10 Things you Can't Miss Near Prague

No one doubts that Prague has numerous dreamlike attractions. However, there are other less popular attractions in the surrounding area that can easily rival those of the capital and are well worth a visit.

Near Prague, you can visit a spectacular spa town, explore a crypt that combines beauty and sinister elements, tour several castles, or even cross the border to see the German city of Dresden. All of these excursions, plus a few others, can be easily done on your own or, in many cases, with organised tours.

If you want to feel like a member of the 19th-century European aristocracy in the Czech Republic, you have to visit Karlovy Vary. This city is considered one of the most beautiful in the country and is a must-see excursion if you are travelling to Prague. You have several options:

• Excursion to Karlovy Vary, from €85
• Excursion to Karlovy Vary and Marianske Lazne, from 116

Karlovy Vary is located about 120 kilometres from the capital, in a lush forest area not far from the German border. Its entire historic centre is full of impressive Rococo-style buildings that you cannot help but admire as you stroll through its streets.

However, Karlovy Vary's fame came from its thermal waters, which attracted members of high society, including historical figures such as Goethe and Beethoven. The size of the city centre makes it easy to explore on foot. Although there are many places to stop, here is a brief summary of the main ones:

• Dvorak Park: in this park you will find the first colonnades with medicinal water fountains.
• Mill Colonnade: this building, dating from 1881, is located on the riverside promenade, on a large esplanade.
• Market Colonnade: built in wood in 1883, this structure is located on the main pedestrian street. During the summer, it hosts various concerts, as do other areas of the city.
• Thermal Spring Pavilion: you will recognise it as a contemporary building. Inside is a large fountain from which water flows at around 72º C.
• Church of Peter and Paul: not all places are related to water. This Orthodox church is well worth a quiet visit.

How to get to Karlovy Vary

• On your own: it is quite easy to get to Karlovy Vary from Prague, as there are frequent buses from the capital that make the journey in about two hours. There is also a bus that connects Prague Airport with this town.
• Excursion: if you prefer an excursion to Karlovy Vary from Prague, you can choose from several types according to your convenience.

Very close to Prague, just 30 kilometres away, is a small town with a castle that makes it one of the best excursions you can take from Prague. Given its proximity, I recommend spending a few hours visiting it.

If you book an excursion to Karlstejn Castle, you will be able to admire several rooms of great interest. Above all, the Chapel of the Holy Cross and its 60-metre-high Great Tower stand out.

In the 14th century, Emperor Charles IV ordered the construction of a building in which to safely store the royal treasure and the crown jewels. The result was Karlstejn Castle, which served this purpose for two centuries until these riches were moved to another location. Since then, the castle has been used as a residence for several kings.

How to get to Karlštejn Castle

• On your own: the village of Karlstejn is very well connected to the capital. Trains leave every 30 minutes from Prague Central Station, connecting the two towns.
• Organised tour: another option is to book one of the organised tours that depart from the Czech capital to visit this castle.

Those who want to leave Prague for a few hours and stroll through extraordinary natural surroundings can book a tour of the Saxon Switzerland National Parks, just 130 kilometres from Prague, right next to the German border.

The most popular route (due to its obvious interest) hides some of the most spectacular rock formations in Europe, such as the Pravcice Gate, a natural stone arch 21 metres high and 27 metres wide.

This route crosses several gorges of the Kamenice River, so in certain sections it is necessary to take one of the boats provided for this purpose. Most visitors to the park set off from Hrensko, 3 kilometres from the entrance, or Mezni Louka, 6 kilometres away, another common starting point for hikers.

How to get to the Saxon and Bohemian Switzerland National Park

• On your own: if you are only going to spend one day there, it is not really worth going on your own, as you will need to combine a couple of different modes of transport. But if you can spend a night there, it is best to go to Decin (which has an interesting castle and other attractions) and from there travel to Hrensko very early in the morning (there are buses every few minutes).
• Organised excursion: this is the best option if you only want to do one route and return to Prague.

Lamps made from human bones, a large coat of arms also made from skeletal remains, and niches filled with skulls are just some of the things you can see in the impressive Sedlec Chapel. If you want to visit a place that leaves a contradictory impression, somewhere between beautiful and sinister, I recommend booking an excursion to Kutná Hora.

The Chapel of Bones, as Sedlec is known for obvious reasons, is located within the complex of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, about 15 minutes from the town centre. This ossuary is considered the largest in the world, with some 40,000 human bones, and perfectly complements the organised tours that are arranged to see all the attractions Prague has to offer at night.

Other buildings worth visiting include the enormous St. Barbara's Cathedral, not to mention the beautiful bridge with statues leading to the temple, the Jesuit College and other charms you will find as you stroll through the cobbled streets of the area.

How to get to Kutná Hora

• On your own: there are frequent direct trains between Prague Central Station and Kutná Hora, so you can get there easily in about 45 minutes.
• Organised excursion: you can book organised tours to Kutná Hora.

Those who believe that the atrocities committed by the Nazis must not be forgotten as an antidote for the future (or simply to pay tribute to the victims) will find the country's largest concentration camp, Terezín, near Prague.

Booking an excursion to Terezin is a good option for this type of visit. Although it was originally just a group of fortresses, the Nazis turned the place into a concentration camp where an estimated 35,000 people were murdered.

In 1947, two years after the camp was liberated, the Terezín Memorial was created so that what happened there would never be forgotten. The guided tour takes you through several of its rooms. It is an essential place to visit, but one that will not be easy to forget.

How to get to Terezín

• On your own: Terezín is less than an hour from Prague and there are frequent buses connecting the two places.
• Organised tour: as the visit is guided, the most convenient option is to choose one of the excursions from Prague that includes everything you need.

The name of this city, Pilsen, alone will make beer lovers want to visit it. And no wonder, as it is a paradise for discovering the secrets of this drink.

The most famous place in the city is the Pilsner Urquell brewery, which can be visited (always with a guide) in the morning or afternoon. This visit ends, as you would expect, with a tasting of several of the beers produced there.

There is another brewery that can also be visited, Gambrinus. However, if you go on your own, you will have to organise your time well to be able to see both. If you still feel like it, when you return to the Czech capital, you can always book a beer tour of Prague.

How to get to Pilsen

• On your own: it is not difficult to get to Pilsen by public transport from Prague. The distance is not very long, only about 100 kilometres, and there are both buses and trains connecting the beer city with the capital.
• Organised excursion: if you prefer to have everything arranged, from tickets to booking a guided tour, the best option is to book a good organised tour.

Ceský Krumlov is a must-see if you want to feel like you're in the Middle Ages. This small town is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in the whole country, and I recommend booking an excursion from Prague to visit it.

The medieval centre of the town, as well as the Latran district at the foot of the castle, are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Dominating the town is an imposing 13th-century castle, one of the largest in the Czech Republic.

Český Krumlov Castle was the residence of several kings and its interior, which is open to visitors, is truly impressive. In addition to its rooms, it is worth taking a stroll through the surrounding garden and visiting the Baroque revolving theatre located there.

How to get to Ceský Krumlov

• On your own: from Prague, you can get there by bus with the RegioJet company. Choose this option if you can afford to spend a night in the village, as it is also worth seeing its streets lit up after dark.
• Organised excursion: if you prefer to spend the night in Prague, the best option is to book an organised excursion.

Those who are not satisfied with everything there is to see in the Prague Castle district are in luck. Near the capital, just 50 kilometres away, you will find another building of this type that is easy to reach: Konopiště Castle.

As soon as you arrive in the area, you will be impressed by the magic of the landscape. The castle, located on top of a hill and surrounded by a moat, is in the middle of a forest and close to a beautiful lake.

Konopiště Castle was built in the Gothic style to serve as a military fortress. However, over time, various renovations were carried out to turn it into a romantic building.

How to get to Konopiště Castle

• On your own: several trains depart from Praha Hlavni nadrazi station to Benešov, from where you will have to walk a couple of kilometres to reach the castle. There are also buses (although less frequent) from the Praha Roztyly terminal.
• Organised excursion: there are convenient half-day excursions that depart from Prague and include a full tour of the castle.

Another highlight to include on your list, once you've finished with everything there is to see and do in Prague, is a visit to Dresden. Just 150 kilometres from Prague, it is an interesting destination that you can visit in a single day. The peculiarity is that to do so you will have to leave the Czech Republic and enter neighbouring Germany.

Although in its day it was one of the capitals of the Baroque on the continent, the ravages of the Second World War destroyed part of Dresden's heritage.

Despite this, you can find outstanding places such as the Zwinger Palace, examples of late Baroque in Europe, the Opera House and the Frauenkirche church.

How to get to Dresden

• On your own: there are many trains from Prague to this German city. Departing from the central station in the Czech capital, you will be in Dresden in just an hour and a half.
• Organised excursion: to spend the day, it may be more convenient to book an excursion, which usually includes tickets to the most popular places in Dresden.

Visiting Prague's Jewish quarter and its castle, exploring and discovering the hidden corners of Charles Bridge, and seeing cities such as Karlovy Vary and Pilsen are all activities that should not be missed if you are travelling to the Czech Republic. However, there are also some places that, for one reason or another, tend to be left off the tourist trail. One of them is Ceske Budejovice.

In its heyday, the salt and silver trade made it one of the largest cities in Bohemia. Buildings such as the Central Square, the largest porticoed square in the country, and monuments such as the Black Tower and St. Nicholas Cathedral remain from that period of splendour.

How to get to Ceske Budejovice

• On your own: you can easily get from Prague (Na Knížecí station) to Ceske Budejovice by bus in about 2½ hours, or you can combine your visit with nearby Ceský Krumlov, spending a night or two in the area.