The Czech Republic is geographically situated in the center of Europe.  Czechs like to think of their country as ?the bridge between East and West.?  Bordering Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria, the country has always been an important cultural crossroad.

The Czech people suffered under Hitler?s rule and subsequently under Stalin?s regime that converted the Czech Republic into a Soviet satellite. In 1968, a more liberalized government began experimenting with ?Socialism with a human face.?  These efforts were promptly crushed by Soviet tanks in what became known as ?the Prague Spring.?  Late in 1989, emboldened by the sweeping political changes taking throughout Central and Eastern Europe, hundreds of Czechs took to the streets to demand political and economic freedom.

The city of Prague is also known as the ?City of 100 Spires.?  Its compact medieval centre remains an evocative maze of cobbled lanes, ancient courtyards, dark passages and churches beyond number, all watched over by an 1100-year-old castle.  Prague was one of the few European cities relatively untouched during the World Wars, allowing its historic architecture to stay true to form.  Prague is a traditional cultural center of Europe, hosting many cultural events and festivals.  It contains one of the world's most pristine and varied collections of architecture: Art Nouveau, Baroque, Renaissance, Cubist, Gothic, Neo-Classical and Ultra-Modern.  Some of the most best-known sights that you will have the opportunity to visit include Old Town Square (a market square since the 11th century), Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, Charles Bridge, the Jewish Quarter, and Wenceslaus Square. You may also enjoy listening to Anton Dvorak?s ?New World Symphony? in one of various concert halls around the city.