with 19 must-see places in the Czech Republic

There are few countries that we have visited more times than the Czech Republic. I tell you more, this blog started with the content of this country.

And although for tourists visiting the country for the first time the main attraction is Prague, I am going to show you how this beautiful city is just the tip of the iceberg.

I warn you that in this article you will discover places that will blow your mind, just like we did the first time we visited them.

There are amazing places to see in the Czech Republic, from small towns and fairytale villages to truly amazing castles, palaces and world heritage sites.

Throughout this article, which we are updating and revamping with each trip we make to the country, you will find all the practical information you need to make a trip to the country. Czech Republic.

1. Facts and information to understand the Czech Republic

• 👥 Population: 10.5M.
• 💶 Currency: CZK (Czech Crown).
• 🏥 Health: Public, high quality; generally free for residents.
• 🚆 Transport: Efficient and punctual; good train and metro system in cities.
• ✈️ Travelers:
  • Meal times: Earlier meals than in Spain (lunch 12:00-13:00, dinner 18:00-20:00).
  • Tips: 10% appreciated in restaurants.
  • 🍽️ Gastronomy: Try guláš, svíčková, and knedlíky (Czech rolls).

2. Car routes in the Czech Republic

Here I propose you 2 routes by car for your trip to the Czech Republic.

On the one hand, a route of only 3 days to visit from Prague two of the most interesting places you can visit on your trip, the spa city of Carlsbad and the medieval town of Cesky Krumlov.

And on the other hand, a route for a 12 day trip where you can visit, in addition to Prague, Most notable cities and towns in the Czech Republic

• 3-Day Travel Plan from Prague to Karlovy Vary and Cesky Krumlov
• 15-day car route to visit the most beautiful cities in the Czech Republic

So, if you plan to make a route by car, as we have done on several occasions, it is advisable to take these into account tips for renting a car.

You also have another option for which this information will be very useful, that of travel by regular bus.

3. What to eat in the Czech Republic

In summary, typical dishes from the Czech Republic are something like this:

• Entrada: The stars in the starters due to the year-round temperatures are chicken 🐔, meat 🥩 or vegetable 🥕 soups.
• Main dish: Meat is undoubtedly the star, whether it's chicken 🐓, pork 🐖, turkey 🦃 or beef 🥩. And always with sauces and accompanied by potatoes 🥔, vegetables 🥗 or salad 🥬.
• Star Companion: Knedlíky (dumplings, gnocchi-type bread, soft texture) 🍞.
• National Dishes:
  • • Svíčková: Roast beef with cream sauce 🥩🥛 and knedlíky 🍞.
    • Pečená kachna: Roasted duck 🦆.
    • Vepřo knedlo zelo: Roast pork 🐷 with sweet and sour cabbage 🥬.
• Fish: Mainly carp 🐟 and trout 🐟, which are the typical fish that have historically been caught in the Vltava River 🌊.
• Dessert: Variety of cakes 🍰. Also try Trdelník made from rolled dough, baked and covered with sugar and cinnamon 🍩. It is not of Czech origin but it is already part of the country 🇨🇿.
• Popular Drink: Beer 🍺 (Pilsen and Staropramen are notable). Also local white wine 🍷

If you want more in-depth information about the typical dishes that you have to try if you travel to the Czech Republic, I leave you this article in which we detail everything and also include restaurants that we have been able to try and that we have loved.

• • What to eat in the Czech Republic

4. Best time to travel to the Czech Republic

Throughout all the visits we have made over the years, we have been able to see all the different variants of the Czech climate and we believe we have a pretty clear idea in our opinion when is the best time to visit. to travel to the Czech Republic.

Fall 🍂 (September – October) The best time without a doubt, especially September

• Advantage: Autumn landscapes. The crowds of summer no longer exist in autumn.
• Disadvantage: Days are getting shorter.

Spring 🌸 (March – May)

• Advantage: Gardens in bloom 🌷 and there aren't so many people.
• Disadvantage: Unpredictable weather ☔, it may rain but the temperature is perfect 🌤️.

Summer ☀️ (June – August)

• Advantage: Warm weather 🌞, sometimes even very hot 🔥.
• Disadvantage: Lots of people, Prague is overcrowded, you can go to other regions to avoid it.

Winter ❄️ (November – February)

• Advantage: If you are interested in Christmas Markets 🎄 this is your time.
• Disadvantage: Intense cold 🥶.

5. How much does it cost to travel to the Czech Republic?

It is important to note that budgets vary greatly depending on each person's budget and the cities you visit, with Prague being the most expensive by far, but to give you an idea, these are the prices for a standard trip.

• • Accommodation: From €30 💶 per night 🌙 in hostels or apartments 🏢 to €150 💶 in luxury hotels 🌟.
  • Foods: A meal 🍽️ at a local restaurant can cost between €10-15 💶, while a dinner 🍷 at a fancier restaurant 🍴 can range from €20-30 💶.
  • Shipping cost: Public transport 🚌🚇 in Prague is cheap, with day tickets around €4 💶. Trains 🚆 between cities are also affordable, with short journeys for less than €10 💶.
• How to Save Money: Take advantage of public transportation instead of taxis in Prague. Eat at local restaurants outside of the tourist areas for better prices. Also, consider purchasing the Prague Card if you plan to visit many attractions, as it offers free admission and discounts.

Approximate budget for a trip to the Czech Republic:

• • 3 days: 350-580 €
  • 5 days: 580-970 €
  • 7 days: 820-1380 €
  • 15 days: 1750-2950 €

6. What to see and visit in the Czech Republic

Honestly, it is very difficult for us to choose the most interesting things to see in the Czech Republic because we love the whole country. But it is true that there are cities that stand out.

First, I'll give you a quick breakdown and then I'll highlight other places worth seeing.

• 🏙️ Capital and important cities:
  • Capital: Prague, political and cultural centre.
  • Other major cities:
    • Brno: Cultural and academic center in Moravia.
    • Ostrava: Important industrial city in the northeast.
    • Pilsen: Known for its beer, industrial centre in western Bohemia.
    • Czech Budejovice: Famous for its Budweiser beer, located in South Bohemia.
    • Olomouc: Important historical and cultural city in Moravia.
  • Most beautiful cities in our opinion:
    • Czech Krumlov: Picturesque medieval town, UNESCO heritage site, famous for its castle and river.
    • Carlsbad: Spa town famous for its hot springs and elegant architecture.
    • Telc: Renaissance city with a picturesque square and colorful buildings
  • Incredible landscapes 
    • Ústí nad Labem: Bohemian Switzerland with its breathtaking cliffs and trails

Prague

If you travel to the Czech Republic, It is very likely that you will start getting to know the country in Prague, the capital.

And I'm not telling you anything new when I say that in my opinion it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, although you will also find a city with a huge tourist influx.

Tu Prague visit will focus on your Old City, with the spectacular square where the old town hall is located and whose iconic image is the Gothic towers of the Tyn Temple.

El Charles Bridge that crosses the río Moldava It will be another of the focuses of your visit because there you will head towards the baroque neighborhood of Little Country.

From this beautiful neighborhood you will go up to the hill where the great monumental complex of the Prague Castle where is the St. Vitus Cathedral and the Royal Palace.

If you want more detailed information about Prague with tips for visiting it and places you shouldn't miss, here is our guide to the city.

• Guide to traveling to Prague with the best places to see

Castles near Prague

The Czech Republic is also a land of castles, and from the capital Prague You can take excursions to visit some of the medieval fortifications that are found in its surroundings.

To highlight the medieval Karlstejn castle, built in the mid-200th century, and which for XNUMX years housed the Crown jewels.

• 5 medieval castles near Prague
• Karlstejn, medieval castle near Prague

• Krivoklat, Gothic castle near Prague

Carlsbad

One of the most beautiful and interesting cities you can visit in a excursion from Prague, it is without a doubt Carlsbad.

Also known as Carlsbad, is one of the most famous spa cities in the world, which had its greatest boom in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In this very beautiful city of Baroque architecture, you will walk through the colonnades where the sources of medicinal waters are located, and you can see places like the Diana's viewpoint and orthodox church of peter and paul.

Here you have our best tips to visit Karlovy Vary, as well as useful information with all the options to go to Karlovy Vary from Prague.

• Guide with the best things to see in Karlovy Vary
• How to go to Karlovy Vary from Prague
• Karlovy Vary tour from Prague

Marianske Lazne / Marienbad

Near Karlovy Vary you can visit another small spa town, Marianske Lazna, better known by its German name, Marienbad.

This spa city had a great boom at the end of the 19th century and was widely visited by illustrious people, such as politicians, writers and composers of the time.

• Marianske Lazne Spa / Marienbad

Cesky Krumlov

If there is a town with a special charm in the Czech Republic, it is Cesky Krumlov, which you should visit in a day trip from Prague.

With a very special location, in a meander of the río Moldava and at the foot of the hill where its extension extends huge castle, Cesky Krumlov is the best example of a “fairy tale town".

Its charm is such that you will not be surprised to know that it has been the setting for movies, so I assure you that you will not regret visiting it.

This information will be very useful to you, information with all the options to go to Cesky Krumlov from Prague.

• What to see in Cesky Krumlov
• How to get to Cesky Krumlov from Prague
• Cesky Krumlov tour from Prague

Brno

Brno is second city of Czech Republic by the number of inhabitants.

Although its tourist attraction is not comparable to that of Prague, it does have some notable corners in its historic center, highlighting the freedom squares and the Vegetable Market, as well as the silpberk castle.

But you should also know that Brno is on the list of World Heritage awarded by the Villa Tugendhat, one of the best examples of functionalist architecture built in 1930.

• What to see in Brno

Ceske Budejovice

At route between Prague and Cesky Krumlov you have the option of making a stop to visit the large square Premysl Otakar de Ceske Budejovice, Czech king who founded the city in 1256.

It is one of the largest squares in the city. Czech Republic with corners like the Samson Fountain baroque style and Black tower, from whose viewpoint you have the best views of the square.

Kromeriz, World Heritage Palace

One of the declared places Heritage en Czech Republic is the Archbishop's Palace of Kromeriz, which was one of the film's settings Amadeus de Milos Forman.

After a major renovation in the 18th century, the building of an initial Gothic castle became a majestic baroque palace. although the current decoration is from the 19th century.

• This is the visit to the Archbishop's Palace of Kromeriz

Kutna Hora, the dark Chapel of Bones

One of the excursions to take from Prague will take you to the city of Kutna Hora, where you can visit the dark Chapel of Bones.

• Kostnice Bone Chapel in Sedlec in Kutna Hora
• Kutna Hora tour from Prague

Pardubice City

Pardubice City It is a Czech city just 100 kilometres from Prague and very well connected to the city by train, including direct flights from Girona and Alicante.

This town of 90.000 inhabitants has everything you would expect from a city in the Czech Republic.

A square full of well-kept buildings with colorful facades, a noble castle, good restaurants and very interesting corners such as Automatic Mills, a completely converted old mill.

But the charm of this town is not only in the city, but in the region, since here you will find cities such as litomysl, Dolni Morava, with the longest suspension bridge in the world or the former stables of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, declared Heritage for its historical value.

litomysl

Without leaving the Czech region of Perdubice There is the small town of Litomysl, included in the list of World Heritage for the historical and artistic value of its Renaissance palace, the best preserved in northern Italy.

Also noteworthy is its enormous and elongated arcaded square with Renaissance facades and the curious corner of the sgraffito facades dedicated to the Czech writer Joseph Vachal.

• Litomysl Renaissance Palace

Lower Morava

Although the Czech Republic is not a country of great mountains, it does have a mountain range on the border with Poland. And right there is the Dolní Morava Ski Resort.

But I have not included this place on this list for its ski resort, but for the complex that is built around it.

A place full of activities with an alpine roller coaster, a skywalk impressive, more than a kilometer long, with hiking trails, bike descents and, without a doubt, the jewel in the crown, its suspension bridge.

Be careful, it is the longest suspension bridge in the world, an amazing place that you can see on our Instagram channel, where we have published a specific video that will blow your mind when you see this place.

Svitavy

The small town of Svitavy, What can you visit near Litomysl, has gained fame for being the birthplace of Oskar Schindler, The main character of the movie Schindler's List.

Mikulov

Medieval town that you find at southern Czech Republic, In wine area next to the Austrian border, Mikulov has spread to the foot of a hill where there was a castle, now a baroque style palace.

• What to see in Mikulov

Olomouc

Another very interesting city to visit from Prague es Olomouc, which you can reach by fast train, so you can visit it on a day trip.

Yes, Olomouc It has very interesting corners to discover, especially its beautiful Town Hall Square where is the Column of the Holy Trinity that placed this city on the list of World Heritage.

• What to see in Olomouc

Bouzov Castle

Near Olomouc you can visit one of the castles most prominent in the Czech Republic, that of Bouzov.

It is a medieval fortification from the mid-1620th century, although the building you can now visit dates from XNUMX.

• Medieval Bouzov Castle near Olomouc

phone

Near the route from Prague to Brno you find the town of phone, where it is worth visiting to see its impressive Plaza Mayor with very colorful Renaissance-style houses.

It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful squares that you can see on a trip to the Czech Republic.

• What to see on your Telc tourist visit

Terezín

From Prague you can take an excursion to visit the Nazi concentration camp memorial de Terezín, during which you will also be able to see the old jewish ghetto.

• Nazi concentration camp memorial near Prague
• Terezín excursion from Prague

Trebic

Trebic is a small city in the southeast of the Czech Republic that stands out for its Jewish quarter declared Heritage awarded by the Unesco.

With the Karlovo square as a central axis, in Trebic you can also see the Basilica of Saint Procopius, one of the architectural jewels that remain from medieval Europe.

• What to see on your visit to Trebic southeast of Prague

Delicious

Also in the route from Prague to Cesky Krumlov you have the option of approaching the city of Delicious, a South Bohemia.

Its origins date back to the 11th century and its main tourist attraction is the long Masarik Square surrounded by houses with beautiful facades of baroque and Renaissance styles.

• What to see when visiting Trebon in South Bohemia

Usti nad Labem 

The most beautiful landscapes I've seen in the entire Czech Republic are in this region that borders Germany on the north and has very complex names, or at least they seem that way to me.

A region called the Bohemian Switzerland for the impressive landscapes.

Gorges, incredible hiking trails in nature parks, or bike rides along the banks of the Elbe should be enough to justify a trip.

Here's an article to blow your mind, just like I did when I visited this region.

• What to see in Ustí Nad Labem 

7. Tips for travelers to keep in mind; our experience

• Security advice: The Czech Republic is a very safe country, not because I say so, but because the data confirms it. But as in any tourist place, it is important to keep an eye on your belongings, especially in the busiest areas of Prague.
• What to Pack in Your Suitcase: Comfortable clothing for walking, especially if you plan to explore the countryside. In winter, don't forget a good coat and boots, as temperatures can drop considerably.
• Pay by credit card: As we always recommend, the ideal is to pay for everything you can with a card, which is the most convenient way. In addition, it is a perfect country for this. I'll tell you more. We don't change money because everything can be paid for with a card.
• Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them: Do not exchange money at exchange offices in the centre of Prague, as they often offer unfavourable rates. Use ATMs or exchange money at banks.
• Currency of the Czech Republic: Although it is a European country, the euro is not used; the currency of the Czech Republic is the czech crown (CZK)