Which is the best option for travellers – Czech Republic or Slovakia?

They’re no longer an item, but the Czech Republic and Slovakia will still celebrate their big anniversary in style.

What divorce?

It’s a bit like organising a huge party to celebrate a major wedding anniversary, and inviting lots of people – even though everyone knows you divorced 25 years ago. And that you harped on about it all being on friendly terms, and how you even divided the record collection without fighting.

Still, the end of this month (Oct 28, to be exact) marks the centenary of the birth of Czechoslovakia, which emerged from the dust of the First World War in 1918. The Czech Republic and Slovakia consciously uncoupled in 1993, but there is going to be a joint shindig anyway. See czechtourism.com, slovakia.travel, and czechandslovakcentury.com.

Czeching in 

You probably don’t need any introduction to Prague. Good-looking chap, popular, always has friends to stay. But you probably will need a hotel if you’re planning a reacquaintance. A plane to get there would be good as well.

Kirker Holidays (kirkerholidays.com) sells lodging-and-travel packages. A three-night stay at the five-star Aria Hotel in Mala Strana costs from ￡896 a head – with flights.

Meet Prague's ex

You can see why they broke up, but Bratislava is an interesting character. Galleries, shops, bars, great restaurants. Cities Direct (citiesdirect.co.uk) offers a “Luxury Bratislava City Break” from ￡369 a head, with flights – plus three nights at the five-star Marrol’s Boutique Hotel. I’ll leave you two to it.

Nothing says 'party' like industrial heritage

The countries’ National Museums (nm.cz; snm.sk) will go halves in looking back at their time together, and Slovakia’s National Gallery (sng.sk) will display art that reflects the centenary. The National Technical Museum (ntm.cz) in Prague will come to the ball via “Made in Czechoslovakia, 1918 to 1992”, dissecting the ex-nation’s industrial heritage.

Of Meissen men

There is a good deal more to the Czech Republic than Prague. The country is home to Melnik, a pretty town at the confluence of the Labe and Vltava rivers – and Litomerice, which sits picturesquely on the Elbe. Explore (explore.co.uk) offers an eight-day group cycling break that rolls through both en route from Prague to the German town of Meissen, following the Elbe for much of the way. From ￡979pp including flights.

A lakeside mountain break

Though only just over half the size of its former partner in statehood, Slovakia lends itself to wider exploration. Jules Verne’s (vjv.com) six-night Tatras and Beyond tour includes the lovely mountain town of Poprad and lakeside Strbske Pleso. From ￡975pp, with flights.

Go wild in Slovakia

The Tatras’ relative isolation make them a haven for Slovakian wildlife – and for those who enjoy life through a lens. Specialist operator Tatra Photography Workshop (tatraphotographyworkshop.com) still has spaces on a pair of three-day birds of prey-focused breaks in January. From ￡749pp, with flights.

Paradise frost

And ice. And snow. What? Well, the point here is that not only does Slovakia have mountains – the Tatras – but they are big and pointy enough to be a venue for skiing holidays. Mountain Paradise (mountainparadise.co.uk) devotes itself to these less publicised slopes – with, for example, a seven-night winter trip to Strbske Pleso and the Grand Hotel Kempinski starting at ￡1,199 a head, with flights, passes, and equipment.

Christmas in Prague

Prague takes Christmas so seriously – it has several festive markets, including the bubbles of whimsy that take over Wenceslas Square and Old Town Square – that Father Christmas is reputedly thinking of relocating from Lapland to the capital of the Czech Republic. Four-day shopping trips in November and December cost from ￡399pp, with flights – via newmarketholidays.co.uk.

Dr Brno

Interrogation time, Mr Bond. What is the Czech Republic’s second city? Yes, correct. It’s Brno. Can you fly there directly from the UK? Oh, I’m sorry, that’s the wrong answer. Fire up the laser sharks. A two-night getaway to the five-star Grandezza Hotel Luxury Palace, flying from Stansted on Nov 10, starts at ￡161pp, with ryanair.com.