CZECH REPUBLIC

Czechoslovakia's "Velvet Revolution" of 1989 was the most unequivocally positive of Eastern Europe's anti-Communist upheavals, as the Czechs and Slovaks shrugged off 41 years of Communist rule without a shot being fired.

But the euphoria and unity of those first few months evaporated more quickly than anyone could have imagined. Just three years on, the country split into two separate states: the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czechs – always the most urbane, agnostic and liberal of the Slav nations – have fared well, although they have had to contend with rising crime and an increasing cost of living.

The country is due to accede to the European Union in May 2004. Almost untouched by the wars of the twentieth century, the Czech capital Prague is justifiably one of the most popular destinations in Europe. An incredibly beautiful city with a wealth of architecture, from Gothic cathedrals and Baroque palaces to Art Nouveau cafés and Cubist villas, it's also a lively meeting place for young people from all over Europe.

The rolling countryside of Bohemia is swathed in forests and studded with well-preserved medieval towns and castles, especially in the south around Ceské Budejovice. In the west, you'll find the old watering holes of the European aristocracy, the spa towns of Karlovy Vary and Mariánské Lázne.

The country's eastern province, Moravia, is every bit as beautiful, only less touristed. Olomouc is the most attractive town here, but Brno, the regional capital, has its own pleasures and lies within easy reach of Moravia's spectacular karst region.

Return to Vacation Guides