Prague to Karlstejn and Karlovy Vary: Private day trip

Karlštejn Castle rises above the Berounka valley as Charles IV's Gothic treasury — built in 1348 specifically to house the Bohemian crown jewels, the Holy Roman imperial regalia, and the emperor's personal collection of sacred relics.

What to see

• The Chapel of the Holy Cross — the most important room in the castle, its walls inlaid with 129 painted panels by Master Theodoric and semi-precious stones; advance reservation required
• The Great Tower and its sequence of fortified rooms climbing to the chapel
• The Berounka valley views from the castle ramparts — the river and forested gorge below justify the climb

Take note

• Entry is by guided tour only; the Chapel of the Holy Cross requires a separate reservation and books out well in advance — plan ahead at hrad-karlstejn.cz

Karlovy Vary is the most architecturally cohesive spa town in central Europe — a colonnaded Belle Époque resort in a forested river valley, where 13 thermal springs have been drawing royalty, composers, and celebrities since the 14th century.

What to see

• The five colonnades — the Mill Colonnade (Mlýnská kolonáda) is the grandest, a 132-meter neo-Renaissance loggia housing five springs; the Market Colonnade is the most photogenic
• The Grand Hotel Pupp — the city's most celebrated hotel, appearing as Hotel Splendide in the James Bond film Casino Royale
• The Moser Glass Museum — a Bohemian crystal manufacturer of world reputation, whose factory and museum are just outside the center

What to eat

• Svíčková na smetaně (beef sirloin in cream sauce) at one of the spa town restaurants
• Oplatky — the thin, round wafers produced by Karlovy Vary bakeries, eaten warm from street vendors throughout the colonnades