When
most people think of Bohemia in
the Czech Republic, Pilsen (Plzeñ in
the local language), the fourth
largest city in the Czech Republic,
has long been the recognized cultural
centre for the entire Bohemia.
The district of Pilsen has impressed
many visitors to this part with
its beautiful countryside, deep
forests, rivers, lakes and wealth
of cultural monuments. You will
find just about all architectural
styles, as well as wonderful spa
towns like Karlovyary and its national
parks with ski resorts in the Krkonose
Mountains.
Located in western Bohemia, Pilsen
was established at the meeting
of four rivers and during its existence
of 700 years has managed to preserve
its prominent position among Czech
towns. With a population of more
than 165,000, Pilsen is an important
cultural, economic, transport,
commercial and industrial centre.
It is an industrial city famous
for its brewing of Pilsner beer;
engineering home of the Skoda works,
as well as its many historic sights,
international exhibitions, symposia
and festivals. If your interest
is other than the famous brewery,
plan a stop at the 13th-century
Gothic church, and the 16th-century
Renaissance town hall.
If your interests lie with a spa
vacation, begin your explorations
by bus or train west from Prague
to Karlovy
Vary or Marianske Lazne.
The best known spa towns, Karlovy
Vary, Marianske Lazne once frequented
by Goethe, and Frantiskovy Lazne
are in Western Bohemia.
Baroque is the most significant
architectural style of West Bohemia
but it is represented mostly in
the church monasteries. The chateau
of Nebilovy represents this typical
architectectural style. From an
earlier period one can see small
hunting and leisure chateaux such
as Kozel, Kynzvart and Luzany.
The Krkonose (or the Giant Mountains)
form the border between Poland
and the Czech Republic. The Krkonose
are the highest mountains in Bohemia
and have historically formed part
of the north east of country. The
Krkonose are one of three national
parks and the most visited mountain
region in the Czech Republic. Established
in 1963, Krkonose National Park
has an area of 363 square kilometers.
The entire mountain area is a paradise
for skiers and mountaineers and
is considered the most important
Czech touristic region.
Rokytnice
nad Jizerou is a tourist
and sport centre of the western
Krkonose mountains. Apartments
and hotels of Horni Rokytnice and
Dolni Rokytnice (Upper and Lower)
are surrounded by as many as thirty
ski lifts plus the chair lift to
the Lysa Hora Mountain, being the
main attraction of the resort in
winter. The resort is located in
a beautiful valley, with stunning
views of the slopes of Studenov
and Kotel jutting upward 1434 metres
above sea level. Visitors to Rokytnice
nad Jizerou can make use of numerous
ski slopes of varying difficulty,
cross-country trails as well as
slopes fit for snowboarding.
Regional events take place throughout
the year including - in May, the
International Jazz Festival Karlovy
Vary; in June, the Opera and Musical
Festival; in July, Mozart and Karlovy
Vary; in August, the Days of Beethoven;
and in September, Dvorak's Autumn
of Karlovy Vary.
Getting There
Fly to Prague from most major
European hubs. Also, low cost airline
EasyJet provides flights from Gatwick,
Stansted, Bristol, Newcastle and
Nottingham East Midlands.
General routes from Prague
include:
- Drive: Prague - Mladá Boleslav
- Jicín - Nová Paka
- Jilemnice - Rokytnice nad Jizerou
- Bus: Prague- Brno- Ústí nad
Labem- Liberec- Mladá Boleslav
- Train: Prague - Chlumec nad
Cidlinou /change/ - Martinice
v Krkonoších
/change/ - Rokytnice nad Jizerou.
For information on bus and rail
connections visit: www.idos.cz
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