West Bohemian Crystal Glass
The whole region of
West Bohemia around
Karlovy Vary, a world-famous spa, has been known for its
glass products for several centuries. Only a fraction of the original manufacturers and factories that used to produce
Bohemian crystal glass have been preserved due to the political and economic development in the 20
th century. Today, you can admire crystal glass thanks to the production of the
Moser Company, based directly in Karlovy Vary. Would you like a sparkling crystal vase, or a minimalist accessory? This company with 160 years of tradition offers both. All you have to do is choose.
Prague Puppets
It would not be a visit to the Czech Republic without seeing puppets in a souvenir shop!
Puppetry in the Czech Republic has a very long history and it is
still a living art here. In 2017, puppetry was registered in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. Even though puppet shows are mostly played for children, it is never too late to return to your childhood and remember stories full of kings, princesses, dragons and jesters! If you visit
Prague,
you simply have to bring a puppet home.
Moravian Wine
Moravia, particularly its
southern part along the border with Austria and Slovakia, is a region where grapevines grow very well. It is
the warmest region of the Czech Republic and so there are hundreds of hectares of high quality vineyards, namely in the areas around
Znojmo,
Mikulov or
Uherské Hradiště. If you accept an invitation to South Moravia, one of the obligatory stops is in one of the Moravian “cellars”. The local wines are also well known abroad and every year they receive
awards in the most prestigious competitions. Typical varieties are Pálava, or green Veltliner. Go ahead and taste some. You will not regret it.
Gingerbread of Pardubice
East Bohemia is a land full of
historical places and
sights, such as
Litomyšl with a chateau registered in the UNESCO cultural heritage list, or the area of the Baroque hospital in
Kuks.
Hradec Králové and
Pardubice are two centres of East Bohemia. The latter is well known for its specialty: the
gingerbread of Pardubice. It is a
long-lasting treat full of honey and spices. It is traditionally made from rye flour and decorated with complicated patterns made from sugar icing. It is given as a gift or a token of thanks and so you will often find words such as
Mamince (to mom) or
Děkuji (thank you) on the gingerbread. Buy some for your family!
PRIM – a watch with tradition
We will stay in
East Bohemia a bit longer. In
Nové Město nad Metují, there is an operating
watch manufacturer, one of the few that still makes watches manually based on traditional methods. That means that the watches do not contain any cheap mechanisms from Asia, but the complete watch, including the mechanism, is
manufactured in the local factory. It is not a cheap souvenir to take home from the Czech Republic, but on the other hand, you can be sure that you have bought a product of
honest craftsmanship. Today, you can buy watch models that have been manufactured for more than 70 years.
