The capital is one of Europe's most beautiful cities — a compact medieval core, a castle district, and enough bars, restaurants, and concert halls to keep you busy for a week. It survived the 20th century remarkably intact. Don't rush it.
A small town in South Bohemia built around a dramatic bend in the Vltava river, dominated by a vast castle complex. The old town below it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Worth a night or two rather than a day trip — it's best when the day-trippers have gone.
The grandest of the western Bohemian spa towns, built along a wooded river valley. Ornate 19th-century colonnades, thermal springs, and the home of Becherovka — the bitter herbal liqueur. Hosts a major international film festival each July.
The birthplace of Pilsner lager. The Pilsner Urquell Brewery runs excellent tours, and the underground cellars beneath the brewery are genuinely impressive. The historic city center is worth a few hours on its own.
Moravia's capital and Czech Republic's second city. Less polished than Prague, more genuinely lived-in. Strong university culture, good bars, and excellent modern architecture from the interwar period — including the Villa Tugendhat, a Mies van der Rohe masterpiece and a UNESCO site.
Bohemian Switzerland (Česká Švýcarsko)
A national park in northern Bohemia near the German border, known for its sandstone rock formations, deep gorges, and the Pravčická brána — the largest natural sandstone arch in Europe. Best for hiking and outdoor photography.
Telč
A small town in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands whose main square is ringed by perfectly preserved Renaissance and Baroque façades. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, often overlooked. An easy day trip from Brno.
Kutná Hora
A medieval silver-mining town east of Prague. The Sedlec Ossuary — a small chapel decorated with the bones of some 40,000 people — is the main draw, and genuinely extraordinary. The Gothic cathedral of St. Barbara is more conventionally beautiful and arguably more impressive.
Šumava
The forested mountains along the German and Austrian borders in southwest Bohemia. Good for quiet hiking, cycling, and escaping crowds. The border area was a sealed military zone during communism, which left it surprisingly wild.