TL;DRSetting up a WordPress blog in 15 steps means buying a domain and web hosting, installing WordPress, and sorting out your login details. The authors recommend Blueboard.cz for hosting, which comes to about 79 Kč a month, with domains from 149 Kč a year — roughly 1000 Kč a year all in. You can buy the domain and hosting together and install WordPress with a single click. The whole process, from buying the domain to logging into the admin panel, takes about 1 hour — all you need is a card and a decent internet connection.
So you want to start your own blog but have absolutely no idea how to handle the technical side? We’ve been there, and we’re happy to help! Here’s a detailed guide on how to start a WordPress blog — from purchasing a domain and web hosting to installing your content management system in 15 easy steps.
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
TL;DRThis round-up covers 18 free WordPress plugins, tested from a shortlist of over 200 candidates, that improve page speed, SEO, security and the overall look of your blog. Key picks include W3 Total Cache (which speeds up pages by up to 80%) and Autoptimize for streamlining your code, plus Yoast SEO for content analysis and sitemap generation, Akismet for filtering out 99.9% of comment spam, and ShortPixel, which compresses 100 images a month for free with average savings of 90%. There’s also security kit like WordFence Security and Really Simple SSL, and tools for building an email list, such as Mailerlite and Q2W3 Fixed Widget. You can check your speed gains at tools.pingdom.com.
We tested 200+ WordPress plugins and put together a bulletproof combo of the best WordPress plugins that will boost your blog’s traffic, search visibility, loading speed and security. They’re sorted by category, with instructions on how to set each one up.
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
TL;DRYou can save up to 7% on everyday spending with cashback and better exchange rates from cards like Twisto, Revolut and Curve, which beat what banks and bureaux de change typically offer. Twisto gives cashback up to 13% (2–3% on average) at more than 150 online shops including Zoot, Mall.cz and Booking.com, and new customers get 50 CZK. Revolut saves you roughly 5% on currency exchange thanks to a fee-free interbank rate, letting you pay in more than 150 currencies. Curve rolls all your cards into one, offers cashback with partners such as Tesco, Lidl and IKEA, and throws in an extra £5 if you use the promo code UUATX.
We all love it when we manage to save a bit of money on things we’d buy anyway. Discount codes and cashback deals are great, but for some reason many of us still shy away from fintech cards and alternative financial services. Yet these payment cards are one of the simplest ways to cut down on payment fees and save money on everyday purchases.
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
TL;DRA LinkedIn profile that actually gets noticed combines a decent profile photo (smiling, clean background), a professional cover image that fits your industry, and a sharp headline and summary that spell out what you actually do, rather than a vague label like “Cryptocurrency Enthusiast”. It’s worth adding at least two relevant pieces of media (links, CV, event photos) to your summary and to each role, since the last two you add show up directly on your profile. For education, list your bachelor’s and master’s degrees with a description of the field and supporting media; for work experience, stick to roles that are actually relevant. Don’t skip the extra sections either — volunteering, skills and recommendations all count. And if you’re in the Czech Republic, it’s worth having a Czech version of your profile too, not just English.
Want your LinkedIn profile to look truly professional? Want to use LinkedIn to attract more people to your projects — completely for free? Here are simple, actionable steps to create a standout LinkedIn profile that gets results.
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
TL;DRPractical tips for a Uganda trip include gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park for $600 (rising to $700 from 2020), a mandatory $50 visa valid for 90 days, and a yellow fever vaccination. The best time to go is outside the rainy season — December to February or June to August — with flights typically running $13,000–$14,000 Kč, occasionally as low as $8,400 Kč. It’s worth hiring a local car rental, as most roads are unpaved and public transport isn’t safe. You can pay in Ugandan shillings or US dollars, national park entry runs $40–$80 for 24 hours, and mobile internet costs around $300 Kč for 30 days with 12GB of data.
Going on your own to Uganda is not easy. On the internet you will find only sketchy information, which in many cases is outdated or not followed by Ugandans. We spent 14 days in Uganda under a tent and drove around the country in a rented car. Here’s a complete guide on how to plan your holiday in Uganda to make the most of it.
Why go to Uganda?
Definitely because of nature! In 10 national parks and nearly 50 protected areas, you’ll find a range of adventure activities that will leave you with great memories of Africa.
Mountain gorilla tracking
Uganda’s biggest attraction is tracking mountain gorillas, the world’s second largest primate. It is a critically endangered species and is now found only in a small area of Bwindi National Park, on the border of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2018, there were about 1,000 individuals alive. This is great news, back in 2016 there were about 800 gorillas.
Mountain Gorilla looking into the lens
Gorillas are effectively protected thanks to the entrance fee charged for tracking them. The Ugandans take only 152 people a day into the rainforest to track one of the 19 habituated gorilla families. Hitchhiking costs USD 600 and the price will increase to USD 700 in 2020. It’s still a good price though, from Rwanda you will pay 1500 USD for the same hitchhiking. Bwindi National Park no longer offers off-season discounts.
Tracking one gorilla family also offers the adjacent Mgahinga National Parkwith a capacity of only eight people.
Chimpanzee sightings
The national parks also offer another unique opportunity to observe chimpanzees in the wild. Chimpanzees share 99% of their DNA with humans. Although not an endangered species, there are very few opportunities to observe chimpanzees outside of captivity.
In Uganda, you can go chimpanzee hunting in Kibale, Budongo Forest and Queen Elizabeth National Parks. You can also find them in Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Kalinzu forest reserve.
Observation of rhinos
The northern blunt-nosed rhinoceros and the eastern black rhinoceros are critically endangered species that were found in Uganda during the 1980s. completely eradicated for years, even though Uganda is their natural habitat.
For this reason, a private project was created Ziwa Rhino Sanctuarywhich aims to bring rhinos back to the wild in Uganda. It is therefore the only place in Uganda where you can see rhinos. There are currently over 22 rhinos living here and tourists have the opportunity to go tracking and watching them. You can hitchhike and get really close to the rhinos.
Two rhinos feeding at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Safari
Uganda is especially famous for its national parks full of typical African animals. Here you will find lions, elephants, giraffes, antelopes, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles, vultures, African pigs and other exotic animals.
A real rarity are the tree lions (they climb trees), which can be found only in Uganda (Queen Elizabeth National Park) and Tanzania.
It is possible to go on safari either with a tour operator or on your own with a rental car (in some parks a Ugandan guide will join you in the car). List of national parks where you can go on safari:
African Elephants in Murchison Falls National Park
African mountains
Although it sounds almost illogical, Uganda also has its own mountains. And not just any! Margherita Peak is the third highest mountain in Africa with its height of 5109 m. In the past, the Mountains of the Moon, now called the Ruwenzori Mountains, harboured a multitude of treks, from a day’s walk to a week-long climb to the top of the entire mountain range.
If you go on a longer trek, you will go from a tropical climate to a zone where snow lies all year round and you can even reach glaciers. We did a two-day trek to the heart of the moon mountains and it was an experience like from another planet.
View of the Ugandan mountains
Practical information and tips for planning a holiday in Uganda
When to go to Uganda?
It depends on what suits you better. Temperatures in Uganda are almost the same all year round, but heavy rain can complicate your plans if you go during the rainy season. It is generally recommended to go to Uganda outside the rainy season, i.e. from December to February and from June to August.
Temperature is the same all year round in Uganda
We flew to Uganda in November, when the rainy season is in full force. But it didn’t stop us from our plan, because it rained every third day and for an hour at most. The danger of the rainy season is that you will be looking for animals on safari for longer. During the rainy season, they have plenty of food throughout the reserve, so they are scattered throughout the reserve. But we enjoyed the safari all the more!
Outside of the rainy season, food and especially water is much scarcer, so the animals hang out near watering holes. But the dry season brings another problem – Uganda is dry to the point of tinder and you won’t enjoy the beautiful green jungle.
So if you prefer green Uganda and don’t mind the complicated search for animals on safari, go in the rainy season. If you prefer simpler safaris, more tourists and higher prices, go during the season.
Security in Uganda
Uganda is a safe and politically stable country, but you need to be wary. Bordering the troubled Congo, its vast, poorly policed borders are a great opportunity for smugglers and illegal immigrants. It is therefore only possible to go into the national parks bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo with soldiers.
Beware of Ugandan drivers who like to speed, especially in national parks. You yourself witnessed a bad accident and the fastest help arrived after four hours.
There are no lanes in Uganda
An uncomfortable issue in Uganda is the intolerance of public displays of other sexual orientations.People from the LGBT community can go to jail for public displays of their orientation.
Visa
Czech citizens need a visa. Don’t be tempted by agencies that offer to process your visa for you. It is now possible to obtain a visa by applying online (https://visas.immigration.go.ug/) for 50 USD. Visas are valid for 90 days.
A visa can also be obtained upon arrival in Uganda, directly at the airport. Although we had no problems with this, some travelers claim that the officials asked them for 100 UD for the visa. It is better to arrange your visa before departure.
If you also plan to visit Rwanda and Kenya (a frequent destination), get an East African visa, which is valid for all three countries at the same time.
Visa to Uganda
Vaccinations
You need to be vaccinated against yellow fever to travel to Uganda, but it is also recommended to be vaccinated against:
hepatitis A
hepatitis B
typhoid fever
whooping cough
tetanus
diphtheria
rabies.
Your vaccination card will be checked at the airport.
Be sure to get anti-malarials and use mosquito nets in Uganda . Uganda is one of the countries with the highest risk of contracting malaria, and HIV (AIDS) is also prevalent. More health risks can be found for example here.
Water
Be sure not to drink tap water or any drink with ice. Drink only bottled water! It is also forbidden to swim in almost all lakes in Uganda because of the risk of infection Schistosomiasis.
Travel insurance
As with any other trip abroad, it is essential to take out travel insurance, without which you will be out a lot of money in the event of an accident. Choose in our insurance comparison.
Customs regulations
The export and import of wild animal products is punishable. The export of live animals or plants without a special permit is prohibited.
Tickets
Flights to Uganda normally cost between CZK 13,000 and 14,000, but about once a year there are special fares starting at CZK 8,400. Typically, tickets are cheaper from Vienna or Berlin, even when you factor in travel costs.
How to choose airline tickets as cheaply as possible, you will learn in our article about cheap airline tickets.
Money and how much what costs
In Uganda, you pay Ugandan shilling (UGX), but you also need to carry US dollars. National park entrances are paid for half in shillings and half in dollars (why, who knows), sometimes they just won’t let you convert to one currency for some reason or it takes them an hour (yes, we’ve been there).
10 000 UGX
= 62,65 CZK
You can’t find much shillings in the Czech Republic, it’s best to take enough USD with you and exchange them into Ugandan shillings immediately upon arrival. Only use official exchange offices. You’ll know they have a rate card posted. Alternatively, you can go to a branch of one of the international banks, which are plentiful in Entebbe and Kampala.
However, don’t rely on withdrawing money during your trip. ATMs are few and far between across the country and are often empty or dispense only a limited number of shillings.
You can forget about paying by card, we only managed to pay by card once.
In Uganda it is much cheaper than here, especially services, fresh fruit and vegetables. However, your wallet will be blown away by the prices of tourist activities and entrance fees to national parks. A gorilla tracking permit alone costs 650 USD and entrance to the national park ranges from 40 USD to 80 USD per person (for 24 hours). There is an additional charge for the vehicle.
Often you will come across triple prices. Ugandans pay the least for admission to tourist attractions, other East Africans pay slightly more and foreigners pay the most. It may even be ten times the price for Ugandans, but there is no need to get upset about it. The price of admissions is set by the Ugandan government and applies to everyone without distinction.
Electricity, mobile signal and internet
Electricity is a problem in Uganda. Due to the lack of power line infrastructure outside of the city, it is produced by generators or solar panels and is therefore only available for a few hours a day. This is something to be reckoned with. It is also the reason why drinks in supermarket and restaurant fridges are often only slightly cold.
Mobile internet is excellent in Uganda. Mobile signal coverage is excellent and you can get at least 3G internet almost everywhere, including the Moon Mountains (3500 m). We recommend getting a SIM card from MTN or Airtel.
We work online and we had no problem with the internet in Uganda.
For CZK 300 you can buy a SIM card with 12 GB of data for 30 days, but if you are not demanding, the internet will cost you literally a few crowns. For an up-to-date overview of tariffs, see this page.
For the more demanding, both MTN and Airtel offer a portable Wi-Fi hotspot for USD 15. Just stick a SIM card in and charge it, and you’ve got internet for a whole group of travellers.
Drawers
Uganda is a former British colony and probably for that reason English sockets are used there. They are the triangular ones and they work with a voltage of 240 V. So get a suitable adapter.
Contacts in case of problems
Emergency calls: 999
Embassy: +254 726 489 626
If you get into trouble and need to call the police or hospital, dial 999. Unlike most countries in the world , 911 doesn’t work here. We have our own experience with this.
If you have any problems regarding your citizenship (you will be detained, lose your passport, etc.), please contact the nearest Czech embassy in Nairobi. The telephone contact is +254 726 489 626. More information about the Czech Consulate can be found here.
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Transport and roads in Uganda
In Uganda, driving is on the left and the roads are unpaved in the vast majority of cases. The only proper road can be found between the largest cities of Entebbe and Kampala. But there is so much traffic that the average speed will not be much different from the countryside (30 km/h).
Ugandan road in the dark
If you use Google maps to plan your trip, expect that it will always take at least twice as long. This will be mainly due to the appalling condition of the road (a dirt road full of potholes) and heavy traffic. Everyone uses the road in Uganda. From children walking to school, cyclists and motorbike drivers to vans and large lorries swaying from side to side due to overloading.
While public transport does exist in Uganda, it has no timetable and a 14-passenger van usually holds more than 30 people and the same amount of luggage.
Transportation by bus and taxi is therefore very uncomfortable and also dangerous. For shorter distances you can use motorbikes, called. Point to point. While they move faster around the city, it is the most dangerous mode of transport in all of Africa.
We strongly recommend renting a car. But don’t borrow from international chains, their cars are more expensive and their terms are often very restrictive. Reach for a local provider, we recommend carrentaluganda.com. In addition to good prices, they are able to equip the car with camping stuff and arrange gorilla tracking tickets for you.
Having your own car is an advantage not only for transport around Uganda, but also to the national parks. You can go on safari in your own car, so you save money on renting a jeep with a driver. And you can drive your own car to Queen Elizabeth Park for the day without paying admission.
Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
TL;DRHere are 21 spot-on Christmas gift ideas for travellers in 2019, split into categories for general trips, photographers and cyclists. Top picks include the Wacaco Nanopresso travel espresso maker, Cocoon’s waterproof wash bag, an RFID-protected document organiser, and Czech-made Skinners barefoot shoes. For photographers, there’s the flexible Joby Gorillapod tripod and the Peak Design Capture clip, while cyclists get the Livall smart helmet with built-in lights and music. There’s also a universal travel adaptor that works in over 220 countries, and an Onlinejazyky language course you can study for just 20 minutes a day.
Every year we put together a list of the best travel gifts for adventurers, and this year is no exception. I’ve hand-picked items we’ve been using and loving long-term, plus a few products we’ve had our eye on. If you don’t find something that’s right for your loved ones here, have a look at our gift guide from last year too. I’d also love to hear your own suggestions in the comments!
21 Best Travel Gift Ideas
I’ve tried to pick different items from last year, but you’ll have to forgive me for mentioning a few repeats. Mainly because last year I had them on my wish list, and now I’ve had a full year of experience with them to share with you.
1) Wacaco Nanopresso
If you follow us on social media, you’ve surely spotted our Wacaco. It’s hands down the best thing we’ve ever received. Seriously. A portable espresso maker is an absolute must-have for any coffee addict who travels.
With this little wonder, you can make a perfect espresso anywhere you can get hold of ground coffee and hot water. In Mexico, we used it every single day because our accommodation didn’t have a coffee maker for a full five months.
My quest for the perfect toiletry bag could fill an entire novel — or more accurately, a tragedy. I’ve gone through so many that it’s honestly embarrassing. In the end, I carry two: a roll-up hanging one for makeup, brushes and jewellery, and a classic one for shampoo, conditioner and moisturiser.
If you’re looking for a great travel gift for a woman, check out the high-quality waterproof toiletry bags from Cocoon. I think I desperately need one myself.
Last year I mentioned packing organisers; this year I’d like to highlight security document organisers with RFID protection against electronic theft.
Over the past year, I’ve heard so many alarming stories that these seem like essential kit for anyone travelling to big cities. I personally like the Jack Wolfskin Boarding Pouch organiser, but there’s a great selection of travel organisers to choose from.
If you’ve ever been camping, on a long-distance cycling trip, or anywhere with a heavy backpack, you’ve probably wondered about a spare pair of shoes. That’s where the Skinners barefoot sock shoes come in. They’re not just backup shoes — they double as water shoes, running shoes, workout shoes, and they’re perfect for wearing on the plane.
I’ve been testing them since early October, and so far I’m thrilled. I was worried that walking in them would hurt (I’m a bit of a princess when it comes to my feet), but that turned out to be completely unfounded. Instead, it felt like a never-ending gentle foot massage! Another bonus is that you only need to know an approximate shoe size, making them an easy gift to buy.
Skinners barefoot shoes
5) Mementerra Travel Journal
For those of us who love all things paper, the Mementerra journal makes a lovely gift. I personally adore its design — they’ve hit my taste perfectly. The inside is divided into four sections: Dreams & Plans, Experiences & Memories, Challenges & Activities, and Summary & Reflections.
Mementerra travel journal
6) Head Torch – Not Just for Campers
I have no idea why we still haven’t bought a head torch, even though we talk about it every time we go camping. We could have used one three years ago in Hawaii, and this year we missed it in the Tatras and the Dolomites.
Unfortunately, I can’t recommend a specific model, but there’s a solid selection of head torches to browse online.
Having a high-quality rain jacket that actually looks good is no longer a pipe dream. The only reason I don’t have a stylish yellow one is that we bought our green ones the day after we got absolutely drenched in the Tatras. A solid quality rain jacket is always a welcome gift.
For any friends and family who camp without a car, collapsible cookware is an absolute game-changer. We really wish we’d discovered this about three years earlier. We wouldn’t have had to eat out of the same pot we’d just cooked in. These days we’ve solved the problem by travelling by car, but lightweight collapsible sets are brilliant for backpackers.
Our favourite travel water bottle — and it solves that annoying problem of trying to fill a bottle under a low tap. The Hydrapak collapses to a quarter of its full height. We use it daily, whether we’re heading into town, to the gym, or on a trip. It’s great for camping, hiking, and even casual city breaks.
Last year I recommended the power cube we use on our trips. If that’s not your cup of tea, you could go for a universal travel adapter that’s compatible in over 220 countries worldwide. It’s one of those practical travel gifts that every frequent flyer genuinely appreciates.
Even I was surprised by how much we used a portable speaker on our travels over the past year. We got it free with a phone and it came with us everywhere. The speaker has been useful not just for music and podcasts, but also for conference calls with clients.
I’d always been sceptical about online language courses, but trying one completely changed my mind. After just six weeks, my partner and I could get by in Spanish during our time in Mexico. The lessons are interactive, there’s both a phone app and a desktop version, and you learn grammar as well as vocabulary. Just 20 minutes a day is enough for effective language learning.
There are some brilliant options out there for English speakers — platforms like Duolingo, Babbel, or Rosetta Stone all make excellent gifts for travellers. An annual subscription to a language app is a thoughtful, unique gift for any travel lover.
Online language learning – a perfect gift for travellers
13) Photo Keepsakes
One of the most popular gifts I’ve ever given was a calendar made from photos of our travels together. Calendars are also appreciated by people who didn’t come along on the trip — mums and grandmothers especially. In our family, custom photo calendars are always the biggest hit with the grandparents.
Services like Photobox, Shutterfly, or Snapfish make it incredibly easy to create beautiful custom photo calendars, canvas prints, and photo books from your travel snaps. They’re personal, unique, and always bring back wonderful memories.
TIP: You can also commission a custom painting based on a favourite travel photo — a truly unique travel gift!
Custom travel photo calendar
14) Performance Outdoor Clothing
You can never have too much quality outdoor performance clothing if you travel to the mountains regularly. Just like last year, I wholeheartedly recommend Kari Traa for women. I still haven’t found a better brand that flatters the female figure while also being genuinely functional gear.
I’ve stayed loyal to it all year and haven’t looked at anything else. For men, we don’t have a particular favourite brand, but Norwegian outdoor brands are well worth exploring.
Lucka wearing Kari Traa
15) Beautiful Books for Travellers
I only read fiction electronically on my Kindle (also an excellent travel gift for bookworms, by the way), but I love collecting colourful cookbooks and beautiful coffee-table travel books. If you’ve got someone like that in your life, here are my picks.
Lots of you asked about this book when we were browsing through it on Instagram. We started using it to explore the Czech Republic and its hidden gems — a great gift for anyone interested in Central European travel.
Probably the best book you can find about Czech castles and fortresses — perfect for history buffs. We have a companion volume on châteaux by the same author at home, and Lukáš has his nose buried in it every weekend.
Travel Gifts for Photographers
I’m a passionate amateur photographer. It’s one of the things I love investing in, and any photography-related gift makes me incredibly happy. These are some of the best unique travel gifts for photography enthusiasts.
16) Gorillapod by Joby – A Tripod You Can Mount Anywhere
This is my absolute favourite piece of travel gear. Luky got it for me a year ago before our road trip to Iceland, and I can’t imagine any trip without it now. You can mount it virtually anywhere — on a chunk of ice (yes, we tried), a railing, a tree branch — it’s compact and incredibly easy to handle.
17) Peak Design Capture – Safe, Easy Camera Carrying
If anyone reading this wants to make me happy — this is the piece of gear I somehow still don’t own but desperately need (Santa, are you taking notes?).
The Capture is the safest, most comfortable, and most accessible way to carry your camera on hikes. You clip your camera onto your backpack or rucksack strap using the Capture, keeping it secure and always within reach.
For MacBook users, there’s no better choice than the LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt. It’s no wonder it’s so popular among bloggers and content creators. I already have two at home. If your loved ones use Windows, Seagate and Western Digital also make excellent rugged options.
After our cycling trip from the Czech Republic to Greece, I thought I’d never get on a bike again. I was wrong — I missed it within about a month. I think I can officially call myself a cyclist now; the only remaining challenge is figuring out how to cycle with our dog.
19) Livall Smart Helmet
This is a pricier gift, but if you’ve got a cyclist-gadget-lover at home — like my husband — it’ll go down a treat. The Livall helmet is ideal for long-distance cycling, letting you listen to music or podcasts while riding.
Livall smart cycling helmet
You can also use the helmet to communicate with other cyclists who have one, though you need a phone connected to Wi-Fi, which is a bit impractical — we didn’t use that feature much.
What we did use a lot was the flashing light feature at night. It’s far better than standard reflectors because you light up like a Christmas tree and there’s no way anyone can miss you.
Every book by Lonely Planet is a treasure you want on your shelf, and this one is no exception. When I saw it in a bookshop, I almost bought it on the spot — even though we weren’t planning any such trip. It’s a stunning coffee-table book showcasing the world’s most incredible cycling routes.
A fun little stocking filler for passionate cyclists. There are plenty of cycling-themed mugs and enamel cups out there — browse the options and pick your favourite.
A mug for passionate cyclists
That’s it for this year’s list! I hope at least something caught your eye and made your Christmas shopping a little easier. If you’re hungry for more inspiration and this roundup wasn’t enough, be sure to check out our gift guide from last year too.
Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
TL;DRLandštejn Castle is a sprawling Romanesque-Gothic ruin in the Bohemian Canada region near Jindřichův Hradec, reachable from Staré Město pod Landštejnem (3km along the red trail) or Slavonice (9km), by bus route 340030 or by car via the D3 motorway. In summer it’s open nearly every day from 9am to 4.30pm, with tickets costing 90 CZK for adults, 60 CZK for children and students, and 230 CZK for a family ticket. There are no set tours or guides here — one quirky highlight is a stash of sixty stone cannonballs from a Hussite siege, found in an old well and now on display just past the first gate. You can easily combine the visit with the boulder known as Ďáblova prdel, the U Jakuba lookout tower, or the chateaux at Nová Bystřice, Dačice and Český Rudolec.
Landštejn Castle, one of the most impressive and best-preserved castle ruins in the Czech Republic, hides in the deep forests of Czech Canada, a picturesque region around Jindřichův Hradec. The castle was built in the 13th century, and to this day you can still see remnants of the original Romanesque structure and the Gothic palace around the courtyard. Landštejn Castle is a beautiful place for a day trip that you can easily combine with visits to other attractions in the region.
There is a bus stop right next to the castle called Staré město pod Landštejnem, Landštejn, served several times a day by bus no. 340030 from Jindřichův Hradec or from Slavonice.
By Car
If you’re driving from Prague, the best route is via the D3 motorway. Take exit 100 towards Jindřichův Hradec, drive through the town and continue towards Nová Bystřice — from there it’s just a short drive to the castle. If you’re coming from abroad, the nearest major airports are Prague (about 2.5 hours) and Vienna (about 2 hours).
On Foot or by Bike
Following the red-marked trail, you can reach Landštejn either from Staré Město pod Landštejnem (3 km) or from Slavonice (9 km). If you also plan to visit Český Rudolec Chateau, you can combine both sights into one full-day trip, as a 9 km long blue hiking trail connects the two.
Landštejn Castle seen from one of its towers
Admission and Opening Hours
Opening Hours
Opening hours vary throughout the year. During summer, the castle is open almost every day from 9:00 to 16:30. You cannot enter outside visiting hours, so make sure to check the official website before your visit to confirm it will be open.
Admission Fees
There are no guided tours available at the castle — you explore it freely on your own. You only pay for entry to the castle grounds.
Adults: 90 CZK (approx. €3.60)
Children, youth, and students: 60 CZK (approx. €2.40)
Family ticket: 230 CZK (approx. €9.20)
For more information about discounted or free admission, read more here.
Landštejn photographed from the ramparts
History of Landštejn
According to the local castellan, Landštejn Castle is the only Romanesque-style castle in Europe that has survived to the present day. The construction of the first structures dates back to the 12th century, but unfortunately no sources have been found that would describe the reason, appearance, or exact date of the original construction.
In the 16th century, Landštejn became one of the largest castles in the territory of the then Czech lands. Due to a turbulent history, it changed owners many times and, as a result, gradually fell into disrepair over a period of 150 years.
In 1771, the castle was struck by lightning, burned down, and was subsequently abandoned until the 1960s. That’s when Karel Veselý appeared on the scene.
Veselý wanted to save the castle, and although he had no education or experience in archaeological work, he and his friends set about clearing the interior of the castle and then carried out amateur repairs.
Partly because of these unprofessional interventions, restoration work has been ongoing since 2019 and is expected to continue for some time.
View from Landštejn over Czech Canada
Interesting Facts About Landštejn Castle
Almost no interior rooms or furnishings have survived in the castle, but the entire grounds were — and still are — full of archaeological finds that tell the story of the castle’s history.
Because there were no funds to clean out the local well in the 1960s, it wasn’t explored until relatively recently. The well had been filled in during the Renaissance period, and no one had looked inside since.
At the bottom of the well, archaeologists discovered sixty stone cannonballs from the time when the castle was besieged by the Hussites. The cannonballs are displayed just past the first gate!
Lukáš and Lucie recommend
Where to stay in Czech Canada
3 accommodations — hotels and other lodging options
We assume you’re not just making a quick stop in Czech Canada, so we’ve selected some great accommodation options from which you can explore the entire region with ease. You can also search for more options on Booking.com.
A guesthouse with a view of Český Rudolec Chateau. They have an indoor pool and excellent breakfasts. A great place to stay while exploring Czech Canada.
“The staff were kind, friendly, helpful, and very communicative. The rooms were beautifully renovated. Breakfast was included and served as a generous buffet.”
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Trip Tips Near Landštejn
Devil’s Backside Rock Formation
About 30 minutes by car from Landštejn, hidden in the forests, you’ll find a curious rock called Ďáblova prdel (literally “Devil’s Backside”), shaped — as you might guess — like a bottom. It’s one of the most striking natural formations in the Czech Canada nature park. You can combine the visit with a climb up to the U Jakuba Lookout Tower.
Nová Bystřice Chateau
This originally Gothic castle, later rebuilt into a four-wing Renaissance chateau, is one of the few heritage sites in the Czech Republic still in private hands. The custodians are gradually restoring it and opening it to the public. You must book a tour of Nová Bystřice Chateau in advance.
Dačice Chateau
There are actually two chateaux in Dačice — we recommend visiting the so-called New Chateau. It houses two unique libraries with original furnishings from the 1830s! The chateau features Empire-style interiors and also serves as the town museum.
Český Rudolec Chateau
The romantic neo-Gothic Český Rudolec Chateau was built on the ruins of an older fortress in 1860 but spent many years in a state of complete disrepair. Now, dedicated volunteers have taken the chateau — nicknamed the “Little Hluboká” — under their wing and are gradually restoring it.
Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
TL;DRCrossing the entire Tatra National Park takes seven days, covers 82 to 101 km depending on the route, and involves 4655 metres of ascent and around 40 hours of walking. The route runs from Ždiar via huts including Chata pri Zelenom plese, Téryho chata, Sliezsky dom, Štrbské Pleso, Chata Orešnica and Žiarska chata, finishing at Chata Zverovka, with the chained section over Priečne sedlo being the toughest and most exposed stretch. Staying at all six huts comes to 220.5 EUR per person, and the whole crossing for two people, travel from Prague included, works out at roughly 20,000 CZK. The best time for a Tatra crossing is late August into September, when the weather’s more settled and storms less frequent than during the main season from 16 June to 31 October.
In Slovakia: A Complete Guide to the Tatras Traverse, I will share an itinerary for traversing the entire Tatra National Park — a dream for many a mountaineer. With our itinerary, you’ll cross the Tatras in seven days, visit all the interesting mountain huts, see and conquer several ridges, and even have to climb using chains. But since we, completely untrained city dwellers from Prague at the time, completed and managed the journey, you have nothing to fear.
Since the traverse starts and ends on opposite sides of the Tatras, it doesn’t make sense to drive to Slovakia. Therefore, plan your trip so that you arrive in Slovakia in the evening and start the traverse in the morning.
The route starts in the mountain town of Ždiar in the Eastern (Belianske) Tatras. We recommend taking a train to Poprad and from there, taking a taxi for 18.5 EUR to your accommodation. Buses from Poprad are infrequent, and if you don’t leave Prague at six in the morning, you probably won’t catch any anyway. Stay at Penzion Ždiar, where you can kick off your holiday with excellent halušky!
A train or bus journey from Prague to Poprad costs 400 CZK to 800 CZK, depending on the time of day, class, and carrier. A taxi from Poprad to Ždiar is 18.5 EUR, accommodation totals 220.5 EUR per person.
Most accommodations include half-board, so you typically only need to buy lunch. Together with snacks and teas we bought along the way, we spent approximately 20 EUR per day.
In total, the Tatras traverse for two people, including transport to and from Slovakia, comes to approximately 20,000 CZK.
Accommodation
Price per person (mostly half-board)
Penzion Ždiar
44 EUR
Chata pri Zelenom plese
23 EUR
Téryho chata
37 EUR
Sliezsky dom
55 EUR
SHB Štrbské pleso
21 EUR
Chata Orešnica
38 EUR
Žiarska chata
20.5 EUR
Zverovka
26 EUR
Total
220.5 EUR / 5,700 CZK
Day 1: Ždiar – Chata pri Zelenom plese
Section Length: 12.5 km
Section Time: 6:59 hours including lunch
Total Elevation Gain: 1,069 m
Prepare for a tough start. From Ždiar, you enter the Tatras from the lowlands, and although the first kilometer seems easy, a steep ascent follows. And it won’t stop until you gain 1,000 m over just a few kilometers. Your reward is the view from Široké sedlo, which you’ll reach after three hours.
Then it’s just a few tens of meters of elevation gain to Vyšné Kopské sedlo, and from there, it’s a relaxing four kilometers to the hut by Zelené pleso.
Elevation Profile of the Ždiar – Chata pri Zelenom Plese Route
Chata pri Zelenom plese - informace
Accommodation with half-board: 23 EUR/person (16 EUR with KČT discount)
Accommodation Type: From double rooms to dormitory-style accommodation in a barn.
Do they have a shower? Yes.
Do you need a sleeping bag? No, if you book in advance.
Day 2: Chata Pri Zelenom Plese – Téryho Chata
Our favorite hut: Chata pri Zelenom plese
Section Length: 11.4 km
Section Time: 8:32 hours including lunch
Total Elevation Gain: 974 m
On the second day, you’ll spend time at high altitudes and hike most of the way on exposed high-mountain sections. Therefore, we strongly recommend checking the weather forecast so you don’t get caught in a storm in the middle of a section where there’s only rock as far as the eye can see. From the hut, you’ll head to the Svišťovka peak, which involves a very steep ascent, partly using chains.
But don’t worry, many children went there with us too. You’ll conquer 500m of elevation gain in about two hours, and then it’s a beautiful walk to Skalnaté pleso, where you can have lunch. The route continues along the red trail towards Zamkovského chata, where you can refresh yourself before the final ascent to Téryho chata. It starts gradually and ends with a climb along the base of a high mountain.
Expect an elevation gain of 400m over the last two kilometers. The reward is accommodation in a hut that is a short distance from Lomnický štít. The hut has no showers, no hot water, but they have a pleasant wood-burning stove and excellent pancakes.
Elevation Profile of the Chata pri Zelenom plese – Téryho Chata Route
Terryho chata - informace
Accommodation with half-board: 37 EUR/person (26 EUR with KČT discount)
Accommodation Type: Six and twelve-bed rooms. Heated by stove.
Do they have a shower? No.
Do you need a sleeping bag? Not if you book in advance. You’ll get a communal one. But bring your own.
Day 3: Téryho Chata – Sliezsky Dom
Prepare for accommodation without showers at the beautiful Téryho chata
Section Length: 16.2 km
Section Time: 9:25 hours including lunch
Total Elevation Gain: 760 m
If you go via Polský hřeben, the route is four kilometers shorter, but you’ll gain 970 m in elevation.
This is probably the most difficult section of the entire traverse, as you’ll encounter two dangerous sections with chains. This is where a helmet comes in handy, as you’ll be climbing steeply upwards at a 60-degree angle towards the ridge, and rocks occasionally fall. One such stray rock hit me above the knee, and luckily, I was holding firmly onto the chain at that moment, otherwise I probably would have fallen quite a way down.
After overcoming the chains at Priečne sedlo (reportedly the most challenging thing you can experience on a hike in the Tatras), a gentler descent follows, and about an hour and a half’s walk to Zbojnícka chata. The entire journey offers magnificent views and a series of lakes (Sivé, Ledové, and Starolesnianské pleso). Bring binoculars; with a bit of luck, you’ll see a group of climbers conquering one of the surrounding peaks.
At Zbojnícka chata, have some steamed dumplings and decide which way to go; you have two options. If Priečne sedlo didn’t deter you, take the route over Polský hřeben, where there are two sections with chains, similar to those at Priečne. Alternatively, choose the longer but safer route through Velká studená dolina to Rainerova chata and via Hrebienok to your destination for the day, Sliezsky dom.
Sliezsky dom is a luxurious, the highest-altitude mountain hotel in Slovakia. Dinner and breakfast are served buffet-style in the hotel restaurant; tourist accommodation is located on the side of the main building.
Elevation Profile of the Téryho chata – Sliezsky dom Route
Accommodation Type: Beautiful 12-bed dormitory with a luxurious bathroom.
Do they have a shower? Yes.
Do you need a sleeping bag? Yes.
Day 4: Sliezsky Dom – Štrbské Pleso
We walked around Batizovské pleso on our last legs, and we slept poorly at Sliezsky dom
Section Length: 14 km
Section Time: 8:28 hours including lunch
Total Elevation Gain: 483 m
The full-day transfer from Sliezsky dom to Štrbské pleso is best started early in the morning. Most of the way, you’ll be exposed to direct sunlight with no possibility of shade. For 7.5 km from Sliezsky dom to the Ostrva peak, we walk along the High Tatras with views of the lowlands, Poprad, and Slovak Paradise.
Batizovské pleso, which you’ll encounter along the way, is a great opportunity for a snack and a rest. After reaching the Ostrva peak, you’ll see Popradské pleso deep in the valley, to which you’ll descend 500 meters of elevation over a short 2.7 kilometers. And believe it or not, going down is harder than going up! The good news is that after Ostrva, you only have an hour and a half of comfortable walking to Štrbské pleso. For accommodation, we recommend the tourist hostel SHB Štrbské Pleso.
Elevation Profile of the Sliezsky dom – Štrbské pleso Route
Accommodation Type: Hostel with double and multi-bed rooms.
Do they have a shower? Yes.
Do you need a sleeping bag? No.
Day 5: Štrbské Pleso – Chata Orešnica (Račkova Dolina)
At Štrbské pleso, you can rent paddle boats
Section Length: 3.8 km
Section Time: 48 min without bus ride
Total Elevation Gain: 118 m
The following day involves a more than twenty-kilometer hike from the High Tatras to Račkova dolina. If you want to avoid this somewhat boring trek, do as we did. We left our backpacks at the hostel in Štrbské pleso and went to relax. We rented a paddle boat on the lake, tried all three local cafes, including the Zubačka restaurant and the pancake house.
At 5:30 PM, we boarded a bus (from the main parking lot) and at 6:00 PM, we got off at the Pribylina, Račkova dolina stop. From there, it was just under 4 kilometers to our next accommodation along an unfrequented asphalt road, a trek of less than an hour. We arrived at the charming guesthouse Chata Orešnica, where they have an open bar after dinner, and a pond and horses on the property.
Chata Orešnica - informace
Accommodation with half-board: 50 EUR/room + 13 EUR half-board/person
Račkova Dolina and the entrance to the Western Tatras
Section Length: 12.4 km
Section Time: 4:09 hours
Total Elevation Gain: 587 m
From Račkova dolina, the transfer to Žiarska chata takes just over four hours, as more than half of the route is almost flat. Up to the crossroads in Žiarska dolina, where there is a large parking lot, the path is marked as suitable for families with children.
Along the way, you can only stop at Baranec hut, which, however, was not open to the public during our visit, only to accommodated guests. It is also the only section whose mapping in online maps (Mapy.cz) differs from reality, and after about three kilometers from the start of the path, you need to continue along the red trail slightly to the right into the forest, even though the main road, used by bikes, goes another way.
From Žiarska dolina, a steady, at times steeper, ascent awaits you up to Žiarska chata. You can either take the new asphalt road, which, however, is used by scooter riders coming down from Žiarska chata, or walk along the marked blue trail through the forest. Both paths are equally long and converge into one asphalt road for the last two kilometers.
At Žiarska chata, expect a grumpy man at the counter. If you stay in the tourist dormitory (an attic with ‘cubicles’), don’t forget to ask for a shower token. It’s included in the price, although no one will tell you. You can’t buy more, because ‘3 minutes for a shower must be enough for you’. If you get wet on the way, like we did, the hut has a drying room that the staff will open for you free of charge.
On this section, expect views primarily of the opposing Low Tatras.
Along the way, magnificent views of Baníkov, Plačtivé, Roháče, and several lakes await you.
Section Length: 10.9 km
Section Time: 5:15 hours including lunch
Total Elevation Gain: 664 m
On the last day, prepare for a steeper ascent that begins right after Žiarska chata. We took the blue trail to Smutné sedlo; more adventurous hikers can choose an alternative route over Baníkov peak along the green trail, but expect at least three extra hours.
You’ll climb the entire elevation gain in the first three kilometers; the rest of the route is a pleasant descent, where you’ll descend almost a kilometer over eight kilometers. Along the way, magnificent views of Baníkov, Plačtivé, Roháče, and several lakes await you. Roughly halfway, you’ll come across the new Ťatliakova chata, where you can have lunch and a draft Kofola or beer.
Although an asphalt road leads from here all the way to Zverovka, no one rents scooters here, so you’ll have to walk the last section too. 🙂 Here you are fully in a tourist area, as on the way down you’ll meet many mothers relentlessly pushing strollers uphill.
The entire hike ends at Zverovka hut. However, if, like us, you arrive at Zverovka around two o’clock, you can catch a bus directly at the hut and get a ride to Podbiel train station. From there, you’ll travel to Žilina and transfer to a train to the Czech Republic.
When to Go to the Tatras
We went at the end of August
The main season in the Tatras is from June 16 to October 31; outside this period, many hiking trails are completely closed, primarily due to snow. These closures may persist later into the season; always check the TANAP website for current closures.
However, going on the traverse right in June is not a good idea. Snow lies in the saddles, and it’s still cold and rainy. Most people go on the traverse during July and August, but afternoon thunderstorms are frequent then, and the Tatranská magistrála is full of day-trippers.
We recommend the turn of August and September for the traverse, when thunderstorms are less frequent and the weather is more stable. It might be colder at higher altitudes, but it’s never warm there anyway. Moreover, the days don’t shorten as much yet, and you have enough daylight for every part of the route.
Slovakia: A Complete Guide to the Tatras Traverse
Quality equipment is essential
While it might sound trivial, quality equipment is essential to safely complete the trek and enjoy it to the fullest. Even a small detail, like a forgotten plaster, can turn a day hike into a nightmare. Similarly, a good quality backpack makes a huge difference. Although everyone warned us that carrying backpacks all day would be the hardest part (and that we should train in advance), it turned out to be easy (even without training). So, what shouldn’t you forget:
Also, don’t forget to write down the mountain rescue phone number.
Frequently Asked Questions about Crossing the Tatras
Can an untrained person manage to cross the Tatras?
Yes, if they have the right equipment and avoid crossing via Priečne sedlo.
Is it necessary to book accommodation in advance?
Yes, absolutely everything. Some chalets are fully booked months in advance. We booked almost 5 months ahead.
Do mountain chalets provide meals for vegetarians?
Yes, but you need to inform them in advance and ideally remind them a day before. At worst, they’ll always cook you a dumpling or a pancake.
Do I need a sleeping bag for the trek?
Yes. Although the chalets are equipped with bedding and blankets, they are not always sufficient. We recommend a sleeping bag for hygienic reasons alone.
When is the best time to cross the Tatras?
The ideal time is late August and the first half of September.
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Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
TL;DRČeská Kanada in South Bohemia is packed with day-trip options: there’s Dačice Castle, home to the world’s first sugar cube, and Český Rudolec Castle (nicknamed “little Hluboká”). Add the Renaissance gem of Slavonice, with a tower boasting over 170 steps, the Romanesque ruins of Landštejn Castle, the privately owned Nová Bystřice Chateau, and the castle in Jindřichův Hradec, famous for its one-of-a-kind “black kitchen”. A two-day trip works well, with a base in Jindřichův Hradec — it’s cheaper and parking’s far easier than in České Budějovice. The Česká Kanada region runs along the Austrian border and was declared a nature park in 2004.
South Bohemia is one of the most beautiful and culturally richest regions of the Czech Republic. People often come here for historical monuments, cycling trails, and various activities that keep South Bohemia literally packed all year round. And it is here that the magical region of Czech Canada lies. In this guide South Bohemia, Czech Republic: 6 Best Things to Do and See, we share tips for a trip around Czech Canada. Today, we bring you tips for a trip around Czech Canada.
We tourists who go on weekend holidays around the Czech Republic still have gaps. We all know Český Krumlov and Hluboká. But who among you has visited the mysterious Landštejn Castle, the Renaissance chateau Nová Bystřice, or Český Rudolec?
In cooperation with the South Bohemian Tourism Board, we went to Czech Canada for two days and visited both well-known and almost unknown places. Are you looking for a tip for a weekend or a one-day trip to historical sites and nature? Then you’ve come to the right place. 🙂
Czech Canada is a region in South Bohemia that stretches along the Austrian border and also lies in an area where a historical border between Bohemia and Moravia existed. The reason for the name Czech Canada is primarily the vast forests, which, unfortunately, are largely affected by bark beetles, especially in the Dačice area. There are also many water bodies, granite subsoil, and reportedly, more raw weather.
A part of the historically known Czech Canada was declared a nature park in 2004, and you’ll find a whole range of towns and monuments here, including the famous castle and chateau in Jindřichův Hradec, the ruins of Landštejn Castle, and many other more or less known historical landmarks.
Today’s Official Territory of the Czech Canada Nature Park
As part of exploring the Czech Republic, we set off for Czech Canada and visited primarily the lesser-known places that tourists haven’t discovered yet. Follow our paths and discover.
Where to Stay?
We recommend staying, for example, in Jindřichův Hradec, because České Budějovice is more expensive and parking is more challenging. At the same time, Jindřichův Hradec has many interesting establishments for breakfast and dinner, more so than if you were in a smaller town or village.
Dačice is a town that most tourists pass by because it lies between Telč and Slavonice, two beautiful towns with well-preserved historical centers. This is a great pity, as at least the chateau here is worth a visit.
Dačice New Chateau
The New Chateau in Dačice, built in 1591, was constructed by Oldřich Krajíř of Krajek. The chateau was originally Renaissance, in the eighteenth century it was rebuilt in the Baroque style by a new owner, and during the nineteenth century, it underwent reconstruction in the Empire style.
The chateau houses a magnificent Art Nouveau library and a children’s table designed for education, which Emperor Franz Joseph I presented to Baroness Marie Sturmdefer. You will also find an early realistic work by František Kupka from his student days here.
In Dačice, you will also find the so-called ‘Old Chateau,’ which is more of an urban Renaissance palace. It was built by Albrecht Krajíř of Krajek between 1572 and 1579 and is remarkably well-preserved. In the twentieth century, the town hall was located there, and since 1991, several municipal departments have had offices there.
Courtyard of Dačice Chateau
Dačice is also known as the place where the world’s first sugar cube was created. Jakub Kryštof Rad, its inventor, was in charge of the Dačice refinery in the first half of the nineteenth century, and at the urging of his wife, who injured herself while cutting the unsuitable sugar loaves produced at the time, he created a press for small sugar cubes. He first presented his invention in Vienna as ‘tea sugar,’ and the patent for its production was immediately purchased by Prussia, Saxony, Bavaria, Switzerland, and England. Cubes similar to Rad’s are still produced today.
Dačice Chateau Visiting Hours
The chateau does not have fixed opening hours; they often change, so before your trip, check the current visiting hours.
Český Rudolec Chateau
Little Hluboká or Moravian Hluboká. That’s the nickname for the as-yet unrestored Český Rudolec Chateau, a short distance from Dačice. It has stood here since 1860 (it was built on the site of a former Gothic fortress) and is one of the pearls of Czech Canada. Its modern history is quite sad; the chateau was robbed several times since World War II and eventually nationalized. Members of the local JZD (agricultural cooperative) lived there for a while, and during the 1970s, the remaining valuables that had been preserved in the chateau were lost.
Český Rudolec Chateau
Attempts at restoration never succeeded, but now it seems that something is finally starting to happen. In 2016, the repair of the tower was completed, an inn next to the chateau was renovated, and interested parties can request a tour. The chateau itself is definitely worth a stop!
How to get to Český Rudolec Chateau?
You can look inside by arrangement at the adjacent guesthouse. The chateau is privately owned, and you enter at your own risk; the interiors are in poor condition.
Slavonice
The town of Slavonice is known as a ‘Renaissance pearl’ due to its unusually well-preserved historical core. Slavonice is the westernmost town of the historical territory of Moravia, and it is nicknamed ‘Little Telč.’ Some online sources claim that Telč is prettier, but that’s not true. Slavonice and Telč cannot be easily compared, as both are beautiful towns, and the fact that far fewer tourists visit Slavonice adds to their charm. Only just over 2,300 inhabitants live in the town, so you have a fairly good chance of enjoying the sights and local atmosphere all to yourself.
Slavonice Square
In the middle of the town, you’ll find an observation tower with over 170 steps, accessible to the public. From the gallery at the top of the tower, you can see the entire town and its wide surroundings. In good weather, you can see all the way to Austria.
Beneath the town center is a medieval underground complex of corridors that served as a drainage system. Only a small part of the corridors is accessible to the public, although the underground connects most of the cellars of houses around both squares.
House in Slavonice Center
The entire town is known primarily for its incredible number of well-preserved burgher houses, which are decorated with Renaissance paintings and figural sgraffiti. The town naturally attracts artists, so you’ll find many charming workshops with original goods here.
The ruins of the mighty Landštejn Castle are the only preserved Romanesque-style castle in Europe. We don’t know exactly when or by whom it was built, but based on architectural elements, it’s likely to have been sometime in the 12th century. After the completion of new fortifications in the 16th century, it became one of the largest castles in the Czech lands.
Landštejn Castle
The castle often changed owners, and in 1771, it was struck by lightning, which caused a large fire. Since then, the castle was most likely abandoned and fell into disrepair until the 1960s , when restoration work began by Karel Veselý, whose dream was to make Landštejn accessible to the public. Veselý cleared the castle himself, primarily with his friends and borrowed tools, and although experts somewhat resent his unprofessional work on the castle, he has made an enormous contribution to how the castle looks today.
Restoration work is currently underway at the castle, primarily removing concrete from the historical walls, which was used in the 1970s in an attempt to preserve them. Unfortunately, this is not a suitable method, so the castle is essentially being repaired from scratch today.
Landštejn Castle Visiting Hours
The castle is open almost every day during the summer from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, but since opening hours change throughout the year, it’s better to check them here.
You can freely walk through the castle without a guide; there are educational panels inside, and from the two towers, there’s a magnificent view of the surrounding nature.
Nová Bystřice Chateau
The chateau complex in Nová Bystřice is private and is looking for a buyer who would renovate it and devise a cultural use for it. If you want to look inside, you must arrange a tour in advance, but it’s definitely worth it.
Interior of Nová Bystřice Chateau
The Kyncl family, the chateau’s administrators, care for it with love and are gradually renovating the premises. The original Gothic castle that stood here was built in the 13th century and was surrounded by a deep moat, which would be filled from a nearby pond in case of danger. It also had a watchtower, which you won’t find on the grounds today.
The castle was later rebuilt into a chateau, and in the 17th century, after a fire, it was reconstructed in the Renaissance spirit. Later, it underwent further Baroque modifications and has remained so until today.
The chateau is exceptional in that you’ll find almost no furnishings inside. Most rooms are completely empty, and although that might sound uninteresting, the opposite is true.
How to get to Nová Bystřice Chateau?
Call or write to the administrator at spravce@zameknovabystrice.cz; current contact details can be found on the chateau’s website.
One of the corridors in the chateau
Jindřichův Hradec Chateau
The town of Jindřichův Hradec lies precisely on the 15th meridian, and the first records of it date back to the 13th century. The most significant monument here is the enormous complex of the Renaissance chateau, which originated from the original Gothic castle, retaining many Gothic elements to this day.
Jindřichův Hradec Chateau
At the chateau, be sure to visit the so-called ‘black kitchen,’ which is the oldest (theoretically) functional kitchen in Czech castles and chateaux. One of the legends about the White Lady, Markéta Rožmberská, is connected to it; she supervised this kitchen to ensure that sweet porridge was cooked every Maundy Thursday for all the poor of Jindřichův Hradec.
The chateau is state-owned and in very good condition. You can choose one of the four tour routes and don’t forget to visit the so-called rondel in the chateau garden. This ‘garden house’ is breathtaking inside, and on its walls, you’ll find various exotic and mystical creatures and people. To the right of the main entrance, notice the heads of Chinese people. Where did they get the likeness of Chinese people and their dragons in the 16th century? 🙂
Bonus Tip: Guided Walks around České Budějovice
What do you know about České Budějovice? Lucka is from Písek, and the only thing she knew was that it was founded by Přemysl Otakar II, just like Písek. How much are we kicking ourselves now for not discovering the history of this beautiful city sooner!
Guided tour in the form of a story with period costume and speech
Please, if you ever go there, take a guided tour. And if you think a guided tour sounds boring – it’s not. We hung on our guide’s every word and wanted to stay in Budějovice for at least a week.
Ancient and magical history is woven into almost every cobblestone in the center of Budějovice. ☺️ For coffee shop lovers, there are many beautiful establishments you’ll surely adore.
České Budějovice at Night
Map of Sights in Czech Canada
South Bohemian Tourism Board
This article was created in cooperation with the South Bohemian Tourism Board as part of the Monuments Live project. Thank you for inviting us to the beautiful South Bohemian region!
Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
TL;DRPro dlouhodobé cestování a digitální nomády vycházejí nejlépe… Počkat, mám to přeložit do angličtiny.
For long-term travel and digital nomads, Safety Wing and True Traveller come out on top, since unlike standard travel insurers back home, they don’t limit how many days you spend abroad or how often you pop back. Safety Wing’s monthly plans start at $56.28 (the Essential plan, covering up to $250,000) or $150.50 for Complete, with cover up to $1,500,000. True Traveller works out at roughly €450 a year, with limits up to €6 million, and you can take out a policy for as long as 18 months. The more cautious option is World Nomads — pricier, but with the best cover for extreme sports. Gadget and luggage cover, by contrast, rarely pays off.
Whether you’re a digital nomad, a long-term traveller, or just planning an extended trip, the right annual travel insurance is an absolute must-have before you set off.
Insuring your health while abroad is a non-negotiable necessity. But there are countless insurance companies out there, and comparing them is far from straightforward.
On top of that, once you start looking into your options, a whole flood of questions hits you. Should I get health insurance only? Or should I also cover my phone and laptop? What about luggage? Or flight cancellations?
Best annual travel insurance for long trips
Don’t want to read further and just want to buy the best? Here are our two top recommendations:
1) Safety Wing – top travel insurance for long-term trips
Safety Wing is travel insurance tailor-made for digital nomads and frequent travellers. You can be continuously insured and pay monthly (you can cancel anytime). The basic plan without US coverage starts at $56.28 per month, and you can travel anywhere in the world.
You can purchase the insurance even from abroad, and after 90 days you can return home for up to 30 days while still being covered. This eliminates the hassle of calculating when it’s worth cancelling your domestic health insurance and when it’s not.
Another great advantage of Safety Wing insurance is that you don’t have to return home at all – unlike many traditional insurers that limit you to 45 or 90 days abroad before requiring a trip back.
The Essential plan for individuals aged 10–39starts at $56.28 per month (you can add extended US coverage or adventure sports), and coverage includes medical treatment, hospitalisation, hospital transfer, lost luggage, trip interruption, and flight delays. The overall coverage is capped at $250,000 per incident.
More comprehensive coverage is offered by the Complete plan. The main advantage of this plan is its high overall coverage limit of $1,500,000. It covers not only unexpected medical issues but also ongoing healthcare and preventive check-ups. Additional covered services include:
Transfer to a better-equipped hospital.
Lost luggage coverage.
Mental health support.
Theft protection.
Coverage for trip delay or interruption due to family reasons.
Repatriation or funeral costs in case of death.
The price for individuals aged 18–39 starts at $150.50 per month, with the option to add extended US coverage or adventure sports.
Why don’t we recommend a mainstream UK insurer right away? Because they come with too many limitations. They impose limits on the number of days abroad, credit card-linked policies often require you to pay medical expenses with that specific card, and they frequently limit how many times you can return home.
2) True Traveller – ideal for backpackers, gap year, and frequent travellers
True Traveller is the most flexible and comprehensive long-term travel insurance you can find – especially for its price. For around €450 per year, you get worldwide travel insurance (USA and Canada available as an add-on). Coverage limits are generous (up to €6 million), and you can add various travel packages, including extreme sports and skiing. Non-manual work is included in the basic plan, and manual work can be added for an extra fee.
True Traveller offers three main plans: True Value, Traveller, and Traveller Plus. Each plan offers a different level of coverage. The cheapest True Value plan includes medical expenses up to £2.5 million, but coverage is more limited than the other two plans. The Traveller plan offers higher limits for medical costs, as well as trip cancellation and delay coverage, while Traveller Plus has the highest limits and also includes higher amounts for legal expenses.
Another advantage of True Traveller insurance is that you can choose whether to add coverage for specific activities or winter sports, allowing you to tailor the insurance to your specific needs and reduce costs.
When it comes to flexibility, True Traveller allows home visits during your trip – insurance is paused while you’re home and resumes when you head back out. The insurance can also be easily renewed while travelling, in case you forget to renew your contract on time.
Just like Safety Wing, the insurance can be purchased while you’re already on the road, and you can be covered without a return ticket.
While insurance for accidents, evacuation, and natural disasters is standard for long-term travelling, you should think twice about whether you really need to insure anything else.
Just because an insurer offers gadget cover doesn’t mean it’s worth it. As you’ll discover from their price lists, insuring a MacBook or iPhone is quite expensive.
If you’re travelling with a professional camera and several devices, such add-on coverage can easily cost you more than €600 per year, while insurers typically only cover individual items up to around €600–800.
I understand that the thought of buying a new laptop for €2,000 fills you with dread (similar to our experience when we drowned a nearly new MacBook Pro in a tent). But is it really worth paying the insurer an extra €600 every year “just in case”?
Luggage insurance is practically pointless because insurers typically exclude electronics from it. I don’t know about you, but for us, most of the value in our luggage is the tech we’re carrying.
What type of travel insurance to choose
Travel insurance can be divided into three categories, each covering something completely different.
Travel health insurance
Standard health insurance from your home country usually doesn’t apply when you’re abroad.
💡 The exception is travel within the European Union and certain EEA countries, where your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will give you access to basic necessary medical care in case of a health issue. However, you’ll be treated under the same rules as locals – if healthcare is expensive for residents, it’ll be expensive for you too. More info here.
So it’s crucial to get properly insured. Because what will you do if you catch an illness or have an accident somewhere in New Zealand, Uganda, or anywhere else that requires immediate local treatment?
Local treatment can cost a fortune, and without proper insurance you’ll be paying thousands of pounds for care that you’re used to getting for free through your national health service.
Keep in mind that almost no insurer will allow you to receive long-term treatment abroad. As soon as it’s feasible, they’ll repatriate you to your home country, where your ongoing treatment will be covered by the national health system.
Medical evacuation insurance
When signing an insurance contract, you’ll often come across the term “emergency medical transportation.” It’s either included in your policy (with most insurers) or available as a standalone product. What is evacuation insurance for?
This type of insurance is most commonly used when the hospital where you end up isn’t equipped to handle the treatment you need. A typical example is when the hospital doesn’t perform the type of surgery you require.
Your attending doctor may request a transfer to a better-equipped facility. And it’s precisely this additional transfer that’s covered by the special insurance package. We strongly recommend getting evacuation coverage as part of your main insurance, not as a standalone service. With a standalone service, only the transfer itself is covered – not the subsequent treatment!
What type of travel is evacuation insurance most useful for? Primarily if you’re heading on long hikes into the wilderness, or travelling through less developed countries with inadequate healthcare infrastructure. In larger cities and developed countries, you generally won’t need evacuations. Transfer insurance can also be arranged for individual trips.
Coverage limits range from around €20,000 to millions (including unlimited limits). It might not seem obvious at first, but a helicopter evacuation with a search and rescue operation from remote mountains can rack up an astronomical bill, so we recommend a minimum limit of around €120,000.
Travel insurance for belongings
A separate category is insurance for third-party liability, loss and theft, or flight delays. These are often included with credit cards, but you need to carefully read the terms and conditions.
This type of insurance is often the most expensive item, especially if you want to cover photography equipment and electronics you’re travelling with. Many travel health insurance plans already include this type of coverage to a limited extent, or offer it as an add-on.
If you don’t get a good deal bundled with your health insurance, or if you don’t have bonus coverage through a credit card, this type of insurance is often not worth purchasing at all. Why?
There’s a very small chance something like this will actually happen
When something does happen (e.g., your hire car gets broken into), the insurer will likely find an exclusion in the contract to avoid paying out
When something does happen, replacing stolen equipment or buying a new flight out of pocket may be cheaper than the insurance itself
In many cases, you’re entitled to compensation from a third party even without insurance (e.g., for delayed flights)
As an example, let’s look at the popular product missed connection insurance. Most insurers require a minimum of two to four hours between flights as a baseline condition, or they won’t consider your claim at all.
You only need delay insurance if you’re travelling on two separate tickets. If you have a connecting flight on a single booking (one airline), the plane will either wait, or you’ll get an alternative flight/compensation. And how many connecting flights are actually missed? It’s 0.1% to 1.5%. And how many times a year do you fly? 🙂 Missed connection insurance simply doesn’t pay off.
Tips for choosing the right insurance
When choosing long-term insurance, you should focus mainly on specialised providers, most of which are international. Why? Because mainstream domestic insurers typically have significant limitations for “long-term” coverage:
They impose limits on travel days. You’ll encounter 30, 60, or 90-day limits after which you must return to your home country, even if just for a quick airport turnaround.
If the insurance is tied to a credit card, they may require you to pay 50%–100% of your travel costs with that specific credit card.
If you do find annual insurance, the number of home visits is often limited. Often, your second return home in a given year will invalidate your policy, with no refund.
Also watch out for excess (deductible) payments. Either the excess is charged every time you make a claim, or just once for the entire insurance period. The second option is obviously better, because if you claim multiple times in one period, you only pay the excess once.
When renewing your policy, keep in mind that if you made a claim during the previous period (say, for emergency dental treatment), they may exclude dental cover in the new year (or charge extra for it).
Overview of the best annual travel insurance
Below is an overview of insurers that specialise in long-term travel and digital nomads. We’re assuming you have standard health insurance in your home country.
All the insurers mentioned allow you to take out a policy even when you’re already travelling and don’t restrict the time you spend abroad. This means you don’t need to repeatedly return home during the insurance period.
SafetyWing
SafetyWing isour number one pick. SafetyWing is a startup that brought the subscription model (think Netflix or Spotify) to the insurance world.
Don’t be put off by the word “startup.” Although the idea was born from digital nomads like us, their underwriting partner is one of the best insurance companies in the world – Tokio Marine.
SafetyWing is a worldwide, location-independent safety net for all freelancers and digital nomads. That’s why they already offer a whole range of features that other companies lack.
Monthly subscription. You pay monthly and, just like Netflix, you’re not committed to any fixed term. You can cancel the next payment at any time.
Affordable price. Actually one of the lowest when you compare like-for-like coverage from other providers.
Annual cap on excess. No matter how many times you claim in a year, you’ll pay a maximum of $250 in total excess.
Zero excess for many claims, such as emergency dental treatment, hospital transfer, trip interruption, lost luggage, travel delay, third-party liability, and more.
Covers treatment at private facilities. You don’t need to seek out public hospitals and doctors. Especially in developing countries, private doctors are often far superior.
Pays hospitals directly. Unless you specifically insist on a different facility, SafetyWing settles bills directly. That means you won’t have to pay invoices yourself (and then wait for reimbursement).
Home country coverage. Even if you don’t have health insurance in your home country (e.g., if you went to work in Canada for a year), SafetyWing covers you at home too – for up to 30 days per 90 days of insurance. That’s a total of 120 days per year of insurance.
Same price whether monthly or annual. With most insurers, the shorter the policy, the more you pay per day. With SafetyWing, you always pay the same rate. This makes it a great option even for shorter trips.
What to watch out for with Safety Wing
Insurance for trips to the USA is more expensive, so we recommend only activating the US add-on for the period you’re actually there. Once you leave, switch back to the cheaper plan.
After 364 days of insurance, the contract deactivates – unless you confirm the renewal via email. Make sure you don’t miss this.
Insurance longer than 28 days is billed every 4 weeks. So you don’t have to pay a large sum upfront, unlike with most other insurers. You can find the full policy wording here.
SafetyWing also offers special plans for startups and online businesses with employees around the world. Through a single subscription, you can provide medical care for your team anywhere on the globe. The product is called Remote Health.
True Traveller is a British insurer particularly popular among residents of the European Economic Area, as it’s only available to EEA residents.
The cheaper plans from True Traveller offer good value, at least if you commit to a minimum of one year. Unlike SafetyWing, they offer a whole range of add-on coverages (which SafetyWing includes as standard) that can add up.
Coverage up to £10 million, which many competitors can’t match.
Policies can be taken out for up to 18 months. Plus, you can extend them. The downside is that you pay the premium upfront in full.
The basic plan covers over 90 sports and activities.
You can return home as often as you like. However, the insurer won’t cover you while you’re in your home country.
Medical expenses over £500 are paid directly. Lower amounts must be paid out of pocket and then claimed back.
Adding USA and Canada coverage is cheap. On an annual contract, the add-on costs around $90.
97% of Trustpilotreviews rate the insurer as excellent.
What to watch out for:
Add-ons cost a lot. Extending an annual policy (costing around $500) by just one week costs an incredible $50.
If there’s a contracted public hospital or doctor nearby, they won’t cover treatment at a private facility.
High excess. When ordering, tick the option for zero excess. It’ll cost you roughly $50 per year and pays for itself with even a single claim. The default excess ranges from $42 to $150 per event.
Working abroad isn’t covered by default. You’ll need to purchase the Adventure Pack add-on, which covers manual labour and volunteering.
World Nomads
For the more conservative travellers, World Nomads is still on the market – an insurer with a long track record. Their main selling point is the ability to purchase insurance even when you’re already travelling. How innovative! Today, almost every competitor offers this too, so you can certainly do better.
This insurer is quite expensive and has different terms (and prices) for each country, but they still maintain their client base, largely thanks to their reputation and excellent extreme sports coverage in the most expensive package. That’s why it’s insurance for adrenaline junkies and extreme athletes who need a no-compromise service.
Advantages of World Nomads
They can pay hospitals directly, but it doesn’t always get arranged in time. In that case, you’ll have to pay out of pocket and wait 3–6 weeks for reimbursement.
Excellent extreme sports coverage in the most expensive package.
What to watch out for:
World Nomads works with multiple underwriters, so every policyholder has different terms (depending on their home country). Prices, conditions, limits, and benefits all vary.
Policy extensions are expensive. One extra week beyond your contracted period costs around $80.
You’re only allowed to return home once during your trip. Nomads who frequently return home will need to buy shorter policies at higher prices.
TIP: Travel insurance is definitely worth it because you never know what might happen, so don’t forget about it when planning your trip.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Do airlines provide compensation for lost or delayed luggage?
Yes. Every airline handles it slightly differently, but in principle, if your luggage is delayed, they’ll reimburse the costs you had to incur because you didn’t have your belongings (toothbrush, clean shirt, etc.). They can also compensate for damaged or even lost luggage. You can find more about your rights under the Montreal Convention and EU regulations here.
Why do I need to fill in my home country when buying insurance? I’m a digital nomad and don’t live anywhere.
Because insurers need to know where to evacuate you if you’re seriously injured or need long-term care. For most people, this will be their country of citizenship – where you have family, access to healthcare, and don’t need a visa to enter. Note that some insurers don’t explicitly require you to be a resident of that country.
When should I buy insurance? Should I wait until departure day, or even until I’m already travelling?
The sooner you buy your insurance, the better. You should head to the airport or border with an active policy already in place. Terms vary by insurer, but coverage often doesn’t kick in until at least 4 hours after purchase. If you buy insurance at the airport, there’s a risk the insurer won’t cover a delayed flight.
How to choose travel insurance suitable for a visa application?
Some countries require proof of paid travel insurance before they’ll let you in. Examples include Schengen area countries (for non-EU citizens), the USA, and Canada. Always check the specific requirements of the country you’re visiting, but the insurers mentioned in this article should be accepted worldwide.
Can you compare long-term travel insurance plans anywhere?
Yes! For UK-based travellers, comparison sites like Compare the Market or GoCompare let you compare travel insurance policies side by side. However, for specialist long-term and nomad insurance like the ones we recommend here, you’ll often need to compare them manually.
Tips to make your travels easier
Regularly scan all documents you collect on the road. Especially medical records, receipts for clothing, electronics, expensive items, and travel gear. Keep documentation for everything you buy and pack into your luggage, and scan all receipts immediately after your luggage is delayed. Store everything in cloud storage.
Keep all travel documents in digital form. Especially your passport, driving licence, visas, and passport entry stamps.
Travel with payment cards that are designed for travellers. Leave a backup card with a family member and just write down its numbers. It could come in handy for online payments if your wallet gets stolen.
Always carry a physical copy of your insurance contract and passport on your person at all times. If you have an accident, first responders need to be able to identify you without your help (e.g., if you’re unconscious).
Check what global emergencies your insurance covers. For example, during the coronavirus pandemic, you only had 10 days to leave countries for which the US CDC issued a Warning Level 3. Within a week, that essentially covered all of Europe. If you stayed in affected countries, any claims related to COVID (hospitalisation, cancelled flights, etc.) were not covered.
How to find cheap flights: 15 proven and lesser-known tips
Travelling isn’t expensive, but flights usually are. They’re often the single biggest expense of any trip. We’ll teach you how to find cheap flights.
How to find cheap accommodation
Cheap accommodation is available all over the world. Beyond hotels, there are plenty of options you can get for a fraction of the price, […]
Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
