Olomouc: The Czech Republic’s Best-Kept Secret

I arrived in Olomouc with near to zero expectations and a backpack full of Berocca due to having a reservation at the increasingly popular Long Story Short Eatery, and hearing a rumour about a very good Irish pub. I left with a deep love for baroque fountains, a mild addiction to tvarůžky (a cheese that smells like regret but tastes like triumph), and a photo album full of statues that look like they’re judging me, cocktails and random street art.

 

First Impressions: “Is This a Movie Set?”

Olomouc’s Old Town is so charming it feels like someone Photoshopped it. Cobblestone streets? Check. Ornate churches? Check. A giant astronomical clock that looks like a socialist fever dream? Double check. I spent the first hour wandering aimlessly, convinced I’d stumbled into a Wes Anderson film.

The Holy Trinity Column, a UNESCO World Heritage site, stands proudly in the main square. It’s basically a 35-meter-tall monument to “Look how Catholic we were in the 18th century.” I tried to take a selfie with it, but the column is so massive it looked like I was posing with a beige wall and it accentuated my often disguised chin rolls.

Before you go, I seriously suggest checking Letňák Olomouc for its program to factor it in to your time there. I am using it as an excuse to head back and get involved with one of their festivals or outdoor cinema days. We did wander through on the way back to LSS a few times where there were families and their dogs just chilling over open fires either eating from the onsite pop-up or cooking up their own feasts!

 

The Cheese That Time Forgot

Let’s talk about Olomoucké tvarůžky. This local cheese is legendary. It’s pungent, unapologetic, and smells like it’s been fermenting in a gym sock since 1840. Locals eat it with onions, mustard, and a sense of national pride. I ate it with cider, followed by a bottle of Czech red wine, as you do. It’s the kind of food that makes you question your life choices and then spend the afternoon waxing lyrical about how good it was and why was the whole meal only £30 (this is alien to Londoners). Honestly, check out how pretty this cheese board is:

Eating Out - Pigging Out...

So many bakeries, wine bars, and restaurants to choose from. But here are a few of my favourites:

Long Story Short - Quite frankly this dinner was sublime and clearly very popular with the locals too. Great staff, a hugely creative and delicious menu, and the venue itself is just iconic. We stayed here too, do not be put off by the 'Hostel' element, we loved it!

Drapal - We accidentally stumbled across his one and hit gold, a traditional Czech pub that not only had the cheeseboard above, but lashings of authentic dishes and a great atmosphere. 

Head to the Maria Column and take a look at the cutesy cafe's surrounding it, then make the wise decision to settle at Caffe Trieste. Recognizable by its oversized wonky table and beautiful canopy of trees. Clearly frequented by locals (which is always a good sign), for coffee, Aperol and cake.

Getting Around

Olomouc is walkable, but the trams are also super frequent and reliable. Just tap and go!

 

Churches, Statues, and One Very Confused Tourist

Olomouc has more churches than people named Jana. I wandered into St. Wenceslas Cathedral and accidentally was very impressed with how stunning it is. I stayed for 20 minutes, pretending to be deeply moved while trying not to sneeze, but my partner did and it echoed beautifully and loudly.

The city is also full of statues—saints, scholars, and buildings you can climb the stairs to the top of for a better view of it's neo gothic gems and gain a deeper understanding of your flailing fitness level.

 

Nightlife: Beer, Jazz, and Philosophical Debates with Strangers

Olomouc’s nightlife is surprisingly lively, just not when we went as all the students were recharging before term kicked off again! Sayes Cocktail Bar - A super swish joint to get your Espresso Martini fix and perfectly situated to then hit The Black Stuff across the road.  The Black Stuff - Although going to an Irish Bar should not be on the top of your list when visiting anywhere abroad (excluding Ireland) this is an exception to the rule. The cocktails were off the charts, the whiskey collection was instagrammably good, the staff were funny and so passionate about the place that it felt like a ‘proper’ local pub, and the décor was so freakin cool I’ve been boring my friends with pictures. It is now your turn…

 

Final Thoughts: Go Before Everyone Else Does

Olomouc is weird, wonderful, and wildly underrated. It’s the kind of place where you can spend the morning admiring baroque architecture, the afternoon eating cheese that smells like betrayal, and the evening discussing how nobody seems to know about this place over pilsner.

So pack your bags, bring nose plugs, and prepare to fall in love with the Czech Republic’s best-kept secret. Just don’t tell Prague.

 

Check out more of my travels via my Instagram.