Czech Republic

The country I grew up calling Czechoslovakia (until the peaceful split in 1993), the Czech Republic has been one of my favourite holiday places in the world and certainly in Europe. I’d happily put Prague right top of a European bucket list. In fact, I strongly recommend you have a read of my list of things to do in Prague. This landlocked country might not be able to offer sandy beaches and blue waters, but it can certainly offer you culture, incredibly friendly people and the best beer in the world! I’m not kidding, Czech beer is by far the best in the world, hands down. Where do you start? Maybe with Staropramen, or with Pilsner. The original Budweiser can offer a great story of legal trade rights and how they developed their flavour. Kozel is another which is becoming popular over here in the UK, while Gambrinus is fast growing. I could keep writing for hours about the different beers on offer, but all I’ll say is it is worth trying a few, especially as some are purely brewed and sold in Prague, meaning you cannot get them anywhere else in the world! But the locals will be able to offer advice on the subject, considering they have the highest beer consumption per capita in the entire world. You can also feel assured when walking around town, with the Czech Republic rated as the sixth safest country in the world, enhanced by the lack of wars or territorial confrontations. I hope I cause no offence when I say this comment, but I also liked the fact that it is the country that has the highest percentage of atheists of anywhere in the world, another reason for the lack of conflict and wars.