Explore magical Český Krumlov

Český Krumlov is a small city in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, best known for the fine architecture and art of the historic old town and Český Krumlov Castle. 

Old Český Krumlov is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was given this status along with the historic Prague castle district.
The city is named Český Krumlov ("Bohemian Krumlov") to differentiate it from Moravský Krumlov ("Moravian Krumlov") in the southeast of the country.

Construction of the town and castle began in the late 13th century at a ford in the Vltava River, which was important in trade routes in Bohemia.
In 1302 the town and castle were owned by the House of Rosenberg. Emperor Rudolf II bought Krumlov in 1602 and gave it to his natural son Julius d’Austria. From 1719 until 1945 the castle belonged to the House of Schwarzenberg. 

Most of the architecture of the old town and castle dates from the 14th through 17th centuries; the town's structures are mostly in Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles. The core of the old town is within a horseshoe bend of the river, with the old Latrán neighborhood and castle on the other side of the Vltava.

Český Krumlov Castle is unusually large for a town of Krumlov's size. Within the Czech Republic it is second in extent only to the Hradčany castle complex of Prague. Inside its grounds are a large garden, an extensive bridge over a deep gap in the rock upon which the castle is built and the castle itself, which in turn consist of many defined parts dating from different periods of time. 

St. Vitus Cathedral (Kostel Sv. Víta) is a Gothic church dating back to the 15th century with frescoes from the same period. Český Krumlov Castle preserves its Baroque theatre, which was finished in 1766, complete with original stage machinery, scenery and props. Due to its age, the theatre is only used three times a year, when a Baroque opera is performed in simulated candlelight. 

Český Krumlov has also been used as filming locations for movies such as the 2006 films "The Illusionist" and "Hostel" as well as the 1970s German movie "Traumstadt".

Welcome to Prague - the city of churches

Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated on the Vltava River in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural and economic centre of the Czech state for more than 1,100 years.
Today, the city is home to about 1.2 million people.

The name Prague (in its various manifestations: Prague, Prag, Praha, Praga) appears in several geographic names also abroad: there is a Prague in Poland, which is a suburb of Warsaw. In Germany, by the River Ilz, which originates in the Šumava Mountains and runs into the Danube, lies the town of Prag. In the U.S.A., there are seven different Pragues in various states: the largest is New Prague in Minnesota, Prague in Oklahoma and also in Arkansas, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Nebraska and Texas. They were all founded by Czech immigrants.

Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the world-famous UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, making the city one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, receiving more than 4.1 million international visitors annually.

Prague is traditionally one of the cultural centers of Europe, hosting many cultural events. There are hundreds of concert halls, galleries, cinemas and music clubs in the city. Prague hosts Music Festivals including the Prague Spring International Music Festival, the Prague Autumn International Music Festival and the Prague International Organ Festival.
Film festivals include the Febiofest, the One World and Echoes of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Prague also hosts the Prague Writers' Festival, the Summer Shakespeare Festival, the Prague Fringe Festival, the World Roma Festival as well as hundreds of vernissages and fashion shows.

Introducing Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is situated in the center of Europe, sharing borders with Germany, Poland, Austria and Slovakia.
The country boasts an impressive total of twelve UNESCO World Heritage sites, among which are the historic center of Prague and the town of Český Krumlov.
Known personalities of European and world science and art such as Beethoven, Casanova, Einstein, Goethe, Kafka, and Mozart were influenced by or were in some way connected with Czech history.

The capital city Prague has a population of around 1,213,400 and is situated on hills overlooking the Vltava River. The historic Old Town, with its winding streets, is more than ten centuries old and centers around the Old Town Square with the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn and the Old Town Hall with the famous astronomical clock. Not far away is the Charles Bridge, one of the oldest stone bridges in Central Europe. Perched above the city sits Prague Castle, the ancient residence of the kings of Bohemia. Across from it is Petrin Hill, where you can have a stunning view of the city from the lookout point in the form of a smaller version of Paris' Eiffel Tower.

Influenced by German and Austro-Hungarian culinary heritage, Czech food features a great variety of dishes. Possibly the most traditional dish is the dumpling, a unique phenomenon of Czech cuisine. Once the main component of any meal in the Czech Republic, dumplings were used in replacement of meat and are still widely used in Czech dishes today, mostly in combination with a variety of tasty sauces and gravy.

Explore Dresden with Incantato Tours

Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area. 

The city has a long history as the capital and royal residence for the Electors and Kings of Saxony, who for centuries furnished the city with cultural and artistic splendour. It was completely destroyed by the controversial Allied aerial bombing towards the end of World War II. The impact of the bombing and 40 years of urban development during the East German socialist era have considerably changed the face of the city. Some restoration work has helped to reconstruct parts of the historic inner city, including the Katholische Hofkirche, the Semperoper and the Dresdner Frauenkirche. Since the German reunification in 1990, Dresden has re-emerged as a cultural, educational, political and economic centre of Germany. 

The Elbe Valley of Dresden was an internationally recognised site of cultural significance by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for five years. After being placed on the list of endangered World Heritage Sites in 2006, the city had its status as world heritage site formally removed in June 2009, for the wilful breach of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, due to the construction of a highway bridge across the valley within 2 km of the historic centre. It thereby became the first location ever in Europe to lose this status, and the second ever in the world.

Leipzig, the city of heroes and music

Leipzig, with a population of approximately 519,000, is the largest city in the federal state of Saxony, Germany. Since the 17th century, Leipzig has reigned as a major European center of learning and culture, thriving especially in the fields of music, astronomy, and optics.
It later played a crucial role in the fall of communism in Eastern Germany. Following the Reunification of Germany, Leipzig underwent significant change with the restoration of historical buildings and the development of a modern transportation infrastructure.

First documented in the 1015, Leipzig has fundamentally shaped by the history of Saxony and the nation of Germany. The city has always held a reputation as a place of great commerce. The Leipzig Trade Fair remains the oldest, and most internationally important, trade fair in the world since its beginning in the Middle Ages.

Leipzig probably receives most of its international recognition, however, for its rich and diverse musical history. Johann Sebastian Bachfamously worked in Leipzig from 1723 to 1750. 1813 marked the birth of composer Richard Wagner in Leipzig.Felix Mendelssohn established Germany’s first conservatory of music in Leipzig in 1843, and personally invited Robert Schumann to study there. Gustav Mahler served as conductor at the Leipzig Theater from 1886 to 1888 where he received great acclamation for completing and presenting Carl Maria von Weber’s opera “Die Drei Pintos.”
The conservatory is now theUniversity of Music and Theater, offering students a broad variety of both performance and education studies in all orchestral instruments, voice, interpretation, coaching, piano chamber music, orchestral and choral conducting, and composition. Musical styles studied at the University include jazz, popular, musical theater, classical, and sacred.
The city’s musical tradition is also reflected in the worldwide fame of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and the choir of the St. Thomas Church. Leipzig has offered for the past sixty years the country’s oldest “School Concert” program, presenting more than 140 concerts annually, educating and inspiring over 40,000 children through music.

Leipzig hosts a multitude of annual cultural events throughout the year, including an a capella vocal music festival, Bachfest in honor of Johann Sebastian Bach, the city’s famous holiday Christmas Market, Jazztage Contemporary Jazz Festival, Stadtfest City Festival, and the Pop-Up Independent Music Trade Fair and Festival.

Buzzing Berlin - An Incantato Favorite

Founded in the 13th century, Berlin has had an eventful history. Excavations from 2008 suggest that the city may be even older than was previously assumed: state archaeologists have discovered an oak beam that probably dates back to 1183.
Almost no other metropolis in the world has experienced such frequent, radical change transforming the face of the city. Although Berlin saw steady growth in its importance, dazzling epochs alternated with darker eras. Nevertheless, the formerly divided city has succeeded in becoming a vibrant metropolis in the heart of Europe, which re-invents itself constantly.

The special mix of historic sights and modern architecture of the 20th and 21st centuries is what fascinates visitors from around the world. Whether museums or galleries, gastronomy or entertainment, music or fashion, there are so many new things to experience in the German capital. It is this diversity, the contrasts between the eastern and western parts of the city and the inexhaustible potential of the German capital that make this city so attractive. There is a broad spectrum of art, culture, music, entertainment and shopping.

Historical highlights of the city include the Brandenburg Gate, the most famous trademark of Berlin.Reichstag, the German Parliament, with its glass dome roof and panoramic view is a popular visitor destination to catch a great birdseye view of the city. Museum Island, a complex of five world-renowned museums and also a UNESCO World Heritage site. And the Potsdam Square, one of the most popular attractions of Berlin.