Tips for trips in Czechia
Are you a foreigner living in the Czech Republic? Discover Czechia and attractive places, interesting people, and Czech characters. It´s summer – a great time for trips. I offer you a couple of tips on where to travel through Czechia.
I want to discover Czechia 2
The North
Krkonoše and Sněžka
Do you like hiking? Then you have to go to Krkonoše. Czech mountains with the highest mountain Sněžka (1 603 meters). On the top, there is also a Czech-Polish border. To the Sněžka you can walk (hike) or take a cable car. The cable car starts in Pec pod Sněžkou (town).
If you prefer walking you can also start from Pec pod Sněžkou or reach town Horní Malá Úpa by car and start to go up from there. The journey is about 7–8 km long. And up you will be rewarded with a beautiful panoramatical view of Czechia. And those who want to continue can choose another scenic trail from Sněžka. When you book accommodation in Krkonoše you can spend e.g. a very nice hiking weekend there.
The West
Cheb
Cheb is an old (11th century) and beautiful Czech town near the German border. It was an important place on the business road from Prague to Norimberk even in the medieval age. When you come to Cheb, go to visit its square. You will see 11 original houses from the 13–15th century and you can imagine how people lived in this period.
Other nice houses in the square demonstrate that Cheb was a rich town. Don´t forget to visit Cheb castle as well. It is Gothic, from the 12th century and you find it easily. It has the Black tower visible from far away. If you have time, visit also the Franciscan monastery, St Klara church, or other sights. I am sure you will like Cheb.
Make a stop at a spa on your way home. There are three spa towns near Cheb: Mariánské Lázně, Františkovy Lázně, and Karlovy Vary.
The South
Prachatice
Prachatice is a Gothic/Renassaince town. Similarly to Cheb, it was an important business place in history. Rich people built their splendid houses decorated with sgraffito in the square. Huge walls protecting the town are around the city center now. The best view is from St Jakub church tower just next to the square. Then you can walk around the walls and discover the whole town. Don´t miss a very interesting lace museum.
On the way from Prachatice go to Libín, too. It is a hill with an observation on the top. You can see all the surroundings and if the weather is good you can see the Alps as well.
The East
Zelená Hora
Zelená Hora is a place near Žďár nad Sázavou (town). You can see a unique baroque pilgrimage church of St Jan Nepomucký (John Nepomuk) from the 18th century there. A brilliant architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichel built it. He decided to be very original. The main symbols of the building are the number 5 and a 5-point star (because 5 stars appeared at the place where Jan Nepomucký died). The church has 5 entrances, 5 chapels, 5 altars, etc. The church is a magical landmark and that´s why we visit it again and again. UNESCO´s World Heritage Committee approved including it in the prestigious list in 1994.
I can recommend you to visit also the Žďár castle nearby.
- You will meet a lot of the Czechs on your way. The Czechs like their country. They will be interested in talking about Czechia, its heritage, and traditions with you (in Czech). Read how to get easily into the conversation.
- Read also the first, third, and fourth parts of the article I want to discover Czechia.
- How to prepare for a trip? Have a look at a handout Turistika (Hiking), A1 – Czechs love hiking! And they also love riding a bike – have a look at a handout Kolo (Bike), A2.
- And what places are the most attractive for you? Which ones do you like?
31st July 2018
This article in the Czech version
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