3 Things to Do on a Holiday in the Czech Republic

12/5/2018

Prague, Czech Republic - (Image source)

3 suggestions for your Czech Republic bucket list.

Travel can be one of the most fundamentally enriching human experiences out there, and you could make a good argument that wanderlust is a basic part of the human condition.

Seeing new places, meeting new people, and opening yourself to experiences you would otherwise have missed, are all seriously empowering and uplifting things to do.

Of course, you don’t need to travel all the way around the world to have a great vacation experience. It might be that a quick Google search for segway tours Brisbane or something similar could give you the opportunity to see your own home city in a completely different light.

If, however, you do feel like doing some international wandering, here is a suggestion for your travel bucket list: go check out the following attractions in the Czech Republic.

Visit an authentic alchemist’s lab

Prague is one of the true gems among the remaining medieval cities of Europe, and entering the old town can feel a lot like stepping into a fairytale world, complete with knights in shining armour, castles, wizards, dragons and the like.

In one compact location, there’s the beautiful Charles Bridge, featuring ornate statues all along its length, and not too far away are the splendours of Prague castle and St. Vitus Cathedral.

What you may have missed after a casual glance around, however, is the fact that Prague was one of the historical centres of alchemy back in the day, and remnants of that weird and fascinating legacy still linger all about.

Perhaps the best known alchemical tourist attraction in Prague is the house of John Dee, famous British alchemist, occultist and possibly spy. This is, however, a pretty over-done and plastic-laden tourist trap.

For a more authentic alchemy experience, seek out the museum known as the Speculum Alchemiae. It is here that an authentic medieval alchemist’s laboratory has been uncovered and restored by historians, and there’s evidence that the alchemist who lived here was a big deal in his day. Among other things, his lab contained a hidden passageway running all the way to Prague castle.

Hike in Bohemian Switzerland

Bohemian Switzerland is just across the border from the German natural reserve known as Saxon Switzerland. Of course, neither of these locations have much of anything to do with Switzerland, but have been awarded the name because of their beautiful green and mountainous settings.

A holiday in Bohemian Switzerland means walking up majestic, soaring mountainsides, peering down into forests, and taking boat trips along rivers that wind through myth-haunted gorges.

If you love nature and enjoy getting away the bustle of the city to hike and camp, a trip to Bohemian Switzerland is likely going to be perfect for you — and more affordable than many similar destinations, too.

3 Things to Do on a Holiday in the Czech Republic: Pravčická Brána, Boheniam Switzerland.

Pravčická Brána, Boheniam Switzerland - (Image source)

Try out one of many possible beer experiences

The Czech Republic is known as one of those great beer nations, and if you dedicate any time to researching the topic, you’ll find that there’s a virtually unlimited number of beer-related tourist experiences you can enjoy during your visit — especially in Prague.

Among other things, you could go on a long walking tour of the micro-breweries of Prague (there are a lot of them), or enjoy a “beer spa”, featuring a “beer jacuzzi”, which are exactly what they sound like.

If you enjoy a good pint, you’ve got a lot of reason to visit.