The travel enthusiasts behind “Czech The World” share their favorite travel moments, insights into Czech travel culture, and tips for visitors exploring the Czech Republic.
How long have you been travelling?
Matej has been travelling with the scouts since he was 15. I travelled quite a lot with my parents and caught the “travel bug” on a Finnish study exchange program. Our passion for travel grew when we met in 2012. We worked abroad during our university holidays (in the UK and USA) and travelled whenever possible. We love travelling because it’s a constant learning process. We can’t imagine being without it!
What has been your best travel experience?
The Northern Lights. No words, pictures, or videos can describe it. We’ve seen it several times now and it’s always different. I spent six hours outside in – 20 °C when I saw it for the first time in Finland. You just can’t go to sleep when the lights are dancing in the sky.
What prompted you to launch Czech the World?
We always wanted to make a living out of travelling the world. At first it was just a dream, but then our Czech friends began to ask us for travel advice so we started a blog. When we noticed it wasn’t just friends and family reading Czech the World we decided to go bigger. At first the website was only in Czech, but the Czech travel market is pretty small so we began to write in English too. Now we create travel tips and guides for people all around the world.
Do Czechs travel a lot?
Until 1990 it was impossible to travel because of the communist regime. But nowadays many young Czechs like to travel and we meet a lot of them on our trips. Even in bad weather Czechs love to hike in the mountains (we usually only meet Czech groups on rainy treks). Czechs also love low-cost travel, so you can often find them in the cheapest hostels or campsites.
In your experience, which countries are most similar to the Czech Republic?
Slovakia is the obvious one because we used to be the same country and we call Slovaks “our brothers”. They have similar food, traditions, history, and mentality. In both countries you can find a lot of people who love sport, the outdoors and nature, but also those who drink a lot (especially beer). Both nations love ice hockey and are known for beautiful girls and famous models.
Then there is our other neighbour Poland, which has a similar language and history. Czechs can understand around 60% of Polish conversation. The biggest difference is that they are one of the most religious nations, while the Czech Republic is among the most atheistic.
Which country is most different from the Czech Republic?
We spent an incredible month in Myanmar, which was like taking a journey back in time.There’s very little information on the internet, especially in terms of transportation, so you have to ask around a lot. Typical Burmese villages consist of bamboo cottages, a few animals, and fishermen. The locals hunt with crossbows and many things are handmade. The Burmese are not used to tourists so they wanted photos with us all the time. The country constantly surprised us. For example, during a “toilet stop” on a bus journey they told us – “men to the left, women to the right” – and everybody was peeing in a row by the side of the bus.
Czech the World features an insider’s guide to Czech beer. What are the key things foreigners should know?
Beer quality is not so much about the brand but the restaurant. Even below average Czech beer is excellent if you drink it in a good restaurant. However, there are restaurants (especially in city centres) where the beer is watered down.
The normal size of beer is half a litre. You can also order a small beer (0,3l), but Czechs say this is “bothering the personnel” (because Czechs drink a lot). Typically Czech beer is not strong (around 4% alcohol), but the most famous Czech beer (Pilsner Urquell) is a little stronger at around 5%. If the beer costs more than two Euro, it’s overpriced. The normal price for half a litre of draught beer is around 30 CZK (1.2 EUR). In the centre of Prague it’s usually around 40-50 CZK (1.5-2 EUR).
What other tips do you have for visitors to Prague?
A lot of exchange offices have terrible rates (usually with a giant 0% commission sign). They will give you half of what you would normally get, so you’re better off using an ATM of a well-known bank.
Beware of taxi drivers, they are notorious for ripping off tourists. Use Uber, it’s cheaper and you will not be overcharged.
Finally, don’t stay just in Prague. If you want to see a beautiful castle in the middle of a forest then visit Karlštejn (just 40 minutes by train). Another nice town with a castle and historical centre is Český Krumlov, where you can canoe or raft down the four cascades.
What other lesser-known Czech places do you recommend?
Those who love picturesque small towns should visit Telč, a UNESCO world heritage site near to Jihlava in the Vysočina region. It’s famous for its beautiful Renaissance and Baroque architecture and its charming château.
Finally, perhaps you can clear something up for me. Czechs often ask whether a person likes the mountains or the sea. Why is this?
The honest answer is I’m not sure! Perhaps it’s an “old school” question from the past when travelling was less common. The average family could only afford one holiday per year, so it was either a winter skiing holiday or a summer holiday by the sea.
*For more travel tips and recommendations, head over to the Czech the World website.