The Czech Republic (formerly known as Bohemia and then partly Czechoslovakia for a while) was, once upon a time, a dazzling destination where European Royals and Heads of State mingled amidst the glitzy pazazz of Prague or the Bohemian (literally) luxury of the brightly painted spa resorts on the Czech-German border. There was a slight break in all this gaiety during the communist era when certain pastimes (including golf) were banned as capitalist indulgences, but thankfully luxury service has now been resumed!
If you are looking for a golf holiday off the beaten track then the Czech Republic offers just that: few golfers at your home Club will have played here or even considered it but we can assure you that it is well worth the trip. As yet the Czech Republic is broadly undiscovered as a European golf holiday destination (in the British Isles at least) yet it has some great golf courses to play and a lot more to offer besides.
For a spa and golf holiday, the Czech Republic makes the ideal destination. The spa towns in the Czech Republic are strikingly different, with a pleasant whiff of post-communist decadence and golf courses are in good supply with a nice mix of old and new Golf Clubs.
Towns like Karlovy Vary and Mariánské Láznê (aka Marienbad) sit very close to the German border and their Teutonic past is still quite clear today.
These old imperial spa towns have enjoyed a renaissance since Eastern Europe opened up to the West and an influx of tourists with a loose grip on their holiday money. There are some amazing Spa buildings (some dating from the Roman era), now returned to their former glory, hotels refurbished, towns tidied and there is a good buzz about the place once again.
The Czechian capital has a plethora of good golf courses scattered around the city and an awful lot of other attractions within the city (despite its stag party/hen do reputation!). We shall be reviewing all the courses shortly and finding the right hotels for you golf holiday: watch this space!
Easily the most relaxing part of Czechia. The spa towns on the western frontier with Germany - Karlovy Vary and Marienbad - offer palatial spa hotels and all manner of hot/cold/sulphurous/salty waters to be taken internally or externally or just gazed at like the old geezers staring at the old geysers in the centre of town. There are five golf courses to choose from within an hour's drive of either town, including the stately old forest course of Royal Marienbad.
Dishes are predominantly hearty and rustic, quite Germanic in many ways with lots of meat, lots of potatoes, lots of cabbage and frequently a few dumplings to boot! The quality is good however and generally very good value too. Finer dining is also making inroads these days and many of the Czech hotels and restaurants are now offering an alternative, more delicate, style of cuisine with some adventurous Czech chefs leading the culinary way. There are good value wines available too and don’t overlook the fact that the Czech Republic is allegedly the birthplace of beer! There are numerous ales, lagers and pilsners to try; all in moderation of course.
The Czech language is pretty impenetrable, but the folk are very friendly; everyone will make the effort to understand and help. In any case, more and more English is spoken these days, particularly in hotels and restaurants. Unsurprisingly due to their history,most of the locals speak the second language: German. So if you have a few words or more of German they may come in very handy (depending on their provenance!).
