We have friends coming to visit!! We love when people come to visit. There is nothing better than to showing off the beauty of this country. We live in the capital, so Prague goes without saying. (I mean, it is the most beautiful city in the world!)
But what if our visitors want to venture off into the wild blue yonder? Well, here are our tips for getting out of Prague and seeing a bit more of the Czech Republic.
1. For the Adventurous: Beroun to Karlštejn
What: If you like hiking, this is the country for you. The entire Czech Republic is covered by intricately marked trails that traverse up and down the green hills, around castles and monasteries and along rivers and waterfalls. You can pick up a Touristic Map at any bookstore or Tourist Info, or find touristic trails online at www.mapy.cz.
One of our favorite walks is from the city of Beroun to Karlštejn Castle. It is about 15 kilometers and takes 4-5 hours, depending on how many pub stops you make. Sights to take in along the way include Sv. Jan pod Skalou (Saint John under the Rock). This is a lovely little village with a spring that bubbles with the healing water of Saint John. If you are brave you can add to the adventure by hiking to the top of the hill.
How: Trains go from Hlavní Nádraží (Main Train Station) several times every hour to Beroun. There are also buses that run frequently from Zličín.
On the way back the train goes from the Karlštejn train station, on the other side of the river from the castle, at least twice every hour.
2. For the Nostalgic: Karlovy Vary
What: A lovely little spa town that looks like it was frozen in 1880. With a plethora of warm, healing springs to sample and long ambling promenades, you'll feel more revived and refreshed at the end of your trip. When you get tired of the picturesqueness of Karlovy Vary, find the Becherovka Museum and taste the choice healing liquor of most Czech grandmothers (and the current President, if rumors are to be believed).
How: Karlovy Vary lies west of Prague and takes about two hours on a bus to get there. Return tickets should be purchased before hand (a day or two is enough advance). There are several bus agencies that service the route, but we prefer Student Agency because it is a comfortable ride.
3. For the Spooky: Kutna Hora
What: Kutna Hora is home to a church full of bones. Doesn't sound appealing? Well, you've never seen bones like these! Legend is that a creative (and perhaps bored!) monk began to build sculptures from the many bones laying around after the Black Death. It really is worth a look, and although I used the adjective "spooky" to get you to read this, it is actually a testament to the creativity of the human mind.
How: The bus takes about an hour and 40 minutes and leaves each hour from various bus terminals around Prague. The direct train only takes an hour but only goes once per two hours. I prefer to take the train and walk into town (it is a few kilometers from the town center, but not far from the cemetery chapel with ossuary)
4. For the Historian: Terezin
The town of Terezín was known as Theresienstadt Ghetto during World War II and was used as a concentration camp and ghetto. The town and fortress still stand today, with museums and memorials spread throughout. Theresienstadt was used as a "show camp" by the Nazis. They made propaganda films here, they pretended as if there were no death camps, just ghettos full of the unwanted. But this was a holding camp, a place of waiting until being locked in a train and shipped further east to the death camps.
This is a destination for those who want to contemplate the deepest depravities of humanity, as well as its highest hopes. In the midst of the squalor and disease and pain, the inhabitants wrote and preformed, children were secretly schooled by some of the world's top musicians, writers and minds. The art exhibitions testify to the refusal of the soul to be imprisoned.
How: The bus goes every hour from Nádraží Holešovice to Terezín.
5. For the Beer Lover: Plzeň
We've all had a pilsner beer, that golden liquid that slides its hoppy goodness down your throat and into your belly. Go to the home of all pilsner beers, the great city of Plzeň. You can tour the Pilsner Urquell Beer Factory, check out the beer museum in the center and drink (and eat!) at any of the numerous pubs along the way. If you need a break from the bottle, take time to climb to the top of the spire of the cathedral on the main square. What a beautiful view! One of the biggest synagogs in the Czech Republic is located in Plzen. Also there is a very interesting and informative General Patten Museum, that sheds light on some of the decisions made at the end of WWII and explains why the inhabitants of Plzen still have a special relationship with the United States after years of hiding it during communism.
How: Student agency goes from Zličín bus terminal every hour and the journey takes about an hour, remember to book the ticket ahead. The train takes about an hour and a half and departs each hour from the Main Train Station.
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