Czech republic

The Czech Republic is an inland country located in the centre of Europe. It offers a myriad of beauty spots and places of interest. Visitors can encounter beautiful cathedrals, mansions, castles and simple folk buildings at nearly every step. Eleven cultural monuments have been entered in the UNESCO World Heritage List.  Our country not only boasts unique architectural creations but also beautiful countryside.

The Czech Republic has an area of 78,865 km2. It has borders edged by mountain ranges with four countries: Germany, Austria, Poland and Slovakia. The highest mountain – Sněžka (rising to 1,602 metres above sea level) - is situated in the Krkonoš mountain range. The Elbe River originates here and the most fertile region – the Elbe River Basin - surrounds this area.

The total number of inhabitants is 10.3 million, the capital is Prague.

The Czech Republic is a parliamentary democracy, which is based on unrestricted competition between individual parties during elections, which are held every four years. The head of the state is the President of the Republic, who is elected by Parliament for 5 years. The current president of the Czech Republic is Václav Klaus.

In 1999 the Czech Republic became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and in May 2004 it became a member of the European Union. The whole of the Czech Republic, together with Prague, is one of the most visited places in the world. It is visited by approximately 13 million tourists every year.

Monuments
The Czech Republic offers beautiful countryside interspersed by thousands of kilometres of hiking trails, an unbelievable number of cultural monuments, picturesque historical towns and famous spas, which are visited for treatment as well as relaxation. The natural beauty spots in the Czech Republic combine with beauties created by human hands and this country is one of the world leaders with regard to the number of cultural monuments. Visitors from around the world visit us in search of culture, history and architecture. Probably the most eloquent evidence of this is the fact that twelve monument sites in Bohemian and Moravian towns have now been entered on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

All these monuments are easily accessible. No similar concentration of UNESCO monuments can be found elsewhere.

Climate
The climate is moderate and typically Central European. The changing of the seasons creates unique conditions for various leisure activities. The average temperature is around -2°C in January and 20°C in July.

Currency
The currency is the Czech crown (1 crown = 100 hellers). Bank notes in 5,000, 2,000, 1,000, 500, 200, 100 and 50 crown values and coins in 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 crown values are in circulation.

Safety
Prague is one of the most visited cities in the world. Statistics indicate that in comparison with other European cities (Paris, Rome, Madrid) the crime rate is lower here. Taking a walk through night-time Prague is relatively safe. Of course, as in all large cities with a high accumulation of people we recommend that you pay attention to your personal belongings.

Time zone
Central European Time (CET = GMT+1) applies in the Czech Republic. Daylight saving time lasts from the last Sunday in March to the end of October.