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Historic square facades lit at dusk with cobblestones

Czechia travel guide

A landlocked country of old-town squares, castles and beer halls, best explored on foot

Best: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Photo: skitz_cz / Pixabay

Capital
Prague
Languages
Czech, Slovak
Currency
Czech koruna
Time zone
UTC+01:00
Plugs
Type C, E · 230 V
Driving
On the right
Emergency
112
Entry
EU and Schengen area

Why visit Czechia

Czechia suits travellers who want historic cities without a coastline agenda: Prague's castle district, Brno's squares, Olomouc's quieter lanes and the spa town of Karlovy Vary are all easy to combine by train. June through September is the best window, with August and September offering the steadiest conditions. The honest limitation: Czechia is landlocked, so there's no beach option to fall back on if a city visit feels like enough.

  • A landlocked country of castles and cities

    Czechia packs 10903655 people into 78865 square kilometres, with Prague, the capital, home to nearly 1397880 residents. The country has no coastline, so its draw is cities, hills and historic towns instead of beaches.

  • Prague beyond the crowds

    Prague is the main draw, but Brno, the second city with 402739 people, offers a quieter base with its own old town and university life. Both cities list September, August and July among their best months to visit.

  • Spa towns inland

    Karlovy Vary, a spa town of 49073 people, sits away from the capital and keeps the same summer-into-autumn sweet spot, with June through September rated its best months.

  • A reliable summer-to-autumn window

    Across the whole country, September, August, June and July come out as the best months to travel. Prague, Brno, Plzeň, Olomouc and Karlovy Vary all share this same stretch, making it easy to plan a multi-city trip without worrying about mismatched seasons.

  • Compact distances, varied stops

    With a total area of 78865 square kilometres, Czechia is small enough to combine several cities in one trip. Plzeň, with about 187928 people, and Olomouc, with roughly 103063, both add smaller-scale alternatives to Prague and Brno within the same travel season.

Is Czechia right for you?

Great for

  • City-break travellers who want Prague's historic centre without a coastline
  • Summer visitors who like warm days: July highs average 26.2°C
  • Travellers who enjoy mild, sunny shoulder seasons: September gets 9.1 sun hours a day with only 8.5 rain days
  • Inland-Europe road trips linking Prague, Brno, Plzeň and Olomouc
  • Spa and wellness travellers heading to Karlovy Vary

Less ideal for

  • Beach holidaymakers, since Czechia is landlocked with no coastal cities
  • Travellers who dislike grey winters: December to February highs stay below 7°C with under 6 sun hours a day
  • Sun-seekers visiting outside June to September, when sun hours drop below 7 a day

Czechia right now: November

2.2/10
Avg high
9°C
Avg low
2°C
Rain days
10

Averages for Prague.

Weather by month

Based on data for Prague, the best months run from May to September, with September standing out at 21°C highs, lower rainfall around 56mm and plenty of sun. January and December are the toughest, with highs near 3-5°C, lows below freezing and only around 4 hours of sun a day.

Average highs and lows in Prague by month January: high 4°C, low -2°C , 12 rain days . February: high 7°C, low -1°C , 10 rain days . March: high 10°C, low 1°C , 10 rain days . April: high 15°C, low 4°C , 10 rain days . May: high 20°C, low 9°C , 12 rain days . June: high 25°C, low 14°C , 12 rain days . July: high 26°C, low 16°C , 11 rain days . August: high 26°C, low 16°C , 11 rain days . September: high 21°C, low 11°C , 9 rain days . October: high 15°C, low 7°C , 11 rain days . November: high 9°C, low 2°C , 10 rain days . December: high 5°C, low 0°C , 11 rain days . 4°C -2°C JAN 12d 7°C -1°C FEB 10d 10°C 1°C MAR 10d 15°C 4°C APR 10d 20°C 9°C MAY 12d 25°C 14°C JUN 12d 26°C 16°C JUL 11d 26°C 16°C AUG 11d 21°C 11°C SEP 9d 15°C 7°C OCT 11d 9°C 2°C NOV 10d 5°C 0°C DEC 11d
Best months Other months (low–high) Nd = rain days

Prague · averages 2015–2024

Best time to visit Czechia: month-by-month weather →

Sample itineraries

7 days

Prague, Karlovy Vary and Plzeň in a week

  1. Day 1–3

    Prague

    Spend your first days in the capital, home to around 1397880 people. Walk the old streets, see the castle area and cross the river on foot, with good weather in September, August, July or May.

  2. Day 4–5

    Karlovy Vary

    Move on to this spa town of about 49073 residents. Walk along the colonnades and try the warm mineral springs the town is known for, best visited June to September.

  3. Day 6–7

    Plzeň

    Finish in Plzeň, a city of roughly 187928 people. Explore the historic brewing quarter and the main square, with pleasant conditions in May, June, August or September.

10 days

Five cities across Czechia in ten days

  1. Day 1–3

    Prague

    Start in the capital, population around 1397880. Take time to see the castle district, the old town and the riverside, with warm, dry weather typical in May, July, August and September.

  2. Day 4–5

    Karlovy Vary

    Head to Karlovy Vary, a spa town of about 49073 people. Walk the colonnades and sample the thermal springs, with the best months running from June to September.

  3. Day 6–7

    Plzeň

    Continue to Plzeň, home to roughly 187928 residents. Visit the brewing district and wander the main square, ideally in May, June, August or September.

  4. Day 8

    Olomouc

    Make a short stop in Olomouc, a city of about 103063 people. See the main square with its tall column, best visited June through September.

  5. Day 9–10

    Brno

    End the trip in Brno, Czechia's second-largest city with around 402739 residents. Explore the old town and the hilltop fortress, with good weather from June to September.

Food to try in Czechia

Svíčková na smetaně

This is beef sirloin in a creamy vegetable sauce, served with bread dumplings and a dollop of cranberry sauce. It's a classic Sunday lunch dish found in restaurants across Czechia.

Vepřo knedlo zelo

Roast pork with bread dumplings and braised sauerbraut cabbage. It's one of the most common home-style meals you'll find on pub menus nationwide.

Goulash (guláš)

A thick beef stew with onions and paprika, usually served with dumplings or bread. You'll find it on nearly every pub menu, often as a hearty winter meal.

Trdelník

A sweet pastry rolled in sugar and nuts, cooked over an open flame until crisp. It's sold from street stalls in Prague's old town, especially popular with visitors.

Czech beer (pivo)

Czechia is known for pilsner-style lager, brewed in towns like Plzeň. Beer is drunk throughout the day in pubs and is a central part of social life.

Smažený sýr

A slab of cheese, breaded and deep-fried, served with tartar sauce and fries or bread. It's a popular fast-food style dish found at kiosks and pubs.

Know before you go

  • Currency: Czechia uses the Czech koruna, not the euro. Some tourist spots in Prague accept euros, but you'll get a better deal paying in koruna.
  • Language: Czech is the official language. Slovak is also spoken and widely understood, since the two languages are close. English is common in tourist areas but less so outside them.
  • Plugs and voltage: Czechia runs on 230 V with type C and E plugs. Bring an adapter if your home sockets look different.
  • Driving side: Traffic drives on the right. Keep this in mind if you're renting a car and used to driving on the left.
  • Emergency number: Dial 112 for any emergency in Czechia. This number works across the European Union.
  • Calling code: Czechia's international calling code is +420. You'll need it when dialing a Czech number from abroad.
  • Time zone: Czechia runs on UTC+01:00, the same zone as most of Central Europe, so clocks align with neighbours like Germany, Austria, and Poland.

Czechia: frequently asked questions

Is Czechia good to visit in August?

Yes, August is one of the best months, scoring 7.9 out of 10. Prague highs reach 26°C and lows sit near 15.7°C. It's also the wettest month, with 81 mm of rain over 10.6 days, so pack for occasional showers between sunny spells.

What is the best month to visit Czechia?

September scores highest at 8.2 out of 10. It combines warm days (21.1°C high, 11.4°C low) with fewer rain days, just 8.5, and the lowest of the summer-autumn stretch. August, June and July follow closely, all scoring 7.7 or higher.

Is Czechia cold in winter?

Yes. December and January are the coldest months, with January lows averaging -1.8°C and highs of only 3.8°C. Sun hours drop to around 4 a day, and both months score 1.6 out of 10, the lowest ratings of the year.

Is Czechia good to visit in April?

April is rated good, scoring 6.3 out of 10. Daytime highs reach 14.8°C and lows average 4.3°C, with 9.7 rain days and 40 mm of rain. It's milder than winter but still cooler than the May to September peak season.

What is the weather like in Prague in October?

October is rated ok, scoring 5.9 out of 10. Highs average 15.3°C and lows 7.2°C, with 53 mm of rain spread over 10.7 days. Sun hours fall to 6.4 a day as the country shifts toward autumn conditions.

What currency and language does Czechia use?

Czechia uses the Czech koruna as its currency, and Czech is the main language, alongside Slovak. The capital is Prague. Electrical plugs are types C and E at 230 V, and the emergency number nationwide is 112.

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