Bohemia, the western region of the Czech Republic

A historical region in Central Europe, Bohemia conjures up fairytale images of castles nestled in green forests and luxurious spas, but this region is also home to some of the largest cities in the Czech Republic, including Prague. There are numerous museums, art galleries and theatres you can visit not only in the capital, but also in Budějovice and Pilsen, which was declared European Capital of Culture in 2015.

Already inhabited in Roman times, the scene of barbarian invasions by Germanic and Slavic tribes, Bohemia was colonised by the Slavic ancestors of the present Czech population in the 6th century and became an independent state within the Holy Roman Empire in the 10th century. It fell under Habsburg rule in 1526 and remained so until the end of World War I, with the creation of Czechoslovakia. It became part of the Czech Republic in 1993, following the referendum that divided this state from Slovakia.

A completely different story is the one involving the fresh water of this region, the main ingredient of the tasty beers produced here. The historic Pilsen Urquell brewery, where the world’s first blond lager was brewed, is a must-see for fans of beer tourism but also for the merely curious.