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"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful we must carry it with us or we find it not."

R. W. Emerrson

Entries in Brno (1)

Thursday
Oct022014

Czech it Out - Sampling Three Cities in the Czech Republic

We spent nine days exploring three cities in the Czech Republic.  Each was unique and we took in a variety of sights and experiences.

Matt requested Plzeň as our first stop.  What better way to complement Oktoberfest than a visit to the birthplace of pilsner beer?  In this small town we:

  • Toured the Pilsner Urquell brewery where we sampled unpasteurized, unfiltered beer sourced directly from traditional wooden barrels.
  • Explored a network of medieval underground tunnels beneath the old town center.

From Plzeň we headed to Prague, a location many of our close friends had recommended.  This sprawling city along the banks of the Vltava River offers a fairy tale setting rich with unbelievable architecture and abundant statues.  During our stay we:

  • Attended a dinner where we enjoyed the performance of two talented opera singers accompanied by a string quartet.
  • Relaxed on a two-hour river cruise which provided impressive views of ornate bridges and opulent buildings along the banks.

After contrasting the relatively small city of Plzeň against the much larger Prague, we made like Goldilocks and sought out a town that was “just right”.  Brno is large enough to house impressive attractions and lure world-class performers, but small enough to retain its accessibility.  It also offers some unique, if somewhat sobering, sights: 

  • The Capuchin Monastery with its underground tomb of 18th century mummified monks.
  • The Brno Ossuary containing the bleached-bone remains of an estimated 50,000 people.

Throughout the Czech Republic we casually walked along quaint cobblestone streets, stepped into historic churches for moments of quiet reflection, relaxed on park benches, and sampled inspiring food and drink.  It's an impressively diverse country with something to offer for every taste.