Czech Republic

Czech Repubic
October 2007

Prague

Poland

Slovakia

East Europe 2007

Travel

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While Prague is obviously the Czech Republic's main attraction, the country, which had previously been split between the ancient kingdoms of Bohemia and Monrovia - is filled with charming villages and captivating castles that have been preserved for centuries. After spending an entire day in Prague, I headed off to the Czech countryside to explore the ancient land of Bohemia. The main stops on my two days exploring this fascinating country were the enchanting castle of Karlštejn, the beer-brewing hearth of Plzen and the surreal town of Ceský Krumlov. The train station at Ceské Budejovice was also retty much unavoidable.

Karlštejn was the first stop. The charasmatic gothic castle, perched picture-perfectly on a hilltop looks like something out of a fairy tale. It is only a half hour train ride from Prague and makes a very doable half-day trip. Czech Republic is famous for its' beers so a visit to one of its' many breweries is a must. After Karlštejn, I made my way to Plzen - located in the western part of the country. Plzen is famous for being the old capital of western Bohemia as well as the birthplace of pilsner. Plzen's main brewery company is Pilsner Urquell and a trip to the company's brewery museum was the main reason for coming here. My final destination before heading back to Prague was the glorious red-roofed town of Ceský Krumlov. This photogenic town is like an open-air museum with stunning views to be found everywhere you turn. Ceský Krumlov has featured in several films, including The Illusionist.