Czechia's best place to live revealed: What makes this town so special?

The town of Turnov in the Liberec region has been ranked as the best place to live in the country, outperforming all other regions in a study analyzing the quality of life across the Czech Republic. 

The study, conducted by Česká spořitelna in collaboration with the Europe in Data platform, assessed 206 regions based on factors including economy, demography, education, healthcare, and civic amenities. 

But what makes Turnov—with a population of just over 15,000 people—so special?

According to the findings, Turnov excelled in nearly all categories, except for access to healthcare. The city performed particularly well in leisure opportunities and civic amenities, ranking third and seventh best respectively in these areas. 

Public transport accessibility and road network coverage were also identified as key strengths, with Turnov having the seventh-highest number of public transport stops per area among all regions analyzed.

“We really try to be a place where a normal, family life is lived well. We strive to ensure that civic amenities are of a high standard,” Turnov Mayor Tomáš Hocke told the study.

The study highlights Turnov’s well-developed infrastructure and community services. The city offers accessible shops, sports facilities, theaters, cinemas, and a relatively high number of libraries—one for every 1,000 inhabitants, which is among the highest in the country. 

Despite its strengths, Turnov faces challenges, particularly in housing availability. “The housing supply is limited, and as a result, people are moving to nearby municipalities,” Hocke said. 

However, he emphasized that the city does not aim to expand into a large metropolis, but rather to maintain its character as a community where residents can enjoy short walking distances to essential services.

Although no exact house price data in the region exists, available properties on the iDnes real estate portal show just how much cheaper it is compared to the capital. 

A 115-square-meter house with 566 square meters of land in the town costs CZK 5.5 million. Over in Prague 10, a 107-square-meter house with 357 square meters of land costs over three times more, at CZK 15.4 million.

While Prague ranked highly in many individual parameters, it placed 23rd overall due to factors such as higher crime rates and limited school accessibility. In contrast, regions such as Karlovy Vary, Ústí nad Labem, and Moravian-Silesian fared the worst in the study, grappling with issues such as population decline, economic struggles, and lower life expectancy.