The bohemian allure and fairytale features of Prague make it a perfect destination for beach-weary vacationers who want to immerse themselves in culture. You could devote an entire day to exploring Prazsky hrad (Prague Castle), then refueling over a hearty dinner at a classic Czech tavern. Spend some time wandering the Old Town Square before heading over to gape at The Old Town Hall and Astronomical Clock. Prague’s best bars are found in cellars, where historic pubs set the scene for a night of traditional tippling.

The Czech Republic's most famed spa destination, Karlovy Vary - or Carlsbad - saw 200 spa houses sprout by the end of the 1500s. The springs in this idyllic, lush, peaceful Tepla valley are said to cure an almanac's worth of metabolic and gastric issues. Visitors still flock to this town of Baroque and Art Nouveau buildings. Five beautiful Colonnades straddle hot springs where visitors try aquatherapy and drink the mineral-rich water. The town also has a respected international film festival.

Popular in the late 18th and early 19th century with luminaries such as Strauss, Wagner, Kafke, Freud, Twain and Edward VII, this sprightly spa town is a charming spot. Delicately painted spa houses and hotels tiptoe up the lush, forested mountainsides. One hundred mineral springs with high carbon dioxide and iron content confetti the town and nearby hillsides, many with neat colonnades and stately pavilions. The most famed is the cupola-capped and colonnade-adorned Krizovy pramen.

The charms of the Czech Republic's second-largest city may not be immediate, but spend a few days in this Moravian town and Brno's vibrant, authentic Czech ambiance will win you over. It's a fine way to experience Czech life without the teeming herds of tourists that visit Prague. Art Nouveau, Empire and Neoclassical buildings stand in the bar- and restaurant-packed old city center. Leafy parks abound. Be sure to get a photo with a local landmark, the suspiciously crocodilian Brno Dragon statue.

The most significant square of historical Prague, it was founded in the 12th century and has been witness to many historical events. In addition to the Old Town Hall and the Church of Our Lady before Týn, the square is dominated by the Baroque Church of St Nicholas, the Rococo Kinský Palace, the Gothic House at the Stone Bell and the monument to Jan Hus. In the pavement of the square are memorial stones marking the execution of 27 Czech lords in 1621, and the Prague meridian.

Connecting the Old town with Lesser Town, this popular pedestrian bridge is filled with musicians, painters, vendors and tourists during the summertime.

The largest castle in Europe contains more than seven hundred rooms.

Situated at the Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral is the most important and largest church in Prague. The cathedral is the burial place of the former Czech kings and a home of the Czech Crown Jewels.

Prague Zoological Garden is situated near the center of the Czech capital, in a unique rugged landscape on the bank of the Vltava River. It opened in 1931 and during its existence of more than 80 years it has risen to become one of the most prestigious zoos in the world. Today, it is the second most visited tourist destination in the Czech Republic, just after Prague Castle. 5,049 animals and 676 species live in Prague Zoo. You can explore 13 pavilions and 150 exhibits over 58 hectares. The kids will love the Bororo Reserve, chairlift, mini-train, observation tower, paddling pool and Children’s Zoo. The pride of the zoo is its Elephant Valley, home to a sizeable herd of Asian elephants. The Giant Salamander House, where you can see the largest amphibians in the world – the critically endangered Chinese Giant Salamanders – is extraordinary as well; and the African House with an adjacent vast meadow inhabited by herds of antelopes and giraffes is worth your attention, too.

The Old Town Hall is one of the most significant monuments in the Czech Republic. It was established in 1338 as the administrative seat for Prague's Old Town. Now, it is mainly used for the ceremonial purposes of the capital city, Prague. The historical town hall consists of a set of five medieval houses, the corner of which is adorned with a historical astronomical clock, a gothic oriel window and a massive rectangular tower. The lookout gallery on the town hall tower offers the most beautiful view of Prague. A tour of the historical halls in the Old Town Hall is a unique experience. The expensively decorated rooms date from various periods and are examples of the remarkable development of the town hall complex. The guided tours in various languages are organised in hourly intervals.

One of the most historic sections of Prague, the Lesser Quarter features many Renaissance burghers' houses, baroque palaces, narrow lanes and spacious squares.

**This place is temporarily closed** Permanent exhibitions: The History of the Jews in Bohemia and Moravia, Part 2 This exhibition deals with the history of the Jews in the Bohemian lands from the reforms of Joseph II in the 1780s to the period after the Second World War. It highlights the gradual advancement toward greater equality and emancipation for Jews in Austria-Hungary, describes the foundation of the Czech-Jewish and Zionist movements, and profiles the most important Jewish entrepreneurs, scientists, writers, musicians and artists (including Franz Kafka, Sigmund Freud and Gustav Mahler). It also deals with the redevelopment of the Prague Jewish Town, Jewish sites of Bohemia and Moravia, and the history of the Jewish Museum in Prague. Special focus is on the Shoah of Jews from Bohemia and Moravia, and the Terezin ghetto. Synagogue Silver from Bohemia and Moravia Located on the upper floor, this permanent exhibition features a representative selection of more than 200 of the most valuable silver artefacts from the museum's collections. Most space is given over to Torah ornaments - shields, pointers, finials and crowns. Also on display are charity boxes, pitcher and basin sets for hand washing, Shabbat spice boxes, Kiddush cups, Hanukkah and Shabbat candles, and charity collection trays. The Spanish Synagogue is part of the Jewsh museum in Prague. The Spanish Synagogue is the most recent synagogue in the Prague Jewish Town. Built in 1868 for the local Reform congregation on the site of the 12th-century Altschul, which was the oldest synagogue in the Prague ghetto. It was called the Spanish Synagogue for its impressive Moorish interior design, influenced by the famous Alhambra. The building was designed by Josef Niklas and Jan Bělský, the remarkable interior (from 1882–83) by Antonín Baum and Bedřich Münzberger. František Škroup, the composer of the Czech national anthem, served as organist here in 1836-45.

The Church of St Nicholas in Lesser Town in Prague, the most famous Baroque church in Prague, stands along with the former Jesuit college in the centre of the Lesser Town Square. It represents a magnificent example of the "Prague Baroque" period of the 18th century. W.A. Mozart himself played the organ in this church!