More than 180 exhibitors from over 20 countries attracted some 12,000 visitors to IMTM 2026, Israel’s leading international tourism fair held in Tel Aviv in February. It was there, at the Czech Republic’s pavilion, that I met Jan Lukeš from Karlovy Vary, his country’s most celebrated spa destination. A town that enchants visitors with its elegant colonnades, healing thermal springs and timeless Bohemian charm.

Our friendly conversation concluded with an invitation to experience the city firsthand and to stay at the Olympic Palace Spa Hotel, which he manages with great pride. My original visit, planned for March, was cancelled when Ben Gurion Airport closed during the conflict with Iran. Yet, as it turned out, summer proved to be an even more rewarding season to discover western Bohemia. An hour and a half from Prague on a comfortable highway and I was there.

For centuries, Karlovy Vary has ranked among Europe’s foremost wellness destinations, drawing visitors from across the continent to its mineral-rich thermal springs in search of rest, healing and rejuvenation. Walking along the banks of the Teplá River, it was impossible not to admire how the city continues for 600 years to preserve this timeless tradition, seamlessly blending grand architecture, spa culture and the natural beauty of the Bohemian countryside.

The city’s elegant colonnades, built primarily during the nineteenth century, have long provided a graceful setting for leisurely strolls. Visitors still carry the distinctive porcelain spa cups, specially designed with built-in spouts that make it easy to sip the mineral-rich waters, believed to support digestion and metabolism thanks to their unique natural composition. Even today, this ritual remains an inseparable part of the Karlovy Vary experience, connecting modern travellers with generations of wellness seekers who came before them.

Karlovy Vary itself is an architectural treasure. Richly ornamented Neo-Renaissance, Baroque, Art Nouveau and Neo-Classical buildings reflect the city’s golden age as one of Europe’s most fashionable spa resorts. Every street seems to tell stories of aristocrats, artists and........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)