Fodor's To Europe!
Prague and the Best of the Czech Republic
Back to European itinerary browser »The name says it all: the Czech Republic's finest offerings in one itinerary. Start in Prague's evocative side streets and smoky pubs, then head to Kutná Hora's ossuary and Český Krumlov's Renaissance castle before finishing at one of Karlovy Vary's healing spas with a shot of mineral water (or herbal liqueur, both considered medicinal). From beer to bones, you'll sample Bohemia's best on this trip.
- History
- Art and Culture
- Food and Wine
This Trip's Top Experiences:
1 Prague
One of Europe's Most Beautiful Cities
- Sitting above the city is Prague castle; trek here for a beautiful view or to explore St. Vitus' Cathedral
- In the Old Town, wander through the Jewish Quarter and visit the cemetery, which dates to the 15th century
- Czech beer is justly famous; try a brew at an old fashioned pub
2 Kutná Hora
Bone Church and St. Barbara's Cathedral
- Visit the ossuary, or Kostnice, where the local monks used the bones from a cemetery to decorate or create everything from doors to chandeliers
- In town, see the Cathedral of St. Barbara, a 15th-century Gothic masterpiece
- Kutná Hora was a mint for much of Europe in the Middle Ages; visit the Italian Court to see coins were made and to buy replicas
3 Český Krumlov
A Storybook Castle and Expressionist Artwork
- Krumlov's centerpiece is its scenic castle, complete with a pastel tower and moat
- The work of the town's most famous resident, Expressionist artist Egon Schiele, is displayed in a small museum, together with other works of the period
- Have a locally brewed Eggenberg beer and a locally caught trout, one of the landlocked country's few fish specialties
4 Karlovy Vary
Healing Mineral Waters
- Take a bath at one of Karlovy Vary's famous natural mineral-water spas
- As you walk the colonnades, sip water from one of the healing springs or try a shot of Becherovka, the herbal liqueur made here
- Have an old-fashioned, white-tablecloth meal at Promenáda