Old Europe is a marvelous part of the world. And our motherland is situated in the very heart of it. We know a lot about European countries, as we travel we learn. You will learn without realizing it as you travel this summer. But remember a lot of European visitors will come to see our country, its historical towns and natural beauties. There are a lot of interesting spots which are worth visiting, a lot of original regional specialties which are worth enyoing.

CASTLES
Castles are considered witnesses of history. Think of the castle nearest to where you live. There are some famous castles in my region. These castles all house collections of arts and crafts – arms, paintings and sculptures, furniture, glass and china, libraries and hunting trophies.

IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC :
PRAGUE CASTLE - Is the dominant building in the capital. It is seat of the president and it houses many historical collections.
KARLSTEIN CASTLE – is the pearl of Bohemian castles. It is one of the most out standing historical monuments in the Czech Republic. It was built by Charles IV as a royal castle.
KRIVOKLAT – a gothic castle used for royal hunts. There are collections of gothic paintings and sculptures and a library.
LEDNICE – ORIGINALLY A gothic castle, rebuilt in a Baroque style. It is a famous for its magnificent park with a large conservatory.

IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC :
BOJNICE – one of the most beautiful castles. You know it from our fairy – tale films. A festival of ghosts takes place there every year. It is a Gothic castle with rich collections and a museum.
DEVIN CASTLE – is a national monument. The Gothic castle was built on the site of a Roman Fortress called Dowina. In the 9th century it was an important castle of the Great Moravian Empire.
BRATISLAVA CASTLE – dominates the capital. It houses many historical collections.