Cheb

Cheb is a city in Bohemia in Western Czech Republic with a population of 33,500 and is close to the German border.

Understand

The name is pronounced "khep" (the first sound like a German or Scottish "ch" or a Spanish "j" not as in "Chicken" - locals will make fun of you if you make this mistake). This town is sometimes called Eger in German, which was its official name until 1945. The city features a very quaint and pretty town square and winding alleys. However, outside of the center, the city is characterized by grimy heavy industry.

1 Tourist information kiosk (Turistické infocentrum), Jateční 2. Monday - Friday 9:00 - 17:00. 

Get in

By bus

Direct buses run from Prague (150 Kč, 3 hours, 4 daily), Karlovy Vary (56 Kč, 1 hour, 7 daily), Mariánské Lázně (40 Kč, 30 minutes, 12 daily).

By train

• 1 Cheb Station. Built in the 19th century by several German rail companies and run in cooperation until the end of WWII when Czechoslovak and later Czech authorities took over. Direct trains run from Prague (250Kc, 3 hours). There are local German trains from Hof, Nuremberg and Bayreuth. Unfortunately, the line is not yet electrified on the German side, so long distance trains are still some way off.  

Get around

The center is easily accessible by foot.

See

Museums and galleries:

• 1 Cheb Museum. 9am-5pm, closed Sun & Mon. 20th-century paintings of Cheb. 50Kc.  
• 2 Art centrum Galerie 4 (photography gallery), Františkánské náměstí 30/1, ☏ +420 354 422 838, galerie4@galerie4.cz. Tu-Su: 10:00-18:00 (no entry after 17:00), closed on state holidays. (updated Nov 2017)
• 3 Gallery of fine arts in Cheb.  

Cheb castle with the Black tower

Buildings:

• 4 Cheb Castle. Mostly in ruins except for its towers. Features the biggest Romanesque chapel in Bohemia. 30Kc.  

• 5 Namesti Krale Jiriho z Podebrad - Main Square. 16th century former Jewish merchant houses.  
• 6 New Town Hall & State Gallery of the Arts. Baroque building from the 18th century. Features Czech modern art. 80Kc. 
• 7 Špalíček. A group of eleven originally Gothic houses.  

Churches:

• 8 St. Wencelas Church.  
• 9 St. Nicolas Church. Baroque building from the 13th century.  
• 10 Frantiskanske Namesti. Features the St. Clare Church and the Church of the Herald of the Virgin Mary. 

Do

• 1 Kartarena, Potočiště 3. 
• Jazz Jam Cheb. Annual jazz festival, held around October. (updated Nov 2017)
• 2 Chebská stráž. A viewpoint above the Skalka reservoir. One of the paths is the "Magic Forest", with educational board about the history of Cheb and its surroundings. Also games about the forest are here, where visitors can practice their knowledge of the forest. (updated Dec 2023)

Buy

• 1 Asia Dragon Bazar Svatý Kříž, Svatý Kříž. Large market focused on German customers that mainly sells alcohol, tobacco and counterfeit brand clothes. A number of Vietnamese restaurants. Open daily but busiest at weekend. 

Eat

• Pizzerie Jakubská, Restaurace u Blonďáka, Jakubska 1, ☏ +420 354 436 143. Pizza: 80-120 Kč. 
• Pizzeria Da Angelo, Jateční 18. 

Drink

• 1 Incognito Bar, Svobody 2285/26a, ☏ +420 776 232 071. 11:00 - 02:00. 

Sleep

• Autocamp Rybarska Basta (6km east of city center at Drenice). Well-equipped campsite. Tent: 60 Kč; Bed: 220 Kč. 
• 1 Hotel Barbarossa, Jateční 458/7. Jazz in reception. Nice bathrooms. Single:1,050 Kč Double: 1,350 Kč, including breakfast. 
• 2 Penzion u Vlčků, Májová 40, ☏ +420 775 542 481, info.penzionvlcek@seznam.cz. Check-in: 14:00-20:00. 
• 3 Hotel Slavie, Svobody 32 (Located in the pedestrian zone, towards the end opposite to the market square), ☏ +420 354433216, fax: +420 354433494, info@hotel-slavie.cz. Friendly somewhat bigger hotel with a decent standard, however, nothing "fancy". 

Go next

• Karlovy Vary
• Loket a pittoresque town surrounded by a curve in the Ohře River, which you can well visit on your way to Karlovy Vary
• Františkovy Lázně
• Mariánské Lázně
• Plzeň
• Fichtelgebirge