Czech Republic

▲▲▲ Prague The Czech capital and one of Europe's most romantic cities, boasting a remarkably well-preserved Old Town with top-notch architecture from every era; a sprawling hilltop castle; a thriving New Town packed with slinky Art Nouveau facades; a historic and well-presented Jewish Quarter; inspiring tales from its rocky late-20th-century history; countless lively pubs serving some of the world's best beer; and enough museums, churches, gardens, and other attractions to entertain any visitor.

▲▲ Český Krumlov Charming, picturesque, and popular midsized town huddled under a colorful castle and hugging a river bend in the Bohemian hills, made to order for canoeing, hiking, and people-watching.

▲▲ Kutná Hora Finely preserved yet down-to-earth city, once home to the world's largest silver mine, now best known for an opulent cathedral — built with riches from the mining bonanza — and an evocative chapel decorated with human bones.

▲▲ Terezín Memorial Walled town and fortress near Prague that served as a WWII internment camp and Gestapo prison; today, both house poignant memorials.

▲ Konopiště Castle Former residence of the Habsburg Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his Czech bride, with the most lived-in-feeling interior (and most interesting historical tour) of any Czech castle (easy day trip from Prague).

▲ Karlštejn Castle Dramatically situated summer residence of Charles IV, with fairy-tale-esque exterior.

▲ Telč and Southern Czech Towns Telč, with a spectacular main square, makes a good base to see other southern Bohemian towns: Třeboň, with a peat spa; Třebíč, with echoes of Jewish history; and — huddled along the Austrian border — Slavonice, with hiking trails, an artistic community and evocative, never-used WWII fortifications in the nearby forests.

▲ Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) Genteel, architecture-packed spa town where well-heeled Russian and German tourists stroll manicured riverfront promenades sipping icky (but healthy) spring water.

▲ Olomouc Moravian cultural capital and thriving university city, with a grand square (crowned by Europe's biggest plague column), churches, museums, famously pungent cheese, bustling everyday life. Nearby is the country's top Rococo château in Kroměříž.

▲ Wallachia Time-passed, mountainous corner of Moravia, with cute villages, open-air folk museums at Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, and a mountaintop retreat at Pustevny.

Křivoklát Castle Set in a pretty, forested, relatively untouristed countryside, this Back Door alternative to Karlštejn has a nearly-as-fine interior and a lively workshop courtyard in summer (but is farther out from Prague, and has fewer options for English-speaking visitors). En route, the Rückl Glassworks in Nižbor offers traditional Czech crystal manufacturing; nearby Lány — with Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk's grave — is a modern-day pilgrimage site for Czech patriots.

Mikulov Wine Region The Czech Republic's top wine-growing area, with a trio of worthwhile stops within a few minutes' drive: the historical town of Mikulov (postcard-perfect main square and vibrant Jewish sites), the humble village of Pavlov (wine cellars), and the impressive château-and-garden complex of Lednice and Valtice.

• Czech Republic: Recommended Itinerary
• Eastern-Central Europe: Recommended Itinerary
• When to Go to the Czech Republic
• Upcoming Holidays and Festivals in the Czech Republic
• Guidebook Updates for the Czech Republic
• Czech Republic Rail Passes and Train Tips
• Czech Republic: Recommended Books and Movies