8 Most Beautiful Towns in Czechia for a Weekend Trip: From Krumlov to Telč
Prague is beautiful, but weekends have their own kind of magic — hop on a train or into a car, and a couple of hours later you're in a town where time seems to have stopped centuries ago. This list is for those who've already ticked off Charles Bridge and Old Town Square and want to discover another, less touristy side of Czechia: cobblestones, Renaissance façades, mineral springs and Baroque gardens. Every place below is real and easy to reach from Prague for a day or two.
Český Krumlov
Southern Bohemia, about 200 km from Prague. The undisputed star of the region: the Vltava River wraps around the town on two sides, creating gorgeous countryside views, and the blend of natural beauty and human craftsmanship earned it a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Plan on a full day here — the historic centre with its castle and narrow lanes genuinely "breathes history."
Kutná Hora
About an hour by train from Prague. The town owes its fame to medieval silver mining: its main cathedral is dedicated to St. Barbara, patron saint of miners — silver was mined and coins minted here back in the 14th century, and the cathedral itself ranks as the second most architecturally significant in Czechia after St. Vitus Cathedral. Nearby is the famous Sedlec Ossuary — but be warned: queues in 2025–2026 have stretched to several hours, especially in high season, so tickets should be bought online well in advance.
Karlovy Vary
A famous spa town in western Bohemia, about 2 hours from Prague. The town is known for its thermal springs and elegant architecture. To get the full experience, plan to spend at least a day here: at the Moser glass museum, you can watch the products being made right in front of you. It's a good idea to pair the visit with the nearby town of Loket.
Loket
A tiny town 15 km from Karlovy Vary, set on a bend of the Ohře River. The name says it all: the castle sits near Karlovy Vary, 120 km west of Prague, and takes its name from the Czech word for "elbow" — the river bend on which the castle stands really does resemble a bent arm. This is the "impregnable castle of Bohemia," one of the oldest and most valuable monuments of medieval Czechia, once owned by Czech kings. You can get there by bus: a one-way ticket costs about 180 CZK, and the trip from Karlovy Vary covers just 15 kilometres.
Mariánské Lázně
Another spa town in the Karlovy Vary region. Mariánské Lázně is one of the most romantic and picturesque towns in Czechia, and in 2021 the resort gained international recognition when it became part of the transnational UNESCO World Heritage site "Great Spa Towns of Europe." Perfect for a leisurely stroll among colonnades and parks.
Telč
A small town in the Vysočina region, about 160 km from Prague. Its historic centre is surrounded by water: reservoirs flank it on two sides and a canal on the third, which is why Telč is often called the "Moravian Venice." The heart of the town is Zachariáš of Hradec Square: lined with old Renaissance and Baroque houses, it's considered one of the most beautiful squares in Czechia. In 1971 the town was declared an architectural reserve, and in 1992 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Kroměříž
A Moravian town on the Morava River, famous for its Archbishop's Castle. Nestled at the foot of the Chřiby hills, the town owes its fame to the castle of the Archbishop of Olomouc and its surrounding gardens, both inscribed on the UNESCO heritage list. Its greatest treasure is the park: 64 hectares of magnificent grounds that harmoniously combine rare plants, architecture and water. Some scenes from Miloš Forman's "Amadeus" were filmed right here.
Olomouc
One of the largest historic centres in Moravia, often nicknamed "Little Prague" for its abundance of Baroque quarters and cobbled squares: beautiful Baroque districts, tall spires of Catholic churches, cobblestone squares — Olomouc has the whole essential toolkit of a "classic" European town, which is why it's so often compared to the Czech capital. On the main square stands a column that's also under UNESCO protection: in the 18th century, a multi-tiered, 35-metre-tall Holy Trinity Column was erected here — the tallest plague column not just in Czechia but in all of Slovakia too, and it's now safeguarded by UNESCO. Be sure to try the local delicacy — Olomoucké tvarůžky cheese, made using a recipe that hasn't changed since the 16th century.
Every one of these towns can be visited in a day or two without giving up your usual base in Prague — most destinations are connected by direct trains or buses within two to four hours. Start with the closer options like Kutná Hora or Loket, and for a longer weekend, pair up Český Krumlov with České Budějovice, or Telč with Kroměříž and Olomouc, to take in several eras and styles of Czech architecture in a single trip.
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