Is the Czech Republic an attractive country for tourists?
The Czech Republic is a land-locked country in central Europe, meaning it doesn’t have a border with the sea, but is surrounded by other countries – Poland, Germany, Slovakia and Austria. The country is made up of three lands – Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia – and of 14 regions. The population in the Czech Republic is 10 million. The area is 78 866 sq. km and the capital city is Prague. Other major cities are for example Brno, Ostrava, Zlín, Plzeň or Hradec Králové. The Czech Republic is a parliamentary democracy. The Parliament consists of two chambers: the House of Deputies (200 members) and the Senate (81 members). The head of the state is a president, which appoints the prime minister.
Now I’d like to say something about the Czech nature, which tourists can visit. Bohemia, which is on the west side of the country, is surrounded by mountains, which form natural boundaries with neighbouring countries. In the north, there are very famous mountains Krkonoše with the highest peak Sněžka (1603 m). Krkonoše Mountain is also famous ski resort, not only for Czech people, but also for foreigners. The major European river the Elbe rises in Krkonoše Mountains too. In the south, there are Šumana Mountains with the remains of primeval forests. There are also few glacial lakes, which are quite unique in the Czech Republic. In the west extend Krušné Mountains, where are many ski resorts too and they are very close to popular cities like Karlovy Vary, Mariánské or Fratiškovy Lázně, famous for spas, health resorts and thermal springs.
The Moravian landscape has lowlands in the south as well as mountains such as Jeseníky in the north and Beskydy in the east. There are also many national parks in the Czech Republic, which are worth visiting, for example in Krkonoše, Šumava Mountain or the Czech Paradise, where visitors can look up to the sandstone rock formations. Popular resort is also Moravian Karst with a series of caves and the gorge Macocha.
Because of the state’s long and eventful history, there are numerous castles, palaces and places of interest presenting different architectural styles. Some of them have been listed as UNESCO sights and are under the protection of this international organisation. There are 12 places in UNESCO and I will mention especially the Historical Centre of Prague, which was listed in 1992. This top Czech destination, Prague, leads the list with monuments such as Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral and Charles Bridge. Other UNESCO monuments are for example: the Historical Centre of Český Krumlov or Telč, Kutná Hora, The Pilgrimage Church of Jan Nepomuk in Zelená Hora, Lednice – Valtice Cultural Landscape, Holašovice, Litomyšl castle, Třebíč, etc.
In conclusion, there are many and many places in the Czech Republic, which are worth visiting. Not only nature monuments and places, but also cities and their sights. Thus I think that even though the Czech Republic is a small country, it’s still attractive for tourists.
Structure:
- Basics about CZ: surroundings, facts, geography, population, area, cities, politics
- Bohemian landscape: Krkonoše, Šumava, Krušné Mountains
- Moravian landscape, NP: Jeseníky, Beskydy, Czech Paradise. Moravian Karst
- UNESCO: 12 places, Prague, others
- Conclusion