Introduction
Although for most visitors, Prague is the Czech Republic, there is far more to see and do throughout the country. Tourism is still in its infancy but the strides forward since the Velvet Revolution in 1989 have been remarkable. There are over 3000 castles, palaces and other historic monuments throughout the country. Equally characteristic are the country’s many important churches from the Gothic to the Baroque periods. Spas have been an important cultural phenomenon since the 19th century and, indeed, there are 176 spas in the country today. The Czech Republic has four National Parks, 24 Protected Landscape Areas, 113 National Nature Reserves, 453 Nature Reserves, 99 National Nature Monuments and 850 Nature Monuments, most of which have only been founded since 1990. The country is divided into two provinces: Bohemia in the west and Moravia in the east.
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