Benešov

An interesting town that rarely gets a mention, yet certainly deserves a visit, is Benešov. For several years now its cultural life has been given a real boost by the Museum of Art and Design Benešov (MUD*), which focuses on contemporary art, photography and design. In autumn 2026 it will also present a pair of new exhibitions: Postsvícení by designer Michaela Doležalová, which links lighting design with the theme of sustainability, and an exhibition by photographer Polina Davydenko devoted, among other things, to her personal experience of the Russo-Ukrainian war.

In the town centre you will find the Church of St Nicholas, with its originally Gothic foundations and many later alterations, as well as interesting examples of modernist and interwar First Republic architecture. If you have more time, head out of town towards Konopiště.

Liberec

They say that in Liberec it is either raining or you are walking uphill, but for us the city is one of the best candidates for an autumn trip. It combines the distinctive character of the surrounding landscape with urban gems and high-quality art. This connection is demonstrated not only by the Liberec Regional Gallery, housed in a sensitively restored former spa building, but also by the annual Art Week Liberec, which takes place in historic and otherwise remarkable spaces around the city. In previous years, AWL has taken visitors not only to local galleries but also, for example, to the Liebieg Palace and the Church of the Finding of the Holy Cross.

Liberec is worth exploring beyond the centre, too. Don't miss Liebiegovo městečko (Liebieg's Town), the villa quarter around Masarykova Street, or the Rochlice housing estate, an interesting example of post-war urban planning. Stop for coffee and cake at the renowned Mikyna café and, if the weather is nice, set off for the forest and rocky viewpoints on the edge of the city.

Louny

You might not have expected Louny in this selection, but autumn is exactly the time when you can combine historic architecture and contemporary art with a walk along the Ohře river. For art, head to the Benedikt Rejt Gallery, housed in a remarkable modernist building by architect Emil Přikryl and focusing mainly on modern and contemporary art. In the town centre itself, don't miss the Church of St Nicholas, one of the most important late Gothic buildings in Bohemia, or the historic town core with its preserved walls. Louny is also worth a visit for the landscape that surrounds it: the views of the České středohoří hills give the town an extra dimension in autumn.

Kutná Hora

Kutná Hora is exactly the kind of town where it pays to set aside a whole weekend. The historic centre, with St Barbara's Church, the Italian Court and the former Jesuit College, offers an extraordinary concentration of architecture and monuments, yet there is no shortage of a lively contemporary cultural scene either. The former Jesuit College is home to GASK – the Gallery of the Central Bohemian Region, which focuses on 20th- and 21st-century art. If you go in autumn, you can catch, until 4 October, Lukáš Machalický's site-specific installation Polopenze (Half Board), which responds directly to the architecture of the former Jesuit College and moves on the border between architecture, sculpture and object. The Jesuit College deserves attention even without exhibitions, but combined with contemporary art this historic space acquires a true genius loci.

In autumn, Kutná Hora has one big advantage: its monuments and streets work beautifully even without a packed programme. If you have more time, be sure not to miss Sedlec and its Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady and St John the Baptist, which, together with St Barbara's Church, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. The combination of historic architecture, contemporary art and autumn landscape makes Kutná Hora one of the most rewarding cultural trips within easy reach of Prague.

Brno

Brno may be something of a classic by now, but in our view it never disappoints. Its contemporary cultural scene blends naturally with an exceptionally strong modernist tradition, and there are few other places where, in a single day, you can move from an experimental gallery in a former factory to a functionalist villa. For contemporary art, head for example to König Vlk gallery, Šmeral Gallery, or the multi-genre cultural centre Industra, housed in a former compressor factory. A great concentration of art and design can also be found at the Moravian Gallery, the Museum of Applied Arts, the Jurkovič Villa and the Pražák Palace.

But in Brno, don't give all your attention to galleries alone. Visit Černá Pole, a district of important functionalist villas. It is not only Villa Tugendhat that is worth a visit, but also the Löw-Beer Villa and many others. And if you continue towards the centre, you can spot further iconic buildings along the way, such as the Zeman Café and Hotel Avion.