Prague dominates any must-see list, and rightly so, but the Czech Republic’s strongest sites extend well beyond the capital. Here’s the essential circuit.
Prague #
The Charles Bridge, Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral, the Old Town Square with its Astronomical Clock, and the Jewish Quarter (Josefov) form the essential core, worth a minimum of 3 to 4 days on their own. The full Prague hub covers each neighbourhood and attraction in depth.
Český Krumlov #
The country’s most visited small town for good reason: a UNESCO World Heritage medieval centre wrapped in a tight bend of the Vltava, with the second-largest castle complex in Bohemia towering above it. Best as a full day trip from Prague, better still with an overnight to see the town after the day-trippers leave.
Kutná Hora #
The Sedlec Ossuary, a chapel decorated entirely in human bones, and the Gothic Cathedral of Saint Barbara make this the most distinctive half-day trip from Prague. An hour away by direct train.
Karlovy Vary #
The most architecturally complete Baroque and Belle Époque spa town in Central Europe, with a circuit of thermal spring fountains you drink from as you walk the colonnades. A genuinely different Czech experience from the castle-and-old-town circuit elsewhere.
Plzeň #
Birthplace of pilsner lager, and the Pilsner Urquell Brewery tour, particularly the underground cellar version with unpasteurised beer straight from the barrel, is one of the best brewery experiences in Europe. The old town’s Gothic Cathedral of St Bartholomew, with the tallest church tower in the country, rewards a look beyond the brewery.
Olomouc #
One of the most underrated cities in the country: a Baroque historical centre with the Holy Trinity Column, a UNESCO World Heritage monument, at its heart, and essentially none of the international tourist volume that Prague or Český Krumlov see. Worth the detour for visitors extending beyond Bohemia into Moravia.
Šumava National Park #
The Czech Republic’s largest protected forest landscape, along the border with Bavaria and Austria, with genuinely good hiking, cycling, and wildlife-watching for visitors who want nature alongside the castles and cities.
For a structured route through these, see the Plan Your Trip hub and the day trips hub for exact travel times from Prague.
Related: Prague Hub | Day Trips Hub | Plan Your Trip
