Czech republic

Basic information

The Czech Republic - a small but lovely country with a rich history located in the heart of Central Europe, prides itself on magnificent scenery and an immense cultural heritage. The concentration of so many tourist destinations in such a small area is unique even in the European context (12 sites listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List).

The country is enclosed by a belt of extensive mountain ranges and the majority of its frontiers run along this natural boundary. Although in terms of size (78,866 sq km) and number of inhabitants (10 million) the Czech Republic ranks among the medium-size to small European countries, its territory is a diverse mosaic of regions. That is why it is worth taking the effort to travel to individual regions in order to get to know their distinctive features. Moreover, it will not take much time as you can travel from one end of the Czech Republic to the other in a few hours.

Many foreigners have chosen this country as their temporary or even permanent homes, which bears witness to the fact that the Czech Republic is a pleasant country to live in. Not only the forces of nature have shaped and moulded the picturesque Czech landscape; human beings have also set, like little beads, numerous historical towns, beautiful spa towns, thousands of small villages and the glistening expanses of fish ponds into the countryside. To climb the summits of Czech mountains is a relatively easy task -- the highest of them, the Snezka, reaches just to a height of 1,602 metres above sea level -- and you will be rewarded by breathtaking views as you will be able to see a large part of the country as though from a bird's eye view.

The Czech Republic, among the youngest in the family of European countries, was born on January 1st, 1993, when the Czechoslovak Federal Republic split into two independent states, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Since May, 2004, the Czech Republic has been a member of the European Union; it has been a full-fledged NATO member since 2002.

The Czech Republic takes good care of its visitors -- there is a wide range of accommodation facilities, restaurants and a well-functioning transportation network. A wealth of historical towns, castles and chateaux are prepared to open their gates wide to visitors; alternately, those tired of the hustle and bustle of civilization can relax amidst beautiful scenery.

The Czech Republic has one more asset -- high-quality services to satisfy even the most sophisticated travellers. Available at favourable prices, they enable foreign visitors to stay in our country as well as make trips beyond its borders.

Hluboká chateau

Karlštejn castle