The Czech Republic is a land-locked country in the geographical heart of Europe. Prague, the country's capital with a population of 1.2 million, has been the political, cultural and economical centre of the Czech state for more than a thousand years. With some 600 years of architecture virtually untouched by natural disaster or war, few other cities in Europe are as beautiful as Prague. Straddling the winding River Vltava, with a steep wooded hill to one side, the city retains much of its medieval layout. The left bank contains the most obvious sights - the castle or Hrad itself, the city's cathedral, and the old royal palace and gardens - as well as a host of museums and galleries. During the decades of Soviet rule, very few westerners visited Prague. However, since the 1990s, the city has become one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations. The country joined the European Union in 2004.

HOW TO GET THERE

By air: There are direct flights from just about every European capital to Prague Ruzyne Airport, including many with budget airlines such as Easyjet. There are also some non-stop flights from North America direct to Prague - though a wider choice and better fares are usually available if you fly via London or another more popular European gateway.

Prague airport is located 20km (12 miles) north-west of the city. A taxi ride to the city centre takes takes 20-25 minutes. You can expect to pay around 700 CZK (£17) from the airport to city centre.

ACCOMMODATION

Players who have won full prize packages on PokerStars will be notified of their hotel details by email. You do not need to make a hotel reservation. If you have any queries, please email ept@pokerstars.com.

For all other poker players, media and anyone else planning to attend EPT tournaments, we have set up a dedicated website for hotel bookings: www.epthotels.com. Please e-mail info@epthotels.com or call +34 93 352 1010 to take advantage of our special hotel rates.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Official language: Czech.

Currency: the Czech crown CZK. (1.00 USD = 17.4596 CZK as at 13/10/2009).

Banks: Most banks have an exchange counter and are open from 8am-5pm, Monday to Friday. Some hotels will also exchange money (at rates generally higher than banks).

International dialing codes: Czech Republic is +420; the USA is +1

Visas: EU citizens do not need a visa to visit the Czech Republic. Citizens from outside Europe and the US should consult a travel agent.

Time: The Czech Republic is in the Central European Time (CET) zone. All tournament times are local.