The Czech Republic — officially Czechia since 2016 — occupies the historic lands of Bohemia and Moravia at the heart of Central Europe. It is a country that managed to preserve an extraordinary architectural heritage through the upheavals of the 20th century, emerging with medieval town centres, Gothic cathedrals, and Baroque palaces largely intact.
Prague is one of Europe's most beautiful capitals, a fact that draws millions of visitors each year. The Charles Bridge crossing the Vltava River at dawn — before the tour groups arrive — is a moment of pure European romance. The Old Town Square, dominated by the Astronomical Clock, and the hilltop Prague Castle complex, the largest ancient castle area in the world, frame the city's historic core. Josefov, the former Jewish quarter, preserves medieval synagogues and a cemetery of haunting beauty.
Beyond Prague, the country is rich in undervisited gems. Cesky Krumlov in southern Bohemia is a UNESCO town of tightly packed medieval streets curling around a Baroque castle on a river meander — one of the most complete and atmospheric small towns in Central Europe. Telc in Moravia has a Renaissance main square so perfectly uniform it looks stage-designed.
The spa towns of western Bohemia — Karlovy Vary and Marianske Lazne — were the playground of European nobility in the 19th century, and their grand colonnaded arcades and thermal springs retain a faded grandeur worth experiencing. The Bohemian Switzerland National Park near the German border offers dramatic sandstone rock formations and river gorges completely unlike anything in the capital.
Czech food is hearty Central European fare. Svickova — braised beef in cream sauce with bread dumplings and cranberry — is the national dish. Roast pork with sauerkraut and dumplings appears on every traditional menu. And Czech beer is genuinely world-class: pilsner originated here in Pilsen in 1842, and the pubs of Prague and Bohemia still serve some of the finest lager on Earth.
The best time to visit is April to June or September to October, when crowds are manageable and the climate is ideal for exploring the country's many castles, parks, and historic towns.
