The text for our Olomouc pages was contributed by Greg Chandler
The charming and beautiful city of Olomouc lies beside the Morava River in central Moravia. With around 100,000 inhabitants, it’s the fifth largest city in the Czech Republic and certainly one of the most beautiful. The centre is the largest historic preservation zone outside Prague, and its cobblestoned streets are lined with majestic cathedrals and grand palaces.
In 2000, the Holy Trinity Column, which was erected in the early 18th century, was added as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Olomouc has always been a centre for education and culture and the rich schedule of festivals means that you stand a good chance of one being in progress, no matter what time of year your visit occurs. The festival calendar includes the largest beer festival in the country (May, www.pivnifestival.cz), the International Organ Music festival (Sep. – Oct.), and the ten-day city festival in late June.
Despite its fascinating history and great beauty, you won’t find the crowds of tourists that are so common in more famous destinations. It’s a real living, breathing Czech city, with 1,000 years of history and the vibrant, youthful energy of a university town.
The Olomouc Tourist Information Office is located in the town hall building on Horní náměstí (Upper Square).
Information Center Olomouc
Town Hall at Horní náměstí (Upper Square)
tourism.olomouc.eu
Olomouc sister cities: Kraków, Poland; Lucerne, Switzerland; Makarska, Croatia; Pécs, Hungary; Owensboro, Kentucky
Getting to Olomouc from Prague
By Car
Olomouc is 252 km east of Prague, almost exactly halfway to Krakow, Poland. You have two main choices by road. The most obvious is to take the D1 freeway down to Brno and then continue up again to Olomouc. The freeway is fast, but the route is indirect and makes the trip 284 km. The D1 is also known for occasional traffic jams. The second option is the northern route, via the E442 from Hradec Králové. The roads are narrower and you need to allow extra time for passing through towns, but this route is through prettier countryside and there are some interesting places to stop along the way (Kutná Hora, Hradec Králové, Litomyšl, Polička).
By Train
Olomouc is on the main international train line from Prague to Poland and Slovakia. The fastest trains (SC Pendolino) make the trip in 2 hours. Prices and departure times are detailed in the online timetables.
By Bus
Buses from Prague to Olomouc follow the freeway all the way down to Brno before coming back up again to Olomouc. The fastest buses take around 3 hours 45 minutes.
Getting Around Olomouc
Within Olomouc the train and bus stations are at least a twenty minute walk east of the old town.
Getting Around by Tram
The trams are clean, efficient, reliable, and cheap. You’ll need a 14 Kč ticket and must validate it in the time stamp machine as you enter the tram. The ticket is valid for 40 minutes from validation (60 min. on weekends and holidays).
If you’re traveling to the center from the train station, take any tram that goes to the right and stay on for five stops. From the bus station, use the pedestrian tunnel under the highway, then cross the tram tracks and take any tram that goes to the right. Stay on for six stops to reach the historic centre.
Taking the Taxi
There are always taxis waiting at the train station and the ride to the centre should cost around 120 Kč. Here are a few Olomouc taxi companies:
teamTAXI Olomouc – www.taxi-olomouc.com
City Taxi Olomouc – www.citytaxiol.cz
Atlant – taxi – www.atlanttaxi-olomouc.cz
What to See and Do in Olomouc
Astronomical Clock (Orloj)
There are only two astronomical clocks in the country, and the one in Olomouc was remodeled in the style of social-realism popular in the communist era. Some people love it, some hate it and most think it’s quirky, but it’s worth being there for the mechanical performance at noon to make up your own mind. The clock is part of the town hall building on Horní náměstí (Upper Square).
Olomouc University
Palacký University in Olomouc was established in 1573, which makes it the second oldest university in the Czech Republic. Its departments include law, music, fine arts, languages, education, environmental sciences, philosophy, theology, and medicine. Being a college town, Olomouc has lots of cafés and bars, plenty of cultural activity, and an overall lively feel.
Churches and St. Wenceslas Cathedral
As Moravia’s capital until the 17th century, the most important religious buildings of the land were built in Olomouc. The 900 year old St. Wenceslas Cathedral (Dóm Svatého Václava) dominates the city skyline with the tallest spire in Moravia (second tallest in the country). The current and former archbishop’s palaces are accessible to the public and there seems to be a church or chapel around every corner.
Parks and Gardens
The ring of parks that grew up when most of the city walls were demolished separates the old town from the new. A branch of the Morava River runs through Bezruč Park (Bezručovy Sady) and there are several defense towers remaining from the old city walls, two of which you can climb. The botanical gardens are within the parks, and the greenhouses have aquarium exhibits from the nearby zoo.
The well-respected Olomouc Zoo is on a hillside overlooking the city and actively participates in the protection of more than 50 endangered species.
Sculpture
Olomouc is a city of public sculpture. The Holy Trinity Column on the main square (Horní náměstí) represents a unique sculptural style, Olomouc Baroque, and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The city’s six Baroque fountains that are scattered around its two main squares have been joined by a seventh modern fountain on Horní náměstí (Upper Square), which has become the favourite of locals and visitors alike.