Central Europe's most visited country — Prague's fairy-tale old town and astronomical clock, the Czech countryside's medieval castles, and the original Pilsner beer tradition born in Plzen.
- Capital
- Prague
- Population
- 10,876,875
- Area
- 78,866 km²
- Languages
- Czech, Slovak
- Currency
- Czech Koruna (CZK)
- GDP
- $360,244M
Good to know
Driving side
Right
National dish
roast pork with dumplings and sauerkraut
Annual visitors
37,202,000 (2019)
Safety
Very low (0.77/100k)
Big Mac
$5.50
Avg temp
8.6°C
Coast
Landlocked
☎ Police 158 · Ambulance 155 · Fire 150
Travel guide
The Czech Republic (Czech: Česká republika), or Czechia (Česko) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is not a large country but has a rich and eventful history, including incidents and people like Saint Wenceslas, Jan Hus, the Thirty-years War, Operation Anthropoid and the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. Czechs, Germans, Slovaks, Italian stonemasons and stucco workers, French tradesmen, and deserters from Napoleon's army have lived and worked here, all influencing one another. For centuries they jointly cultivated their land, creating works that grace this small country with hundreds of ancient castles, monasteries and stately mansions, and entire towns that give the impression of being comprehensive artefacts. The Czech Republic contains a vast number of architectural treasures and has beautiful forests and mountains to match.
© Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA)
Explore Czech Republic
Best time to visit
Prague is magical year-round. Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) offer the best weather and fewer crowds. Christmas markets (December) are exceptional. Summers are warm but crowded. Cesky Krumlov best avoided in peak July–August.
Visa
EU/EEA citizens enter freely. US, UK, Canada, Australia and most Western nationalities get 90 days Schengen visa-free.
Public holidays
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (18)
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Major cities
Prague
One of Europe's best-preserved medieval cities, with a fairy-tale castle, astronomical clock, and legendary beer culture.
Cesky Krumlov
A fairy-tale UNESCO town in Bohemia, with a castle overlooking a horseshoe bend of the Vltava River.
Brno
The Czech Republic's second city and design capital, with the Tugendhat Villa (UNESCO), a vibrant student scene, and Moravian wine.