North Moravia and Silesia is one of Czech Republic’s most industrialised regions. Nonetheless, attractions are not limited to technical landmarks. There is a diverse offer on things to do from spas to mountain hikes and from city-life in Ostrava to the most unusual sights like the leaning church in Karvina. I had few days to explore a bit of the region, here’s some of the best highlights!
Enjoying the views from Bolton Tower in Ostrava
Ostrava: Your industrial hub for this trip
Stay in Ostrava and discover the rest. There is no better hub than a big city to sleep, party and have fun but during the day take the time away to visit nearby attractions. Ostrava itself is full of amazing good quality attractions such as Dolni Vitkovice Industrial area and Landek Mining Park. The city is also home to a cute city center which mirrors the imposing architecture seen in Prague. From Ostrava, it’s possible to travel with public transport to reach other towns.
Read more about Ostrava – The Steel Heart of Czech Republic.
Stramberk seen from above!
Visit Stramberk – The Moravian Bethlehem
It is said that Stramberk is the Moravian Bethlehem due to its labyrinth of narrow streets. I was impressed by this cute town’s beauty and location as it’s stuck up the foothills of the Beskydy Mountains. It is known for many legends including the one surrounding the Stramberk Ears. These are small gingerbread snacks produced exclusively in this town! More information about the ears and other legends can be found here. I had the Stramberk Ears in a local coffee shop with a hot chocolate, really good combination! I also offered them to my colleagues at work, they loved them! Perfect present to take home!
A hot chocolate and an ear, anyone?
Since I’m talking about food, there is a great Czech restaurant on the main square of the town called The Brewery of Stramberk (Mestsky Pivovar). It serves generous portions prepared from the local beer brewed in the very same location for centuries now! If you also want to do something unusual, go for a beer spa!
Look out for these little wooden town houses in Stramberk!
In Stramberk, there is an imposing structure known as “Truba”, it’s the castle’s tower. I climbed up there to enjoy breathtaking 360 degrees views of the town and its surroundings. Overall, Stramberk was a great discovery that I highly recommend especially if you love beers and… ears!
The main church at Pribor, few minutes away from Freud’s birthplace!
Pribor: Birthplace of Sigmund Freud
We all know Sigmund Freud but we all don’t really know Pribor. This town in North Moravia and Silesia is Freud’s birth town. In other words, it’s the birthplace of psychoanalysis. Freud’s family home is now a museum dedicated to his life, it is quite interactive with an interactive audio guide and a nice selection of items in this exhibition.
Freud spent his childhood in Pribor so you can walk past streets where he was playing as a kid. I found that Pribor had less life than other towns I seen on this trip but it’s highly recommended to have a walk around before moving on to another town.
Tatra Museum’s finest car!
Tatra Museum in Koprivnice
For some reasons, I thought that Tatra was an Indian car-making company! But I was surprised to learn that it comes from Czech Republic! This international company has crossed borders and taken over the world… literally! Tatra Museum exhibits lorries used by Czech travellers for trips to Africa, Europe and beyond! Some of the lorries did the mythical Paris-Dakar rallye!
Apart from these hidden gems, the museum has a huge collection of cars from all types and all styles. Some date back from the creation of the company until very recently. The museum itself feels a bit stuck in time though in the sense that the facilities felt like they were not refurbished since the 90s. Actually, this amplifies the nostalgic feeling about Tatra’s life timeline. I loved it!
Is this enough proof that it’s really leaning?!
The Leaning Church of Karvina
This church is located at the middle of nowhere around some green fields of the village of Karvina on the outskirts of Karvina Mining Plant. Due to the intense mining activity, this church lost its balance and started leaning… strongly defying gravity laws! It is very obvious that it is a leaning structure! Go see it and if you are lucky, attend a scheduled church service to get a sneak peak inside!
Disclaimer: I was guest of Moravian-Silesian Tourism s.r.o.. I appreciate their support on my trip, however, all opinions here are my own.
Have you ever been to North Moravia and Silesia?
