Hi I'm Mike and this is Mike's Road Trip. "Get off the road..." [Driver yells] "All right."
Hi I'm Mike of Mike's Road Trip and on this episode I'm going to share with you my 10 favorite
road trip destinations around the Czech republic, so come along with me, and let me show you around.
The Czech Republic is not a very large country, as a matter of fact all of these
road trip suggestions are just about a two hour drive from the capital city.
The Czech Republic is probably most well known for its opulent castles, its classical music history,
crystal glass art, its beer scene, which by the way Czechs consume more beer per capita
than any country in the world. Additionally,
you'll still find its cultural heritage alive and well in some of the rural parts of the country.
Prague of course is the capital city of the Czech Republic
is one of the finest cities in Europe, if not the world. As a matter of fact the city
center of Prague is a UNESCO site along with 13 other designations across the country.
Prague is one of the only cities in Europe spared from the devastation of World War
II, therefore most of its 11th to 18th century buildings and bridges
still remain. The city also boasts an abundance of world-class hotels and restaurants, one of my
favorites is the Aria, which is walking distance to many of the city's highlights. They also have
an incredible rooftop restaurant and access to one of the oldest baroque gardens in the country.
Located just an hour northeast of Prague are two small neighboring villages that are perfect for
romantic getaways the first is Loučeň which is dominated by its chateau with the same name.
This chateau was originally built as a summer cottage for a duke whose
disdain for dirty money required that his butler wash and iron the paper currency
this is just one of the interesting things you'll learn when touring the castle.
The surrounding gardens are stunning and have several labyrinths integrated into the
overall design one has several lookout towers just in case someone gets lost.
Just a few miles away is Mcely, a peaceful place full of apple orchards and sweeping views
away from the hustle of Prague. This picturesque village is home to Chateau Mcely another romantic
escape that has been fully restored to its former glory when it hosted none other than Mark Twain.
This forested retreat of Chateau Mcely is a place of ancient history
with exceptional balance and harmony it's like being inserted into a dreamy fairy tale the
grounds are palatial the accommodations are second to none and the service is impeccable it's a place
that's hard to leave behind and easy to love forever they also have a spa and an exceptional
on-site restaurant so you never have to leave the delightful environment if you so choose.
To the north, along the southern border of Germany is Bohemian Switzerland and despite its name
this outdoor recreational haven is located in the Czech Republic
the landscape and rock formations are truly unique and may look familiar to
some as this was a filming location for Disney's chronicle of Narnia movies.
if you want to be one with nature and you enjoy hiking this is the place for you
if you visit i highly recommend the folks at northern hikes an
environmentally responsible tour operator that will show you some hidden gems along
with some of the highlights within the Bohemian Switzerland national park.
After some physical activity and adventure you may be interested
in some spa time rising from the forested valley of western Bohemia.
Karlovy Vary is known for its healing thermal springs and opulent 19th century architecture
this spa town has impressive colonnades and riverside walkways there is a number of
drinking fountains to sip on the sulfurous waters containing healthy restorative properties and the
grandiose architecture of Karlovy Vary is really something to marvel which is a mix of Neo-baroque
and Neo-renaissance styles. just beyond the city limits are a slew of hiking trails.
Loket is considered the historical gem of Bohemia dominating the town's panorama is
Loket castle which was built on a rock near the ore river in the 12th century
strolling the streets feels like walking through a storybook or a movie set as a
matter of fact parts of the 2006 James Bond movie casino rile were filmed here.
Cesky Krumlov is an outstanding example of a small central European
medieval town whose architecture heritage has remained intact thanks to its peaceful evolution
over more than five centuries it's a place that's easy to fall in love with the town is situated
on the banks of the Viltava River and its fortified castle
built with gothic renaissance and baroque elements is the focal point of town no cars are allowed
in the city center so pedestrians can have a field day getting lost within the labyrinth of
narrow streets leading to some fascinating discoveries such as this small museum dedicated
to the camera no visit to Cesky Krumlov would be complete without a tour of its castle.
The village of Lednice is in the heart of the Czech Republic's wine region in south Moravia
it's famous for the fairy tale chateau with expansive gardens and greenhouse.
This is one of the most beautiful English neo-gothic style chateaus in Europe
the chateau is surrounded by extensive parks and ponds
with a number of other impressive nearby structures to explore.
The grounds are absolutely massive so i recommend taking a carriage ride to give your feet a rest
you may also want to take a boat ride which will give you a different perspective of the grounds
nearby is the village of Latice and inside this 18th century baroque castle is the wine salon
which houses the nation's 100 best rated wines.
While the valti chateau is one of the most impressive baroque residences in central Europe
it's the Czech republic's wine salon that attracts the most attention Mikalov is an enchanting
village in the midst of a stunning countryside in southern Bohemia which is surrounded by vineyards
in all directions Mikalov is in the heart of wine country and home to one of the largest
wine barrels in the world the dominating baroque chateau in the center of town is the focal point
with lush gardens and many places to take in the varying landscapes and stupendous views
just on the outskirts of the main square is a butte translated as the holy hill this
is a spot that provides some wonderful views of the dominating baroque chateau in the center
of town and the peaceful landscapes beyond there are romantic pathways that meander down the butte
through the town's vineyards where a historic Jewish cemetery and museum reside this is one of
the oldest and largest Jewish cemeteries in the country and dates back to the mid-15th century.
Brno is the Czech Republic's second largest city and while it's lesser known than Prague it's
nearly as impressive Bruno is also the capital of Moravia which is the gateway to the fertile
vineyards of the surrounding areas the historic city center of Bruno is quite
beautiful and is peppered with historic sites that date back to the 11th century
a large number of the buildings are from the baroque and renaissance periods.
Brno is a lively city with lots of festivals live music top-notch hotels and restaurants
which are all much more affordable than Prague
cobblestone streets lead to public art and remarkable architecture and while the city
center is certainly walkable there's a great public transit system in case you get tired.
One of the top modern attractions in town is the villa to gun hut museum
built in 1929 by Ludwig mize van der rohe this is a one of a kind modernist villa
built for the tagan hut family it is the only example of modern architecture in
the Czech republic inscribed by the list of UNESCO world heritage sites.
One of the highlights are these massive automated windows that open the house up to the outdoors.
Ostrava is an up-and-coming city embracing its industrial heritage by brilliantly repurposing
old steel mills and other industrial sites into hip and eclectic venues you'll find fantastic
art installations wonderful music festivals cultural events conference centers and museums
paying homage to the industrial workers one of the best ways to see Ostrava is the classic car tour.
Well that's a look at my top 10 road trip destinations in the Czech Republic i hope
you enjoyed this video and if so hit that like button and don't forget to subscribe
for more road trip travel videos so until next time we'll see you on the road. MikesRoadTrip.com