Central Bohemian Region: Have a royal time near Prague

What about spicing up your stay in Prague with a trip to the town of silver, with its UNESCO temple, ossuary and the oldest cathedral in Central Europe, to the Czech Mount Rushmore, to Czechia's Verona, or to one of dozens of castles and châteaux? The Central Bohemian Region, just a stone’s throw from the Czech capital, has hundreds of royal experiences on offer!

Hire a car or just hop on a train or bus and head out of Prague in search of some real fairy-tale treats. Within 60 kilometres of the Czech capital you’ll discover countless places beloved by the rulers of Bohemia throughout the centuries, which have retained their historical magic to this day.

The town of silver: On a journey to the Middle Ages with UNESCO

St. Barbara´s Cathedral

One unquestionable jewel of Central Bohemia is Kutná Hora, the silver town, which, as the precious metal was mined there back in mediaeval times, was one of Bohemia’s most important royal towns. You can take a look at the mediaeval silver mine in a white cape and wearing a helmet today, too! However, the true crowning glory of Kutná Hora is its charming historical heart, listed as a UNESCO Heritage Site and containing a stunning Late Gothic church, the oldest cathedral in Central Europe and a mysterious ossuary.

A green giant flying the UNESCO colours on the edge of Prague

You can find another unique Central Bohemian treasure listed by UNESCO right on the very edge of the Czech capital. Here, in one of the biggest natural landscape parks in Europe, Průhonice Park, with its Renaissance château and lots of magical places to explore, all nestled in the rugged valley of a meandering stream, you’ll really feel like you’re in a fairy tale. The Czechs have shot plenty of them here, too!

The Czech Mount Rushmore and the gateway to hell

Houska Castle

Just a few kilometres from Prague, near the charming royal town of Mělník, the deep woods of Kokořínsko hide several mysterious castle ruins as well as three castles wreathed in many a legend – the romantic symbol of the region and the former den of robber knights Kokořín Castle, known as the King of Castles Bezděz, which has inspired many a Czech artist, and Czechia’s most haunted castle, Houska, within the depths of which allegedly lies a gateway to hell! Feeling brave?

But that’s not all that lies hidden in mysterious Kokořínsko! Besides a sandstone rock labyrinth, your imagination will run wild when you see one of the truly unique sights in the area, known as the Devils’ Head s, which, after Mount Rushmore in the United States, are the second biggest relief carvings of heads in the world!

An impregnable castle that women were forbidden to enter

Ask any Czech what the most famous Czech castle is, they’ll say either Prague Castle, or Karlštejn. And Karlštejn Castle is another of the places in Central Bohemia that you definitely shouldn’t miss when visiting Czechia! Not just for its magic and history (it was founded as a vault to store the crown jewels); its collection of Gothic panel paintings is the biggest in the world!