CZ
Olomouc
A graceful Moravian university city of Baroque squares, fountains and churches, with few crowds
A graceful Moravian university city of Baroque squares, fountains and churches, with few crowds
A towering Baroque monument completed in 1754, decorated with gilded copper and sculptures, and listed by UNESCO in 2000. It has a small chapel inside its base.
Photo: Txllxt TxllxT, CC BY-SA 4.0
Set into the town hall, the medieval clock was rebuilt after the Second World War in a socialist-realist style, with workers and athletes in place of saints. Its figures parade at noon.
Photo: ŠJů, CC BY 4.0
The neo-Gothic cathedral stands on Wenceslas Hill beside the Archdiocesan Museum and the remains of the Přemyslid palace.
Photo: Txllxt TxllxT, CC BY-SA 4.0
A hilltop pilgrimage basilica just outside the city, with views over the plain and a zoo next door. City buses run there.
Photo: Sylwia Botev, CC BY 3.0 pl
Try olomoucké tvarůžky, a pungent local ripened cheese, often served fried or with beer, plus classic Czech pub dishes.
The streets around the two main squares have plenty of pubs, cafés and student bars.
Fast trains from Prague take about two to two and a half hours; Brno is about an hour and a half away. The centre is walkable, and trams link it to the railway station.
Czechia is in the EU and the Schengen area. EU citizens need only an ID card; citizens of the UK, US, Canada, Australia and many other countries can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, with biometric registration under the EU Entry/Exit System. An ETIAS travel authorisation is also due to be introduced. Check current rules before you travel.
Olomouc is one of the best-value cities in Czechia. Czechia uses the Czech koruna (CZK), not the euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere; avoid exchange offices advertising “0% commission” and decline card payments in euros.
Squares, fountains and churches.
See the Holy Trinity Column, the town hall and its clock, seek out the six Baroque fountains, and climb up to St Wenceslas Cathedral.
Take the bus up to Svatý Kopeček, or visit the Archdiocesan Museum and relax in the city’s parks.
🛂 Entry rules: EES and ETIAS
Czech Republic is in the Schengen area, which has two EU border systems for non-EU visitors.
EES (in force): since 10 April 2026 the EU’s Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors’ passport details, fingerprints and a photo the first time they enter the Schengen area, replacing passport stamps. Allow extra time at the border on your first trip; later crossings are quicker. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are not registered.
ETIAS (not yet running): a €20 online travel authorisation for visitors who don’t need a visa, such as UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens. It hasn’t started and no start date has been confirmed, so nobody can apply yet; ignore websites that offer to “pre-register” you for a fee.
Visa-free visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, not per country.
Official information: EU: Travel to Europe (EES & ETIAS) · Reviewed September 2026
When a card machine offers to charge you in your home currency or euros, choose CZK for a better rate.
Look for the six Baroque fountains of Roman gods and heroes around the squares.
Try tvarůžky, but be warned: it has a strong smell.
Olomouc is on the main rail line between Prague and Ostrava, a good stop on the way to Poland or Slovakia.
Quick answers for planning time in Olomouc.
No. The currency is the Czech koruna (CZK). Some places accept euros, but usually at a poor rate.
Yes, for its Baroque squares and UNESCO-listed Holy Trinity Column, without the crowds of Prague.
About two to two and a half hours by fast train.
It was rebuilt after the Second World War in a socialist-realist style, with workers instead of saints.
Olomoucké tvarůžky, a strong-smelling ripened cheese made in the region.
Google Maps and Mapy.com (the Czech map app, excellent for hiking) both work well.
Free
Czech is the language; English is common in Prague and tourist areas, less so elsewhere.
Free
Planning a wider trip? Our Czech Republic travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.