Worry-free life at the weekend house

When the previous regime restricted travel abroad, Czechs responded in their characteristically resourceful fashion by building weekend cottages all over the countryside and slowly fashioning them into peaceful oases where they could go for a reprieve, however brief, from the grinding pace of city life.

Though locals have long since been able to travel to any exotic destination their bank account allows, the Friday traffic jams on highways leading out of Prague are proof that the tradition of escaping to the weekend house lives on. Since almost everyone either has a cottage in their family or knows someone who does, if you live here long enough, you'll surely be invited for a weekend of barbecue, beer and rustic accommodation. In the meantime, there are plenty of cottages available for rent in some of the most picturesque parts of the country, often with surprising amenities on offer.

Vysočina

The rolling hills of the Vysočina region lie in the heart of the country and encompass the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, which are known for their pristine and unspoiled beauty. The two protected nature preserves are Ždárské vrchy and Železné hory. In addition to the countryside, the region has many cultural monuments, castles and chateaus (the Gothic Pernštejn Castle in Nedvědice, on the border with South Moravia, is a must-see).

"Vysočina can offer a lot to every visitor," said Michaela King of Czech Cottages, a company that rents a cottage in the region. "You can experience an action-packed holiday or just enjoy the leisure of plentiful local restaurants and pubs."

King says the area is ideal for cycling and walking, and more adventurous guests might enjoy a climb. Devět skal, the second-highest mountain in the area at 836 meters, offers good climbs, and there are other peaks to be conquered, as well.

King also recommends sailing or waterskiing on the Velké Dářko lake or rafting or canoeing on the Sázava river, which originates from the lake. Her Chata Miriam cottage in Vysočina sits on 500 square meters and can sleep up to eight people. Rates vary depending on the season, number of guests and whether you rent by the night or the week, but range between 1,050 Kč ($62) per night and 9,900 Kč per week.

Mountains

The country's second-highest mountain range, the Jeseníky Mountains, sits in North Moravia and Silesia and is a popular escape for sports-lovers as well as those who just want to take in the magnificent landscape. Though most well-known for its prime ski runs, the Jeseníky Mountains have plenty to offer in summer, as well. Hundreds of well-marked trails for both hiking and cycling are easy to find, but the lovely surroundings are not all that one should take into consideration when renting a cottage.

"The most important part of choosing a holiday cottage is no longer the locality only, but mainly high-quality facilities and amenities and, of course, a good price," said Marek Meitner of Tour Trend, a company that rents nearly 1,400 homes and cottages across the Czech Republic and Slovakia. One of his company's cottages in the Jeseníky Mountains is situated in the small village of Malá Morávka and is fully equipped with all kitchen appliances and even a sauna. Depending on the season, prices range from 108 euros (2,640 Kč) to 150 euros per night plus electricity consumption.

In North Moravia, you'll also find the Beskydy Mountains in an area that borders with Poland to the north and with the Slovakia to the east. As part of a frontier mountain range that runs from north to south, with the highest points over 1,000 m above sea level, the Beskydy Mountains are as important historically and culturally as they are aesthetically.

Closer to Prague, the breathtaking Krkonoše Mountains, also known as the Giant Mountains, are the hightest in the Czech Republic and form part of the country's northwestern border with Poland. The Šumava range on the German boarder is much less vertically impressive, but the Šumava National Park is covered by one of the most extensive forests in Central Europe and is an ideal spot for a weekend getaway.

South Moravia

South Moravia is the destination of choice for wine enthusiasts and a weekend cottage rental is a perfect home base for touring some of the country's best wine cellars. Summer wine festivals allow visitors to taste wines from a wider variety of vintners, but if you want to experience the cellars for yourself, the wine-producing villages scattered throughout the flat countryside are well connected by hiking and biking paths. Highlights of the area include Mikulov, a quaint town on the border with Lower Austria where many of the country's celebrities and politicians keep their private wine archives, as well as the town of Lednice, with a massive Liechtenstein castle and neighboring Valtice, where the National Wine Gallery is housed.

You can get close to history with a stay at one of the favorite cottage escapes for the first Czechoslovak president T.G. Masaryk and his family. Tour Trend rents the 11-room luxury cottage near Hostýn in the Zlín region from 180 (4,400 Kč) euros per night.

"It's an alternative type of accommodation," said Meitner of cottage rentals. "Clients appreciate the privacy they afford and direct contact with the [natural] surroundings."

Emily Thompson can be reached at
ethompson@praguepost.com