In my first blog, I covered our stay in Prague this past summer. From Prague, we took a long circular route to a series of UNESCO world heritage sites: Kutná Hora, formerly a silver mining town, Český Krumlov (aka paradise), Telc, Mikulov and Kyjov. 

August is a time for harvest related festivals throughout the country and because of some diligent planning by my cousin, we shared some great experiences.

Kutná Hora and Sedlec are a few hours from Prague and are easily reached through a day tour you can arrange near Wenceslas Square. In addition to the lovely Cathedral of St. Barbara, patron saint of miners, and the Italian Court (home to the royal mint until 1547), both at Kutna Hora, you can also see the very macabre church of Sedlec. 

The decorations, including the chandelier and the coat of arms in Sedlec Ossuary are all made of bones excavated during an expansion of the church.  I thought it a little less creepy than the catacombs in Paris but still generally gross. I didn’t take any pictures, but you can read about this site more here.

The gothic church of St. Barbara at Kutná Hora on the other hand is truly a work of art, especially when viewed from across the hill. The Italian Court has a nice little coin museum and gem of a small frescoed chapel for King Wenceslas. 

For the remainder of the trip we rented a car from the airport. First up: Český Krumlov. Once I got there, I didn’t want to leave. The center of this small fairy-tale like town is bounded on three sides by the Vltava River and dominated by the Český Krumlov Castle.

There’s plenty to do, like exploring the castle and its gardens, rafting on the river, exploring the narrow shop-lined streets and just taking it in at several scenic view points. You’ll want to stay here for awhile.

Telč has the requisite gothic castle, but the real draw is the town square with its series of connected row houses, each a different color and style. The houses are connected throughout with arcades on the ground floor. We didn’t stay here very long, but it was definitely worth the stop.

From Telč, we headed on to Mikulov for a two-night stay. Places worth seeing are the castle, the town square and the Chapel of St. Sebastian on the hill overlooking the town (an hour’s walk up and down).  

As evening came around, we found ourselves in the middle of the annual wine festival with dozens of people in folk costumes who gathered to sing, dance and drink wine. The highlight of the evening was a ceremonial planting of a tree in the middle of the square with a blessing by the local religious leader.

If you can manage it, a brisk walk up the hill from behind the square will get you to the chapel overlooking the town. It was dusk when we made our way up there, and the light was wonderful. We stayed at the Hotel Templ, a converted synagogue. Some of the rooms were cozy, but the gardens were nicely done and the breakfast that was included was good.

Kyjov was our final stop and home to a large folk festival, with parades, folk dances, costume shows, food and of course, wine.  We didn’t see much of the town, but the costumes were breathtaking. From Kyjov, we went on to Brno by car and to Prague by train for our flights back to the U.S.

Czech Republic Travel Tips:

Driving: As my cousins will attest, I was nervous about driving in the Czech Republic, but renting a car was a breeze. We were perfectly comfortable driving on the road, and the distances to places we visited were manageable. 

We had maps from the rental agency that did a pretty good job of getting us from city to city. Finding the hotel or attraction within the city was another matter entirely, and the navigation app on my phone became essential. We still got lost frequently, but at least we knew were lost.

Trains: We took the train from Brno back to Prague and had no problem at all. Show up a half hour before your scheduled departure time. Tickets were priced much more reasonably in the Czech Republic than what I would have pre-paid in the U.S for the same route.

Currency: The exchange rate was about 15 to 16 CZK, or Czech Crowns, to the dollar. The rates at exchange booths at the airport were not favorable, but it was good to have a few hundred dollars when we landed. There were ATMs wherever we needed them.

Discounts: Students and seniors can get anywhere from a 10 to 15 percent discount. There are “family” discounts at some places like Prague Palace, but you have to ask for them.

Taxis: The taxis in Prague have a bit of an unsavory reputation, but we were fine until we landed back at the Prague train station from Brno. The taxi driver quoted us $100 U.S. to get us to an airport hotel. The announcement for a bus that would also get us there for 50 CZK a piece was well timed!

Travel Guides: I took along the AAA Prague Essential Guide and a Planning Map of the Czech and Slovak Republics. My cousin brought along the Lonely Planet Czech and Slovak Republics guide. Between the guides and the Wi-Fi access we enjoyed in most places, we were pretty well covered.

What to pack: We experienced every kind of weather, from damp and drizzly one day in Prague to hot and dry in Kyjov with some coolness thrown in for good measure at Krumlov. Layering with a waterproof jacket worked pretty well.

You’ll need a converter for your gadgets. And finally, no one checked our International Driving Permits, but the State Department advised that we take them.

Other blog posts with international travel information:
• International Travel Planning Q&A
• International Travel Planning