Karlovy Vary

Karlovy Vary needs 1 day: the Diana Observation Tower, reached by funicular with views over the spa town and the Bohemian forest, on one end, a walk through the downtown thermal colonnades, drinking hot spring water from traditional spouted cups, on the other. May-September is best. It's pricier than other Czech destinations, with a spa hotel scene geared toward high-net-worth international tourism. It's Czechia's most famous spa town, founded in 1370 by Emperor Charles IV after he discovered its hot springs, and home to the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, one of Europe's oldest.