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Bohemia: Traveler Reviews


Traveler Reviews

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We loved Bohemia

Bohemia

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4 of 5 stars
tricia3704 1 contribution
York, England
Jul 19, 2005
4/4 found this review helpful

We spent 4 days in Bohemia this month staying at the Grand Hotel Zvon which is right on the square in the old town of Ceske Budewice. Ceske Budewice is called Budweise by the Germans and it's where the beer originally came from! The Zvon is a lovely old hotel (originating in the early 16th century) and we had a fantastic room looking straight across the square past the Samson fountain to the old town hall with its clock that played tunes on the hour (though not at night, thank goodness!). We didn't see a lot of the new town because there was so much else to do but the architecture of the old town is really interesting.

During our stay we explored quite a bit of the surrounding area including an absolutely stunning UNESCO world heritage site called Ceske Krumlov (I'd like to stay there next time) and we had a full day in Prague, a city everyone should try to visit. We didn't have nearly enough time to do everything we wanted so we'd like to return some time; especially as the local people were so friendly, the food so cheap and the beer so good!

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Loved our Ancestral Village Quest Driver

Bohemia

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5 of 5 stars
A TripAdvisor Member
Wooster, OH
Mar 25, 2004
2/2 found this review helpful

After many attempts to connecdt with an English-speaking Czech driver for our party of four (included brother, sister with Bohemian emigrant grandparents 1900-1910 and spouses) the Movenpick Hotel concierge directed our inquiry to the local representative of General Tours: Ameriprague. Their #1 driver Jan Bohm and I began an email correspondence regarding villages and house numbers we wished to see.Jan picked us up @ airport, transferred and helped us check in at Movenpick. Afternoon tour with driver and guide covered city center, Wenceslaus Square, Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral. The next day walking tour guide was very knowledgeable in Jewish History, we saw several synagogues, the memorial and the Jewish Cemetery. However, she brushed off our interest in seeing the interior of any of the Cathedrals in the center of Prague.During two days on our own in Prague, we bought Czech garnet jewelry at the "factory outlet" on Dlohou Street, pastries at the bakery shops, and visited the ruins of Hradcany Castle. The food was typical Czech (if you wanted it, and we did) like our grand mothers, aunts, and mother cooked.We were picked up at the Movenpick, had a private tour of the Ruckl Glass Factory (finished just before the big tourist bus arrived) and purchased souvenir leaded glass for children and grand children.Our next stop was in Teskov where we found two or three houses, still in good shape, in which our ancestors were born. At one, our driver found the owner at home. He had the same name as my great grandmother and invited us into his courtyard and then into his home. It was wonderful.This day continued similarly, with Jan pursuing our initial info and developing more leads. It was a long day when we finally arrived at the Hotel Continental, but we had accomplished so much of our goal for the trip.The next day Jan took us again, with similar pleasant findings. This day we stopped in Dolni Lukavice where our ancestors were serfs to the count in the early 1700's. The Chateau has been used as the venue for the Haydn Festivals during the last 15 years (see it on the web). It is currently in bad shape and is being slowly restored. The workmen did not keep us from exploring. It was and may again be glorious.We had two days on our own in Pilzn, toured the Pilsener Urquell brewery (a disappointment due to an area closed for construction), and ate at the brewery restaurant (which was not a disappointment). More pastries, more wandering, etc.As we went to eat breakfast, an American voice said, "Be careful what you say, I understand English!" It was the owner of the Continental. Upon learning our family name, he said that he would ask the medical doctors (same name) who were head of the main hospital and heads of several departments there if they had any genealogical ties to our branch.At an antique shop, I was able to communicate with the owner about my ancestor's coal mining, learned that he had been an inspector for the hoisting facilities, and that he also knew the medical doctors and would contact them.The final day our driver stopped at four more villages, and at his home as we returned to Prague.We can't say enough about Jan's professionalism and about his real interest in helping us find our roots. Without him, the trip would have been a bust. We would recommend him to anyone, not only for the standard tour, but especially for an ancestral tour. Ask for him!

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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