#18 best destination in the world

Strahov Monastery

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  • Premonstratensian abbey founded in 1143

St. George’s Basilica (Prague)

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  • Oldest surviving church building within Prague Castle
  • The basilica was founded by Vratislaus I of Bohemia in 920 AD, and dedicated to Saint George

Old Jewish Cemetery, Prague

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  • #7 of the oldest cemeteries in the world
  • One of the largest cemeteries of its kind in Europe and one of the most important Jewish historical monuments in Prague
  • In use from the first half of 15th century until 1786

St. Vitus Cathedral and Prague Castle

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  • Roman Catholic metropolitan cathedral dedicated to Saint Vitus
  • Prominent example of Gothic architecture
  • The largest and most important church in the country, containing the tombs of many Bohemian kings and Holy Roman Emperors
  • Prague Castle’s complex was built in 870
  • Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world
  • It is the office of the President of the Czech Republic
  • The castle was a seat of power for kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman emperors, and presidents of Czechoslovakia
  • The Bohemian Crown Jewels are kept within a hidden room inside it

Old Town Square and Prague Astronomical Clock

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  • Medieval astronomical clock first installed in 1410, making it the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest clock still operating
  • #11 of the top 25 landmarks in the world

St. Barbara’s Church (Kutná Hora)

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  • Roman Catholic church in Kutná Hora (Bohemia)
  • One of the most famous Gothic churches in central Europe
  • St Barbara is the patron saint of miners (among others), which was appropriate for the town whose wealth was based entirely upon its silver mines
  • Construction began in 1388, but work on the building was interrupted for more than 60 years during the Hussite Wars and then work resumed in 1481, and not completed until 1905
  • In 1588, it was occupied by Jesuits who gradually changed the structure into Baroque style, though parts still remain in Gothic style
  • Internal points of note are the medieval frescoes depicting the secular life of the medieval mining town and religious themes that have been partially preserved
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site

Sedlec Ossuary

The Bone Church - Kutna Hora

  • Small Roman Catholic chapel, located beneath the Cemetery Church of All Saints
  • Estimated to contain the skeletons of between 40,000 and 70,000 people, whose bones have, in many cases, been artistically arranged to form decorations and furnishings for the chapel
  • In the mid 14th century, during the Black Death, and after the Hussite Wars in the early 15th century, many thousands were buried in the abbey cemetery

Špilberk Castle

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  • Castle on the hilltop in Brno
  • Its construction began during the first half of the 13th century by the Přemyslid kings and complete by King Ottokar II of Bohemia
  • The castle was gradually turned into a huge baroque citadel, and was considered the harshest prison in the Austrian Empire
  • Later, the prison was turned into a barracks

Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul (Brno)

Kathedrale St. Peter und Paul Petrov 9 in Brno

  • National cultural monument and one of the most important pieces of architecture in South Moravia
  • The interior is mostly in the Baroque style, while the towers were constructed to the Gothic Revival designs in 1905
  • In the 14th century, the Cathedral was rebuilt on an earlier construction as a Gothic basilica

Villa Tugendhat

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  • One of the pioneering prototypes of modern architecture in Europe
  • Built of reinforced concrete in 1930
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site

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  • The House of Liechtenstein acquired a castle in Lednice in 1249, which marked the beginning of their settlement in the area
  • English landscape architecture is combined with The Baroque and Gothic Revival style architecture of the chateaux
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site

Český Krumlov Castle

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  • Town built around Český Krumlov castle
  • A local branch of the noble Vítkovci family built the castle in 1240 and settlement arose beneath it
  • Most architecture in the town is from the 14th-17th centuries
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site

Diana Lookout Tower

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  • Hill offering a view of the town in the valley below, that was discovered as a destination for hikers by local cutlers, who had cut their way through the thick woods and placed two resting stools at the lookout point
  • Later, guides promoted the site as a lookout with the best view of the town throughout the 19th century
  • Until the beginning of the 20th century, you had to climb up the hill on foot
  • A funicular that goes to the top of the hill was built in 1909 and a hunting lodge with the adjoining observation tower was built in 1914

Costs

Number of Days: 21 days

Best Time To Fly: March-May, Sept-Nov

Airline tickets: $1,645

Seattle -> Prague (round trip) = $1,645

Food: $20/day x 21 days = $420

Rental car: $33/day x 11 days = $363

Gas: $76

Entertainment: $101

Airbnb: $66/day x 18 days = $1,188

TOTAL: $3,813