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.

How to discover Czechia through trips

The East

Rožnov pod Radhoštěm

You can find Rožnov in Moravia in its part called Valašsko. And in Rožnově you can find the biggest and oldest open-air folk museum in central Europe. It was founded in 1925 and shows you how village people were living from the middle of the 19th to a quarter of the 20th century. You can visit almost 100 objects as well as summer folk programmes, festivals or fairs. You can admire traditional houses, work, customs and pleasure activities. Go 100 years back in time…

When you are in Rožnov, walk through the town and its surroundings, it´s beautiful… (video) Beskydy mountains and their highest mountain Radhošť are close.

The South

Telč a Třebíč

Telč town was founded in the 13th century and is located in Vysočina, on the border between Bohemia and Moravia and halfway from Prague to Vienna. We also call it Moravian Venice because of the water surrounding it.

Since 1992 the town is on the UNESCO heritage list. Why? When you enter Telč centre you can feel like in the 16th century. The place kept its historical look. You can find a fortress, chateau garden, Renaissance and baroque houses in the square, a tower, churches or tunnels here. Discover all of it with practical brochures and maps published by the town.

All about Telč – CZ, EN, DE or here in 9 languages.

Video about Telč or another one with Czech commentary 

Only 35 kilometres far from Telč there is Třebíč town, 2003 also on the UNESCO list. The town is about 800 years old. It was an important centre of education and religious life. A Christian church and the St. Prokop basilica were the first sights founded in Třebíč. But quite a large Jewish community lived here as well, built a synagogue, town hall, school, cemetery… The Christians and the Jews were living together here for long centuries. And these Jewish sights were the only ones (except Jerusalem ones) that were listed in the UNESCO heritage list.

or here – CZ, EN, DE

Video about Třebíč

The North

The National parc České Švýcarsko

You must see this place! It´s a beautiful piece of countryside with rocks, vantage points, valleys, forests… There aren´t only Czechs who admire it. České Švýcarsko got an award: the European destination of the highest quality! Although the national park is young (1990), its aim is to protect the landscape in a historical form.

This place is millions of years old. You can see a monumental rock bridge Pravčická brána, sandstone mountains, wild animals (do you know salmons have started to live here again?), Labe and Kamenice rivers (you can take a boat and watch the rocks from below)… You can also visit close towns (Děčín, Krásná Lípa, Hřensko…), their castles and nice architecture.

All about České Švýcarsko – CZ, EN, DE or a video.

The West

Plzeň

I am sure you know Plzeň – a beer town. Plzeňský Prazdroj could bet the first place you will visit here. A brewery tour is interesting and you can taste some beers there, of course. But Plzeň is not just beer. You can find a beautiful Gothic cathedral with the highest church tower in Czechia here – climb up and watch Plzeň from above.

You can´t miss a Jewish synagogue – the biggest in CR, the third biggest in Europe and the fifth-biggest in the world. Tourists often visit Prague to admire a functionalistic Műller villa designed by architect Adolf Loos. He was a founder of modern architecture and in Plzeň you can visit three unique interiors he designed here. And then it´s time to discover cold tunnels under Plzeň or its ZOO.

All about Plzeň – CZ, EN, DE or in a video – EN.

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, second and third 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?

16th June 2020

This article in the Czech version

Pictures: Pixabay.com