The rough guide to the czech republic
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About this book
Rough Guides are designed to be good to read and easy to
use. The book is divided into the following sections, and you
should be able to find whatever you need in one of them.
The introductory colour section is designed to give you a feel
for the Czech Republic, suggesting when to go and what not to
miss, and includes a full list of contents. Then comes basics,
for pre-departure information and other practicalities.
The guide chapters cover the country in depth, each starting with a
highlights panel, introduction and a map to help you plan your route.
The contexts section fills you in on history and books,
while individual colour sections introduce the country’s
castles and chateaux and its superlative beer.
The book concludes with all the small print, including details of how
to send in updates and corrections, and a comprehensive index.
This first edition published May 2009.
52199
US$21.99 CAN$24.99
781848 360365
I S B N 978-1-84836-036-5
9
The publishers and authors have done their best to ensure the accuracy
and currency of all the information in The Rough Guide to the Czech
Republic, however, they can accept no responsibility for any loss, injury, or
inconvenience sustained by any traveller as a result of information or advice
contained in the guide.
www.Ebook777.com
The Rough Guide to
The Czech Republic
written and researched by
Rob Humphreys
with additional contributions from
Jonathan Bousfield and Steven Horak
NEW YORK
•
LONDON
•
DELHI
www.roughguides.com
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Colour section
1
Introduction ................................. 5
Where to go................................. 6
When to go.................................. 9
Things not to miss ..................... 12
Basics
25
Getting there ............................. 27
Getting around .......................... 33
Accommodation ........................ 37
Eating and drinking .................. 38
The media.................................. 42
Festivals ................................... 43
Travel essentials ....................... 45
Guide
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Language
| CO NTENTS |
Contents
413
Pronunciation .......................... 415
Basic words and phrases ........ 416
Food and drink glossary.......... 419
An A–Z of street names ........... 422
A glossary of words
and terms ............................. 424
An architectural glossary ......... 425
Historical and political terms ... 425
Abbreviations .......................... 426
Travel store
427
Small print & Index
437
51
Prague and around............... 53
South Bohemia................... 157
West Bohemia .................... 201
North Bohemia .................. 233
East Bohemia .................... 265
South Moravia ................... 301
North Moravia .................... 353
Contexts
Czech beer colour
section following p.152
Castles and chateaux
colour section following
p.280
383
History ..................................... 385
Books ...................................... 406
3
̇̇ Telč ̇ Malá Strana, Prague
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| INTRODUCTION | WHERE TO GO | WHEN TO GO
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Introduction to
The Czech Republic is famous for two things: the stunning
beauty of its capital, Prague, and the outstanding quality
of its beer. Few visitors, however, realize that the
| INTRODUCTION | WHERE TO GO | WHEN TO GO
The Czech
Republic
magnificence of the capital’s buildings is also echoed in
countless other towns and cities all across the country.
For, in contrast to the political upheavals that have plagued
the region, the Czech Republic has suffered very little
physical damage over the centuries. Gothic castles and
Baroque chateaux have been preserved in abundance, town
after town in Bohemia and Moravia has retained its old
medieval quarter, and even the wooden folk architecture of
the rural regions has survived beyond all expectations.
In fact, it’s easy to forget that the Czech
Republic was once part of Communist Eastern
Europe. Posters no longer exhort the country’s
citizens to fulfil the next five-year plan, and
apart from the ubiquitous high-rise suburbs
and the odd Soviet war memorial, you’d be
hard pushed to envisage the bad old days. In
2004, there were genuine national celebrations at the country’s accession to the European Union; putting aside their natural apathy towards
politics, the Czechs rejoiced in the fact that they’d returned to the fold, and
shed their old Eastern Bloc identity. That said, the political and economic
upheavals in the country have been bewildering for those who lived
through the Communist era, and along with the new-found freedom have
come the usual suspects: multinational takeovers, the rise of the mafia and
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| INTRODUCTION | WHERE TO GO | WHEN TO GO
all the other sundry vices that plague the capitalist world. Few Czechs
would want to turn the clock right back, but when the Communist Party
can still garner over half a million votes, and the president is a confirmed
Eurosceptic, it’s clear that not everybody’s happy with the changes in the
new Republic.
Where to go
B
efore the fall of Communism, a staggering ninety percent of
foreign tourists visiting the country never strayed from the
environs of the Czech capital, Prague. While that no longer holds
true, Prague is still the main focus of most people’s trips to the
Czech Republic, certainly English-speaking tourists. Of course, much of
the attention heaped on Prague is perfectly justified. It is one of the most
remarkable cities in Europe, having emerged virtually unscathed from two
Trains
The most relaxing way to travel round the Czech Republic is by train.
The system, bequeathed by the Habsburgs in 1918, is one of the densest
in Europe, and has changed little since those days, with less than ten
percent of lines allowing train speeds of over 120kph. In addition, many are
wonderfully scenic, such as the single-track one that winds its way through
the Šumava. Heritage railways are well established now, too, with several
old forest railways running steam-train excursions on summer weekends.
6
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• The Czech Republic is a
landlocked country in the
geographical centre of Europe,
roughly equidistant from the
Baltic and Adriatic seas, with
a total area of 78,866 square
kilometres.
• More than one-third of the
country is made up of forest,
mostly coniferous, while twothirds of the land lies at an
altitude below 500m. The
highest point is Sněžka (1602m)
in the Krkonoše on the Polish
border, and the lowest point is
Hřensko (115m) at the border
with Germany on the River Labe
(Elbe).
world wars. Baroque palaces and
churches shout out from the cobbles,
Gothic pinnacles spike the skyline,
and Art Nouveau and functionalist edifices line the boulevards.
However, it’s also mobbed for much
of the year, whereas elsewhere the
country can be enjoyed in relative
peace and quiet.
The rest of the Czech Republic
divides neatly into two: Bohemia
to the west and Moravia to the east.
Prague is the perfect launching pad
from which to explore the rolling
hills and forests of Bohemia, at their
most unspoilt in South Bohemia,
whose capital is eské Bud!jovice, a grid-plan medieval city and
home to the original Budweiser
beer. The real gem of the region
is eský Krumlov, arguably the
most stunning medieval town in
the country, beautifully preserved
in a narrow U-bend of the River
00 Czech colour intro.indd 7
| INTRODUCTION | WHERE TO GO | WHEN TO GO
̆ Cervena Lhota
Fact file
• The population is 10.2 million,
of whom roughly 95 percent are
Czech, with significant Roma,
Slovak, Polish, Vietnamese and
German minorities. The largest
group of foreigners residing in
the country is Ukrainian, with
more than 125,000 nationals
officially registered.
• The Czech nation is one of
the least religious in Europe,
with nearly 60 percent declaring
themselves agnostic, 27 percent
Roman Catholic and 2.5 percent
Protestant.
• Total earnings from tourism
make up 6 percent of GNP
and the industry employs over
1 percent of the population.
• Since 2000, the country has
been divided into thirteen administrative regions or kraje (not
including Prague) the borders of
which totally ignore all historical
and cultural identities. Each kraj
has its own elected regional
assembly and a hejtman or
president.
7
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̄ Wenceslas Square, Prague
| INTRODUCTION | WHERE TO GO | WHEN TO GO
8
Vltava. The region also boasts other less well-known “Rose Towns”, such
as Jind!ich v Hradec and Prachatice, which have preserved their Renaissance riches intact. To the west, Plze produces the most famous of all
Czech beers, Pilsner Urquell, the original golden nectar from which all
other lagers derive. Meanwhile, along the German border, a triangle of
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| INTRODUCTION | WHERE TO GO | WHEN TO GO
relaxing spa towns – Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázn! and Františkovy
Lázn! – retain an air of their halcyon days in the last years of the Habsburg
Empire. Pine-covered mountains form Bohemia’s natural borders, and the
weird sandstone rock “cities” of the eské Švýcarsko and eský ráj and
Krkonoše, in the north and east of the region, make for some of the most
memorable landscapes.
Moravia, the eastern province of the Czech Republic, is every bit as
beautiful as Bohemia, though the crowds thin out even more here. The
largest city, Brno, has its own peculiar pleasures – not least its interwar
functionalist architecture – and gives access to the popular Moravian karst
region, or Moravský kras, plus a host of other nearby castles and chateaux.
The southern borders of Moravia comprise the country’s main wine
region, while in the uplands
that form the border with
Walking and hiking
Bohemia are two of the most
perfectly preserved medieval
The Czechs are keen walkers, and the
towns in the entire country,
country is crisscrossed with a dense,
easily followed, network of wayTel and Slavonice. To the
marked, colour-coded paths ranging
north, Olomouc is perhaps
from a gentle stroll to a serious
Moravia’s most charming city,
hike, leaving no excuse not to get
more immediately appealing
into the countryside and take some
than Brno, and just a short step
exercise. All 1:50,000 hiking maps
away from the region’s highest
show the trails and each path has
mountains, the Jeseníky in
regular signposts, with distances and
approximate walking times. To make
Moravian Silesia, and the
sure you don’t lose your way there’s
Beskydy, renowned for their
even a colour-coded marker or značka
folk architecture.
every 100m or so, maintained annually
by teams of local volunteers.
When to go
n general, the climate is
continental, with short,
fairly hot summers and
chilly winters. Spring can
be a good time to visit, as the
days tend to warm quickly,
with consistently pleasant,
mild weather for most of
May. This is also the blossom
I
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Wooden churches
| INTRODUCTION | WHERE TO GO | WHEN TO GO
The Czech Republic boasts an
impressive number of wooden
churches. While timber-framed
houses have, on the whole, been
superseded by bricks and mortar,
wooden churches have survived in
many villages. One or two remain
in Bohemia – there’s even one in
Prague – but the densest cluster
is to be found in Moravia, in the
Wallachian region of the Beskydy
hills, where there’s a varied
collection of Roman Catholic
wooden churches (see p.375).
season, when the fruit trees that line so many Czech roads are in full flower.
Autumn is also recommended, with clear and settled weather often lasting
for days on end in September and October. With much of the country
heavily forested, this is also a great time to appreciate the changing colours
of the foliage.
Winter can be a good time to come to Prague: the city looks beautiful
under snow and there are fewer tourists to compete with. Other parts of
the country have little to offer during winter (aside from skiing), and
most sights stay firmly closed between November and March. Summer
̄ Folk festival, Strážnice
10
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Average temperatures (˚C)
Jan Feb
Mar Apr
May Jun
Jul
Aug Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
-1
1
5
9
14
18
19
19
15
10
4
1
-3
0
4
9
14
17
19
18
14
9
4
-1
-3
2
7
10
11
11
8
4
-2
-5
Prague
| INTRODUCTION | WHERE TO GO | WHEN TO GO
is, of course, still the
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well above 30°C. While that can be advantageous if you fancy swimming
in a lake or river, it’s not fun in Prague, which is also at its most crowded
in July and August.
Brno
Lysá hora (Beskydy)
-6
-6
Note that these are average daily temperatures. At midday in summer, Prague can be
very hot. Equally, in mountainous regions like the Beskydy, it can get extremely cold and
wet at any time of the year.
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| ACTIVITIE S | CONSUME | EVENTS | NATURE | SIGHTS |
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25
things not to miss
It’s not possible to see everything that the Czech Republic has
to offer in one trip – and we don’t suggest you try. What follows
is a subjective selection of the country’s highlights, from ruined
castles and striking Renaissance architecture to the best forested
mountain ranges – all arranged in colour-coded categories to help
you find the very best things to see, do and experience. All entries
have a page reference to take you straight into the Guide, where
you can find out more.
01
Žďár nad Sazavou, Zelená Hora Page 342 • Star-shaped GothicBaroque pilgrimage church by Giovanni Santini, dedicated to the martyr St John of
Nepomuk.
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Rožnov pod Radhoštĕm Page 379 • Moravian town that’s home to the
largest and most impressive open-air folk museum in the Czech Republic.
04
Český ráj Page 267 •
Natural playground within easy
reach of Prague, with densely wooded
hills, sandstone rock “cities” and a
smattering of ruined castles.
03
Veletržní palác, Prague
Page 121 • The finest modern art museum
in the Czech Republic, and a functionalist
masterpiece in its own right.
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02
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05
Třeboňsko Page 171 • South Bohemian flatlands with the pretty walled town of
Třeboň at its heart, surrounded by medieval carp ponds.
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Plzeň brewery Page 207 • World-famous brewery where, in 1842, the world’s
first lager, Pilsner Urquell, was produced.
07
Telč Page 336 • Telč’s vast, arcaded main square is one long parade of perfectly
preserved sixteenth-century facades and gables, culminating in a handsome
Renaissance chateau.
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| ACTIVITIE S | CONSUME | EVENTS | NATURE | SIGHTS |
06
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08
Prague’s Jewish quarter Page 98 • Six synagogues, a town hall and a
cemetery survive as a testament to over a thousand years of Jewish settlement and
struggle.
16
09
Karlovy Vary Page 224 • Grandiose late nineteenth-century spa town lying in a
steep valley, and home to the Czech Republic’s premier film festival.
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11
10
Terezín Page 244 • This Habsburg-era
military fortress was transformed into a
“model” Jewish ghetto by the Nazis, though in
reality it was simply a transit camp en route to
Auschwitz.
12
Litomyšl Page 299 • This tiny Bohemian town, the birthplace of Bedřich Smetana,
is home to a very handsome Renaissance chateau and the weird and wonderful
Portmoneum, designed by self-taught artist Josef Váchal.
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| ACTIVITIE S | CONSUME | EVENTS | NATURE | SIGHTS |
Burčák Page 41 • In autumn,
make sure you try burčák,
the young, misty, partially fermented
Moravian wine whose arrival in the
streets and bars marks the beginning of
the annual wine harvest.
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| ACTIVITIE S | CONSUME | EVENTS | NATURE | SIGHTS |
18
13
Mariánské Láznĕ Page 214 • Elegant fin-de-siècle Bohemian spa town set in
verdant wooded hills – and once a firm favourite with European royalty.
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Pernštejn Page 323 • Highly atmospheric hilltop Gothic castle with dizzying sheer
walls and spectacular views across the wooded hills.
15
České Švýcarsko (Bohemian Switzerland) Page 253 •
Switzerland it may not be, but this forested border region features outlandish sandstone
outcrops and boat trips down the River Kamenice.
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| ACTIVITIE S | CONSUME | EVENTS | NATURE | SIGHTS |
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| ACTIVITIE S | CONSUME | EVENTS | NATURE | SIGHTS |
Prague Castle Page 68
• Landmark castle that’s home
to the cathedral, royal palace, several
museums and galleries – and the
president.
16
Roast pork, dumplings
and cabbage Page 38 • Known
colloquially as vepřo-knedlo-zelo, this is the
quintessential Czech comfort food and pub
grub staple.
20
18
Český Krumlov Page 182 • Medieval town of steep cobbled streets,
picturesquely situated in a tight U-bend of the River Vltava.
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| ACTIVITIE S | CONSUME | EVENTS | NATURE | SIGHTS |
21
19
Obecní dům Page 111 • Prague’s Art Nouveau jewel from 1911, housing a café,
several restaurants, an exhibition space and a concert hall.
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| ACTIVITIES | CONSUME | EVENTS | NATURE | SIGHTS |
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22
Moravský kras Page 320 • Moravia’s karst region, just outside Brno, replete with
cave systems featuring superb stalactites and stalagmites and an underground river.
21
Nové Mĕsto nad Metují Page 286 • Pint-sized east Bohemian town with a
picture perfect main square and a Baroque chateau with a rich and remarkable interior,
reconstructed in 1908.
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| ACTIVITIES | CONSUME | EVENTS | NATURE | SIGHTS |
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22
Hiking in the Šumava Page 190 • Bordering Germany and Austria, the rolling,
wooded hills of the Šumava is an unspoilt terrain best explored on foot.
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