Italy and Portugal are still the destinations everyone talks about this summer, but ask around and you’ll notice something different: more of your friends are booking Prague instead. The crowds, the wait lists, the feeling that you’re vacationing inside someone else’s photos, all of that has pushed a growing number of Americans somewhere quieter. And this year, that somewhere is the Czech Republic.
That golden, empty piazza from every photo is packed with tour groups by 9 a.m. The little restaurant your friend swore by two years ago now has a wait list and its own merch.
Travelers who used to default to Tuscany or the Amalfi Coast are looking for the version of Europe that existed before it got discovered twice. Right now, that place is the Czech Republic.
Search interest tells the story. Italy and Portugal are still growing, up 15% and 29% in search interest this year. But interest in the Czech Republic jumped 149% over the same stretch, more than any other country Americans are searching for this summer.
Prague just earned its first Michelin Guide
Prague’s restaurant scene just got Michelin’s stamp of approval. In December, the Czech Republic received its first-ever nationwide Michelin Guide, covering restaurants across the country, not just Prague.
One restaurant took two stars, eight earned a single star and 18 more picked up Bib Gourmand honors for great food at a fair price. For a country still known abroad mostly for goulash and pilsner, that’s proof the dining scene has caught up with the architecture.
Visitors are breaking tourism records
The Czech Republic isn’t just trending online. It’s breaking records in real life. The country welcomed nearly 23.6 million guests in 2025, pushing both visits and overnight stays past pre-pandemic numbers.
People aren’t just passing through Prague between bigger cities anymore. They’re staying longer, and luxury advisors have noticed. CzechTourism joined Virtuoso this year, the network that plans trips for big-spending clients and once sent its best itineraries straight to Tuscany.
Try these Czech towns beyond Prague
Prague still gets the biggest share of visitors, but it isn’t the whole trip. Český Krumlov has fairy-tale architecture without the foot traffic, and South Moravia’s wine country gives you a Tuscany alternative almost nobody back home has heard of yet. If you’re tired of standing in the same photo as everyone else, that’s the appeal.
Italy and Portugal aren’t going anywhere, and they’ll still be packed every summer. But next time a friend asks where to go in Europe that doesn’t feel like everyone else’s vacation, you’ve got one. Book the Czech Republic now, before everyone else finds out too.
Jennifer Allen is a retired chef turned traveler, cookbook author and nationally syndicated journalist; she’s also a co-founder of Food Drink Life, where she shares expert travel tips, cruise insights and luxury destination guides. A recognized cruise expert with a deep passion for high-end experiences and off-the-beaten-path destinations, Jennifer explores the world with curiosity, depth and a storyteller’s perspective. Her articles are regularly featured on the Associated Press Wire, The Washington Post, Seattle Times, MSN and more.