Plan your own trip to the Czech Republic! We will tell you how to travel in 2021: where to go, what to see, how to save money, how to get a visa, what to try.
How to get to the Czech Republic on your own
Ticket prices are per person, both ways during high season.
The most convenient way is to fly from Russia to Prague - there are many flights. If you need to travel to other cities, it is easy to get from the capital by bus or train.
The cheapest flight to the Czech Republic is from Moscow - tickets cost from 10 thousand rubles with a transfer, and a direct flight - from 14 thousand. Prices for tickets from St. Petersburg are higher - from 13 thousand rubles for a direct flight, but without luggage (airBaltic).
Flights from the regions are costly. It is relatively inexpensive to fly from Kaliningrad and Kazan - from 13 thousand rubles, as well as from Rostov, Yekaterinburg and Samara - from 15 thousand.
Search for flights on Aviasales and Skyscanner - they compare prices of all airlines. Find out the secrets of finding cheap flights.
If you cannot find inexpensive tickets, buy a tour - sometimes it is more profitable than an independent trip. For example, vouchers to Prague for two from Moscow for 6 nights cost from 40 thousand rubles. At the same time, its price includes tickets, accommodation, meals and transfer. Look for tours on Level.Travel and Travelata services.
Visa to the Czech Republic
To travel to the Czech Republic, you need a Schengen visa. It is easy to get it yourself - correctly collect a standard package of documents and submit them in advance. The main thing is confirmed hotel and ticket reservations, insurance and a sufficient amount of money in the account.
Find out: How we got a visa to the Czech Republic >>
Don't forget about insurance! It will save you from expenses in case of emergency, register it on Sravn.Ru or Cherehapa services. Cost - from 300 rubles per week.
Transport in the Czech Republic
Intercity transport
Trains. The Czech Republic has a dense rail network. The main center is Prague, there are several railway stations. From the main station (Praha Hlavní Nádraží) - trains leave for the cities of the Czech Republic and other countries. From there we went to Kutna Hora. From the station Holešovice (Nádraží Holešovice) trains run to European cities, and from Masarykovo nádraží - mainly to Czech ones. A ticket from Prague to Karlovy Vary costs 160 CZK (second class). Calculate the cost of your ticket.
Find out when to go to Prague.
If you are interested in traveling from Prague to European cities, we advise you to read how to get to Vienna and how to get to Berlin.
Buses. Bus and railway stations are also metro stations, which makes travel easier. The bus stations are named the same as the metro: Holesovice (Nadrazi Holesovice), Cerny most (Cerny most), Roztyly (Roztyly), Zlicin (Zlicin). The most popular stations are Florenc and Roztyly. Florenc station serves many international flights, from there we left for Vienna. Calculate the fare.
You can travel cheaply on your own in the Czech Republic by using the Student Agency and Eurolines buses. For example, a ticket from Prague to Karlovy Vary costs from 130 CZK. You can buy it online. It is not necessary to print it, you can drop it onto your phone and show it to the driver.
You can independently organize a trip between the cities of the Czech Republic, Europe or just around Prague on the IDOS website. The search engine shows all possible ways of getting around.
Transport in Prague
The main modes of transport in Prague are metro, buses and trams.
Trams and buses run even at night - they have a separate timetable on dark blue signs at stops. Night transport runs from 12:30 am to 4:30 am. Metro opening hours are from 5:00 to 24:00. Daytime and nighttime transport routes and a metro plan can be downloaded free of charge from the Prague Transport Company website in excellent quality.
In Prague, a unified system of tickets for 30 and 90 minutes, 24 and 72 hours, etc. They are valid for any transport. The validity period of the ticket starts from the moment of its activation - you need to validate it once at the entrance. To find out the cost of tickets, go to the website of the transport company.
You can buy tickets from vending machines at some metro stations and stops, ticket offices, newspaper and tobacco kiosks, as well as by SMS. Read more about buying a ticket via SMS on the website www.smsjizdenka.cz.
pay attention to tram route number 22 - it goes around the National Theater and goes to the Staroměstská and Malostranská metro stations, and then to the Belvedere and Prague Castle. Also interesting historic tram number 91 (or nostalgic), whose history begins in 1920. It will take you past important places in the center of Prague. The tram runs on weekends from 12:00 to 18:00, leaves every hour from the Vozovna Střešovice depot and goes through the center of the capital. Wonderful views from the window!
Find out about what prices are in Prague.
Hotels and apartments in the Czech Republic
An independent trip to the Czech Republic will succeed if you choose the right accommodation. The first impression of the country depends on this, because it is so pleasant to return to a warm, cozy room or apartment.
Where can I find and book a hotel in the Czech Republic on my own? We recommend the Rumguru service - it will find hotels with discounts. Here are the main rules for finding hotels.
Remember that hotels become more expensive during the high season. It is better to book them 3-4 months in advance - this way you will find the best option at a good price. Peak time is summer and New Year holidays.
If you want to live in the Czech Republic like a local, book an apartment or a room. Lots of great options on Airbnb.ru. The service is convenient, we have a detailed analysis of the nuances of booking on Airbnb.
What to see in the Czech Republic on your own
Look for interesting excursions on the Sputnik and Tripster websites. Individual and group, no crowds of tourists and in Russian.
So, if you are going on an independent trip to the Czech Republic, we advise you first of all to get to know Prague better, which has won the love of millions of people. However, the number of attractions is off scale in other cities of the country.
Prague
Prague is one continuous attraction. It will take more than one day to get around them all. However, when going on an independent trip to the Czech Republic, do not forget to pay attention to other cities of the country.
The old town is the most famous area. Usually, tourists begin to get to know the city from the Old Town Square, where the monument to Jan Hus, the Town Hall with the astronomical clock and the Tyn Church are located. The Jewish Quarter is located nearby.
Next visit Prague Castle. There, the Cathedral of St. Vitus dominates over the entire city - a wonderful example of Gothic, its stained-glass lancet windows will pierce the heart of anyone.
You will walk along the medieval Charles Bridge more than once - it connects the historical districts of Stare Mesto and Mala Strana. The royal road passed along it. The bridge is decorated with 30 sculptures of saints.
On the other side of the Vlatva, visit the Vysehrad fortress and admire the rooftops of the city. In the fortress there is the Basilica of St. Peter and Paul, Vysehrad cemetery and rotunda of St. Martin. Also take a walk in Mala Strana, which is famous for its abundance of palaces and temples, narrow streets and colorful houses.
Prague is a touristy city. Most of them are in summer and on New Year's holidays. We advise you to be mentally prepared for so many people.
Find out how to go to Prague museums for free.
Brno
Must see in Brno, the former capital of Moravia: the Church of St. Jakub, where the ossuary is located, the Church of St. John, the Gothic Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, the castles of Špilberk, Veveří and Slavkov, where the Battle of Austerlitz took place, the Capuchin and Augustinian monastery and much more. There are many art galleries and universities in Brno.
Pardubice
When making an independent trip around the Czech Republic, you should definitely visit Pardubice, a nature reserve city that has preserved many architectural monuments of the 16th century.The dominant of the city, 59 meters high - the Green Tower - is located in the city center. There are also many old mansions here.
Kutna Hora
Kutná Hora is famous for the Ossuary in Sedlec (All Saints' Chapel), which a nameless intricate monk laid out with the remains of more than forty thousand people. Many tourists are eager to see this amazing creation of human hands. Another famous monument of Gothic architecture is the Cathedral of St. Barbara. Go here early in the morning and, most importantly, on your own - this way you will avoid the crowds of tourists.
Note for gourmets: food in the Czech Republic
An independent trip to the Czech Republic is a great opportunity to arrange a gastronomic tour! Here's what to try on your trip:
- Baked pork knuckleserved with garnish and sauces. It is especially good with beer. The portions are large, so don't overestimate your strength.
- As an alternative to the knuckle - baked pork with gravy, stewed cabbage and dumplings. In general, a huge number of dishes are prepared from pork in the Czech Republic: baked pork ribs in honey, grilled pork, pork roll, pork goulash, pork steak and schnitzel, etc. Lamb and beef are present, but in smaller quantities.
- Game and poultry dishes also common: pheasant breasts, hare pate, baked partridges, foie gras, baked geese, ducks, pheasants, etc.
- Beer snacks are very popular in the Czech Republic: these are the so-called drowned men - spicy pickled pork fat, usually consumed after a couple of beers, and hermelin - soft cheese with white mold (can be fried, baked and pickled).
- Voles - various soups. There are a lot of them here: mushroom, onion, garlic, potato, vegetable. There are also exotic ones for us: for example, beer soup and soup in bread. And, of course, scar soup is a national dish that used to be cooked by the poor.
- Dumplings - boiled dough or potato product. They can be a separate dish - with a filling (sweet or not), or they can be served as a side dish to a meat dish with thick sauces - omachki - or added to a soup.
- Beverages: be sure to drink a mug or two of the world famous Czech beer and try the equally famous "Slivovitsa" and "Becherovka".
- Diverse desserts: strudels, cakes, ice cream, pancakes, rolls, waffles and, of course, trdlo - vanilla dough rolled in sugar. Real jam!
Find out where to eat deliciously and inexpensively in Prague.
What to bring from the Czech Republic
As a rule, finding gifts on a trip is not the most enjoyable part of it. I would like to spend time exploring cities, rather than walking around tourist shops. Traveling independently around the Czech Republic, combine business with pleasure - look for original, extraordinary gifts. Relatives will be delighted if you bring them:
- costume jewelry (Jabloneca nad Nisou is the birthplace of Swarovski);
- bohemian crystal, known all over the world (Moser plant);
- garnet jewelry, which Catherine the Great herself loved (worth buying in official Granat Turnov stores);
- handmade paper;
- hats from the Tonak factory;
- beer, Bekherevka, Slivovitsa and Fernet;
- Karlovy Vary waffles - payment;
- environmentally friendly Karlovy Vary cosmetics, as well as cosmetics from Bohemi;
- porcelain products;
- unique handmade smoking pipe;
- a plush Mole, a character of a famous Czech cartoon, and souvenirs with his image;
- antiques.
Medical resorts of the Czech Republic
Karlovy Vary - the most famous and expensive health resort in the Czech Republic. Here 12 hot springs come to the surface. The resort specializes in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and the musculoskeletal system, as well as metabolism.
People usually come here to heal and relax as part of the tour, but you can also visit the resort if you are traveling to the Czech Republic on your own. This is a cozy little town, which you can get around in a couple of hours. In Karlovy Vary, it is worth looking at the Old Castle, churches and a church, as well as the post office and the building of the main post office. Outside the city, you can ride on funiculars, visit the Loket castle and the ruins of Engelsburg and walk through the forests - 21 routes have been developed for patients here. Read how to get to Karlovy Vary.
Jachymov and Marianske Lazne are suitable for people suffering from respiratory and musculoskeletal diseases. Jachymov is the first health resort in the world and in the Czech Republic in particular with radon springs. It is a quiet and calm city that helps to restore mental and physical harmony. In addition to bathing, you can see the summer palace, the 16th century palace park and glacier caves, as well as climb Mount Klinovec.
Marianske Lazne - the second most popular resort in the Czech Republic, there are about 40 healing springs. The city is also famous for the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary with 33 steps, symbolizing the years of Christ's life, the Anglican Church, the Evangelical Church and the Orthodox Church of St. Vladimir. In the vicinity of the city there are nature reserves Kladska and Smradech, through which ecological trails run.
Frantiskovy Lazne specializes in the treatment of gynecological diseases and the genitourinary system, 21 sources come to the surface. As in other cities, there are many attractions: the resort, despite the developed infrastructure, has retained the appearance of the city of the early twentieth century.
Ski resorts in the Czech Republic
Winter Bohemia is of no less interest to tourists than in other seasons. Ski resorts in the Czech Republic are a worthy alternative to Western European ones, despite the medium-altitude mountains. Their undoubted advantage is their location: many centers are located nearby or on the territory of protected areas.
Some of the most popular ski resorts in the Czech Republic are located in the Giant Mountainswhere Mount Snezka is located 1602 meters high - the highest point in the country. These are such resorts as Pec pod Sniezkou, Spindleruv Mlyn, Janske Lazne, Harrachov, Karpacz, Szklarska Poreba and others. The resorts are very picturesque: the slopes of the mountain range are covered with pine and spruce forests, from here the Elbe River begins. Snow lies here from November to May.
Second largest mountain Jeseniki array is not inferior in popularity to the Giant Mountains. Despite the sprinkling of tourist routes and ski slopes, there are also unexplored corners here - for example, the Richlebskie Mountains do not have a developed tourist infrastructure. The highest point is Praded (1491 m).
In general, the Jeseniki region is considered one of the most promising regions: here you can get medical treatment, which will be much cheaper than in Karlovy Vary, and do active sports, be it downhill skiing, cycling or trekking. The array is also not deprived of sights and beauties of nature - it is clearly worth going here not as part of a turguppa. If you are traveling around the Czech Republic on your own, we recommend that you definitely visit the Jeseniky.
Sumava mountains with the highest point of 1378 m (Mount Plekhi) is also not offended by the attention of travelers. As in Jeseníky, relaxation is varied here and the nature is gorgeous.
Moravian-Silesian Beskydy - a picturesque massif with the highest point of Lysaya Gora (1323 m). Developed infrastructure, good service. Places favored by tourists are Pustevni, Yavorovy, Bila, Solan. Bila will delight lovers of winter sports with ideal pistes and slopes of varying degrees of difficulty.
Ore mountains with the Klinovec peak (1244 m) are not so popular among tourists, but they also have a lot to offer: the ski resorts (Bozi Dar and Klinovec), and thermal springs, and attractions.
