The Czech Republic is a small landlocked country in Central Europe, situated south-east of Germany and bordering Austria to the south, Poland to the north and Slovakia (with which it used to form one country of Czechoslovakia) to the south-east.

The Czech Republic is not a large country but has a rich and eventful history. From time immemorial Czechs, Germans, Jews and Slovaks, as well as Italian stonemasons and stucco workers, French tradesmen and deserters from Napoleon’s army have all lived and worked here, all influencing one another. For centuries they jointly cultivated their land, creating works, which still command our respect and admiration today. It is thanks to their inventiveness and skill that this small country is graced with hundreds of ancient castles, monasteries and stately mansions, and even entire towns that give the impression of being comprehensive artifacts. The Czech Republic contains a vast of amount of architectural treasure and has beautiful forests and mountains to match.

The region of Moravia is home to gorgeous vineyards, orchards, fields full of "organic" produce, and filled with scenic mountain vistas and cute little villages. Even the regional capital, Brno, is renown for its small town charm. The dialects of Czech spoken in Moravia are very different from those spoken in Bohemia, particularly in Prague. A foreigner trying to master the language will often find himself at loss. Moravians pride themselves on their dialect and learning a few stereotypical regionalisms may go down well (or terribly, depending on just what it is you think you're saying and what you end up saying).

There are plenty of interesting cities to visit in the Czech republic. Prauge is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Its large and beautiful historic center is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Telc is a small South Moravian town with a perfectly preserved Renaissance town centre which is surrounded by shallow man made lakes. The town square is surrounded by an arched walkway and colourful two-storey renaissance houses. The chateau and Church of St James are open to the public and its possible to hire rowboats from the lakeside in the warmer months.

The Giant Mountains are another desination worthy of visiting. They are the highest mountains in the Czech Republic and can be found along the Polish border. Most popular Czech skiing resorts are situated here.

The Czech Republic is an excellent place for cycling. There are lots of pleasant country lanes, cycling marked paths and picturesque villages along these paths (always with a pub...), it's easy to find the way, and the trains have bicycle racks in the baggage section for when you get tired. Try cycling in South Moravia region (close to Austrian borders) where you can find dozens of well-marked paths that will lead you through beautiful countryside full of vineyards, vine cellars and colourful villages.

The Czech Republic has an excellent and sophisticated system of trail blazing, marked trails are about everywhere. Choose an area, buy a hiking map for the area and go. Many places in the Czech Republic are great for swimming, and there are many designated public swimming areas. Although the Czech Republic is a land-locked country, it does have a lot of nudist/naturist beaches near lakes. Full nudity on other beaches is legal, but rare, and usually only happens in non-crowded places.

There is a Pub Crawl that meets every night under the astronomical clock in the Old Town Square of Prague at 9:15. Its cheap and they take you to some cool pubs, bars and you end up at a night club. Its a really good way to see what the Prague night life is really like. Even in the off season.