BOHEMIA

The Czech Republic's western province boasts a surprising variety. Český Krumlov, with its riverside setting and dramatic Renaissance castle, is in a class by itself. Big cities like Plzeň offer urban attractions like great museums and restaurants. The spa towns of western Bohemia, such as Karlovy Vary, were world-famous in the 19th century and retain an old-world luster.

Outside of Prague, Český Krumlov is arguably the Czech Republic's only other world-class sight and a must-see. From a distance, the town looks like any other in the Czech countryside, but once you get closer and see the Renaissance castle towering over the undisturbed 17th-century townscape, you'll feel the appeal; this really is that fairy-tale town the tourist brochures promised. Český Krumlov is best approached as an overnight destination; it's too far for a comfortable day trip from Prague.

Largely overlooked by tourists, nearby České Budějovice presents an enjoyable old town with its Ottokar II Square a center point, surrounded by buildings from the last 600 years.

The city of Pilsen, home to its famous style of beer, is a blue-collar city, although its city center is a mix of old and new, pleasant and unpretentious. Pilsen's Gothic St. Bartholomew Cathedral presents fantastic views of the entire city and surrounding countryside.

MORAVIA

The Czech Republic’s eastern province, Moravia is the yin to Bohemia’s yang. If Bohemians love beer, Moravians love wine. If Bohemia is towns and cities, Moravia is rolling hills and pretty landscapes. The Moravian capital, Brno, has museums, but the northern city of Olomouc has captivating architecture.

Olomouc is one of the Czech Republic’s most underrated destinations. There’s great nightlife, fuelled by a cosmopolitan student population, and a gorgeous series of central squares that would rival any European city. The city's medieval astronomical clock, destroyed by the Germans in World War II, was remade as a Socialist Realist clock during communism; instead of parading saints and religious allegories are peasants, scientists, and workers. Olomouc's impressive medieval walls mixed with parkland makes for a pleasant trip.

Fiercely proud Brno, the country's second-largest city, often culturally and economically competes with Prague in a rivalry spanning centuries. Home to many students and with an active nightlife, Brno presents a compact and explorable old city center, overlooked by both its impressive Špilberk Castle and the Gothic St. Peter and Paul Cathedral. Despite being metropolitan, Brno possesses a more relaxed atmosphere than Prague does, and is known throughout the republic for its high quality of life.

Near Brno is the Macocha Abyss, a massive sinkhole in the Moravian Karst, home to a narrow river gorge, an underground river, and a large cave system.