Olomouc - a gem in the eastern Czech Republic

Writer: Helena Bergström

We had no expectations of the city of Olomouc at all. Perhaps because we hadn't even heard of the place until very recently. Wow, what a surprise! We can really, really recommend this little hidden gem. Cosy alleys, impressive historical buildings and a fantastic restaurant.

Olomouc

Olomouc was the largest city in Moravia since the 11th century, until the Swedes arrived in 1642 during the Thirty Years' War. The Swedes and General Lennart Torstensson stayed in Olomouc for eight years, and then the capital was moved to Brno. The entire city is a uniform baroque and the most important cultural city after Prague in the Czech Republic.

Numerous bookshops and pubs

We visited the industrial city Ostrava last summer, also in the eastern Czech Republic, expecting perhaps another industrial city. What we found was something completely different!

Olomouc is a cosy town with narrow, winding alleys, grand churches and beautiful buildings. A lot of life revolves around the University and a large part of the population is made up of students. You can study all sorts of things here, but there is a strong focus on art and music.

25 000 students in Olomouc

Olomouc is an old student town and the University was founded in 1573, and since 1946 has been called Palacký University. This may explain what we noticed very quickly: the countless bookshops, antique shops and pubs. The focus on art and music might also explain all the music we heard, all the art shops and ... all the creative graffiti. This is a city that we immediately liked!

UNESCO World Heritage Site Trinity Column

If you are interested in history, Olomouc has a lot to offer. There is a truly magnificent cathedral and several other impressive churches. You'll also find the 'Trinity Column' which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as it is by far the largest of its kind in this part of Europe. The column stands in one of the city's main squares, honouring the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The chimes in Olomouc

Another thing we have to tell you about is the big carillon, which "plays" once a day, with figures moving through the game. As you may know, there is a similar carillon in Prague, with angels.

The carillon in Olomouc was also originally equipped with angels, but it was destroyed on the last (!) day of the Second World War. The communists restored it, but of course thought that the figures should be workers and not angels. So even today, it's workers who move through the carillon every day... From a family that has been manually operating the clock for generations!

Living and eating in Olomouc

We have only been here in Olomouc for one day, but we can at least tell you about the places we have visited! We have stayed at Hotel Arigone, which is a cosy little hotel right in the centre, within walking distance of pretty much everything.

Restaurant Podkova in Olomouc

We had lunch at a restaurant called Podkova. Here we had a good green pea soup for starters and a really good fish with potato cake for the main course. We finished with a chocolate cake with cherries and cream. The restaurants are incredibly charming and recommended by us.

Restaurant Entrée

Last night we visited restaurant Entrée in Olomouc, and it was much more than a dinner – it was an experience! The restaurant has taken its inspiration from nature and the interior is spectacular. Modern black meets soft wood formations and winding green, as if you are in the future and in a forest at the same time, or maybe in some kind of built-up version of the movie Avatar.

The food is also inspired by nature. The menu is organised around three different themes - garden, sea and land. Or you can do as we did, and order one of their tasting menus. An absolutely fantastic experience!

Eight different creative savoury dishes were brought out and presented enthusiastically. Everything was both exciting and delicious. The dishes included goodies like char, pumpkin soup, truffles and venison, but also extra interesting things like sliced and marinated young walnut!

READ MORE: What to do in Prague - 30 tips for sights and experiences

This trip was a press trip. The images, texts and opinions are, as usual, our own.