Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re visiting the Czech Republic. We love to help travelers prepare for their vacations, and other than telling you the best things to do in the Czech Republic, we love to share the things that will surprise you about a new destination. So, today, we’re sharing the ten things that will shock you in the Czech Republic.
Reactions to Calling the Czech Republic “Eastern Europe”
If you refer to the Czech Republic being in Eastern Europe, you’re going to get some stares or even be reprimanded by locals. The Czech Republic is not Eastern Europe; it’s Central Europe. They do not appreciate being lumped in with Eastern Europe, so make sure you refer to it as being in Central Europe. (It’s also not Czechoslovakia! They are two separate countries now: Czech Republic and Slovakia.)
Fun Locals
Many people picture the Czechs, and Central Europeans in general, as being rather serious, cold, and insensitive. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. We’ve traveled to several different areas in the Czech Republic and have always had a great time with the locals. It can be hard to get to know them at first, but they will open up eventually. If you can learn a few words of Czech, it will really go a long way to getting the locals to interact with you.
Czech Beer
You will be surprised at how good Czech beer is, and how abundant it is. Not only is it really tasty, but it’s also super affordable. Unlike other Central European cities, you won’t have to empty your wallet for a night out on the town in the Czech Republic. Make sure you try the beer in the Czech Republic, and if you’re really a beer fan, take a tour of one of the local breweries. You can even visit a beer spa in Prague, where you can bathe in beer!
Olomouc Cheese
The stinkiest cheese you will ever smell comes from the Czech Republic. It comes from the town of Olomouc, and it’s called Olomouc Cheese, or Olomoucké tvarůžky. If you have Czech friends, they will inevitably try to trick into eating some.
Czech Republic Food
Besides that really stinky cheese, food in the Czech Republic is actually really good. Czech Republic food is very much made up of comfort foods like meat and potatoes. You’ll have a lot of pork and beef, and they have some great sauces they put on everything. If you don’t like dumplings, they are a major food group in the Czech Republic.
Five Things You’ll Love & Hate About the Czech Republic
Beauty of Prague
The majority of travelers to the Czech Republic visit Prague. It is by far the most popular, and the most crowded city, for tourists. But there’s a reason for that. The architecture is spectacular, and Prague has several individual districts that you should spend time exploring. Prague is sometimes called the “City of 100 Spires” thanks to a pretty amazing skyline of spires.
The Czech Republic Beyond Prague
While Prague is beautiful and popular, you will be well rewarded if you leave the tourist crowds behind and explore other areas of the Czech Republic. Cesky Krumlov is a fairytale town not far from Prague, Pilsen is the home of Pilsner beer, Ostrava is a fun college town. Brno is a great town between Prague and Vienna where you can see mummies at one of the churches. There are over 100 castles in the Czech Republic! Even if you choose to stay in Prague, there are many interesting day trips from Prague to nearby towns and villages.
Price Differences in the Czech Republic
No matter where you travel in the Czech Republic, it’s going to be a very affordable vacation. However, you might be shocked at how much the prices vary as you travel to different areas within the country. Prague has the highest prices, thanks to so many tourists coming through. You can even find better prices by going a few streets out of the tourist zone in Prague. But prices in the Czech Republic range from affordable to dirt cheap.
“Czech-isms”
We already talked about the friendly people here, but there are a few little cultural norms here that you should know about. For example, they are very superstitious about making eye contact when you toast. Make sure you are looking at the person you are toasting with. As you travel throughout the country and get to know the locals, you’ll start to notice these fun little “Czech-isms.”
Czech Language
If you’re like most Americans, you probably studied Spanish, French or German in school. Even if you didn’t study any of these, you can sometimes muddle through a translation and figure out what some words mean. That is not true with the Czech language. It can be nearly impossible to figure out the meaning of a word, let alone the pronunciation! Don’t worry if you don’t understand the language; many of them speak English, at least in Prague.
What to Know Before You Visit the Czech Republic
Czech Style
If you visit the Czech Republic in the summer, you may notice something about the men. The women are very beautiful and well-dressed, but for some reason, the older men seem to prefer socks with their sandals. It’s really funny to see this, especially when you see how well-dressed the women and younger locals are.
The Czech Republic is really a great, and affordable, country to visit. Most of these shocks are of the positive sort, so we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you plan a trip to the Czech Republic! Want more tips for traveling in Central Europe? Check out some of our other blog posts!