Czech Republic Travel Guide
Information
A Quick Whizz through the History.
The peoples of Moravia and Bohemia that form the Czech Republic have been used to being over run. Most of their history as a coherent entity has seen them ruled by someone else. The Hapsburgs, King Otto (from Germany), The Poles, the Nazis, the Communists and others have all run the place at some time or another. Interspersed with this were several Golden Ages of 'home rule'.
The nation we see now began to emerge after the First World War. During the war, the Czechs and Slovaks had shown little enthusiasm for fighting as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and movements towards independence began. Agreements made between the two nations came to fruition after the war with the declaration of a new Czechoslovakian republic in 1918. This went along very well until the stock market crash of 1929.
Under conditions of economic stress, the German speakers living in the Sudetenland, on the countries northern border with Germany, began to be enticed by the idea of a Greater Germany. Hitler, in 1938, demanded the borderlands and the British and the French, infamously handed them over. The Munich Agreement and Neville Chamberlains 'Peace in our Time' speech rank as one of the most embarrassing passages in British history.
After the war the Communists came to power following a coup in 1948, this heralded 40 years of Soviet backed oppression until the formation of the Government of National Understanding' in late 1989. The period following saw an amicable and negotiated division with their Slovak neighbours, the Czech Republic was born (or reborn?). Now despite numerous problems the country belongs to NATO and membership of the EU beckons. So maybe they don't like their independence??
Beer
The towns of Plzen and Budvar have long established brewing traditions and they have given the world Pilsner and the original Budweiser (very tasty and not like the pallid US imitation). Next to the Czechs, when it comes to beer drinking most of us are small insects compared to their rampaging elephants. They shift more lager per head than any other nation. Many brews have traditions dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. Czech beer is still pure and is brewed with only natural ingredients, the excellent result is some of the best you will taste anywhere and the people retain a real passion and pride in it.
National Parks
The Czech republic has two notable natural features. Firstly, despite heavy logging just over 30% of the country is still forested and mountains encircle the country. This all sounds great but sadly the wild places in the country have suffered from the poor environmental policies of the old Communist States. Acid rain and pollution of watercourses has been devastating to the natural world.
One area that has largely escaped such attack is the Sumava national park in Southern Bohemia. There are many hiking trails and in the winter the skiing is good. The Sumava is the largest park in the country. Also worth a visit, all with hiking opportunities, are the parks of the Czech Paradise (small park in a more gentle setting) and Krkonose National Park (mountainous with good winter sports).
Brno
With a population of nearly 400,000 this is the Czech Republics second city and the capital of Moravia, a position it has held since 1641. In many respects the city offers a lot that its bigger brother has but without the teeming crowds. Culturally rich, it has architecture that rivals that of Prague. Whilst there, visit the cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, the Spilberk Castle and the three parts of the Moravian Gallery. These sites aside, there are numerous churches each with its own appeal.
Away from the city, to the north, lies the region of the Moravian Karst. The area is one of heavily wooded hills dotted with caves and canyons that the water has carved in the limestone rocks.
Festivals in Moravia
Possibly due to the fact it is not very easy to get to, the Moravske Slovacko region is a somewhat isolated spot that is a deep well of folk culture. It lies to the south east of Brno along the border with Slovakia. The ethnic make up of the populace is very much a mix of the two nations and yet in cultural identity it is something unique. The best time to visit is in the summer when the full effect of the folk tradition can be witnessed. In the season the area is awash with folk festivals. These are centred on dancing, singing and music all performed to the accompaniment of the (not half bad) local wine. The region is not well served with roads or public transport but it is worth the effort to see these warm friendly people enjoying themselves as they have done for many years.
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