Other remarkable castles in Czech Republic include the Lednice Chateau and Sychrov Castle, which have impressive gardens and art galleries. Some castles even offer night tours for a more unique and romantic adventure. Speaking of romance and fairy tales, why not attend a ball during your holidays in Czech Republic? Although some balls are restricted to corporate employees and special guests, many balls are open to the public, which means you and your partner can join other couples in dressing up and dancing until dawn.

You should also spend some time in Prague, which is not just the capital of Czech Republic but also one of the most romantic cities in the world. Rent a rowboat for two and cruise along the Vltava River or take a cable car to the top of Petrin Hill. You can also ride a horse-drawn carriage through the streets of Old Town or take a romantic stroll under the authentic gaslight. Aside from Prague, you can also spend some of your holidays in Czech Republic at Cesky Krumlov or Telc, which are two of the most picturesque towns in Czech Republic. These medieval towns are also UNESCO World Heritage Sites for their carefully preserved houses and streets.

For a taste of the outdoors, you can go hiking on one of the Czech rock formations, particularly the Bohemian Paradise. You can go horse-riding or cycling, too, or even go for a ride in a hot air balloon. If you’d rather relax, though, you can undergo spa treatments together at Karlovy Vary where many celebrities go for their wellness holidays. You can relax while listening to a concert of classical music, too. Indeed, with so many sights to see and things to do, you’re sure to enjoy your romantic holidays in Czech Republic so that you can go home with a smile on your lips and lots of warm memories to cherish together for years to come.

Other familiar department stores of interest would include Debenhams, Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Kotva, and C&A Department Store. The famed Bohemian crystal, porcelain, and hand-blown Moser glass can be found in stores in Old Town. There are also a large number of antique stores offering antique watches and jewelry, paintings, historical glass and china.

Handcrafted jewelry can be purchased at specialty stores like Blue Rabbit, where it is said that no two pieces look exactly alike. Czech garnets, which should come with a certificate of authenticity, are easily available at stores around the city. Another interesting Prague souvenir is the marionette. They come in all manner of sizes and quality and the prices vary accordingly. They can be gifted as toys to children or even as showpieces to adults since they make good conversation starters.

The open air market in Holesovice is a shopper’s paradise due to the wide availability of bargains in a single location. Heavy bargaining will solicit some major discounts, particularly if more than a single item is being purchased. The stalls offer watches, clothing, shoes and boots, handbags, knives and swords, perfume, and jewelry. A number of Chinese takeaway stalls offer good food at low prices here.

For those interested in wrought iron handicrafts, blacksmiths in the Old Town Square work within view of the public. One simply has to make a request and the item will be forged right there. Prices vary according to the item.For a glimpse of art in action, take a walk down Charles Bridge, where artists have their works on display. The most popular of these are the watercolor renderings of the landscape, all of which are done in minute detail. Best of all, you can bargain for and buy your favorite paintings.

Prague has become a popular location for filming movies, as the city did not suffer much destruction in World War II. The city is often used to replicate Amsterdam and London. Prague hosts numerous cultural events and has many theaters. The “Black Light Theater” is a prominent feature of the cultural events that take place in the city and the art form is believed to have originated in Prague.

Popular property investment areas include Mala Strana, Stare Mesto and Nove Mesto. Property in Prague is charming with the medieval features of the ancient city. Visitors find cobbled roads, ancient courtyards and a couple of ancient castles. The city is lively and young. The social nightlife may last in to the wee hours of the morning and the younger generations are particularly drawn to Prague. The city has an excellent transportation system and the historic Charles Bridge joins the two parts of the city together in classic medieval style.

Overseas property investors looking for hard evidence that Czech Republic is a great place to invest need to follow the path of the big multi nationals. The Czech Republic capital Prague has been swamped by a large number of international businesses. They have been attracted to the region for several reasons. These include the business friendly regulations, large English speaking and educated work force and a good environment to work.

The communist era has left suburbs of Prague with inadequate and poorly built housing. The increasing wealth of the Czech national means they will no longer accept these poor living conditions and the demand for new housing is on its way up. Estimates show that nearly one third of Prague’s population need re-housing and experts in the region indicate that up to 15000 new homes need to be completed annually to 2010 to satisfy demand.

Prague has also been popular as a place for overseas property investors to purchase flats and studio apartments for rental to tourists, as the beauty of Prague makes visitors want to stay for longer than three days and two nights. There are numerous homes being sold for the purpose of vacation and holiday homes. Prague is also enjoying one of the most vigorous residential housing markets on the continent.

A stroll through the Old City past Powder Tower (1475), the old town hall and other equally marvellous baroque architectural masterpieces leads to the Charles Bridge, one of the most photographed in the world. Prague Castle was created on the Hradshin River by a landowner called Premysl around 870, and Prague soon became the epicentre of the House of Premysl. Vratislav I, the first Bohemian monarch, transfered the royal residence to Vysehrad Castle in 1085, probably due to a power struggle with his sibling, Bishop Jaromir. Prague Castle remained the seat of the bishops of Prague for decades. The Cathedral of St. Vitus, another early building, is also located on the castle grounds.

Prague grows.

Protected by the two castles, an influx of German and Jewish merchants and local craftsmen led to rapid expansion on both sides of the Muldau River. The largest fortified area was near the already ancient Prague Castle. Prague received its city charter in 1234 from King Wenceslas I, who made it his primary residence. Shortly thereafter, the ”New Town” districts of Mala Strana and Hradshin were ffounded. The fourteenth century brought yet more prosperity to Prague. In 1348 the first university in central Europe was founded here, Charles University, named after Emperor Charles IV. In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Prague was ravaged by two religious wars. The Hussite Wars (1419 1437) and the Thirty Years War (1618 1648) left deep scars.

The events that set off both of these conflicts took place in Prague. These include the famous ”defenestrations”, in which Catholic officials and dignitaries were thrown out of windows by dissenters, the first time by Hussites, followers of rebel reformer Jan Hus, and later by Protestants, setting off the Thirty Years War. The victims of the first defenestration did not fall far, but landed in the arms of a mob waiting outside to lynch them. The second time was from an upper story, but the Catholics were saved because they fell into a heap of garbage. From the Catholic viewpoint, divine intervention had intervened. The two long, debilitating conflicts slaughtered hundreds of thousands, setting back growth for many years. Like other afflicted cities, Prague lost most of its international prominence during this time.

Prague Spring.

In 1945, Prague became the capital of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia. Communist leadership caused a deep seated financial crisis: the Soviet central planning bureau contributed to nearly complete economic stagnation. In the spring of 1968, public criticism grew and much of the population became increasingly disenchanted. Street demonstrations of the ”Prague Spring” were news all over the earth. Ultimately, power struggles within the ruling party led to the invasion of Prague by Warsaw Pact troops on 21 August 1968, and the brief period of expression was ruthlessly extinguished.

It would be 1989 before Prague separated itself from Russian control, and in 1993 was named capital of an independent Czech Republic. As well being its history, today Prague is also a center of culture. There are many theaters, museums and galleries, and the cities hosts film, music, writers and fashion festivals and shows. Because of its culture and historical heritage, is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, and the sixth most visited European city after London, Paris, Rome, Madrid and Berlin.

You may wonder what s the significance of celebrating Easter in Czech Republic that it has to be mentioned here. Easter is a big part of their culture. Colorful lights are all over the country during the holidays as well as streamers, coloured eggs, and stalls with traditional food. Though the biggest celebrations is in Prague where they set up Easter markets on the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. Stage are also set up where performances and concerts are held. Painters also showcase their art and egg painting skills.

Other interesting traditions to watch during the Easter holiday is that boys lightly whip the girls with the traditional Easter whip made of twigs and ribbons. This is to ensure the health of the girls. Open air museums around the country are some of the things you shouldn’t miss in your holiday vacation like the Wallachian Open Air Museum that put on shows for Easter. There are also countless castles in the country if you want to have a fairytale holiday. They have almost become a tourist spot, so expect to pay a small entrance fee. Nevertheless the castles are really beautiful and the neo Gothic Sychrov Chateau also has a traditional Easter market and exhibition.

The music and spirituality is another thing to look forward to on your spring holidays at the Czech Republic. There is the Easter Concerts, which is a series of shows that takes place in the Basilica of St. James. Included in this show are the choir and organ music. Several Czech museums and galleries also set up various exhibitions during the holidays. You should check the wonderful exhibitions at the national gallery in Prague as well. Then aside from those exhibits, you will surely enjoy the abundance of food in Czech Republic. There are coffee houses and cafes that offer decadent foods that are totally irresistible.

You can book yourself into a castle or a chateau if you want a more romantic holiday. Then you can visit Prague s romantic spots with its amazing towers, castles and parks. Then go to a Czech spa to relax and pamper yourself. If you are planning for your upcoming holiday vacation, then start looking for cheap holiday packages to Czech Republic. You will never regret choosing it as your holiday destination because you will surely enjoy your stay and will have a memorable holiday in this wonderful country.You can surely have fantastic vacations in the Czech Republic, exploring its historic towns, castles, chateaux, churches, and monasteries. The Czech Republic certainly is a wonderful vacation destination offering everything that you expect from a perfect vacation destination.

As is with every wedding ceremony, reception and celebration, the focus is the bride and the Czech Republic weddings are no different. Czech Republic brides have to follow the old adage wearing something new, something old, something borrowed, and something blue. In a Czech wedding ceremony, a bride wears the garter to signify something blue, something that will come in handy as the day wears on. The part about wearing something borrowed stems from wearing a piece from a friend who is already married. The friend does not have to be the same nationality just married a very important trait in the Czech tradition. The last two points, something old, has to come from a family heirloom, possibly jewellery or a veil, all depending and something new is something that the bride wants to symbolize and a new beginning in hers and her husbands life.

As is the case with most marriages, a Czech wedding has most of its traditions take place at the reception. And to get the festivities started at the reception, someone designated within the wedding party breaks a plate to not only signal the beginning of the party, but to introduce the bride and groom and to symbolize happiness. Cute things that take place in a Czech wedding are that the bride and groom share many dining things together, they eat soup together, there is only one spoon only so symbolically, and they are forced into each other together. This symbolizes that they are united and that they have to compromise for the good of the both of them. Another fun tradition is several hours into the party, the friends of the groom kidnap the bride and hide, the groom has to quickly find his bride and if he fails to do so in a certain period of time, the groom has to buy the bride back from his friends, this symbolizes that the groom has to take care of his precious wife forever.

When a wedding is organized in Toronto it is generally regarded as a multi-cultural occasion. Therefore, many couples choose to a blend of various traditions during their marriage. This is also known as the Czech republic weddings. It is basically a lot different from the Greek and Italian weddings. A Czech Republic wedding in many ways is no different from a Greek wedding or an Italian wedding, however, in so many ways a Czech Republic wedding is so different from a Greek wedding and an Italian wedding, and it is the subtleness of those differences that makes traditional weddings in the most multi cultural of settings and cities so different and so beautiful.