Czech Republic cultural tour
| country: | Czech Republic |
| departures: | 2008: 19 Jul, 6 Sep |
| price: | From Ł486 (8 days) excluding flights. Single supplement Ł75. We can arrange flights from the UK. This trip can also be tailormade for groups or individuals, with dates of your choice. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Tour the best cultural and UNESCO heritage sights of Prague and the surrounding area.
The Czech lands have a rich and eventful history. People who came here from all corners of the world to cultivate our country did not only order castles to be built and decorated, churches erected and monasteries founded, but they also influenced the overall architectural design of our cities. No fewer than twelve of these sites have already been entered in the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage, while yet others have submitted their candidacy.
Highlights include:Prague (UNESCO heritage site) - Royal Route Walk - Czech medieval dinner Zehusice game reserve Kutna hora (Unesco heritage site) - St. Barbara Cathedral - Sedlec ossuary Pearl of medieval architecture Ceský Krumlov (UNESCO heritage site) Holasovice village - ‘rural baroque' (UNESCO heritage site) Renaissance town of Telc (UNESCO heritage site) On foot and by boat in the Lednicko-Valtice area (UNESCO heritage site) Visit to The National Wine Gallery in Valtice Olomouc (UNESCO heritage site) The archiebiscopal Chateau and Gardens in Kromeriz (UNESCO heritage site) Archbishops Wine Cellars visit with tasting Medieval castle Pernštejn The Pilgrimage church of the St. John of Nepomuk at Zelena hora (UNESCO heritage site)
The Czech lands have a rich and eventful history. People who came here from all corners of the world to cultivate our country did not only order castles to be built and decorated, churches erected and monasteries founded, but they also influenced the overall architectural design of our cities. No fewer than twelve of these sites have already been entered in the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage, while yet others have submitted their candidacy.
Highlights include:
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Royal Route Walk - Czech medieval dinner. After lunch we start our tour with a viewing of the most beautiful locations situated along the Royal Route, leading from the Old Town Square to Prague Castle. We cross the River Vltava on the unique Charles' Bridge, built in the middle of the 14th century. Above the Castle rises St. Vitus' Cathedral, a magnificent gothic church built by Charles IV, the Bohemian King and Roman Emperor. This walk will take 2-3 hours. Free time then dinner at the mediaeval themed tavern ‘U Sedmi Svabu'. The chef prepares the food using recipes from the 15th and 16th century and only ingredients authentic to central European cuisine of the time. |
| Day 2: | Prague - Zehusice game reserve - Kutna Hora - Kacov brewery. In the morning, we leave for the Zehusice game reserve, which is formed by 266 hectares of English-style park along the river Doubrava, where a herd of white deer has been bred for more than 150 years. We then travel to Kutna Hora, a significant historical town offering more than 300 listed pieces of medieval and baroque architecture. We take a look around the UNESCO listed St. Barbara cathedral and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Church, the Sedlec Ossuary, a graveyard chapel in the former Cistercian monastery known for being decorated with human bones. Evening tour of a local family-run brewery in Kacov. |
| Day 3: | Historical village of Holašovice - Pearl of medieval architecture Ceský Krumlov. We travel to the picturesque village of Holasovice, a UNESCO listed heritage site, surrounded by a peaceful landscape of South Bohemian marshland and one of the best preserved examples of ‘rural baroque'. After sightseeing we will have lunch in a restaurant on the village square. Afternoon visit to one of the most important Czech urban preservation areas; the historic core of the town was recorded in the List of the world cultural heritage UNESCO in 1992. Above the Vltava river we will take a walk through the castle and chateau area, following the traces of the Renaissance alchemists. After our tour, you will be free to enjoy the local pubs or choose a sightseeing boat ride on rafts. Overnight in Ceský Krumlov. |
| Day 4: | Renaissance town of Telc (UNESCO heritage site) - Dacice - Slavonice. After breakfast we will transport you to Telc, with its square and the chateau reflecting in the adjoining pond. We visit a Renaissance chateau with well-preserved interiors and there is a chance to visit a number of galleries in the square, including the gallery of Jan Zrzavý. In the afternoon we travel ourselves to Dacice, an agreeable little Moravian town. We take a short walk around the park and can also ascend the Renaissance tower of St. Lawrence church with a magnificent view of the surroundings. Overnight in Slavonice. |
| Day 5: | The Lednicko-Valtice area (UNESCO heritage site) - The National Wine Gallery. Today we spend all day in the Lednicko-Valtice UNESCO site, the largest landscaped park in Europe. We not only walk in the gardens, but also take a boat which offers remarkable views of the Castle Park, as well as the well-preserved flooded forest and mysterious meanders of the old Dyje River. We walk along the beautiful avenue to Valtice. In the neighbourhood of Valtice Castle is the National Wine Salon of the Czech Republic where we will gather in the wine-cellar with a professional commentary given by an expert including wine-tasting and refreshments. |
| Day 6: | Olomouc (UNESCO heritage site) - Chateau and Gardens, Kromeriz. In the morning we depart for the town of Olomouc. Its most important sight is the Holy Trinity Column, the UNESCO Cultural Heritage listed site. After lunch we will move to the historical town of Kromeriz dominated by the archbishop Chateau and Gardens, a UNESCO listed monument. The chateau also hosts famous Archbishops Wine Cellars where you can taste excellent wines produced using traditional recipes from the 14th century. Early evening walk around the Podzámecká garden and city centre. Accommodation and dinner in Kromeriz. |
| Day 7: | Medieval castle Pernštejn - Church of the St. John of Nepomuk, Zelena hora (UNESCO). After breakfast we drive to Vysocina (Highlands), where one of the most beautiful and important Moravian castles Pernstejn can be found. After sightseeing and lunch in one of the restaurants below the castle we will move to the town of Zdar nad Sazavou. There we will visit the Pilgrimage church of the St. John of Nepomuk at Zelena hora, another Unesco listed site. Our hotel's beautiful surrounding offers early evening rides on horse-drawn carriage through the unspoiled nature of the Zdarske Hills. Outdoor BBQ in the evening. |
| Day 8: | Departure for Prague. Shopping and transfer to the airport. |
small group cultural tours
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as experiencing new cultures.how this holiday makes a difference
|
On this tour you will travel in varied small group of like-minded people. The smaller the group, the less it interferes in the everyday life of the visited place. Small group also allow our guide to dedicate more time to making your journey more unique and special.
You will spend your holidays not only by sightseeing, but you can also pursue walking amongst the local people in many visited towns and villages. Instead of moving through great distances and visiting many places in one day, you will get better idea of how the country feels by exploring its local attractions. No fewer than twelve of these sites have already been entered in the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage. By visiting the country’s unique historical and cultural sights you will help on the effort to save these for future generations. You will not eat only in international restaurants or fast food chains but rather in local restaurants (we will dine at the mediaeval themed tavern ‘U Sedmi Svabu' where the chef prepares the food using recipes from the 15th and 16th century and only ingredients authentic to central European cuisine of the time) where traditional food (eg. beef goulash or pork with cabbage and dumplings) is served and where you can enjoy regional dishes together with excellent beers and wines the country can offer. We can expect a tour around a local family-run brewery in Kacov with an evening get-together in the brewery pub or visit to a South Moravian wine cellar with a professional commentary given by an expert including wine-tasting. In order to maintain maximum authenticity and comfort, we provide accommodation in smaller family run hotels and guesthouses preferably, with local atmosphere and the possibility of an outdoor seating area (eg. the Grunt Hotel on the outskirts of the town of Zdar nad Sazavou. The hotel is set in the beautiful surrounding and offers early evening rides on horse-drawn carriage through the unspoiled nature of the Zdarske Hills). You will learn a lot more about the culture of the country by personal experience rather than looking at it through a coach window. This way of travelling has the lowest environmental and cultural impact to the visited country and creates a positive experience for all. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |