Tourism in the Czech Republic
The Czech Republic has become one of the major tourist destinations in Europe, receiving over 20 million visitors yearly.[1] The capital, Prague, is the most popular destination, by itself receiving over 8 million visitors annually out of which almost 7 million are foreign.[2] Other highly visited destinations include Karlštejn Castle, Kutná Hora, Brno, Český Krumlov, České Budějovice, Olomouc and the Lednice–Valtice Cultural Landscape. Prague attracts large numbers of foreign tourists, mostly from Germany, Russia, Poland, the United States, Israel and the United Kingdom.[3]
Statistics
Most non-residents arriving to the Czech Republic and staying overnight are from the following countries:
Rank | Country | 2015[4] | 2016[5] | 2017[6] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Total | 8,686,726 | 9,288,013 | 10,175,963 | |
1 | Germany | 1,749,276 | 1,879,754 | 1,954,833 |
2 | Slovakia | 564,496 | 645,788 | 688,490 |
3 | Poland | 467,285 | 543,247 | 578,465 |
4 | Russia | 432,768 | 406,410 | 551,191 |
5 | United States | 507,376 | 511,629 | 539,023 |
6 | China | 285,404 | 354,799 | 491,648 |
7 | United Kingdom | 441,516 | 470,643 | 470,576 |
8 | South Korea | N/A | 322,108 | 417,438 |
9 | Italy | 371,686 | 368,851 | 392,861 |
10 | Austria | 268,961 | 283,608 | 292,420 |
Tourist attractions
Cultural heritage
As of 2020, the Czech Republic has 14 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. All of them are in the cultural category and one is shared with Germany. The Historic Centre of Prague and the Historic Centre of Český Krumlov are popular among tourists from all over the world.
Nightlife
Prague attracts large numbers of tourists because of low costs associated with nightlife. The large number of bars and clubs, located close together and often open late, serves as additional attraction for certain types of tourists.
Hiking and skiing
The Czech countryside offers protected areas such as Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj), Bohemian Karst (Český kras) and Šumava National Park. The countryside features castles, caves and other landmarks. In South Bohemia, the Šumava Mountains, also in Vysočina, Jizerské hory and Beskydy contain many hiking and cross-country skiing possibilities. The nature reserve Rejvíz is a popular destination in the Jeseníky Mountains.
Skiing resorts are located from Northern East to Northern West Czech Republic. The most famous and popular resorts lie in the Krkonoše Mountains. Krkonoše includes the tourist centre of Harrachov.
Transport
Prague is served by Prague Václav Havel Airport. For travel within the Czech Republic it is common to use Inter-City trains or buses. Roads are in good condition and include a highway network. There is good tourism infrastructure in every big city and most tourist resorts.
Gallery
- Tourism in Czech Republic gallery
- The Powder Tower in Prague.
- The castle in Lednice.
- The town of Kutná Hora.
- The town square in České Budějovice.
- The castle in Český Krumlov.
- Holy Trinity Column, Olomouc.
References
- webmaster@tyden.cz, TYDEN, www tyden cz, e-mail (2018-02-08). "V Česku se ubytoval rekordní počet turistů. Nejvíc přijelo Němců". TÝDEN.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2019-02-08.
- "V roce 2018 do Prahy přijelo 7,9 milionů návštěvníků". Prague.eu (in Czech). Retrieved 2019-02-08.
- Czech Statistical Office
- Table 5 Guests, overnight stays (non-residents by country, numbers, indices)
- Tourism - 4. quarter of 2016 - Table 5 Guests, overnight stays (non-residents by country, numbers, indices)
- - 4. quarter of 2017 - Table 5 Guests, overnight stays (non-residents by country, numbers, indices)
External links
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Czech Republic. |
- Czech Republic - Official site of the Czech Republic
- CzechTourism - Official site of the CzechTourism agency
- The Czech Sights on the UNESCO List of World Cultural and Natural Heritage
- IDOS - Search engine for all public transport in the Czech Republic.
- Popular Tourist Destinations and Attractions in the Czech Republic
- Prague City Tourism - Official site of the Prague City Tourism agency