Carlsbad, Czech Republic

KARLOVY VARY is the undisputed king of the famous triangle of Bohemian spas, with by far the most illustrious guest list of European notables. What makes it special is its wonderful hilly setting, its Belle Epoque mansions piled on top of one another along the steeply wooded banks of the endlessly twisting River Teplá. It is best known throughout the world by its German name, Karlsbad (Carlsbad in its anglicized form), and it was German-speakers who made up the vast majority of the town's population until their forced expulsion in 1945. Despite this violent uprooting, the spa has survived and continues to attract an international clientele – largely Russian – which annually doubles the local population. This is further supplemented in the summer by thousands of able-bodied day visitors, the greatest number of whom are, naturally, German.