Let's Go Europe 2019. Harvard Student Agencies

      CZECHIA

      Whether it’s called Bohemia, Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic, or now, as of a 2016 government initiative, Czechia, is the golden child of Eastern Europe. But, on the surface, the country’s history follows the same old Eastern European sob story: it was part of big, fancy imperial powers (the Holy Roman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian one) from the Middle Ages until the First World War, independent until the Germans crashed the party in 1939, Nazi-occupied until the USSR said otherwise in 1945, Soviet-occupied despite Czech attempts to say otherwise, and otherwise enjoying this whole democracy thing since 1989. But dig a little deeper and some idiosyncrasies begin to pop up. From 1335 until 1437, the Kingdom of Bohemia wasn’t just part of the Holy Roman Empire; Prague was the home of its imperial court. During the Second World War, it wasn’t just any Nazi-occupied territory, but the only one to successfully assassinate a senior Nazi. When communism fell, it wasn’t the result of any old revolution, but the Velvet Revolution, which implemented democracy without the loss of a single life. Walking through the fairytale streets of Prague, the kaleidoscopic valley of Karlovy Vary, the rolling mountains of Bohemian Paradise Nature Park, or the skull and bone-laden chapel of Kutna Hora, you, like a person looking through movies filed under “Children’s Fantasy” on Netflix, will find yourself enchanted. Spawning the likes of Franz Kafka, Antonin Dvorak, Sigmund Freud, and Ivana Trump, Czechia is a collection of many pretty faces, and over the years, it’s attracted a formidable number of backpackers, beer-drinkers, outdoor enthusiasts, elderly tour groups, and bachelor parties.

KARLOVY VARY

      Coverage by Nicholas Grundlingh

      Unless you’re a connoisseur of the world’s hot springs, you’ve probably never heard of Karlovy Vary. But if you’re a James Bond fan, you’ve probably already seen it. The home of the titular casino in Casino Royale, Karlovy Vary, with its thermal springs, architectural beauty, and walking trails, is the ideal place for a secret agent to kick back and relax while simultaneously thwarting evil in a high-stakes poker game. Although just two-hours west of Prague, this quaint spa town feels a million miles away from the city’s bachelor parties. But the spa isn’t the only place where you’ll find some peace and quiet. A sense of serenity unspools itself as you walk amongst the gorgeous neo-this and art-that buildings that line the Tepla River, the grandest and largest of which is the 132-meter-long Mill Colonnade, while the most out of place of which is the brutalist Soviet-era Hotel Thermal. When you’re in need of a pick-me-up, take a hike or funicular ride up Friendship Hill and meet someone new. It would be too generous to say the town has a young, trendy feel. It really only comes to life during the first week of July, when Eastern Europe’s biggest film festival draws over 10,000 hipsters, cinephiles, and celebrities to Karlovy Vary for a week-long party. If you have even the smallest cinematic bone in your body, you would be wise to join them. After visiting one tourist-overrun European capital after another, a couple of days in Karlovy Vary is the perfect way to rejuvenate.

       ORIENTATION

      The Ohre River divides the greater region of Karlovy Vary into two parts, and the majority of the town’s action (see: spas, colonnades, accommodations, restaurants, bars, museums) takes place south of it. This small southern area is itself split into two sections—north and south of the Mill Colonnade. If you’re traveling from Prague via the more convenient bus option, you’ll arrive north of the Mill Colonnade, either at the Tržnice bus terminal just north of the town’s center or Dolní nádraží, the main bus station located a few minutes to the west. The former station serves most of the local bus lines, which travel to Moser glassworks factory, Loket Castle, and other surrounding areas. Following T. G. Masaryka street to the east will lead you to the Tepla River. Walking south along the river, you’ll pass the best examples of the town’s stunning architecture, the Metropolitan Theater, the Karlovy Vary Museum, as well as many historic landmarks, such as the Hotel Thermal, and the Mill and Spring Colonnades.

       ESSENTIALS

      GETTING THERE

      The most convenient way to get to Karlovy Vary from Prague is via bus, which will disembark at either the Tržnice bus terminal or Dolní nádraží, the main bus station, which is a 5min. walk from the center. A map of the bus stops in Karlovy Vary can be found online. Alternatively, if you’re arriving via train, you will arrive at Horni Nadrazi, located north of the city center across the Ohre River. It’s a 10min. walk from the station to the city center, but it’s much more convenient to wait for bus #1 or 13, both of which are one stop away from Tržnice bus terminal.

      GETTING AROUND

      Karlovy Vary is very walkable, and it takes around 25min. to walk along the Tepla from the bottom of the town to the Grandhotel Pupp at the top. A bus system (a map of the stops can be found at www.dpkv.cz/cz/mapa-zastavek-mhd) can take you around the main town as well as to places in the greater Karlovy Vary region (bus #1, 16, 22, and 23). Ticket options include: single trip (18Kč), 24hr (80Kč), 7-days (220Kč). Two night bus lines run from 10:30pm into the early hours of the morning. Intercity buses that run across Czechia can be taken to the Loket Castle, a 30min. journey.

      PRACTICAL INFORMATION

      Tourist Offices: T.G. Masaryka street Tourist Office (T.G. Masaryka 53; 355 321 171; open M-F 8am-1pm and 1:30-6pm, Sa-Su 9am-1pm and 1:30-5pm)

      Banks/ATMs/Currency Exchange: Many ATMs are found on or nearby T.G. Masaryka street. South of Dvořákovy sady (Dvořák Park), ATMs can be found along the east bank of the Tepla. Try UniCredit Bank (Zeyerova 892/7; 955 959 823; open M -Tu 9am-5pm, W 9am-6pm, Th 9am-5pm, F 9am-4pm). Chequepoint currency exchanges should be avoided; we recommend withdrawing cash from ATMs.

      Post Offices: Czech Post (T. G. Masaryka 559/1; 954 330 304; open M-F 7:30am-7pm, Sa 8am-1pm, Su 8am-noon).

      Internet: Free Wi-Fi can be found in most cafés in Karlovy Vary.

      BGLTQ+ Resources: Czechia is generally considered one of the most liberal Central European nations in terms of BGLTQ+ rights, legalizing same-sex partnerships in 2006. While Czech society is accepting and tolerant, however, BGLTQ+ individuals do not yet have full legal equality. For counseling for BGLTQ+ individuals in Karlovy Vary, try (Palackého 8; 731 549 171; www.ss-po.cz).

      EMERGENCY INFORMATION

      Emergency Number: 112

      Police: 158; The City Police station (Moskevská 913/34, 353 118 911).

      US Embassy: The nearest US Embassy is in Prague (Tržiště 365/15; 257 022 000; open M-F 8:15am-11:30pm).

      Rape Crisis Center: There is no Rape Crisis Center in Karlovy Vary, but there is one located in Prague.

      • Elektra (Chomutovická 1444/2; 603 812 361; www.centrumelektra.cz; open W, F 9am-4pm).

      Hospitals: The general emergency number is 353 115 640.

      • Karlovarská krajská nemocnice (Bezručova 19; 353 115 111; open daily 24hr)

      • Policlinics (náměstí Dr. M. Horákové 1313/8; 353 112 213; open M-F 6:30am-6pm)

      Pharmacies: Dr. Max (Horova 1223/1; 353 233 900; open M-F 7am-7pm, Sa-Su 8am-8pm)

       ACCOMMODATIONS

       HOTEL KAVALERIE ($$)

      T. G. Masaryka 53/43; 353 229 613;