Things to do in the Czech Republic

Prague, the capital, rises in spires over the Vltava River, with its vast castle, the statue-lined Charles Bridge, Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock. Its Lesser Town, Jewish quarter and hilltop gardens reward slow wandering, and its pubs and beer halls are part of the experience.

Beyond Prague, Český Krumlov is a riverside town of painted houses beneath a grand castle, Kutná Hora has a Gothic cathedral and the famous bone chapel of Sedlec, and Karlovy Vary is an elegant spa town of colonnades and hot springs. Karlštejn Castle, the sandstone arches of Bohemian Switzerland and the wine villages of Moravia show the variety of the countryside.

Meals lean on game, potato pancakes, fried cheese and fruit dumplings, washed down with pilsner, first brewed in Plzeň. May, June and September are delightful, high summer is warm and busy, and December brings Christmas markets.