Felicity Long
I know all our readers are geo-savvy, so it will probably come as a shock to you that the Czech Republic finds itself in the awkward position of having to teach the world’s geo-ignorant -- many of whom hail from the U.S. -- that it is not Chechnya.
That dilemma arises because in the wake of last week’s terrorist attack on Boston, the Twitterverse was rife with confusion between Chechnya, the country of origin of the two bombing suspects, and the Czech Republic, which has a number of upcoming events that it is hoping to market to Americans, among other nationalities.
The tyranny of ignorance became so bad that Petr Gandalovic, Czech ambassador to the U.S., felt compelled to point out the misidentification in an official statement.
“The Czech Republic and Chechnya are two very different entities," Gandalovic wrote. The Czech Republic is in Central Europe; Chechnya is a part of Russia, located north of Georgia.
The differentiation is crucial for travelers. For one thing, the U.S. State Department currently recommends that Americans not travel to Chechnya and the North Caucasus region of Russia. On the other hand, I can recommend several compelling reasons to visit the Czech Republic this spring and summer.
Of course, the main draw of the Czech Republic is its fairy-tale capital, Prague, with its requisite castle, the charming Charles Bridge and an Old Town so picturesque it looks like a movie set.
Beyond that, there are small towns and special events on tap for the coming months that may lure visitors beyond Prague into the countryside.
From May 17 to July 7, for example, the Mahler Jihlava Music Festival in Moravia will include everything from concerts and documentary films on Gustav Mahler to suggested bike trips in Kaliste, the composer’s hometown.
The Five-Petalled Rose festival runs from June 21 to 23 in Cesky Krumlov, a UNESCO site, and appears tailor-made for visitors who love medieval revival in the form of costumed parades in castles, sword-fighting demonstrations and hearty feasts.
Finally, nothing says a destination has arrived like an international film festival, and one of the largest in Europe takes place in Karlovy Vary, a spa town about two hours from Prague. The event is set for June 28 to July 6.