Celestial Seas

If you’re thinking of making the Czech Republic your next holiday destination, you might be surprised to find that this unlikely country has some impressive eco-friendly credentials to boast of.

Just an hour from Prague, Chateau Mcely is a plush eco retreat set within the beautiful Czech countryside.  As only the second five-star eco-hotel in the EU, and voted World’s Leading Green Hotel in the 2008 World Travel Awards, you can be sure you will be doing your bit for the environment on your stay. The neo-classical castle houses a modern heating system based on combustion of waste wood chips and heat preserving windows. Only electricity from renewable sources and energy-efficient light bulbs are used, whilst water is utilized through its very own waste water treatment system. All waste materials are recycled, with food waste used to support regional farm production, and guests are also encouraged, albeit discreetly, how they can respect the local environment.

If you prefer something a little more rustic, why not try an eco-friendly farm stay in the Jeseniky mountain range? Near Zábreh, Písarov has some excellent farm stay accommodation, boasting its own water supply, waste system, use of eco-friendly cleaning and washing products and recycling programme. Your hosts are entirely self-sufficient and environmentally friendly, who will cook you fresh food to order, all either locally bought or grown and picked from their own organic garden. The accommodation also benefits from no noisy roads – just the surrounding peace of forests, hills and fields, where you can enjoy scenic walks, cross-country skiing, cycling and more.

But what about ‘green’ in the other sense of the word? If you feel like you’ve done your bit for the environment with that little lot, why not absorb yourself in the greenery of the Czech countryside with a spot of golf? Just 30 miles south of Prague lies the unparalleled Konopiště Golf Resort, boasting a two par-72 championship course as well as a nine-hole academy course. Here you can relax amongst the lush green landscapes and impressive woodland backdrops of the surrounding countryside.  The resort is also suitable for players of all skill levels, with the d’Este and Radecky Course providing challenges such as hemmed in fairways for the more experienced golfer, while the academy layout of the Public Course offers a more manageable option to beginners.