Czech Republic at a Glance
The West Bohemian spa region, the mountainous areas of the north and southwest, and UNESCO listed sites and castles are just some of the attractions which pepper the length and breadth of this hospitable country.
Capital City:
Prague
Currency:
Czech Crown
Language:
Czech, Slovak, Roma
International Telephone Code:
+420
ISBN-10: 1841621501
ISBN-13: 9781841621500
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Reader Reviews
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“Thought it was particularly good on the ‘real’ Czech Republic and liked the ‘giving back’ section.”
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Table of Contents
Introduction
PART ONE GENERAL INFORMATION
Chapter 1 Background Information
Geography and climate, Natural history and conservation, History, Government and politics, Economy, People, Language, Culture, Religion, Education
Chapter 2 Practical Information
When to visit (and why) Highlights and itineraries, Public holidays and festivals, Tourist information, Tour operators, Red tape, Getting there and away, health, Crime, Safety and scams, What to pack, Electricity, Money and costs, Getting around, Accommodation, Eating and drinking, Shopping, Arts and entertainment, Media and communications, Special interests, Buying property in the Czech Republic, Cultural etiquette, Giving something back
PART TWO THE GUIDE
Chapter 3 Prague
Chapter 4 Central Bohemia
Chapter 5 West Bohemia
Chapter 6 North Bohemia
Chapter 7 East Bohemia
Chapter 8 South Bohemia
Chapter 9 The Highlands Region
Chapter 10 South Moravia
Chapter 11 North Moravia
Appendix 1 Language
Appendix 2 Further Information
Index
About the Author
Marc Di Duca has lived in the former Czechoslovakia for ten years. Initially going there to teach English he became fascinated with all aspects of the country. He has recently been working for the Czech Tourist Authority in London but intends to return to Bohemia to study Czech language and literature at Prague’s university.
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Guidebook Updates
Updates Between Editions & Further Information
Czech Republic – October 06 update
Czech Republic - November/ December 06 update
Czech Republic – January 07 update
Czech Republic – April 07 update
Notes from the Author
Updated April 06
"I arrived in the now defunct Czechoslovakia one murky, snow-flecked morning just a year after the Velvet Revolution, to take up a teaching post in a rural town, lost among the folds of central Bohemia’s wooded hills. A country of vivid contrasts awaited me; while the towns, a mess of potholed roads and cracked, soot-streaked architecture, choked on coal smoke and fumes from two-stroke Trabant ‘engines’, the surrounding countryside provided an soothing mix of deep coniferous forest, picturesque villages and majestic medieval castles. It was a place where life was cheap - a beer was 8p, a ticket to the cinema 16p and a meal in a restaurant cost the same as a chocolate bar back home - and where people showed genuine hospitality and curiosity. I set out to discover the wonders of this mysterious, seldom visited land; I walked the hills, I explored the castles, drank the beer… and three months’ work experience slowly turned into a decade.
Times have certainly changed since then. The nineties saw the Czech lands transformed from an open air museum of socialism and neglected backwater to a renovated, colourful, central European state. Despite modernisation, great care has been taken to preserve the magic of its historical and cultural heritage, in some respects the country’s most valuable asset. A millennium of history has bequeathed this photogenic land architecture in abundance – from squat Romanesque rotundas, lofty Gothic cathedrals and sgraffito decorated Renaissance chateaux, to wedding cake baroque, every ‘neo’ style in the book and even cubist buildings, unique to the Czech Republic. Little wonder the country has the greatest concentration of UNESCO listed sites in the world. The Czech countryside is as relaxing as it is inspiring, and the ring of mountains defining the country’s borders provide superb terrain for hiking, cycling and all manner of outdoor pursuits. Out in the sticks you’ll still find Mittel Europa preserved at its ball-room dancing, cream cake eating, flower giving best, while nonchalant Prague boasts cutting edge design exhibitions and sophisticated fusion cuisine. Then there’s the finest beer in the world, soothing spas, top-notch classical music festivals, an incredible 2,000 castles, drowsy branch line railways, musty wine cellars, fascinating national parks…well, the list could go on and on.
Most limit themselves to visiting Prague, but venture beyond the end of the metro lines and you’ll find a country rich in history, its people hospitable, its architecture lovingly restored and its countryside wonderfully picturesque. It is the most user-friendly of the former communist countries with still relatively low prices, excellent public transport and a high standard of accommodation and other services. Enjoy Prague with its fine architecture, vibrant culture and historical sights, but to experience the Czech lands for real, break out of the capital to the mountains, a chateau, a historical town or a hiking trail through the woods. There is more to the Czech Republic than Prague, and it’s just waiting to be discovered."
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