The Czech Republic is located in Central Europe between Germany, Poland, Slovakia and Austria. The country with its graceful castles and palaces, exciting local beers and a long history is an interesting and quite inexpensive travel destination. See ANDYEDUCATION for education in Czech Republic.
| Capital City | Prague |
| Size | 78.866 km² |
| Resident | 10.637.794 |
| Official Language | Czech |
| Currency | Czech koruna |
| Time Zone | UTC + 1 MEZ |
| Telephone Area Code | +420 |
Fast facts to know
- Czechs love beer. More than 160 liters are drunk per capita per year.
- Many words in the Czech language do not require vowels.
- National sport is ice hockey.
- The most famous Czech was probably Franz Kafka.
- 59% of the population are non-denominational.
- The white and red of the flag stands for Bohemia, red still for Slovakia even after the separation.
- Bohemian Forest, Ore and Giant Mountains are densely forested and ideal for hikers and mountain bikers.
- Taxi drivers in the Czech Republic like to take a small detour, and you should also pay very close attention to the correct exchange rates at exchange offices.
- Paying in euros is usually more expensive than in crowns.
- The Czech Republic has good public transport.
- The Czech Republic is one of the most successful economies in the EU.
Exciting cities in the Czech Republic
- Prague
- Karlsbad
- Znaim
- Krumau
- Budweis
- Brno
- Marienbad
- Teltsch
History of the Czech Republic
- From 5300 to 4500 BC Extensive Neolithic settlement.
- Around 550 immigration of Slavs.
- 623 to 658 Kingdom of Samo.
- 768 to 814 Frankish sphere of rule under Charlemagne.
- 9.-14. Jh. Premyslidendynastie.
- 1310-1415 Luxembourg rule.
- 15. Jh. Hussitenbewegung.
- 1471 Jagiellonian rule.
- 1526 Beginning of Habsburg rule.
- 1618 second Prague defenestration initiates the Bohemian uprising against the emperor and leads to the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), which devastated large parts of Europe and especially Germany.
- From 1885 National revival of the Czechs.
- 1918 Creation of Czechoslovakia.
- 1918 to 1938 First Czechoslovak Republic.
- 1939 Invasion of German troops leads to the establishment of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. The Slovak state was a satellite state of the German Empire.
- On May 5, 1945, the Prague uprising against the German occupying power began.
- Real socialism led by the USSR.
- 1968 Prague Spring.
- 1989 Samtene Revolution.
- 1992 Constitution of the Czech Republic as a “democratic constitutional state” is adopted.
- 1993 Dissolution of Czechoslovakia. Proclamation of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic as independent states.
- 2004 accession to the European Union.
Climate & travel weather in the Czech Republic
- Mostly continental climate.
- Significant temperature differences between the coldest month of January and the hottest month of July.
- Very different amounts of precipitation across the country.
- High amounts of precipitation, especially on the north-western slopes of the mountains.
- On the other hand, there is snow on the mountains on around 130 days.
- From May/June it will be much milder.
- July and August also over thirty degrees possible.
- Autumn is usually warm at first, but significantly cooler from October.
- Recommended travel time:
- City breaks: May to Sep.
- Winter Sports: Dec to March.
- Outdoor holidays: June to Aug.
- Hiking & Mountaineering: Sep.
Ideas for excursions in the Czech Republic
- Prague:
- Charles Bridge
- Castle of Prague
- Veitsdom
- Schloss Frauenberg
- Castle and Castle Elbogen
- Burg Karlstein
- Nikolsburg
- KZ-Theresienstadt
- Pilsner Urquelle brewery
- Prebischtor Viewpoint
Eating & drinking in the Czech Republic
- Kitchen was once among the best in Europe.
- Mainly inspired by traditional Old Bohemian recipes.
- Typical home cooking, especially home-grown / -breeding preferred.
- Traditional cuisine is mostly high in calories, greasy and high in sugar.
- The most important meal is lunch, in the evenings people tend to eat light and cold meals.
- Czechs like to eat meat, mostly pork or beef, poultry, rarely lamb, game or fish.
- Popular side dishes: bread dumplings, potato dumplings, sweet dumplings, meat-filled dumplings.
- Sauces are usually an important part of the food.
- Very popular: sweet pastries.
- A paradise for beer lovers, many varieties (coffee beer, nettle beer, banana beer, sour cherry beer…), the best known being Pilsner and Budweiser.
- Typical dishes:
- Roast pork with cabbage and dumplings.
- Bohemian dumplings.
- Hackbraten.
- Lendenbraten.
- Potato soup with lots of marjoram.
- Sauerkraut soup.
- Garlic soup.
- Chicken broth with homemade noodles.
- Beef soup with liver dumplings.
- Gulash soup.
- tripe soup.
- Palace ham.
Particularly scenic
- Bohemian Switzerland
- Böhmerwald
- Edmundsklamm
- Kirnitzschklamm
- Wild Gorge
- Biosphärenreservats Sumava
- Podyjí National Park
- Adrspach rock town
- Schneekoppe
