Czech Republic
The Place
The Czech Republic region can claim a long history as one of the focal points of Central European civilisation and as a bridge - or sometimes a watershed - between the cultures of eastern and western Europe. Furthermore, the Czech lands of Bohemia and Moravia lay at the crossroads of the traditional trade routes from the Atlantic coast to the Black Sea and from the Mediterranean to the Baltic. This valuable strategic position gave the entire continent a vested interest in the region's history.
For centuries Bohemia played a central role in the Holy Roman Empire; under Charles IV, Prague became one of the greatest capitals of Europe. The city is no lacklustre museum of medieval urban architecture, but an international arena throbbing with vitality which still manages to retain its charm and flair despite the demands of the tourism industry. The rest of the Czech Republic has many things to offer visitors including Karlovy Vary (the elegant Karlsbad of old) and Marienbad, where luminaries such as Goethe and Chopin took to the waters, both of which are refurbishing their spa resorts. Beyond the historic towns and cities, the forbidding castles and beautiful valleys of Bohemia and Moravia wait to be explored.
