Fairytale Prague, castles and great beer.
The Czech Republic is a landlocked central European country with historic towns and rolling countryside. It suits travellers who love architecture, castles and beer. It is known for Prague's old town and castle, the town of Český Krumlov and the spa towns of the west. Trains make it easy to see beyond Prague.
Tap a card or a pin. Add a place to a day of your trip, or look for tours.
Prague Castle is a huge complex with St Vitus Cathedral and palaces. It overlooks the city.
Charles Bridge is a stone bridge lined with statues over the Vltava. It links the Old Town and Malá Strana.
The square has Gothic churches and the medieval astronomical clock. It is the heart of Prague.
Český Krumlov is a medieval town in a river bend with a large castle. It is very photogenic.
Kutná Hora is a silver town with St Barbara's Church and the bone chapel at Sedlec. It is an easy day trip.
Karlovy Vary is a grand spa town with colonnades and hot springs. Visitors sip mineral water from special cups.
This park has sandstone cliffs and the Pravčická brána rock arch. Gorges can be explored by boat.
Karlštejn is a Gothic castle built by Charles IV to guard royal treasures. It sits on a wooded hill.
Brno is the second city, with the Villa Tugendhat and a lively student scene. The Capuchin crypt is unusual.
Lednice-Valtice is a large designed landscape with chateaux and follies. Vineyards surround it.
Olomouc has a large Holy Trinity Column and baroque fountains. It is less crowded than Prague.
Telč has a square lined with colourful Renaissance houses. A chateau sits nearby.
The brewery in Plzeň is where pilsner beer was born. Tours include cellars and tastings.
Josefov has synagogues and an old cemetery. The Jewish Museum covers several sites.
Mikulov is a wine town with a castle on a hill. It is the base for Moravian wine country.
Everything above is open to read. A Hodolog account lets you build the trip around it: pick cities, add places to days, see the weather for your dates.
Each city with a guide opens its own page: map, where to stay, what to eat.
Capital and main base.
history, culture · Open the city guideMedieval town.
history · Guide comingSecond city.
culture · Guide comingBaroque city.
history · Guide comingWine country.
wine · Guide comingSpa town.
wellness · Guide comingSilver town and ossuary, best as a Prague trip.
day trips, history · Guide comingBeer city with an old town.
beer, history · Guide comingPerfectly preserved square.
history, scenery · Guide comingCapital and castles.
Prague, Kutná Hora, Karlštejn
Fishponds and medieval towns.
Český Krumlov, České Budějovice
Spa towns and beer.
Karlovy Vary, Plzeň
Wine and baroque cities.
Brno, Olomouc, Lednice-Valtice
Sandstone formations and hiking.
Bohemian Switzerland, Adrspach, Decin
Choose how long you have, then add the whole route to a trip as places and nights.
Best: May to June and September. Pleasant weather and fewer crowds.
Winters are cold but Christmas markets are popular, and summer is busy in Prague.
January. Quiet season. Lower prices, fewer crowds.
34°F daily high, 28°F average, 1.7 in
Average of past years from NASA POWER, worked out at each city's position. A place far from these cities can be quite different.
US State Department Level 1 (exercise normal precautions).
Trains and buses are frequent and cheap.
Good value outside central Prague.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Members see the rules for their own passport here.
Passport and visa rules change often and without notice. Always check the official pages before you book and again before you travel.
| Entry | Check current visa and entry rules on the visa page of the Czech Embassy in London (mzv.gov.cz) and the EU's Travel Europe site, and your own government's travel advice, before you book, as rules change. |
| Plugs | Type C, E; 230 V, 50 Hz |
| Tap water | safe |
| Tipping | Round up or about 10 percent. |
| Payments | Cards widely accepted. |
| Emergency | 112 general |
| Etiquette | Say dobrý den when entering shops. Keep voices low on public transport. |
| Driving | On the right |
| Between cities | Trains and buses connect all main towns. Driving is easy, with a motorway vignette required. |
| Main airports | PRG, BRQ |
| Ride apps | Uber, Bolt |
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a key power in medieval Europe, and Prague was an imperial capital under Charles IV. The Habsburgs ruled for centuries until Czechoslovakia was created in 1918. Nazi occupation and then communist rule followed, and the 1968 Prague Spring was crushed. The Velvet Revolution in 1989 ended communism, and the Czech Republic became a separate state in 1993.
Researched 2026-10-13. Check official sources and recent changes before you go.