I want to share with you my favorite places in the Czech Republic, so here’s my Czechia top 10. The Czech Republic is one of Europe’s hidden gems. It’s a land full of mystical castles and medieval cities from the fairy tale, the town of Cesky Krumlov to the stone pillars of the bohemian paradise the Czech Republic has so much to offer.
1. Prague
Let’s start this article off in the enchanting city of Prague. Now, when it comes to European cities, it’s hard to beat the charm and beauty of Prague. Now looking right in the middle of the Czech Republic, Prague is known as the political, cultural, and economic center of central Europe. The city was founded around the 9th century and flourished during the renaissance and baroque eras. Now Prague was the capital of the kingdom of Bohemia and was the main residence of many Roman emperors, such as Charles 4.
Now one of my favorite attractions in the city is the Charles bridge: its construction began in 1357 and it wasn’t finished until the beginning of the 15th century. The bridge is decorated with an alley of 30 statues, it’s so scenic and such a great feature now the old town square is also a great place to explore, and the Prague castle is another sight to see it’s considered to be the largest ancient castle in the World and was built more than a thousand years ago in the 9th century I mean that’s a freaking long time ago I mean Prague just has such a historic vibe, and I hope you all can visit
2. Telc
Now afterward we’re going to visit the town of Telc located about two hours drive from Prague. Telc is this magical town surrounded by two ponds and is bound to transport you back in time. One of the main attractions of the city is the Telc Chateau. It was built in the 14th century, but the castle and the rest of the town were burnt down in a great fire in 1530. Now, with everything burned down, it essentially made the town a blank canvas and the 23-year-old leader at the time, Zacharias of Raditz saw potential and decided to reconstruct the castle and town with a renaissance style. Today, the castle is considered to be one of the best-preserved renaissance structures in the Czech Republic. Now another one of my favorite features of talc is the main square. It’s lined with beautiful renaissance and baroque houses. I mean this town is truly a fairy tale.
3. Jested
Afterward, we’re going to head to the north of the country to visit Jested now located right near the polish and German borders. Jested is this beautiful mountain peak with a uniquely shaped 94-meter tower that was constructed back in 1973. Jested overlooks the city of liberates and the area is also a ski resort. During the winter, you can have a nice meal in the towers, restaurant or even stay the night in its hotel.
4. Bohemian Paradise
Afterward, we’re going to head over to the Bohemian Paradise located in northeastern Czechia. This has to be one of my favorite natural areas in the country. It’s a mysterious area with rolling hills and natural beauty. One of the most notable features of the bohemian paradise is its sandstone rocks. They are uniquely carved out of the hills with various formations. The area around Shirazi has an interesting rock called Kobila. That looks like an upside-down foot now this area just looks so magical, especially when it’s covered in mist, there are plenty of trails and hikes to go on. So if you want to experience some Bohemian nature, you got to give this place a visit
5. Bezdez Castle
Afterward, we’re going to visit the Bezdez Castle now located just 30 minutes from the Bohemian Paradise the royal castle was built in the 13th century and perfectly placed on a Volcanic hill with an elevation of 604 meters now over its history, it served as a prison for a queen and also a retreat for monarchs who enjoyed hunting in the area during the 30 years war. It was confiscated by a war general who converted it into a monastery now today, parts of the castle can be visited and its mini look has inspired many legends and stories. It’s such a cool piece of history now another fascinating nearby place, is the Sloup Castle.
It’s a rather odd castle that is built upon a 35-meter. Bezdez Castle was first mentioned in the 14th century, but it was burdened out and deserted a few hundred years later, today, it’s more of a ruin than a castle, but still, an interesting spot to visit now. Just 10 minutes from the slope castle is the Panska Scala rock formation. It’s this beautiful area with volcanic basalt columns that reach 12 meters high. I like the area around it with the pond and park, definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area.
6. Lednice Castle
Now, afterward, we’re going to visit the Lednice Castle now located in the south near the Austrian border. The castle is part of the Lednice cultural landscape, which is registered on the UNESCO world heritage list. Now, back in the year 1249, the house of Lichtenstein acquired a castle in lenite and remained the principal Lichtenstein resident until world war 2 when it was confiscated by the nazis, and the family was relocated to Vaduz. Now the castle was originally built in a renaissance style, but in the 19th century, the palace was rebuilt in a neo-gothic style.
Now the whole area is just beautiful with its gardens and ponds. Now I like the minaret. It’s a lookout tower that’s over 62 meters high, it was built at the turn of the 18th century, and it’s one of the tallest in all of Europe.
7. Mikulov
Just a short drive from Lanita is the beautiful town of Mikulov. Now the crowning feature of the town is the Mikulov castle. The first castle was built here in the 13th century, but what you see today was reconstructed in the 18th century. Now, while we’re still in the area, you can check out the church of Saint Linhart. It’s just about 10 minutes from Mikulov. It’s this beautiful church built on an island in the lake. There was once a village there, but it got flooded and only the church remains.
8. Konapiste Castle
Now afterward we’re going to visit the Konapiste Castle lucky just 40 minutes outside of Prague. The Konapiste Castle is one of the most well-known castles in the country. Now it was built towards the end of the 13th century, and one reason why this castle was famous is that it was the last residence of Franz Ferdinand he’s the guy that was assassinated in Sarajevo, which resulted in world war 1, I mean wild stuff now, aside from all the history of the castle, today is a scenic location, and it’s built right next to a lake. It’s a great place to visit, especially if you’re in Prague.
9. Zvikov Castle
Now afterward we’re going to head over to the Zvikov Castle now located right at the confluence of the Voltava and Ottawa rivers. I think this is one of the most impressive castles in the country. It’s nicknamed the king of Czech castles and I understand why the Zvikov Castle was founded in the first half of the 13th century. The castle strategically stands on difficult to access promontory, and it was so well fortified that it was stood a four-month siege by the Hussites during the thirty-year war, a hundred and forty men successfully defended the castle against four thousand Habsburg troops in 1618 I mean that’s pretty crazy anyways. I definitely would have felt safe living here during medieval times now. Today, it’s a wonderful destination and some believe it has a ghost that wanders the castle walls.
10. Cesky Krumlov
Now for our final destination, we’re going to visit the fairy tale. The town of Cesky Krumlov, now located about two hours drive from Prague, Cesky Krumlov, is a medieval fantasy. As I was doing research I was just blown away by the beauty of this place. It looks like something straight out of a fairy tale. The town arose around the year 12 40 when the Cesky Krumlov castle was built and a settlement emerged beneath it. Cesky Krumlov thankfully escaped the bombings of world war 2, which is the main reason the city is so well preserved. Today, it stands as one of the Czech Republic’s most beautiful towns.
One of the main attractions of the town is the castle. It’s the second most visited in the country. It’s surrounded by a moat, that’s not full of water, but bears instead, that’s pretty crazy. You can also visit the castle tower to get an incredible view of the town. I mean it’s just such a magical place and I can’t believe it exists.
Well, that is it for my Czech Republic top 10.