WELCOME TO LIBEREC REGION

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1 WELCOME TO LIBEREC REGION The North Bohemian district town of Liberec is located in the valley between the Ještěd Ridge and the Jizera Mountains. It is the sixth-largest city in the Czech Republic and with just over 100,000 inhabitants, Liberec is a thriving town with an interesting history and a variety of architectural styles including Baroque, Renaissance and Art Nouveau. It is situated 100 km north of Prague (1 hour travel by bus) and 30 minutes from the border with Poland and Germany. Nowadays, Liberec offers many interesting sites. Downtown there are many historical buildings which are the pride of the town - for example: The Town Hall built in neo-renaissance style and finished in 1893, a symbol of wealth and the economical as well as cultural development of the town. Theatre of František Xaver Šalda dating from The Museum of North Bohemia houses exhibits of natural science, archaeology, and history of North Bohemia. ZOO- the Zoo dates back to 1919, making it the oldest of its kind in the Czech Republic. The Botanical Garden at 110 years old this is the oldest of its kind in the Czech Republic... Thirteen different botanical themes are presented in nine pavilions. Ještěd mountain hotel and restaurant, its peak rises to 1012m above sea level. It is crowned by a modern tower which has become a dominant feature of the town. There is a wonderful view of the surrounding area from the top of the mountain, which can be reached on foot or by cable car. The city is famous for winter sports (skiing downhill or cross-country, ice-hockey, ice skating), as well as for summer sports (golf the city has two golf resorts with an unforgettable atmosphere, mountain biking or hiking). There are also plenty of options for less-active including cultural activities (opera, theatre, cinemas) and night life.

2 The Babylon Centre - is unique location for family leisure time. The main tourist attraction of Babylon is Aquapark - the first in the Czech Republic. In Babylon, visitors can visit the Shopping centre, the bowling alley, 3 restaurants and a science IQ games complex. WATTSENGLISH IN LIBEREC Wattsenglish Ltd., Liberec was founded in 2007, the company is situated in the centre of Liberec. Liberec was the first region where Wattsenglish Ltd. was established. There is also a Wattsenglish kindergarten, which is a bilingual kindergarten where the English teachers teach children aged 3 to 6 years. The successful applicant will teach children in kindergartens and in primary schools in Liberec. This position will allow you to put your teaching knowledge into practice and continue in the development of your teaching skills with the Wattsenglish teacher training programme and support. Even that we are getting started with Wattsenglish programmes in September 2010, Wattsenglish in Liberec offers a comfortable base for teacher's work and we are ready to provide all necessary facilities for teaching (free access to the Internet and , copying and printing facilities, a study place). We are also able to provide help with accommodation, other administration work and anything else you may have problems with.

3 LIVING AND TEACHING IN LIBEREC Brad Kloewer: Liberec is one of the best cities in the Czech Republic for expats outside of Prague, especially if you like the outdoors. Conveniently located just an hour north of Prague by bus, Liberec sits at the foot of the Jizerky mountains within half an hour of both the German and Polish borders. A number of language schools in town provide a decent sized expat community of English speakers and the university in town makes for a lively nightlife. Biking, climbing, and skiing are all common pastimes and easily accessible from city center. Liberec is especially beautiful in the summer and fall after the rains have stopped and before the snow has begun. My two years here were well spent and unforgettable. Lisa Masters: I ve been living in Liberec for 18 months and have chosen to stay here for another year as it s a safe, friendly and interesting place to live. Liberec has something for everyone pubs, clubs & restaurants; shopping centres; a museum, theatres & a cinema; plus there are several popular ski resorts in the area and plenty of places to go walking or cycling. Accommodation, food and transport are relatively cheap here as Liberec is a small city and most places are within walking distance. With great travel links it s an ideal base for travelling to Germany and Poland as well as exploring the Czech Republic. There are good public transport links from the main coach and railway station which serve Liberec and many places in the Czech Republic. There are two regular bus services to Prague, which is only an hour away. One-way ticket costs 80 CZK. Liberec is close to the German and Polish borders (about 25 kilometres) and you can easily get there by train and visit the towns, cities and sights. Worth seeing are Dresden, Bautzen, Gorlitz all in Germany and Krakow in Poland. Culture In Liberec there are 3 theatres and 2 cinemas. There are also musical halls and music bars and clubs. Liberec is a university town with a lively campus where there are several bars and clubs with varied themes and musical styles. The F.X. Salda theatre building was completed in 1893, the history of theatrical life in the town began as far back as the late 1600s. The theatre has gradually expanded its activities to include drama, ballet, plays and opera. Its opera company has always occupied pride of place in the town s cultural life, while its drama company has introduced several prominent personalities to the stage in the latter half of the 20th century. The GALLERY "The former residence of the manufacturer Liebig" was open to the public from Dutch painting of the 16th and 18th centuries can be seen as also

4 French landscapes of the 19th century and Czech painting of the 20th century.. There are always held some temporary exhibitons showing also modern art. Cinestar Cinema in Liberec is part of a shopping mall Nisa reached easily by free bus or a car. The price of a ticket is for Czech or foreigner film 149,- CZK. All foreigner films are in original language with Czech subtitules. Christmas and Easter markets are held every year and there is a medieval market every June with jousting, traditional dancing and stalls selling a variety of goods. In summer there are plenty of beer festival organized in town centre or outside of the town at brewery premises. There are always plenty of food stalls and beer of course and Czech music bands listen to. Restaurants & Pubs There are many different restaurants and pubs in Liberec. They offer Czech and also international cuisine italian, chinese, thai, japanese, kebabs, mexican etc. For example: Saiko Japanese-Thai restaurant serves very nice food, reasonable prices and Thai chefs The PUB serving non-pasteurized fresh super cold Pilsen beer from beer tanks and typical Czech meals, Potrefená Husa excellent food! Beer garden is available in summer time. Czech and international cuisine, chain of modern restaurants serving nice chilled Staropramen beer from Prague brewery and also foreigner beers like Stella and Hoegaarden. Ananda very pleasant vegetarian restaurant, take-away, cafe and little shop selling organic products. Happy hour in the afternoon 50% of the price from 5.30pm until 6pm. Tea house Cajovna 82 vuni offering plenty of teas from all over the world and also cultural events: exhibitons, music bands, travelling presentations etc Maskovka pizzeria in Frydlantska street, English speaking chef and staff, serving italian and also balkan meals, very big portions, good service, nice place to go for an evening meal with friends In Barvirska and Siroka street in town centre are plenty of pubs, bars and cafes: Boca bar, Bogey bar Organza cafe, Single bar etc Most of the pubs and restaurants serve a special lunch menu on working days. The prices are generally cheaper than in the evening. Prices usually range from 60-80Kč. Example prices at restaurants:

5 Dinner Kč Side dish Kč Soup Kč Salad Kč Accommodation The prices of accomodation in Liberec range from about 6000 to 8000 Kč a month for a one room flat with a separate kitchen and bathroom or a room can be rented in a shared flat from approximately 3500 Kč. Shopping There are three shopping centres/malls in the centre of the town and two shopping centres/malls accessible by free bus services which are situated just outside the town centre. Marks & Spencer (food and cloth section), C & A, H & M, Next, Costa Coffee, McDonalds, KFC and Tesco can all be found in Liberec. Sport and Leisure time Liberec offers many sport activities. The in-door ones are: gyms, aerobic centres, indoor swimming pools, badminton, fighting arts, bowling, ice skating, joga pilates. The out-door ones are: cycling, hiking, horse riding, canoeing, skiing, in-line skating, tennis, skate-board, football or golf. Swimming pool: The swimming pool is situated near the town centre. The longest pool is 50 metres long and there s also a jumping area and 2 tobbogans. The entrance fee for 90 minutes is 80 CZK. There is also a training pool with water temperature of 28 degrees for children older than 3 years. Steam chambers, jacuzzi pools for adults with 30 water temperature; saunas (including mixed sauna), massage, solariums or gym. Wild River, outdoor whirlpool and a water cave are situated under open sky and available in all seasons. Skiing: The closest skiing slopes are on Jested, you can also rent skies or snowboard, the skipass for all day costs: 500CZK, special offer for night skiing is 200CZK. Another close destination where to go skiing are the Jizera mountains, best place where to do cross-country skiing or Krkonose Giant mountains.

6 Ice-hockey Liberec ice-hockey team called The White tigers plays the Czech highest league. The ice-hockey stadium is not far from the town centre and it s often sold out and it s definitely worth going to see an ice-hockey match next season. The latest season was very succesfull. Tips for trips The Jizera Mountains are named after the River Jizera that springs here. The highest mountain of this mountain range, the most northerly in the Czech Republic, is known as Smrk (1124 m). The Jizera Mountains Protected Landscape Area was declared in 1967 and covers an area of 350 km2. The mountains are characterised by their peat moors. Of the many protected areas in the range the Jizera Mountain Beech Trees National Nature Reserve is perhaps the most dominant. Nowhere else than in the Jizera Mountains will you find such a large number of well-kept viewing towers. The most-often visited of these are known as Královka, Bramberk, and Štěpánka. The central part of the Jizera Mountains is a plateau and so at an altitude of around 1000 metres is home to one of the most beautiful cross-country complexes in Bohemia, the network of crosscountry tracks known as the "Jizerská magistrála". A popular cross-country skiing race known as the "Jizerská 50" has been run here every year since There are many chateaus or castles close to Liberec worth seeing easily reached by direct trains or buses. For example: Chateau Sychrov, Chateua Frydlant, Chateau Hruby Rohozec, Lemberk or Castles Bezdez and Grabstejn.

7 The region Český ráj Czech paradise is about 30 km far from Liberec and it s easily reached by train. More info: The territory marked off by an almost triangular shape between Mladá Boleslav-Turnov-Jičín is rich in both natural wonders and historical monuments. It is a suitable place for hiking -the area with deep woods, picturesque meadows, brooks and ponds often hidden in deep valleys and gulleys. The rock towers, castles, chateaus, pictorial villages are a paradise for both walking and motorized tourists. Recently it has become a paradise for cyclists. The tourists are attracted by castles Trosky, Kost, Valdštejn, Zvířetice, Valečov, Drábské světničky, Michalovická Putna or chateaus in Mnichovo Hradiště, Hrubá skála, Sychrov and Hrubý Rohozec. You can find a lot of places for having a rest and refreshment on your way. Dresden, Germany - Dresden offers attractions in great variety. No book about the history of architecture can miss mentioning the Dresden Zwinger. The Frauenkirche Church (on the picture), Semper Opera House and Royal Palace as well as many other historical monuments and ensembles determine the image of the city. The saucy angels from Raphael s The Sistine Madonna make publicity for Dresden s art collections in the whole world. Magnificent promenades on the bank of the Elbe, interesting museums and institutions, industrial monuments, charming details Dresden has a lot for you to discover. Easily reached by direct train from Liberec within 2 hours. Annual Christmas market trip is organised by Wattsenglish staff. Worth visiting towns and places of interest near Liberec are: Krystofovo udoli 20 min by local bus, beautiful village near Liberec founded in 16th century, plenty of timbered houses and cottages can be seen there as well as the wooden baroque church St. Christopher Turnov 40 min by train or bus - chateau, brewery Mlada Boleslav Wattsenglish branch Skoda car museum, castle, lovely town square Jicin situated in the heart of Cesky Raj, the Czech paradise, lovely fairytale town Doksy and Macha lake 1,5 hour on train, outdoor swimming available, paddle boats, beer gardens, pine tree woods, plenty of cycling and hiking tracks, castle Bezdez is very close, summer rock festival helds there every year

8 Zittau in Germany beautiful German border town, very close from there is a place where 3 countries (Czech, Germany, Poland) meet Berlin in Germany, 4,5 hours on train, amazing city full of history, cool clubs and sights Wroclaw in Poland, 5 hours on train, beautiful Polish town with plenty of sights and churches Krakow in Poland 10 hours by train, one of the nicest Polish towns, amazing architercture, night life, muzeums, restaurants, definitely worth going for a weekend trip