Last week I shared my Top 10 Reasons to Visit Prague. This wonderful city is so full of charm you may never want to leave. However, while visiting Prague you really should leave town for a day or two in order to see some of the surrounding attractions. Within a couple hours from Prague there are all sorts of marvelous things to see and do. There are stunning national parks, whimsical villages, towering castles, and renowned Czech breweries. You can also tour the memorial at the notorious Nazi concentration camp Terezin. Amanda and I had the chance to visit two villages outside of Prague. Both were devastatingly beautiful with intangible qualities that made our visits pure magic. Want to know where we went?
Amazing Day Trips from Prague
Kutna Hora
The little hill town of Kutna Hora is about an hour train ride out of Prague. It is known for several striking historical sights including some lavish cathedrals. Cathedral of Saint Barbara – You can see the Saint Barbara’s Cathedral perched high on the hill next to the Jesuit College from many places around Old Town Kutna Hora. A towering gothic church named after the patron saint of miners. This cathedral makes a stunning impact inside and out. It’s worth walking all the way around the cathedral to see it from every angle, then strolling through its halls. Sedlec Ossuary (Bone Church) – The other big attraction in Kutna Hora is actually a very small building in a cemetery. After a saint sprinkled the ground with soil from the holy land, the cemetery became a popular burial site. Several decades later, there were so many bodies in the cemetery, that many were unmarked and forever unknown. The inside of the ossuary is decorated with real human bones from 40,000 unknown bodies buried in the yard. There are varied stories on who started this eerie interior design. Some say monks began the tradition by stacking excess bones in pyramids, and some give the credit to a woodcarver in the late 1800s. Either way, Sedlec Ossuary is worth a visit! Also check out the Church of Saint James and the Cathedral of Assumption of Our Lady. You can easily visit all of these places in one day, and still have plenty of time to roam the winding streets of this alluring village, popping in and out of shops and cafes. We happened to arrive in Kutna Hora on the day of the Royal Silvering medieval festival, an open-air festival with costumes, dancing, music, crafts, and countless Czech edibles. We ate all sorts of delightful street snacks. Yet the most marvelous thing I tasted was smoked cheese, pressed into shapes, then grilled so that the insides were molten. Heaven!
Cesky Krumlov
A couple hours south of Prague is the serene village of Cesky Krumlov. We were able to take a guided tour from Prague to Cesky Krumlov with the company Think Prague. Think Prague made the whole experience so easy. We had a private english-speaking tour guide to show us the highlights, and share historical facts and insider information. This dazzling little town was built into the curve of a river below a towering castle on a cliff. It is the quintessential fairytale hamlet. Take a tour of the castle. Climb the castle tower for sweeping views for the village and hills beyond. Meandering through the castle gardens. Walk the winsome streets of town. Every where you look, you’ll find reasons to smile. The castle doesn’t allow photography on the inside, but it is worth taking the tour just to see the amusing ballroom. Yet the outside of the castle does not disappoint! We had a traditional Czech lunch in one of the riverside cafes. Then we took a short kayak trip down the river. When you come around the river curve, you go down a couple water shoots that feel like going down a waterslide. So much fun! There are several interesting museums and churches in town worth taking a look at. Yet the greatest attraction of Cesky Krumlov is the village itself. It’s the kind of place you never want to leave; a true paradise! Our Cesky Krumlov day trip was one of my very best days in the Czech Republic. Everyone needs to see this amazing treasure. If you need further help planning your Amazing Day Trips from Prague, contact Czech Tourism. The website offers all sorts of planning tips and seasonal events. Disclosure: The Czech Tourism helped us plan our time in the Czech Republic. Share This Recipe With Friends!
