Four thousand miles, we’ve clocked up on great railways around the world. In the lap of luxury on the Rocky Mountaineer. Breathtakingly fast on a Japanese Bullet Train. And clickety-clacking right through Vietnam, night and day, on the Reunification Express. So bundling bags, backpacks, coats and hot coffee onto a corridor train at České Budějovice … More Want to stay on track? Try a TimeCzech, maybe….
We recently visited Český Krumlov in Southern Bohemia in the Czech Republic. It is, without doubt, a beautiful place, packed with history and culturally significant – it was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status back in 1992. To give you an idea of that significance, it’s the same status awarded to the Tower of London … … More Goldilocks in Český Krumlov
Spa resorts like beautiful Mariánské Lázně are, inevitably, all about the water. But there are so many ways this town’s 40 mineral springs have helped the place grow into the success it is today. Drinking the water–some of it with a distinctly sulphurous tinge–is said to have a range of health benefits loved by royalty, … More Five star fizz for two bashful Brits
Jane tells a story of a childhood holiday. She was playing in the woods with her sister close to the cottage in Scotland where they were staying. They came across a young lad who joined in their game for a while. She found out later that it was Prince Andrew – then second in line … More Mariánské Lázně: Royal footsteps
Introduction: Time of year: Late January/early February 2018. Purpose of trip: This was the third stop on our visit to the Czech Republic and a chance to relax after a busy few days. Why we chose this place: Mariánské Lázně is a beautiful, historic spa town which developed in the early 1800s after numerous mineral springs … More Review: Danubius Health Spa Resort Nové Lázně, Mariánské Lázně
I’ve always loved taking photographs. At 13, my Dad bought me my first SLR camera. At 16, I was selling cameras and developing services in Boot’s on Saturdays. And these days, I provide some photographic tips and take pretty much all the pictures for this site and our Instagram account. So I was really pleased … More Review: Museum Fotoatelier Seidel, Cesky Krumlov
As Bohemian rhapsodies go, it was pretty simple, really: a man on a bridge over the Vltava River with a barrel organ, turning the handle so it spilled out a little Czech melody. It sounded like summer; but the air was so bitingly cold and clear, that you could still hear the tinkling melody from … More Český Krumlov: beautifully surprising
In our journey from Cesky Krumlov to Marianske Lazne, we had a few hours to spend in the centre of the Czech Republic’s fourth largest city – Pilsen, or as they say in Czech, Plzeň. Pilsen Tourism had organised a guided tour for us and we learnt so much about this West Bohemian city in just … More Pilsen: The city where it pays to drink and drive
In Český Krumlov, we had a wonderful guide show us around the town – a town steeped in historical intrigue. Our guide had grown up in the vicinity and being inquisitive types, we quizzed her about topics outside the bygone days. In particular, as it falls within our lifetimes, we wanted to understand what it was … More Worlds apart in modern Czech Republic
Introduction: Time of year: Late January 2018. Purpose of trip: This was the second stop on our eight day visit to the Czech Republic. Why we chose this place: The Garni Hotel Castle Bridge was organised for us by our hosts as a comfortable, central base from which to explore the beautiful town and UNESCO … More Review: Garni Hotel Castle Bridge, Český Krumlov
2emptynesters 