Czechoslovakia's "Velvet
Revolution" in November 1989
was probably the most unequivocably
positive of eastern Europe's
anti-Communist upheavals, as the
Czechs and Slovaks shrugged off 41
years of Communist rule without a
shot being fired. But the euphoria
and unity of those first few months
evaporated more quickly than anyone
could have imagined. Just three
years on, the country split into two
separate states: the Czech Republic
and Slovakia. The Czechs - always
the most urbane, agnostic and
liberal of the Slav nations - have
fared well, although they are now
having to contend with growing
unemployment and an increasing cost
of living.
Almost untouched by the wars of
the twentieth century, the capital, Prague
, is justifiably one of the most
popular destinations in Europe. An
incredibly beautiful city with a
wealth of architecture, from Gothic
cathedrals and Baroque palaces to
Art Nouveau cafés and Cubist
villas, it's also a lively meeting
place for young people from all over
Europe. The rolling countryside of Bohemia
is swathed in forests and studded
with well-preserved medieval towns
and castles, especially in the south
around Ceské Budejovice . In
the west, you'll find the old
watering-holes of the European
aristocracy, the spa towns of Karlovy
Vary and Mariánské Lázne
. The country's eastern province, Moravia
, is every bit as beautiful, only
less touristed. Olomouc is
the most attractive town here, but Brno
, the regional capital, has its own
peculiar pleasures.
