bohemia · 2018. 1. 19. · of the capital, the czech republic’s western province has for...

Best Places to Eat ¨Medité (p223)

¨Naše farma (p188)

¨ Šupina & Šupinka (p201)

¨Nonna Gina (p196)

¨Goldie (p205)

¨ Embassy Restaurant (p217)

Best Places to Sleep

¨ Pension Villa Rosa (p215)

¨ Krumlov House (p195)

¨U Tří hrušek (p187)

¨ Villa Patriot (p222)

¨ Penzion Havlíček (p180)

When to Go

Apr Spring brings blossoms to the trees, and castles and museums reopen.

Jun–Aug Plenty of warm, sunny days to enjoy city strolls and coun-tryside walks.

Sep & Oct Re-gional cultural hubs like Plzeň or České Budějovice reawaken after a summer slumber.

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BohemiaWhy Go?Beyond the serried apartment blocks of Prague’s outer sub-urbs, the city gives way to the surprisingly green hinterland of Bohemia, a land of rolling hills, rich farmland and thick forests dotted with castles, chateaux and picturesque towns. Rural and rustic, yet mostly within two to three hours’ drive of the capital, the Czech Republic’s western province has for centuries provided an escape for generations of city-dwellers.

It’s a region of surprising variety. Český Krumlov, with its riverside setting and Renaissance castle, is in a class by itself, but lesser-known towns such as Třeboň in the south and Loket in the west exude an unexpected charm. Big cit-ies like České Budějovice and Plzeň offer great museums and restaurants, while the famed 19th-century spa towns of western Bohemia retain an old-world lustre.

Includes ¨Karlštejn Castle .......... 174Konopiště Chateau .....176Kutná Hora ..................179Terezín .........................182České Budějovice .......185Český Krumlov ............192Třeboň ........................ 198Tábor .......................... 201Plzeň ..........................205Karlovy Vary ................ 211Mariánské Lázně.........219

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Rising above the village of Karlštejn, 30km southwest of Prague, Karlštejn Castle is rightly one of the top attractions in the Czech Republic. This fairy-tale medieval fortress is in such good shape that it wouldn’t look out of place on Disney World’s Main Street. Unfortunately, the crowds that throng its courtyards come in theme-park proportions too.

HistoryPerched high on a crag overlooking the Berounka River, Karlštejn was born of a grand pedigree, starting life in 1348 as a hideaway for the crown jewels and treasury of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. Run by an appointed burgrave, the castle was surrounded by a network of landowning knight-vassals, who came to the castle’s aid whenever ene-mies moved against it.

Karlštejn again sheltered the Bohemian and the Holy Roman Empire crown jewels during the Hussite Wars of the early 15th century, but fell into disrepair as its defenc-es became outmoded. Considerable restoration work in the late 19th century has returned the castle to its former glory – most notably by Josef Mocker, the king of Prague’s neo-Gothic architecture.

Guided ToursAdmission to the castle is by guided tour only; there are three tours available in English. Tour 1 (adult/child 270/180Kč, 50 minutes) passes through the Knight’s Hall, still daubed with the coats-of-arms and names of the

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DON’T MISS ¨Chapel of the Holy

Cross

¨ Knight’s Hall

¨Charles IV’s Bedchamber

¨ Audience Hall

¨ Jewel House

¨The Great Tower views

PRACTICALITIES ¨Hrad Karlštejn

¨% tour bookings 311 681 617

¨www.hradkarlstejn.cz

¨ adult/child Tour 1 270/180Kč, Tour 2 330/230Kč, Tour 3 150/100Kč

¨h9am-6.30pm Jul & Aug, 9.30am-5.30pm Tue-Sun May, Jun & Sep, to 5pm Apr, to 4.30pm Oct, to 4pm Mar, shorter hrs Sat & Sun only Dec-Feb

KARLŠTEJN CASTLE

Best Places to Eat

¨ Pavillon (p232)

¨ Veselá 13 (p247)

¨ Restaurant Coqpit (p238)

¨ Sojka & Spol (p241)

¨ Svatováclavský Pivovar (p252)


¨Hostel Mitte (p230)

¨Hotel Templ (p240)

¨Hotel Mario (p245)

¨Hotel Lahofer (p247)

¨ Penzión Na Hradě (p252)

When to Go

Apr Trees bud and flowers bloom in pretty towns like Olomouc.

Jul Warm, sunny days are perfect for urban strolls or hiking or biking the countryside.

Sep Toast the grape harvest with new wine in Valtice or at the Znojmo wine festival.

MoraviaWhy Go?The Czech Republic’s easternmost province, Moravia, is yin to Bohemia’s yang. If Bohemians love beer, Moravians love wine. If Bohemia is about towns and cities, Moravia is all rolling hills and pretty landscapes. The capital, Brno, has the museums, but the northern city of Olomouc has captivating architecture. The lesser-visited south is dominated by vine-yards and, naturally, wine-drinking day-tipplers. This was the former stomping ground of some of the wealthiest families of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and you can still see the glint of this old money at former noble piles in Mikulov, Valtice and Lednice.

Includes ¨Brno ........................... 227Telč ............................. 235Třebíč ......................... 237Mikulov ....................... 238Valtice-Lednice .......... 244Znojmo ....................... 246Olomouc .................... 248Kroměříž .................... 254

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March

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#1Vila

Tugendhat

#2Mikulov Wine Trail

#3Holy Trinity Column

#4TelčChateau

#5 LedniceChateau

#e0 40 km0 20 miles

1 Vila Tugendhat (p230) Appraising the value, aesthetically speaking, of a functionalist masterwork.

2 Mikulov Wine Trail (p240) Hiking, biking or simply sipping your way through the hills and dales of southern Moravian wine country.

3 Holy Trinity Column (p248) Admiring the intricacies of Central Europe’s most riveting piece of baroque statuary.

4 Telč Chateau (p235) Taking in the palatial splendour amid the country’s

most perfectly preserved Renaissance townscape.

5 Lednice Chateau (p244) Gawking at the magnificent folly of the Liechtenstein family’s ancestral spread, complete with a mock minaret.

Moravia Highlights

#_Prague

Bohemia Moravia

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On the Road


POP 1.3 MILLION

Best Places to Eat ¨ Sansho (p129)

¨Café Lounge (p122)

¨ La Bottega Bistroteka (p126)

¨ Restaurace U Veverky (p140)

¨ Field (p127)


¨ Fusion Hotel (p114)

¨ Savic Hotel (p113)

¨ Icon Hotel (p115)

¨Mosaic House (p114)

¨Brix Hostel (p118)

¨Czech Inn (p115)

When to Go

Apr Trees and flowers bud in spectacular fashion, though Easter can get very crowded.

Jul & Aug High summer brings hot days but lots of sunshine and great walking and cycling weather.

Sep & Oct Still plenty of light for daytime walks; cultural calendar resumes at enter-tainment venues.

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PragueWhy Go?The 1989 Velvet Revolution that freed the Czechs from communism bequeathed to Europe a gem of a city to stand beside stalwarts such as Rome, Amsterdam and London. Not surprisingly, visitors from around the world have come in droves, and on a hot summer’s day it can feel like you’re sharing Charles Bridge with half of humanity. But even the crowds can’t take away from the spectacle of a 14th-century stone bridge, a hilltop castle and a lovely, lazy river – the Vltava – that inspired one of the most hauntingly beautiful pieces of 19th-century classical music, Smetana’s Moldau symphony.

Includes ¨Sights ........................... 44Activities ..................... 101Tours .......................... 103Festivals & Events ...... 109Sleeping ..................... 109Eating .......................... 121Drinking & Nightlife ....142Entertainment ............157

Shopping .....................163

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Prague & the Czech Republic

#_Prague

Bohemia Moravia

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PLAN YOUR TRIP ON THE ROAD

Welcome to Prague & the Czech Republic . . . 4

Prague & the Czech Republic Map . . . . . 6

Prague & the Czech Republic’s Top 12 . . . . . . . 8

Need to Know . . . . . . . . . 14

First Time the Czech Republic . . . . 16

What’s New . . . . . . . . . . . 18

If You Like… . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Month by Month . . . . . . . 21

Itineraries . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Travel with Children . . . . 25

Eat & Drink Like a Local . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Regions at a Glance . . . . 30

PRAGUE . . . . . . . . . . . 32Neighbourhoods at a Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Sights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103Festival & Events . . . . . . . 109Sleeping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Eating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Drinking & Nightlife . . . . . 142Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . 157 Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

BOHEMIA . . . . . . . . . .173Top Sights . . . . . . . . . . . 174Kutná Hora . . . . . . . . . . 179Terezín . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182České Budějovice . . . . . 185Český Krumlov . . . . . . . 192Třeboň . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198Tábor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201Plzeň . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205Karlovy Vary . . . . . . . . . .211Mariánské Lázně . . . . . . 219

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MASOPUST CARNIVAL P21

SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK We love to hear from travellers – your comments keep us on our toes and help make our books better. Our well-travelled team reads every word on what you loved or loathed about this book. Although we cannot reply individually to your submissions, we always guarantee that your feed-back goes straight to the appropriate authors, in time for the next edition. Each person who sends us information is thanked in the next edition – the most useful submissions are rewarded with a selection of digital PDF chapters.

Visit lonelyplanet.com/contact to submit your updates and suggestions or to ask for help. Our award-winning website also features inspirational travel stories, news and discussions.

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OUR READERSMany thanks to the travellers who used the last edition and wrote to us with helpful hints, useful advice and interesting anecdotes: Ahliddin Gaffar, Alessandra Furlan, George & Linda Moss, Martin Winter, Miguel Marcos, Rachel Backhouse

WRITER THANKSMark BakerThanks to my editors at Lonely Planet, my co-author Neil Wilson and lots of people on the ground in my adopted city of Prague. These include Kateřina Pavlitová at prague.eu, Irena Dudová, Zuzi & Jan Va-lenta at tasteofprague.com, Iva Roze Skochová, Petr Kučera, ‘Karim’ at pragulic.cz, and many more.

Neil WilsonMany thanks go to Jan Valenta of Taste of Prague, and to Bogdan and Irina, Alena Volpakova, Kraig and Lisa, Carol and my co-researcher Mark Baker.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSClimate map data adapted from Peel MC, Finlayson BL & McMahon TA (2007) ‘Updated World Map of the Köppen-Geiger Climate Classification’, Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 11, 163344.Cover photograph: Prague Castle and Charles Bridge, Kaito Baka/500px ©

Behind the Scenes

THIS BOOKThis 12th edition of Lonely Planet’s Prague & the Czech Republic guidebook was re-searched and written by Mark Baker and Neil Wilson. The previous four editions were also written by Mark and Neil. This guidebook was produced by the following:

Destination Editor Gemma GrahamProduct Editors Genna Pat-terson, Anne MasonSenior Cartographer David KempBook Designer Gwen CotterAssisting Editors Gabrielle Innes, Anne Mulvaney, Victoria Harrison

Assisting Book Designer Ania BartoszekCover Researcher Naomi ParkerThanks to Ronan Abayaw-ickrema, Grace Dobell, Claire Naylor, Karyn Noble, Sandie Kestell, Doug ‘the human’ Rimington, Kirsten Rawlings, Angela Tinson


311

Index

Map Pages 000Photo Pages 000

Aaccommodation 290-2

language 304air travel 297-8, 300amusement parks

DinoPark 208Mořský Svět 100Výstaviště 99

Apple Museum 75aquariums

Moravian Museum 229Mořský Svět 100Výstaviště 99

Archbishop’s Chateau 255architecture 87, 249, 278-81

art nouveau 279-80baroque 279communist 281cubist 280-1 Dancing House 86functionalist 281Gothic 278 Hotel International 101Lucerna Palace 81National Theatre 83neoclassical 279Renaissance 279Romanesque 278 Rotunda of St

Longinus 87Vila Tugendhat 230Zlín 249

area codes 295art galleries, see museums

and galleriesArt Gallery for Children 26arts 273-7, see also

literature, music Astronomical Clock 68-9, 68

BBarborská 179

Baťa, Tomáš 249beer 12, 19-20, 145,

286-8, 12, 17books 287

Bethlehem Chapel 76Bezručovy sady 251Black Tower 185Blansko 232boat travel 300-1Bohemia 30, 173-224, 178,

190-1accommodation 173climate 173food 173highlights 174-8itineraries 182travel seasons 173

bone churches, see ossuaries

books 258, 282-4, 287border crossings 298breweries 286

Budweiser Budvar Brew-ery 185, 287

Chodovar Brewery 222Pilsner Urquell Brewery

(Plzeň) 207, 287, 191Regent Brewery 199-200Staropramen Brewery

111, 287Štramberk Municipal

Brewery 254Brownnosers

(David Černý statue) 276Brno 227-34, 228

accommodation 230-1drinking 233entertainment 233-4food 231-3nightlife 233sights 227-30travel to/from 234

Brno Observatory & Planetarium 230

Budvar (Budweiser) brew-ery, České Budějovice 185, 287

bus travel 298, 301, 302business hours 294

CCabbage Market 227-9camping 290Capuchin Monastery 229car travel 298-9, 301-2

hire 302Castle Spa 215 castles & chateaux 19

Archbishop’s Chateau 255Český Krumlov

State Castle 10, 194, 10Hluboka Chateau 189,

190Hrad Loket 218Karlštejn Castle 11, 174-5,

11, 174Konopiště Chateau 176-7,

176Lednice Chateau

244-6, 20Mikulov Chateau 240Prague Castle 9, 18, 36,

40, 9, 36 39, 138Špilberk Castle 227Telč Chateau 235, 242Třeboň Chateau 198-9Troja Chateau 101Valtice Chateau 244-6Znojmo Castle 246

cathedrals, see churches & cathedrals

caves 232, 226caving 232cell phones 295cemeteries

Capuchin Monastery 229Jewish Cemetery

(Mikulov) 238-9Jewish Cemetery (Třebíč)

237National Cemetery 183New Jewish Cemetery

91-2Old Jewish Cemetery 67, 71

Olšany Cemetery 72, 91Vyšehrad Cemetery 101

Černín Palace 49Černý, David 18, 59, 71,

143, 276 installations 91, 101, 208MeetFactory 162sculptures 58, 60, 73, 77,

81, 83České Budějovice 185-92,

186accommodation 187drinking & nightlife 188-9entertainment 192food 188sights 185-7travel to/from 192

Český Krumlov 10, 192-8, 193, 10, 190

accommodation 195-6activities 195drinking 197entertainment 197-8food 196-7nightlife 197shopping 198sights 192-5travel to/from 198

Český Krumlov State Castle 194

Charles Bridge 9, 54-5, 8-9, 54-5, 136

Charles Square 86-7 chateaux, see castles &

chateauxchildren, travel with 25-6,

230churches & cathedrals

Assumption of the Virgin Mary 245

Bethlehem Chapel 76 Cathedral of St Barbara

179Cathedral of Sts Peter &

Paul 227, 229Chapel of St Jan

Sarkander 249


Prague, Cradle of CultureEveryone who visits the Czech Republic starts with Prague, the cradle of Czech cul-ture and one of Europe’s most fascinating cities. Prague offers a near-intact medieval core of Gothic architecture that can trans-port you back 500 years – the 14th-century Charles Bridge, connecting two historic neighbourhoods across the Vltava River, with the castle ramparts and the spires of St Vitus Cathedral rising above, is one of the classic sights of world travel. But the city is not just about history; it’s a vital urban centre with a rich array of cultural offerings, and a newly emerging foodie scene.

Castles & ChateauxThe Czech Republic’s location at the heart of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire has seen a long history of raiding tribes, conquer-ing armies and triumphant dynasties. This turbulent past has left a legacy of hundreds of castles – everywhere you look there seems to be a turreted fortress perched above a town, or a summer palace lazing peacefully amid manicured parkland. The number and variety of castles is simply awe-inspiring – everything from grim Gothic ruins clinging to a dizzy pinnacle of rock, to majestic, ba-roque mansions filled with the finest furni-ture that Europe’s artisans could provide.

Folklore & TraditionThe Czech Republic may be a modern, forward-thinking nation riding into the future on the back of the EU and NATO, but it is also a country rich in tradition. This is most apparent in South Bohemia and Mora-via, where a still-thriving folk culture sparks into life during the summer festival season. During this time, communities from Český Krumlov to Telč to Mikulov don traditional garb, pick up their musical instruments – and wine glasses – and sing and dance them-selves silly, animating ancient traditions in one of the best examples of ‘living history’ in the Czech Republic.

Where Beer Is GodThe best beer in the world just got better. Since the invention of Pilsner Urquell in 1842, the Czechs have been famous for producing some of the world’s finest brews. But the internationally famous brand names – Urquell, Staropramen and Budvar – have been equalled, and even surpassed, by a bunch of regional Czech beers and micro-breweries that are catering to a renewed interest in traditional brewing. Never before have Czech pubs offered such a wide range of ales – names you’ll now have to get your head around include Kout na Šumavě, Svijanský Rytíř and Velkopopovický Kozel.

Welcome to Prague & the Czech Republic

Since the fall of communism in 1989, the Czech Republic – and its capital

in particular – has evolved into one of Europe’s most popular travel destinations.

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Why I Love Prague & the Czech RepublicBy Neil Wilson, Writer

Well, there’s the beer. Not only did the Czechs invent the best beer in the world, they’ve been reinventing it over the last decade with a wave of innovative new microbreweries. And the history. If you want to learn about European history, you’ll find it all here compressed into an easily digested package – from Good King Wenceslas and the Defenestration of Prague to the Habsburg empire, two world wars, the Cold War and the Velvet Revolution. Then there’s cubist architecture, weird art and the Czechs’ deliciously dark sense of humour. And did I mention the beer?

For more about our writers, see p320

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Above: Old Town Square (p68), Prague

PRAGUE & THE CZECH REPUBLIC TODAY . . . . . . 258Amid a rapidly changing world political landscape, Czechs are struggling to find their own direction.

HISTORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260From the centre of the Holy Roman Empire to a Habsburg back-water, Prague and the Czech Republic are back on top.

CZECH LIFE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269Czechs find themselves coping with ethnic diversity while trying to remain true to their first love: ice hockey.

ARTS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273Prague counts as one of Europe’s great musical capitals and the country has a rich tradition in sculpture and photography.

ARCHITECTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278From Gothic to art nouveau, a trip to Prague is like taking a crash course in European architecture.

THE CZECH REPUBLIC ON PAGE & SCREEN . . . . 282The territory of today’s Czech Republic was home to Franz Kafka, Milan Kundera and Miloš Forman.

A NATION OF BEER LOVERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286Czech beer is widely considered the world’s best, and Czechs lead the league in per capita beer consumption.

Understand the Czech Republic


The Czech Republic & World PoliticsLeaders and citizens of the Czech Republic have found themselves grappling with the consequences of the major international events of today, including the his-toric vote in the UK to leave the EU and the election of Donald Trump as US president.

While it’s hard to pigeon-hole Czech President Miloš Zeman – an old-school socialist with political ties that go back to communist times – he’s adapting to the new era of world politics. Zeman has embraced the Brexit vote and gone one step further, calling on the Czech Republic to hold a referendum on the country’s mem-bership in both the EU and NATO.

To outside observers, Zeman appears to be conform-ing to a pattern emerging from leaders all around Cen-tral Europe. Voters in Poland, Slovakia and Hungary have all brought to power in recent years politicians who remain suspicious of the EU and who place sig-nificant emphasis on the perceived negative effects – legitimate or overblown – of rapid social change, multiculturalism and immigration. Here, as with just about everywhere else, Czechs appear to be firmly – and evenly – divided on the issues.

From Economic Crisis to BoomAfter wallowing for years in the wake of the global re-cession, the Czech National Bank took a dramatic de-cision in 2013 to devalue the currency, the crown, by 5% with respect to the euro. The move took markets by surprise at the time and was roundly criticised as potentially reigniting inflation.

With hindsight, though, it can safely be said that the naysayers have been proved wrong. Boosted by big inflows of foreign investment (including massive, EU-funded capital projects) and a strong demand for Czech exports, the economy has boomed for the past

Prague & the Czech Republic Today

Best on FilmAmadeus (1985) Mozart’s love affair with Bohemia gets brilliant treatment.Kolya (1996) Velvet Revolution–era Prague never looked lovelier.Loves of a Blonde (1965) Miloš Forman’s ‘New Wave’ classic.Burning Bush (2013) HBO miniseries on Jan Palach, the Czech student who immolated himself in 1969.Anthropoid (2016) Big-budget WWII spectacle on the assassination of Nazi leader Reinhard Heydrich.

Best in PrintThe Unbearable Lightness of Being (Milan Kundera; 1984) Life before the 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion.I Served the King of England (Bohu-mil Hrabal; 1990) Prague’s Hotel Paříž is the backdrop to this classic.The Castle (Franz Kafka; 1926) Won-der which castle Kafka was thinking about?The Good Soldier Švejk (Jaroslav Hašek; 1923) Hašek’s absurdist novel is set throughout the Czech Republic.My Merry Mornings (Ivan Klima; 1986) The sweeter side of life under communism.

These days the Czech Republic finds itself caught up in the wider international debate over the benefits of EU membership and cross-border immigration. Three decades after the Vel-vet Revolution, visitors aren’t likely to notice anything other than a thriving economy and bustling tourism sector, though the country’s overall direction feels less certain than it has since the fall of communism.

258 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

bohemia · 2018. 1. 19. · of the capital, the czech republic’s western province has for...

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