Spa Resorts & West Bohemia

The largest and most famous Czech spa town, founded in 1370 by Emperor Charles IV. The neoclassical cityscape in the narrow valley of the Teplá is a UNESCO World Heritage site (part of the "Great Spa Towns of Europe," 2021).

• Colonnades — Mill Colonnade, Hot Spring Colonnade, Park Colonnade with the famous thermal springs
• Hot Spring (Vřídlo) — 72°C hot spring that shoots up to 12 m high
• Grandhotel Pupp — luxury hotel with a prominent guest list (since 1701)
• Diana Tower — observation tower accessible by funicular
• The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) takes place annually in July

Typical: the curved porcelain drinking cup with a spout for drinking spring water. Karlovy Vary wafers as a souvenir, Becherovka herbal liqueur as a spirit.

The second largest spa town in the Czech Republic, emerged in the early 19th century, also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Goethe and Edward VII visited for spa treatments here. More park, less hustle than Karlovy Vary.

• Singing Fountain — musical water displays every odd hour (May-October)
• Central Colonnade — cast-iron grand structure from 1889
• Numerous mineral springs in the city area, each with a different composition
• Surrounding spa forests with marked hiking trails

The fourth largest city in the Czech Republic is the birthplace of Pilsner beer. In 1842, the pale, bottom-fermented lager style was invented at the Bürgerbrauerei, which is now popular worldwide.

• Pilsner Urquell Brewery — extensive tours including historical fermentation cellars, tasting fresh from the oak barrel
• St. Bartholomew's Cathedral with the tallest church tower in the Czech Republic (102.6 m)
• Great Synagogue — third largest synagogue in the world
• Brewery Museum in the historical cellar

Pilsen was the European Capital of Culture in 2015 — since then, numerous industrial halls have been converted into cultural centers.