Karlovy Vary

Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) is the most celebrated spa town in Central Europe, situated in the Bohemian Erzgebirge foothills of the Czech Republic, where 79 sulphurous hot springs have been prized within a long thermal tradition since their legendary discovery by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV in the 14th century. The town's magnificent 19th-century colonnades, grand spa hotels, and elegant promenades along the Teplá River reflect its status as the most fashionable thermal resort in Europe during the Belle Époque, attracting Beethoven, Goethe, Karl Marx, and dozens of European monarchs. Today Karlovy Vary, a UNESCO World Heritage site candidate, retains its spa tradition through dozens of active wellness centres, the famous Becherovka herbal liqueur made from the springs' waters, and its renowned International Film Festival.