Jul 11 2008
Prague Nature and green spaces
Czech traditions play important role in the history of Czech culture. Small villages, especially in the Moravian-Silesian region, far away from big cities are full of tradtions and customs, where they remain as a sign of the cultural taste of the specific areas. Foreign visitors are happy to see traditional costumes that are increasingly popular among Czech people.
However there is a big difference between traditional Czech culture and life in cosmopolitan city Prague. For example, social norms that are normal in a small-town pub might not be appropriate in some fancy French restaurant in Prague.
Czechs like active holidays and doing sports in nature. Due to the beautiful and colorful nature, the Czech Republic has really ideal conditions for it. Nature beauty can be seen in the romantic valleys of the rivers, or in the mountains, which surround the country. There are many routes inside of the Czech Republic and the tourist or cycling routes to neighboring countries. Mountain climbers will be interested in the sandstone rocks, followers of winter sports in the mountains. Golf lovers also will find places for playing golf as there are seven eight-hole courses at their disposal. Horseback riders can enjoy horse ride and combine their hobby with a stay at a Czech farms.
There are also many various water areas in the Czech Republic, where you can relax or find a range of sports. Fishermen can catch fish in calm at tranquil lakes. You can find several dams around Czech Republic with good possibilities for swimming, bathing, water skiing or even windsurfing. Other very popular activity is running down the river. Interesting opportunities can be found in flying clubs. The clients can choose from sight seeing flights in balloons, sports airplanes or parachuting.
The Czech countryside consists of mountains, meadows and forests, rivers and bodies of water. The changing of the seasons and such diversity have helped to create a unique environment that is home to many rare species of plants and animal life. There are large and small protected areas in the whole Czech system of protected areas. Large protected areas consist of national parks and protected landscape areas covered under IUCN category V. Five of them have even been declared UNESCO biosphere reserves. Many of these areas are trans-boundary bilateral parks having their counterparts in neighboring countries, but some adjacent to the state boundary.
Czech capital Prague has numerous parks and gardens, both in and outside of the center, so there is always a peaceful place nearby to escape the crowds and noise of the city. Prague has a couple of natural preserved locations directly in the city, which makes it unique cosmopolitan city. There are a lot of the gardens in Prague’s historical center that have been restored, including the gardens below the Prague Castle.