A large recreation area extends south of Prague along the rivers Vltava and Sázava. Many Praguers spend their weekends and holidays in their private weekend houses situated here. This area is also popular with hikers and fans of waters sports, from canoeing and kayaking to windsurfing. The tradition of camps with wooden chalets has still been preserved here.
Two of the most beautiful Bohemian castles – Karlštejn and Křivoklát – attract local tourists as well as foreign visitors. They are located in the centres of the two most significant natural reserves of the central Bohemia, the Protected landscape area Český kras (Bohemian Karst) and Křivoklátsko. The chateaux Konopiště, Dobříš, Český Šternberk (pictured here; click for a larger view) and Hořovice are also located near Prague. The surroundings of Prague are very diverse. The undulating, hilly northern area alternates with the plains to the east, the Brdy range extends in the south-west, the picturesque Posázaví area spreads out in the south-east and the Křivoklát Highlands extend in the west.
Transport accessibility
A dense network of highways and high-speed roads of the European system runs in all directions from Prague. The railway network includes high-speed railways as well as regional ones in the directions of: Kolín, Kralupy nad Vltavou, Beroun, Benešov, Kladno, Lysá nad Labem and Posázaví.