According to COUNTRYAAH.COM, the Czech Republic is a relatively young country that has only officially existed since 1993 when the country separated from Slovakia. The first permanent settlement of this part of Europe was by the Celts who settled here in the first century BC. These were expelled a few centuries later by the Germans. In the ninth century, the Great Moravian Empire arose here, which also included Slovakia and Hungary. Later the country became part of the Bohemia, which also covered a large part of Central Europe. In the eighteenth century, the Silesian Wars took place here which would eventually result in the Prussia taking power here. In the decades that followed, the Czech people strove for self-government but did not get it from the Prussians. It is only after the First World War that the independent republic of Czechoslovakia is founded. This proved to be a fairly stable country with a solid government until Adolf Hitler annexed large parts of the country just before World War II. After the war, the communists seized power here and Czechoslovakia became a client state of the Soviet Union. It was not until the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989 that communism came to an end and free elections were again held for the first time. One speaks here of the Velvet Revolution because the revolution took place very peacefully. In 1993 the Czech Republic and Slovakia separate from each other and the Czech Republic is born.

Sights

The largest and most famous tourist attraction in the Czech Republic is the capital Prague. Everyone should visit this beautiful city once. The beautiful buildings such as St. Vitus Cathedral, the Rudolfinum and of course the Charles Bridge still exude the old allure of the city. But the Czech Republic has more to offer than Prague alone, such as the old towns of the cities of Český Krumlov, Olomouc, Telč, Kutná Hora, Třebíč and Brno definitely more than worth it. In addition to the beautiful old towns, there is also a lot of beautiful nature in the Czech Republic. Some of the highlights are the Giant Mountains, the Moravian Karst with its beautiful caves and the Šumava National Park. Lipno Lake is located in the Šumava National Park, which attracts many tourists every year. If you drive through the Czech Republic you will come across many old monasteries and castles. The most beautiful and special are included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, but there are many more to be found. They have been built over the centuries and therefore have a great diversity in architectural styles. Some special castles can be found in the places Český Šternberk, Sychrov, Špilberk, Kroměříž, Konopiště, Karlštejn and Lednice.

UNESCO

In total, the Czech Republic has twelve inscriptions on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In 1992, the historical centers of Prague, Český Krumlov and Telč, were the first to be listed. Two years later Pilgrim Church of St. John of Nepomuk followed near the village of Zelená Hora. The nearest larger town to this castle is Žďár nad Sázavou. In 1995 the historic city center of Kutná Hora was added. In this historic center you can find the Saint Barbara Church and Our Lady’s Cathedral in Sedlec. Another year later, the Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape was added. In 1998 the Archbishop’s Palace in Kroměříž was added, including the famous gardens of this castle. In this year, the historic village of Holašovice. was also added. In the following years, the Castle of Litomyšl, Pillar of the Holy Trinity in Olomouc, the Villa Tugendhat in Brno and finally in 2003 the Jewish Quarter and St. Procopius Basilica in Třebíč were added to the World Heritage List.

Climate

There are three types of climate in the Czech Republic. The vast majority of the country has a temperate maritime climate or a moderate continental climate. The western part of the country has a temperate maritime climate that gradually changes into a temperate continental climate in an easterly direction. In the highest parts of the mountain ranges there is a cool continental climate with sometimes extremely cold temperatures. According to some sources, the highest part of the Giant Mountains has a high mountain climate. In the winter months, these peaks are covered with snow and ideal for skiing and snowboarding. In the spring months this snow disappears again, but it will never get really warm here. Extreme weather events are rare in other parts of the country. This is partly due to the light influence of the sea. However, the average temperatures in the winter months in the Czech Republic are slightly lower than in the Netherlands and in some parts of the country the temperature rarely rises above freezing during this period. In the summer months, the average daytime temperature here does not differ much from ours.

Due to the sheltered location of the country, strong winds are a rarity here, only the so-called Föhnwind can occur in the mountain ranges. Depending on which side it comes from, this wind can cause a large temperature increase or a large temperature decrease.

Geography

The Czech Republic is located in the central part of Europe and is surrounded by the countries of Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Poland. There are several mountain ranges and mountain ranges in the Czech Republic, the largest and the best known are the Bohemian Forest, Ore Mountains, the Sudeten, Giant Mountains, the Beskids and the White Carpathians. Many of these mountain ranges are again subdivided into smaller parts. For example, the Sudeten mountain range is subdivided into the Giant Mountains and Hrubý Jeseník. The highest peak of the country, the Sněžka also called Snow Head, is located in this mountain range. This mountain is 1602 meters high. Several rivers originate in the country, the Elbe is the largest and the best known. Other major rivers that originate in the Czech Republic or flow through the country are the Morava, the Oder, the Thaya, the Vltava, the Berounka and the Svratka. Most of the smaller rivers and streams flow together with the Elbe or one of the other rivers in the country. There is also a large reservoir in the South Bohemia region called Lake Lipno. The country is divided into the regions of Carlsbad, Ústí nad Labem, Liberec, Hradec Králové, Pardubice, Olomouc, Moravia-Silesia, Pilsen, Central Bohemia, Prague, South Bohemia, Vysočina, South Moravia and Zlín. Prague is not only the capital of the country, but also the largest city in the Czech Republic. Other major cities in the Czech Republic are Brno, Pilsen, Hradec Králové, Ostrava and Olomouc.

Travel advice

There are no special travel advice for the Czech Republic and no vaccinations are required for a visit to the country. It is wise to take a tick remover with you, especially if you plan to spend a longer time in nature. Unlike in the Netherlands, the Czech Republic has no evidence of tolerance for soft drugs. Possessing or trading them carries severe prison terms. It is also wise not to be a tourist for sale with expensive equipment or jewelry. Furthermore, in the larger cities such as Prague, you should be aware that pickpockets can walk around.

Travel documents

The Czech Republic is one of the Schengen countries, which ensures that residents of other Schengen countries can travel freely between the different countries. Tourists from outside one of the Schengen countries can apply for a standard visa, which has a duration of 3 months and money for all Schengen countries. However, you must be in possession of a valid ID and since 2012 this also applies to children.

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