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The Czech Republic [1], [2] is a small landlocked country in Central Europe, situated south-east of Germany and bordering with Austria to the south, Poland to the north and Slovakia (with which it used to form one country of Czechoslovakia) to the south-east.
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SEE DO EAT
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 SEE
- See the Moravian wine region by horseback in Novosedly
- See Brno city
- See Ceský Krumlov - beautiful city with castle. Member of UNESCO.
- CzechTek, the yearly freetekno party somewhere in Czech Republic.
- Giant Mountains
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DO
Many places in the Czech Republic are great for swimming, and there are many designated public swimming areas (called koupalište). A list of places suitable for swimming is available here. However, be aware that in hot weather the quality of the water in some places can fall below EU standard regulations.
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EAT
Czech food is hearty and suitable after a hard day in the fields. It is heavy and quite fatty, and is excellent in the winter. Traditional food inclues knedlíky (translated as dumplings but more like slices of white bread), served as a side-dish with Czech classics such as guláš, similar to Hungarian goulash but with a thinner sauce and less spicy; Svícková na smetane, beef sirloin with a creamy root vegetable (carrot, celeriac, parsnip) sauce, served with a tablespoon of cranberry sauce, a slice of orange and whipped cream; Vepro-knedlo-zelo, the combination of roast pork, knedlíky and sauerkraut. The latter combines very well with the world-famous Czech beer, the major brands being Pilsner Urquell, Gambrinus, Budvar, Staropramen, Velkopopovický Kozel and Krušovice.
Other Czech dishes include pecená kachna, roast duck again served with bread or potato dumplings, and red and white sauerkraut; moravský vrabec, known as 'Moravian Sparrow', but which is in fact pork cooked in garlic and onions; smažený kapr, fried carp breaded and served with a very rich potato salad and eaten on Christmas Eve; pecené veprové koleno, roast pork knee, served with mustard and fresh horseradish; bramborák, garlicky potato pancakes; smažený sýr, breaded deep-fried edam (the most popular cheese in the Czech Republic) served with boiled potatoes or french fries and tartar sauce; párek v rohlíku, long, thin hot dogs with crusty rolls and mustard or ketchup. If you must, you can always get hranolky - french fries. And of course, the ubiquitous zelí (raw cabbage), which is served with absolutely everything. Game is also very good, and includes dishes such as kancí, wild boar, bažant, pheasant and jelení or dancí, both types of venison. These are almost always served either with dumplings and red and white cabbage, or as guláš.
Don't expect a wide selection of zelenina, vegetables, unless in the countryside - peppers, tomatoes and cabbage are the most commonly-seen side dishes, often served as a small garnish.
US-citizens may be surprised when they find "American potatoes" in the menu. These are like fried or baked potatoes, usually spiced.
Also try traditional beer snacks, often the only food served in some pubs (hospoda), and designed to be washed down by a good beer:
- Utopenec - (means 'drowned man' in Czech) a pickled sausage with onion, garlic and other vegetables and spices.
- Zavinác - (rollmop) a slice of pickled fish, most often herring or mackerel, rolled-up and filled with various pickled vegetables (sauerkraut, onion, sometimes carrot or pepper).
- Tlacenka s cibulí - (brawn with onion) a slice of haggis-like meat pudding, sprinkled with vinegar and garnished with fresh onion slices. Beware, can be rather acidic due to vinegar.
- Nakládaný Hermelín - pickled Brie-like cheese, often marinated with garlic and chilli.
- Pivní sýr - beer cheese - a soft cheese, with a strong, Cheddar-like flavour. You should add a splash of beer to the cheese, and then mash it all together, and serve it on traditional Czech bread - Šumava (the name of a region in South Bohemia) is the most common bread, a very tasty dense loaf made from rye and carroway seeds.
- Tvaružky, Syrecky or Romadur - traditional cheese with a very strong aroma, and very much an aquired taste. Often served deep-fried, but can be eaten alone, just with some chopped onion, mustard and bread. Sometimes also marinated in beer ('syrecky v pivu').
Czechs also have a sweet-tooth so try some of the following:
Spa wafers from Mariánské Lázne and Karlovy Vary (major spa towns in Western Bohemia better known by their German names of Marienbad and Karlsbad) are meant to be eaten while "taking the waters" at a spa, but they're good on their own, too. Other major spas are Karlova Studánka (favourite destination of Václav Havel - former Czechoslovakian president), Františkovy Lázne, Jánské Lázne, Karviná, and Luhacovice.
Try Bábovka, a traditional cake, similar to marble cake, fairly dry, and usually served dusted with icing sugar; Buchty, traditional buns filled with tvaroh (curd cheese), mák (poppy seeds), or povidla (plum jam); Jablkový závin, apple strudel, often served with whipped cream. Rather popular are Koláce, flat tarts topped with various sweet fillings like tvaroh, povidla, mák, fruit jams, chopped apples and nuts. Their size ranges from bite-sized ('svatební kolácky') to pizza-sized, which often contain several fillings combined into an elaborate pattern ('Chodský kolác'). Try also the wide variety of rich cream cakes usually found in a Kavárna (a cafe), or a Cukrárna (a s |
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