The Czech Republic is located right in the middle of Europe. From 1948 until 1989 Czechoslovakia (consisting of today's Czech Republic and Slovakia) was ruled by the Communist Party and thus part of the Warsaw bloc behind the iron curtain which divided whole Europe from the Baltic to the Adriatic into two antagonistic parts. Soon after the so called velvet revolution in 1989 international tourism developed at a rather rapid pace. Indeed, Prague, the famous golden city, became a trendy destination practically overnight.

But the Czech Republic has much more to offer for the curious international traveler than Prague alone. It is my intention to show you some of the hot spots of the Czech Republic which may be not that famous but are nevertheless extremely worthwhile to visit. Today, the infrastructure is well developed throughout the whole Czech Republic while prizes are still significantly lower than in most of the famous Western European regions (like Switzerland, France or Italy). In general prizes are highest in Prague and tend to be significantly lower in regions off the beaten path.

The long history of the Czech regions located at the crossroads of German and Slavic culture and its prominent role in the Hapsburg Empire results in an amazing cultural heritage which is best to be seen in the many historical cities and towns of the region. Though Prague is without question the number one tourist attraction in the Czech Republic there are many more cities with an extremely attractive urban layout and historical heritage to discover.

Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic is often labeled as the golden city or the city of the hundred spires. With about 1.2 million inhabitants Prague is definitely the primate city of the Czech Republic (Brno, the second largest city has about 300.000 inhabitants). Prague was spotted as a major tourist destination immediately after the velvet revolution and a constant influx of tourists from all over the world emerged. Soon Prague established itself as one of the most visited cities of Central Europe. The number of inernational tourists in Prague is estimated of about 4 million (in 2008). Prague was (and still is) extremely popular especially among younger U.S. American tourists. Quite many of them stayed altogether as students or expatriates working at the growing number of multinational enterprises which chose Prague as regional headquarters for there operations in Central Europe. This made Prague to a bustling city full of cultural events and with a vivid urban life.

There are too many individual attractions and sites in Prague to list them here. The most famous being the Prague Castle dominating above the old city. The Prague castle was visited by more than 1.3 million people in 2008 and thus was the most visited Czech tourist attraction. Prague is best discovered by foot. Walking through the old city and the castle district (Hradčany), discovering the many historical bridges (the Charles Bridge being the most famous one), exploring the hilly outskirts of the old Prague with its many villas from the Czech Cubism period, are among the many highlights.

České Budějovice with a population of about 94.000 is the major town and an important tourist attraction in Southern Bohemia at the transit route between Prague and Linz (Austria). It was was founded in 1265 by King Přemysl Otakar II. and built along a chessboard layout. As all Czech cities it has an amazing old town center with a large square-shaped plaza (market plaza) around the Samson fountain attracting many international tourists. Dominating the market plaza is the Black Tower, a 72 m high bell tower built in 1577. Budejowice is famous for its beers. The Budvar (Budweiser) beer is probably the best known Bohemian beer and very popular in neighboring countries for decades. There is no dispute that it is of a much higher quality than its American name cousin Budweiser.

Český Krumlov is an old town in South Bohemia at the Vlatava river. The major tourist attractions of Bohemia Krumlov are its historical architecture and and its large castle (Český Krumlov Castle), the second largest castle of the Czech Republic (after Prague Castle). Together with the castle, the old town of Bohemian Krumlov is a UNESCO World Heritage (inscribed in 1992).

The famous Austrian painter and artist Egon Schiele (1890-1918), who lived here for a short period around 1911 (his mother and her family was from Krumlov). His painting The Little Village showcasing Bohemian Krumlov is among his many famous artistic works.

The Czech Republic boasts some picturesque regions which makes it also attractive for tourists who want to discover nature as well. Mountain ranges with dense forests characterise much of the borders of the Czech Republic. These are all story-rich landscapes full of old legends and traditions. In between the mountain ranges are romantic river valleys, some of them famous for their picturesque layout.

The Giant Mountains are the highest mountain range of the Czech Republic with the Sněžka (1602m) as its highest peak. The Giant Mountains are located between Bohemia in the South and Silesia in the North, now the border between the Czech Republic and Poland and is part of the so called Sudetes range. The Giant Mountains are a popular tourism region in summer and winter. Špindlerův Mlýn and Harrachov are the main towns and well known ski resorts making both towns important tourist attractions for winter sports.

The Ore Mountains are a mountain range located at the border between German Saxony and Bohemia. The highest peak is the Klínovec (1244m). East of the Ore Mountains are the Elbe Sandsonte Mountains which are a popular destination for rock climbers. The name of the Ore Mountains indicates its history of mining, especially silver and tin ore back in the fifteenth century. With the discovery of the great silver deposits in the “New World” (Mexico, Peru, Chile) mining declined and a particular wood carving industry emerged. Today the Ore mountains are an important tourism region and boast some popular ski resorts. Jáchymov (or in German Joachimsthal) is an old mining town and it was there where the first “Joachimsthaler” was minted in 1519. Thus, the name for the dollar (thaler) has its origin in an odd Bohemian mining town almost nobody in the US knows about.

The Czech Republic boasts a great many of famous, traditional spa towns which are important tourist attractions. The European aristocracy traveled to these spas for centuries to cure their diseases or to just relax. The most famous spa towns are Carlsbad (Karlovy Vary) and Mariánské Lázně. Both spa towns are located in picturesque landscapes and attractive for their specific spa architecture.

The number of castles and chateaux in the Czech Republic is well over 2,000. It is even estimated that the number of castles per square mile in this region is the highest of any country in the world). The turbulent history of the region, located at the crossroads of different cultures and empires, has resulted in a great need for protective measurements such as fortresses and castles. Later on, the comparative richness of the region and its economic dynamics resulted in many chateaux built by the regional aristocracy. The famous “Castle Road”, a string of hundreds of different castles, castle ruins and fortresses between Mannheim in Germany and Prague in the Czech Republic is probably the best way to explore the interesting history of castles in Central Europe. A perfect tourist attraction for all lovers of medieval history.