Czech Republic offers so much more than just Prague. A great variety of castles, towns and landscapes await you. Below are some personal favourites. You can visit these on your own, or by joining a publicly organized day trip.
BP16 attendees will be offered some organized day trips after the conference, most probably on both Sunday (17 April) and Monday (18 April) – stay tuned for details.
Karlštejn is a well-preserved medieval castle associated with the king/emperor who gave his name to Charles’ bridge. Just 30 km West of Prague, it can be visited in a half-day trip.
Konopiště was the chateau of archduke Franz Ferdinand of Sarajevo fame… among the exhibits you can the actual bullet that triggered the Great War. 50 km South of Prague.
Kutná Hora is a lovely medieval town 60 km East of Prague. Built over silver mines, medieval Bohemian coins were struck here. You can visit the silver mines, the castle above it, a beautiful Gothic church, as well an unusual bone chapel further away from the centre.
Karlovy Vary is a bit further away from Prague, 120 km due West, but it still can be covered in a long day trip. Perhaps better known internationally as Karlsbad, this grand spa town has attracted dignitaries for over half a millennium, including Peter the Great, Atatürk, Goethe, Chopin, Beethoven. Karlovy Vary is also the home of Becherovka, the famous Czech liquor.
Český Krumlov is the second most popular tourist destination in the country, and rightly so. A charming renaissance gem of a town, it boasts a castle, a baroque theatre, a beautiful view over the upper reaches of the Vltava river, plus a museum dedicated to Egon Schiele who used to live here. While Krumlov can be visited on a long day trip, it may be a good idea to stay here for the night and explore other historical towns in South Bohemia like České Budějovice, Tábor and Jindřichův Hradec.