Most people know the Czech Republic because of its beautiful capital, Prague. This city, sometimes called the "Paris of the 90s," attracts millions of tourists every year. Most of them, however, never extend their trip beyond the city limits, discovering little about the Czech countryside.

The Czech Republic has evolved from the Bohemian Kingdom, which was one of the wealthiest parts of the Holy Roman Empire. The Czech kings were legally not subordinated to the Roman Emperors, and the Czech nobility had the right to elect its king. Because of this influence, Czech noblemen were wealthy enough to build spectacular castles and, later, chateaux.

Several hundred of these magnificent structures still dot the picturesque Czech countryside. Let me take you on a brief tour around the fabled Bohemian Kingdom’s castles.

We leave Prague and head to the south, along the river Moldau, which inspired Bedrich Smetana to compose a world known symphony. After a couple of hours we arrive at Cesky Krumlov (pictured left), a town protected by UNESCO, with a castle standing on a cliff above the river. To enter, we have to cross the front yard protected by black bears. The castle, whose founding dates six centuries back, has a beautifully decorated tower and huge dungeons under its palaces. One of the rarities here is a bridge connecting the castle to its gardens, daringly built over a deep moat with several levels of roads constructed one on top of the other. The surrounding town offers many pastimes to spend a romantic couple of days.

Further south lies the largest castle ruin in the country, Rabi (pictured right). This castle can be seen from a distance because of its mighty defensive towers. The castle is famous because of a battle, which took place here in the early 1420s. In that time, the Czech lands were torn by the Hussite religious rebellion. The brilliant commander of the Hussite armies, that fought to achieve the reform of the Catholic church, lost an eye while directing a siege of this castle.

As we return north, passing several other chateaux, we arrive at Karlstejn (pictured left). This castle was built in the 1350s by Charles IV, a Czech King and a Holy Roman Emperor, to guard the coronation jewels of the kingdom. The castle is especially popular with tourists and is now undergoing extensive renovation. The chapel of the Holy Cross, located in the main defensive tower of the castle, has walls covered with golden plaster and semi-precious stones. The interior is also decorated by portraits of saints whose author is Maestro Theodoricus, a famous medieval painter. The castle, although besieged several times, was never conquered.

Our trip could go on for weeks. There are more than 2000 castles, chateaux and noble dwellings in Bohemia. If you are planning your first trip to the Czech Republic, make sure to leave some time to explore these architectural and cultural treasures found in the Bohemian and Moravian countryside. If you have been to Prague already, you know now that when you return, you will still have plenty to see.