regions

Outside Prague, you'll find accessible, stunning locations and scenery. The Czech Republic is divided into 14 administrative regions. Let's have a quick look at some of them.

West Bohemia is famous for romantic spa resorts like Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), famous as the home of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival as well as for the roles it has played in films such as Casino Royale and Last Holiday. Not far from Karlovy Vary is the historical spa town Mariánské lázně (Marienbad) and Plzeň, the birthplace of modern beermaking.

North Bohemia features the romantic Elbe River valley and the unique sandstone formations known as the Czech Switzerland, which appeared in The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe. There are also some gorgeous towns, such as Liberec, where Jiří Menzel shot portions of I Served The King Of England.

South Bohemia is best known for its unspoiled nature and diverse architecture. The 18th-century and 19th-century buildings in the village of Holašovice possess a unique style known as South Bohemian Folk Baroque. Český Krumlov is nestled in a bend of the Vltava River — here little more than a rushing brook — and is celebrated for its preserved medieval character, although film fans might recognize its quaint streets from scenes in The Illusionist and Hostel: Part II. The regional capital is České Budějovice, another famous brewing town.

Among the many other unusual and charming examples of the region's architecture is the Windsor-style chateau in Hluboká nad Vltavou, which appeared in Shanghai Knights. Nearby are charming Renaissance towns like Telč, where Werner Herzog shot his film Woyzeck.

South Moravia is characterized by hilly wine country. The local architecture ranges from unusual folk styles of Wallachian cabins to the Functionalist buildings in Zlín. The regional capital of Brno is a university town and burgeoning bio-technology center

North Moravia is traditionally the country's manufacturing belt. The town of Ostrava in particular bears the peculiar visual signature of mining and refining, with some buildings bearing the Victorian look of the 19th century. Director Mathieu Kassowitz employed the city's Vítkovice Ironworks as a location in his sci-fi thriller Babylon A.D.

Get a taste for the Czech Republic's diverse scenery in our locations sampler.

driving distance from Prague