“Prague can be one of the
best value places to see first- rate opera performances at a fraction of the price it would cost in nearby Vienna”
PATRICK MILLAR, MARKETING MANAGER KIRKER HOLIDAYS
Czech it out
Prague has long been a favourite choice for a European city break and is now more affordable than it has been for several years, but there are attractions aplenty beyond the Czech Republic’s capital, says Dave Richardson
M
any people return from a visit to Prague thinking it’s the most wonderful city in Europe, and a
healthy number go back time after time. The challenge for agents is to offer something
different, and Czech Tourism is redoubling its efforts to get repeat visitors to see more of this small but fascinating country. Two-thirds of the estimated eight million
international visitors per annum don’t venture beyond the capital, but there is a powerful added incentive to do so this year as Pilsen has been nominated European Capital of Culture 2015. The town is internationally renowned as the birthplace of the type of beer known as pils or Pilsen, with the Pilsen Urquell brewery being the best-known of many brands with the pils name. This is a year of major opportunities for Pilsen, which had already been chosen as one of the top 10 European destinations for 2014 by Lonely Planet. Not only tourists but congress and conference organisers are beating a path to Pilsen, which can be reached in only about one hour from Prague. Over 600 special events are planned throughout this year including contemporary circus, concerts, theatre and dance. Another good reason to visit the Czech
Republic this year is its phenomenal good value, as proved by the latest Post Offi ce Travel Money Holiday Money Report. This predicts strong demand for most Eurozone destinations due to the strength of sterling, but it singles out Prague as offering the best value destination in the world with a typical
sellingtravel.co.uk
basket of holiday purchases costing £35.29 – ahead of nearest rivals the Algarve, Bulgaria and Spain’s Costa del Sol. It was also cheapest for a three-course meal with wine for two, this costing only £21.28 according to the survey. With a wide choice of low-cost fl ights and a range of hotels from the simple and comfortable to the truly luxurious, the Czech Republic is set to be a star performer this year - but the challenge to get people out of Prague remains a tricky one. This is despite attractions ranging from the
elegant spa towns of western Bohemia to the wine-producing region of South Moravia and the Krkonose mountains in the north-east. Regent Holidays is one of the operators
offering fl y-drive holidays for the more adventurous, with stops made in the spa towns of Karlovy Vary and Marianske
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