Czech and Slovak Republics (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL

CZECH & SLOVAK REPUBLICS

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL

CZECH & SLOVAK REPUBLICS

PRODUCED BY Wiedzę i Życie ART EDITOR Paweł Pasternak CONSULTANT Jan Bosnovič GRAPHIC DESIGN Paweł Kamiński DTP Elżbieta Dudzińska MAPS Magdalena Polak CONTRIBUTORS

Marek Pernal, Tomasz Darmochwał, Marek Rumiński, Jakub Sito, Barbara Sudnik-Wójcikowska PHOTOGRAPHERS

Dorota i Mariusz Jarymowiczowie, Krzysztof Kur, Oldřich Karasek

Stucco decorations on the façade of Kinský Palace, in Prague

CONTENTS HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE 6

ILLUSTRATORS

Michał Burkiewicz, Dorota Jarymowicz, Paweł Marczak Dorling Kindersley Limited TRANSLATOR Magda Hannay EDITORS Jane Simmonds, Emily Hatchwell SENIOR DTP DESIGNER Jason Little PRODUCTION CONTROLLER Shane Higgins Reproduced by Colourscan in Singapore Printed and bound by South China Printing Co. Ltd, China First American Edition, 2006 Published in the United States by DK Publishing, 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014. 11 12 13 14 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Reprinted with revisions 2009, 2011 Copyright © 2006, 2011 Dorling Kindersley Limited, London A Penguin Company ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. WITHOUT LIMITING THE RIGHTS UNDER COPYRIGHT RESERVED ABOVE, NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED, STORED IN OR INTRODUCED INTO A RETRIEVAL SYSTEM, OR TRANSMITTED, IN ANY FORM, OR BY ANY MEANS (ELECTRONIC, MECHANICAL, PHOTOCOPYING, RECORDING, OR OTHERWISE), WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF BOTH THE COPYRIGHT OWNER AND THE ABOVE PUBLISHER OF THIS BOOK. PUBLISHED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY DORLING KINDERSLEY LIMITED. A CATALOG RECORD FOR THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE FROM THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.

ISSN 1542-1554 ISBN 978-07566-6966-9 FLOORS ARE REFERRED TO THROUGHOUT IN ACCORDANCE WITH EUROPEAN USAGE; IE THE “FIRST FLOOR” IS THE FLOOR ABOVE GROUND LEVEL.

INTRODUCING THE CZECH REPUBLIC DISCOVERING THE CZECH REPUBLIC 10 PUTTING THE CZECH REPUBLIC ON THE MAP 12 A PORTRAIT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC 14 THE CZECH REPUBLIC THROUGH THE YEAR 28 THE HISTORY OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC 32

PRAGUE AREA BY AREA

Front cover main image: Český Krumlov, South Bohemia

PRAGUE AT A GLANCE 50

The information in this DK Eyewitness Travel Guide is checked regularly.

Every effort has been made to ensure that this book is up-to-date at the time of going to press. Some details, however, such as prices, telephone numbers and opening hours are liable to change. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of this book, and cannot guarantee that any website address in this book will be a suitable source of travel information. We value the views and suggestions of our readers. Please write to: Publisher, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, Dorling Kindersley, 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, Great Britain, or email: [email protected] The imposing buildings of Karlovy Vary, one of Bohemia’s historic spas

St Wenceslas statue overlooking the eponymous square, Prague

HRADČANY AND MALÁ STRANA 52 STARE MĚSTO AND JOSEFOV 70 NOVE MĚSTO 86 FURTHER AFIELD 98 STREET FINDER 106

CZECH REPUBLIC REGION BY REGION THE CZECH REPUBLIC AT A GLANCE 116 CENTRAL BOHEMIA 118 SOUTH BOHEMIA 134

Colourful roofs, Jindřichův Hradec Castle, South Bohemia

The Morava river flowing at the foot of Devín Castle in Bratislava

INTRODUCING SLOVAKIA

EAST SLOVAKIA 324 DISCOVERING SLOVAKIA 244 PUTTING SLOVAKIA ON THE MAP 246 A PORTRAIT OF SLOVAKIA 248

TRAVELLERS’ NEEDS WHERE TO STAY 342 WHERE TO EAT 366 SHOPPING 396

SLOVAKIA THROUGH THE YEAR 256

ENTERTAINMENT 400

THE HISTORY OF SLOVAKIA 260

SPORT AND LEISURE 404

SLOVAKIA REGION BY REGION

SURVIVAL GUIDE

SLOVAKIA AT A GLANCE 270

PRACTICAL INFORMATION 412

BRATISLAVA 272

TRAVEL INFORMATION 424

WEST SLOVAKIA 290 WEST BOHEMIA 158

CENTRAL SLOVAKIA 306

INDEX AND PHRASE BOOK 432

NORTH BOHEMIA 178 EAST BOHEMIA 194 NORTH MORAVIA AND SILESIA 212 SOUTH MORAVIA 224

Jindřichův Hradec Castle (pp144–5)

6

H O W

T O

U S E

T H I S

G U I D E

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

T

his guide helps you to get the most out of your visit to the Czech and Slovak Republics. The section at the start of each country entitled Introducing provides information about that country’s geographic location, history and culture. The sections devoted to each PRAGUE AND BRATISLAVA AREA BY AREA The Guide divides Prague into three areas described in individual sections. Sights outside the centre are dealt with in the Further Afield chapter. A chapter is devoted to Bratislava; it ends with the historic sights situated away from the town’s centre.

capital and the individual regions describe the major historic sights and tourist attractions, using maps, photographs and illustrations. Information on accommodation and restaurants can be found in Travellers’ Needs. The Survival Guide provides many practical tips.

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Pages referring to Prague have a red thumb tab; Bratislava pages have pink.




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