People travel from New York, Toronto, and even Tokyo just to visit this place. And honestly, it’s no surprise. Jan Čulík has created something truly special in Tábor, Czech Republic — a place where poetry is composed from world-class wine and chefs conjure magic not just for your taste buds, but for your eyes too. He does it all with a deep love for the town he calls home. The restaurant cooks exclusively with local ingredients, and he personally selects wines from around the globe. It’s an absolute paradise for anyone who appreciates fine wine and Czech cuisine with a modern twist. Curious about where we’re talking about? You might have already guessed. It’s Thir. And that’s exactly where we headed for a weekend with Amazing Places.
On a bitterly cold but sunny day, we parked right in the heart of the Hussite town of Tábor. The icy air carried the scent of cinnamon and pine needles, Christmas music drifted through the streets, and we couldn’t help but admire the town’s charming centre. From Žižkovo Square, we made our way to a house that once belonged to the family of a respected local historian.
The Atmosphere of the Hussite Town Breathes from Every Wall
The moment we step inside, the atmosphere of this historic building washes over us. This is where the restaurant and guesthouse Thir now resides. The name is no coincidence — that esteemed historian was called Karel Thir. “His family owned this house for about three hundred years,” says Honza Čulík, co-owner and manager of Thir. It turns out Honza and Karel Thir share more than just an address. Honza’s ancestor owned a brewery right next door back in the 16th century.
We barely have time to drop our bags in the spacious apartment, glance out the window at the rooftops of this medieval town, before we’re heading downstairs to warm up with some soup.
Lukáš raved about the carrot and ginger velouté for days afterwards — and just as much about the meltingly tender meat that followed. Each dish was more like a work of art on our plates, a symphony for all the senses. When we told Honza how impressed we were, he just laughed: “Wait until tomorrow — you haven’t seen anything yet.”
Magical Wines That Won’t Give You a Headache — Even After Several Bottles
And he’s right. We spend the entire weekend wide-eyed, marvelling at everything they serve us — from breakfast to dinner. We find ourselves savouring dishes we’d normally never order. And we can’t stop wondering how they’ve managed to keep such divinely prepared cabbage a secret from the rest of the world. If you think we’re exaggerating, go and see for yourself. But fair warning — you’ll be thinking about it for a long time. During our weekend, the cooking is Czech through and through, but with the creativity of the finest culinary masters.
Christmas markets happen to be in full swing in Tábor, and there’s not a tacky souvenir in sight — just local products brimming with humour and tradition. The people of Tábor clearly have a brilliant sense of humour: we were won over by the “Old Bohemian Burger” (which looked suspiciously like a pancake wrapped around a sausage) and Christmas ornaments shaped like excavators (which we simply had to buy).
We can’t brave the outdoors for too long, though — the cold cuts right through us — so we duck into the Gothic Hall of the Hussite Museum, where a wine tasting is underway.
The selection ranges from Italian to Romanian wines, but we end up spending most of our time with Honza and his biodynamic offerings. Like him, we’re drawn to authentic wines — the kind that boast a pure, honest flavour with no chemicals or cosmetic touches. We’ve become particularly fond of sulphite-free wines. They’re rather magical, you see. You can drink several bottles and wake up the next morning without the slightest headache.
“The Longer I Studied International Relations, the More I Realised How Important Local Ones Are”
Walking back to the guesthouse, we find ourselves wondering about Honza — who he is, how he ended up here, and how he managed to create such an extraordinary place. After the tasting and dinner, we catch up with him in the wine bar and get the full story.
Honza studied international relations, but as he puts it: “The longer I studied international relations, the more I realised how important local ones are.” After university, he had no idea what to do with his life, so he flew to Canada to work — planting trees, cleaning, whatever he could find. “Doing that kind of work gave me time to think about the meaning of life, and it became increasingly clear that I wanted to return to my hometown and help it grow and improve.” His eyes light up when he talks about Tábor. “Canada is a great country, but just take a walk through Tábor. You won’t find towns like this anywhere over there.”
Thir isn’t his only project either. A few months ago, he opened VÝČEP, a craft beer bar on Žižkovo Square, serving beer from the local family-run microbrewery Obora. If beer is more your thing than wine, you should absolutely pop in. Pair it with a bite from the local butcher’s shop Liška or from the Bláhův Dvůr dairy farm. And you might just hear some live music too — local musicians regularly drop by and play sets that’ll put a smile on your face.
This certainly won’t be our last visit to Tábor. I’m already looking forward to strolling through the town again in spring, visiting Holeček Gardens, stopping by Ctiborův Mill — home to the Cesta cultural centre — and exploring the local community garden. We’ll definitely pick up some of Chris’s brilliant cheese and ricotta gnocchi to take home. And in the evening? Poetry made from food and wine at Thir, naturally. Tábor is just 90 minutes south of Prague by train or car, making it an easy weekend escape — and one we couldn’t recommend more highly.
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!
