It was in March 2006 that I had visited the Czech Republic to attend the ASTA IDE and I travelled around this country and here I share some of my experiences, just CZECH IT OUT...!
THE CZECH REPUBLIC - DESTINATION FOR ALL SEASONS
I was in the Czech Republic and here is my first hand experience of what you should expect from this place in case you plan travelling this summer. COMPACT TRAVELS provides a very attractive 9 nights/10 days package to explore two Central European countries i.e. Austria + Czech Republic.
Czech Republic is one of the hottest destinations to visit besides Prague, the historic city and the heart of Europe, you can visit two other exciting towns, the UNESCO World Heritage Town of Ceský Krumlov and the Spa town Carlsbad (Karlovy Vary) which is famous for its film festivals as well. I would like to share my first hand experience having stayed 9 days in the Czech Republic recently and having qualified as a Czech specialist. Here is a synopsis of what you can expect whilst visiting this lovely country.
You need a minimum of 3 days to explore Prague which is comprising of the Old Town, New Town, Malá Strana (Lesser Town) and Hradcany. The Prague Castle, the biggest Castle in Europe overlooks the picturesque city of Prague which is along the Vlatava River. In the Lesser Town it would be a good idea to take one of the walking tours around this region to see the famous Church of the Infant Jesus. The Jewish Quarter is a part of the Old Town, maybe possible to visit the oldest preserved synagogue in the Central Europe or very impressive jewish cemetery. In fact, Prague has so much to offer that the city's historical centre was added in 1992 to the UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritage. The town also known as the Golden City or the Mother of Towns or the City of 100 spires is the main hub to visit other exciting towns around Prague such as Ceský Krumlov, the second most visited town in Czech Republic as well as Karlovy Vary - famous for its spas and 15 thermal springs. However the most popular of them all is the 16th spring of Becherovka, the famous liqueur drink which was discovered way back in 1807. Initially, a medicinal herbal drink known for its curative effects, Becherovka today is recommended as an aperitive cum digestive. Why not visit the Jan Becher Museum to go back in time and see the historical cellars and unfold the secrets of this famous medicinal drink which today is one of the famous souvenirs you can bring back from your trip to Karlovy Vary.
Ceský Krumlov on the other hand is also 3 hours away from Prague. This historic town is surrounded by the Vlatava River with the famous Ceský Krumlov castle and chateau combine which forms one of the most priceless historical monuments in the Czech Republic. The amazing city of Cesky Krumlov is one of the few cities which has the Gothic, Renaissance as well as Baroque architectures, all you can see in one town and is one of the reasons that I consider this city as one of the most picturesque cities in the world for the amazing architecture.
On your way back from Ceský Krumlov you can visit the UNESCO village of Holašovice which is famous for its well preserved 18th and 19th century houses or farmsteads built in the Southern Bohemian Rural Baroque style. You can also halt at the fortress town of Pisek which has the oldest bridge in Czech Republic or take a detour to Ceske Budejovice, the original Budweiser Beer Town.
Czech Republic on the whole is not only an architectural wonder with over 200 castles and 150 lookout towers but also has the unique record of being the country with the maximum beer consumption in the world and over 50 breweries around the country. Actually, the famous Pilsner beer originates from Pilsen Town which is en route to Munich or Salzburg and is one hour away from Prague. You can also find traces of Mozart in Prague as Mozart wrote his famous composition Don Giovanni and performed the world premiere there in Prague.
Prague though well known for the old historic Charles Bridge, Wenceslas Square for its night life and entertainment, the astronomical clock in Old town square or the famous Bohemian crystal glass, it is equally well known for the famous black light theatre shows which is a combination of music, dance, pantomime, projection and visual effects all combined to produce a unique extravaganza. For those interested in soft adventure, cycling or traditional caneoing is one of the ways to explore Czech Republic and you have 40000 kilometres of marked walking paths to choose from to explore the country.
Those who want admire natural wonders, it could be a good idea to walk around a labyrinth of sandstone creations in Czech Paradise or visit one of stalactite caves with beautiful natural decoration in a complex of underground domes, corridors and chasms.
For those who love mystery, it wouldn't be a bad idea to take a ghost trail in Prague or visit Kutná Hora to see the famous Ossuary which is located in the basement of a chapel in Sedlec. You find here decoratives entirely of human bones and skulls including a chandelier made of every bone in the human body. So whether it's a spa holiday, a mystery tour, an architectural wonder, a walking tour or even a historical delight, Czech Republic has all of this and even more to offer and fortunately in Mumbai, you have a Czech specialist to guide you all the way to exploring one of the hottest destinations to visit all year round.
KARLOVY VARY - the SPA TOWN IN WESTERN BOHEMIA
One of the must visit places located in the north west of Prague around 125 kilometres and close to the border of Eastern part of Germany. Also known as Carlsbad, Karlovy Vary is one of the three Spa Towns which forms part of the Spa Triangle -the other two towns which are in close proximity from Karlovy Vary are Mariánské Lázne and Františkovy Lázne. All the three towns are a few kilometers away from each other. Located in the western part of Czech Republic, Karlovy Vary is located on the confluence of the Ohre and Teplá River. The town has become a very popular tourist destination especially for international celebrities as besides spa treatments it all hosts the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The recent Hollywood Movie Last Holiday which was released in 2006 was shot in the famous Grandhotel Pupp. The town is so popular amongst Americans that there are cities in the state of New Mexico and California which are known as Carlsbad which is how the town is famously known in English.
The Carlsbad Region is very scenic with wooden hills at the western tip of the Czech Republic and although it occupies a very small area of the Bohemia and Moravia regions, in terms of reputation, it is one of the must visit towns in Czech Republic after Prague and Cesky Krumlov. Besides spa, the town is famous for Becherovka and houses the Jan Becher Museum where you can take a guided tour to find out why Becherovka is one of the most popular liqueur drinks and souvenirs of the region.
It's a good idea to visit the historic cellars and lose yourself in the myriad of unique exhibits and discover the secrets of the special bitter-sweet herbal liqueur made out of medicinal herbs and spices and is one of the extraordinary drinks which not only serves as a digestive but also an ingredient of many cocktails. It is hard to believe that it is in Karlovy Vary that the unique Becherovka is produced for over 200 years and is also known as the Thirteenth Spring of Karlovy Vary as the town was already famous for its 12 springs. The most famous Czech cocktail is probably Beton which is a combination of Becherovka and tonic water, along with lemon juice, lemon and ice. Beton is served in most restaurants that offer cocktails on their menu. A tour of the Museum costs around 100 Czech crowns and is worth every Crown and should be included in your tour to Karlovy Vary. Due to its close proximity to the German border, you will find a lot of people speaking German at Carlsbad and now a little bit of history about this beautiful town.
Carlsbad was founded by the Czech King and Roman Emperor Charles IV around 1350 and this town has grown over centuries and is frequented by spa guests from more than 80 countries around the world. The mineral water from the natural hot springs vary in temperature from 9ºC to 73.4ºC and is used in healing baths, irrigation as well as drinking. The hot springs comprise of important minerals for the human body and its helps in cure of several ailments as well as helps to release the various harmful toxins that are stored in the human body. In all there are 12 spas in Karlovy Vary and besides being known as the largest and most important spa in the region, Karlovy Vary is one of 4 major cities of Europe which hosts prestigious film festivals. The other three cities are Venice, Cannes and Berlin. The Film Festival in Karlovy Vary is generally hosted around the beginning of July and is attended by celebrities from across the world. Due to the popularity of this town, it has its own international airport which has several charter flights coming in besides regular connections from Prague. The famous visitors to this region include royalties, politicians, who's who from Hollywood, writers, composers, scientists , architects and probably that's one of the reasons that Carlsbad is also known as the city of famous visitors.
Today's appearance of Carlsbad especially the spa centre was influenced by the late 19th Century and early 20th century architectural styles - the revivalist style of Historicism and the new Art Deco with finer touches from Viennese architects Helmer and Fellner. Hence, the town has attracted numerous creative individuals and architects and over 70 well known artists live and work here.
Carlsbad is also a shopper's delight as it is well known for its consumer goods and food production. The best known products of Carlsbad are the porcelain known as the Karlovarsky porcelain; glass from the famous Moser for which the credit goes to Ludwig Moser who founded a company bearing his name in Karlovy Vary in 1857. En route from Prague to Karlovy Vary you can visit the Moser museum which displays some of the finest Bohemian glassworks which have been used by royalties from across the globe including the maharajahs and royalties from India. Moser is world renowned for its precise hand cutting, engraving gold and platinum painting which has earned this house numerous prizes at world exhibitions and rightfully Moser is known as the “Glass of Kings” as you will find Moser products as an integral part of royal houses, presidents and distinguished personalities all over the world. To become owner of a drinking set bearing the Moser trademark has been a matter of prestige for significant personalities across the world.
Carlsbad is also famous for other products including Mattoni-the famous brand of mineral water and the traditional spa waffles known as Karlovarksé Oplatky. The traditional spa waffles are made from the year 1856 and their superb taste, the delicious aroma and interchangeable lightness reminds all visitors the singularity of the spa mood. Such celebrities like Peter the Great, W.A. Mozart, F.W. Schiller and many others tasted the fresh warm waffles. Carlsbad has also one of the finest golf course- the Karlovy Vary Golf Course which was built in 1904 and is the oldest golf course in Czech Republic. The city is a fantastic walking town and the various colonnades more than characterize the flavour of this lovely town and people can walk around and drink water directly from the springs. The Mill Colonnade is the oldest and the largest colonnades and was built as a Neo-Renaissance column hall closed by a flat ceiling supported by 124 Corinthian columns.
The most recent of all the Colonnades is the Chateau Colonnade which was built in 1911 on the slope below Chateau Hill and at the centre of this colonnade is the Hot Spring known as the “father” of all local springs. The Hot Spring comes from the depth of almost 2 kilometres along a deep fault and is the hottest one of the region at 73.4ºC and spews about 2000 litres of water. Because of innumerable activities the city of Karlovy Vary has several hotels but the star attraction is undoubtedly the Grandhotel Pupp - one of the most beautiful hotels in Central Europe, a 5 star deluxe hotel with room rates going up to 500 Euros per night for their rooms which has hosted celebrities ranging from Kings, princesses, Presidents of States, artists, scientists and film stars.
Some of the honoured guests of the 18th Century included musical composer Johann Sebastian Bach; Russian Tsar Peter the Great; founder of the modern balneology Dr. David Becher; as well as Austrian Empress Marie Teresie of the Habsburgs. The hotel was very sought after for its serenity; other musical geniuses came to stay in this inspirational atmosphere, such as famous opera composers Richard Wagner, Antonín Dvorák and Ferenc Liszt. The most famous guests of the “GRANDHOTEL PUPP” are made up of traditional celebrities of the political and movie arena. Amongst recent visitors include American actress Whoopi Goldberg, actor Gregory Peck, Michael Douglas and individuals from political world who have stayed here are President Václav Havel, Spanish King Juan Carlos, Norwegian King Harald and many others.
One thing is certain, when walking up the stairways and the soft carpets of the “GRANDHOTEL PUPP”, you can actually claim having walked in the steps of history. Or at least in the steps of those, who created the history and on whom the history depended. The hotel has the works- Spa treatments, conference facilities, finest restaurants, Casino Club and those who would like to get the ambience of the complex and not pay too fancy a price can opt to stay at the adjoining 4 star First Class Parkhotel Pupp. The whole complex has 228 rooms with the Grandhotel Pupp comprising of 112 luxurious rooms and the Parkhotel Pupp having 116 rooms.
So if you are planning a trip to Karlovy Vary, you can contact COMPACT TRAVELS - the only Czech Republic specialist travel company in India which can give you a total travel experience of visiting one of Czech Republic's finest towns which will be etched in your memory for a very long time.
The Carlsbad mineral springs include
• The Hot Spring - Temperature A 72°C, B 50°C, C 30°C • Charles IV. Spring - Temperature 60,5°C • Market Spring - Temperature 57,2°C • Mill Spring - Temperature 55,6°C • Nymph Spring - Temperature 50,6°C • Prince Václav - Spring I. and II. - Temperature 65,3°C • Libuše Spring - Temperature 62°C • Rock Spring - Temperature 53°C • Orchard Spring - Temperature 47°C
The following ailments are traditionally treated in Carlsbad:• Gastro-intestinal disorders• Metabolism disorders, • Diabetes mellitus,• Obesity,• Gout• Parodontosis,• Disorders of locomotive organs.
Carlsbad curative methods:• Drinking cure,• Mineral baths,• Siphoning,• Peat moss and Paraffin Packs,• Inhalation,• Cryotherapy,• Electrotherapy,• Hydropathy,• Traditional and Underwater Massages,• Oxygenotherapy,• Dental irrigation,• Pneumopuncture,• Acupuncture.
CESKY KRUMLOV - THE WORLD'S MOST BEAUTIFUL TOWN
Ask a local at Cesky Krumlov and they will say that it is undoubtedly the world's most beautiful town. The name of Cesky Krumlov was derived from Old Germanic - Krumben Ouwe which means bent mead or crooked meadow. The course of the Vltava River had attracted Celts to this region in the New Iron Age and the Slavs had first inhabited this region during 6th Century A.D. The town has a very intriguing history and the town and castle reached its peak of development and prosperity during the Rozmberk era who had their seat at Cesky Krumlov for three centuries from 1302 AD to 1602 AD.
In 1602, the town was brought by Rudolf II of the Hapsburg family and the Styrian family of Eggenberg had their seat in this town until 1719. During this period the Duke Jan Kristian who was a music and theater lover built a Baroque Castle Theater which is the only Baroque Theater is used even today.
The town had undergone extensive restoration and in 1992 it was included in the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites. The colourful tower of Cesky Krumlov has become a famous tourist icon for the entire country and the town has a lot to offer for the tourist such as the elegant Renaissance Town Hall, the Gothic Church of St Vitus, the Baroque Chateau Garden - all of which are magnificent architectural jewels and the town itself has retained its authentic ancient image. Although there have been changes in the town, it continues to create the impression of a place where time stopped centuries ago.
Cesky Krumlov is 180 km south of Prague near the border of Austria and the nearest airport on the Austrian side is Linz which is 70 kilometres away. The first recorded reference to the castle dates from 1253. A round tower and a palace then stood on a rock cliff and today constitutes the Hradek or the Small Castle. A settlement, presently known as Latran, was founded at the foot of the cliff. In 1274, a town was founded on the opposite side of the Vltava River and in the 14th and 15th centuries, the castle was extended and the St Vitus Church was erected.
In the Renaissance period, the Gothic castle was rebuilt as a comfortable chateau. In 1586, the Jesuits arrived in Cesky Krumlov and built a beautiful college (the present-day Hotel Ruze). The citizens of Cesky Krumlov built a brewery on Siroka street which currently houses the Egon Schiele Museum. Examples of the Baroque style are some additions to the Minorite monastery, the Jesuit seminar (a Museum at present) and interiors at the chateau.
However, Cesky Krumlov means more than only an exceptional complex of three hundred years of historical buildings. For its visitors the town is also a cultural, congress and tourist centre. The International Music Festival, The Renaissance Music Festival, and theatre performances take place in the chateau garden.
No wonder that the town is the second most frequently visited tourist destination in the Czech Republic. One of the most impressive experiences during a visit here is a walk through its meandering streets and the square in the historical centre. On your way you will find some of the most famous building including the St. Vitus Church, The Egon Schiele Art Centre which is now a renowned European gallery of modern art. The town is well known for its year round music and film festivals, theatre performances and folklore festivals. You can enjoy some fine cuisine in one of the restaurants such as the Restaurace Maštal on the Svornosti Square which serves traditional Czech cuisine and the meals are cooked in front of you on an open fire and you can enjoy it with a pint of Budweiser from Ceske Budejovice or the beer of Cesky Krumlov- the Eggenberg ale or black. At times, especially in the evenings, you may enjoy your cuisine with some live music going on in the background. You also have the Pizzerie Latrán which is an unusual restaurant in the historical centre with Italian specialities and a romantic wine cellar.
The Zámecká Jízdárna is located in an impressive Viennese Roccoco Building and is a restaurant with an ambience of a concert hall where you can have large functions organized especially for incentives. In Rytírská Krcma Markéta, you will find a Renaissance Tavern that is part of the Castle Gardens where you can enjoy grilled specialties on the open fire. Whilst walking through the town make sure of seeing the following - The Clad Bridge which is a multi-tiered bridge which connects the Upper Castle with the castle garden; Na Ostrovì which is across the river and a place from where you get a unique view of the castle; the Square or Námestí where you will find the Renaissance town hall which was formed by joining two buildings way back in 1580 and is a very distinct architecture.
The Church street is worth walking down to as this narrow lane is magical and alluring. The Wooden bridge is worth stopping at to enjoy a view of the castle and the Castle stairs lead you to the courtyard of the Cesky Krumlov Castle and en route you can see a family of bears. This region has its own beauty in winter and if you are around Christmas time, it is ideal not only to see the old fashioned Christmas markets in the square but the entire town has an ambience of Christmas with all the historically buildings well adorned during this period.
And you get great value for your accommodation in Christmas. You can go to Hochficht and Sternstein on the Austrian side to enjoy some great skiing in winter. The town of Cesky Krumlov has its beauty and there are people who come here for a day trip and vow to come back to spend days as this town is not only the most beautiful in Southern Bohemia but amongst one of the most beautiful towns in the world. Closeby you can also visit interesting places such as Holasovice - the UNESCO village, Ceské Budejovice- the largest and economically the most important city of Southern Bohemia; the romantic mansions of Hluboká nad Vltavou which is so picturesque as if it is straight out of a fairytale book; the fishing town of Trebon or the picturesque town of Pisek which has the oldest stone bridge in Bohemia.
If you think you have seen Czech Republic by just visiting Prague, wait until you reach the region of Cesky Krumlov and you will wonder how you have missed out on such a beautiful region inspite of being an extensive traveller to Europe.
THE DANCING HOUSE IN PRAGUE
The Dancing House or the Dancing Building prominently overlooks the Vlatava River and is situated at the corner of Rasinova Nabrezi and Reslova Street near the Jiraskuv Bridge and was built by Zagreb-born Prague-based architect Vlado Milunic, who had the original idea for the building, and the celebrated Canadian architect Frank Gehry who had also built the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain which is covered in titanium. The Dancing House which houses several offices is also popularly known as the Fred & Ginger Building. Probably, the architecture was inspired by the legendary dancing duo of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, the building houses a fine dining restaurant on the 7th floor known as La Perle de Prague. The restaurant is located on the top floor of this building and offers magnificent views of the City of Prague including the Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge and the Vltava River.
In summer, you can sit outdoors (weather permitting) and enjoy some fine French cuisine followed by sumptuous desserts.If you take a city tour of Prague, you will be traversing the Dancing House. Though on its own, the architecture is unique, it blends well with the Neo-Gothic, Neo-Baroque and Art Nouveau Buildings which Prague is famous for.
The site of the Dancing House was originally occupied by a house in the Neo-renaissance style from the end of the 19th century. That house was destroyed during the World War II bombing of Prague by the U.S. in 1945. Its remains finally were removed in 1960. The neighbouring house (with a small globe on the roof) was co-owned by Czech ex-president Vaclav Havel, who lived there from his childhood until the mid-1990s. He ordered the first architectural study from Vlado Milunic. Afterwards the Dutch bank ING agreed to build a house there, and asked Milunic to invite a world-renowned architect. Milunic asked Frank Gehry, who accepted the challenge as two architects had to construct the building in area of 500 square metres. The construction started in 1994 and the house was finished in 1996.
The building is unique in structure as the construction is from 99 concrete panels each of different shape and dimension, each therefore requiring a unique wooden form. After its construction, there was a public uproar due to its unusual architecture. However, almost 10 years after its construction, in 2005, the Czech National Bank issued a gold coin with the motif of the Dancing House, as the final coin of the series "10 Centuries of Architecture." So, when you plan a trip to Prague do visit the Dancing House from the outside and if you want to visit it from the inside, it wouldn't be a bad idea to reserve a table at the French restaurant on the 7th floor and enjoy some lovely food along with a beautiful view of the city of Prague.
KUTNA HORA - The mining town and UNESCO World Heritage Site
Kutna Hora is located around 70 kilometres to the East of Prague . If you are travelling to Czech Republic and you intend visiting some of the most beautiful towns, the best way to do that is to stay in Prague and move into different towns which are in close proximity of less than a couple of hours from Prague. And Compact Travels as the only travel company in India which is Czech Republic specialist can assist you in visiting some of the most incredible locations in and around Czech Republic.
Kutná Hora is one hour away from Prague and you can either take a coach or a train or even drive down to what was the second largest town after Prague in the Middle Ages. Kutná Hora was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1995. Normally the tour from Prague can take around six hours for a return trip and this would cover the St.Barbara Cathedral, Italian Court and Mint and the Ossuary at Sedlec. However, you could even do a full day tour and include a visit to Cesky Sternberk as you return from Kutná Hora and into Prague.
Kutná Hora is one of the most important cultural cities and was part of the Bohemian Kingdom for many centuries. The kingdom dates back to the 10th Century when silver deposits had been discovered and the first coins, the so-called denars, had began to be minted by the Slavnikid family. Other extensive silver deposits were found in the 13th Century and people from all over Europe came to Kutná Hora to participate in the mining and processing of silver ore and consequent production of coins. Silver from Kutná Hora helped the Bohemian Kings gain a very respected position among the European rulers and the town was later known as the Silver Town of Kutná Hora.
Currently, the town comprises of 22000 inhabitants and the best way to see the town is to take a stroll through its streets. The wealthy past of Kutná Hora is illustrated by numerous historical monuments such as the Italian Court with the former royal mint and a gallery, the Hradek Castle housing the Czech Museum of Silver where you can experience the original silver mine tour, the Cathedrals of St. Barbara and of the Assumption of Our Lady, the famous Ossuary in the town of Sedlec which is a suburb of Kutná Hora and houses the famous Church of Bones, also known as the All Saints Cemetery Church. The interior of the chapel is remarkable as it is decorated almost entirely of human bones and skulls originally piled in a pyramid by a half-blind monk way back in 1511. The most amazing part of the Ossuary is the enormous chandelier which is said to have been made of all the bones in the human body. It was believed that whosoever was buried here will go to heaven and the bones here are estimated to be the remains of around 40000 people as the soil on the cemetery gained a reputation of a Holy Land and people from not only Czech Republic but also Poland, Bavaria and Belgium were buried in this Ossuary.
Though the Ossuary is extremely popular, the suburb of Sedlec is historically important for the Cistercian Monastery - which was founded in 1142 as the first monastery in Bohemia. The word Kutná is from a Czech word kutat which means to mine or extract ore and the word Hora is the Czech equivalent for a hill or a mountain. Although there are many other legends dating back to the 13th Century, the first written record of the name Kutná Hora came around 1276 which was a period of intensive mining activities in this region.
In Kutná Hora itself, there is a monumental church build on top of a hill known as the St. Barbara Cathedral. The Cathedral of St. Barbara is the fifth and final cathedral structure in the Czech lands and was built over 160 years between 1388 and 1548. The entire supporting system of the cathedral is richly decorated with pinnacles, sculptures and other creations of stone masonry. The St. Barbara Cathedral is a perfect counterpart to the Cathedral of St. Vitus in Prague which was also built with the help of the proceeds from silver taken from the mines in Kutná Hora. Besides the Cathedral and the Hradek Castle, Kutná Hora is also famous for its Jesuit College which was built in 1667 and is in close proximity to the St.Barbara Cathedral. The two storey Baroque College has an artificial terrace in front of the College building which was enclosed by a low wall with 13 sculptures of saints favoured by Jesuits and has a resemblance to the Charles Bridge in Prague.
After spending about 3 to 3 ½ hours in Kutná Hora we had a sumptuous meal at Stará Fara restaurant before heading back to Prague. On the way we stopped at the Cesky Sternberk Castle which is located 45 kilometres away from Prague.
Cesky Sternberk is one of the best preserved old castles in Bohemia and was built before 1241 and is connected to the Sternberk noble family. The castle has attractive interiors with fascinating collection from the Sternberk family and to tour this majestic castle you need atleast two to three hours. In autumn, winter & early spring the view from the top of the castle is simply spectacular with snow all around and it quite truly resembles a Fairytale Castle surrounded by snow. After your visit to the castle you can head back to Prague & along with it carry happy memories of this wonderful region which should definitely be on your agenda of the “must-see” destinations.
As a conclusion to the various places featured in the last few issues, Czech Republic is divided into two main regions-the first one being Bohemia and the second one being Moravia and Silesia. Starting with Prague where you can see the St. Vitus Cathedral in the Prague Castle and Mala Strana or Lesser Town which is having a strong German and Jewish influence. You can cross the Charles Bridge into Old Town which is the heart of the historical city and where you can view the Astronomical Clock. A good option especially for music lovers could be to do the Mozart Tour of Prague, then move on to the Wencesclas Square, the Old Jewish quarter or the Synagogues, then you can take a cable car to Petrin Hill which can give you a breathtaking view of the city.
From Prague you can head north to Karlovy Vary, or to Cesky Krumlov in the South or Kutná Hora on the East. From Prague itself you can do a lot of day trips including a visit to the Karlstejn Castle - the most visited Castle in the Czech Republic where the coronation jewels are on display. Then there is the Krivoklat medieval castle, a perfect location for film shoots, the Konopiste Castle - a residential castle which was built as a defensive fort in the Middle Ages. In all, there are 200 castles that you could visit.
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