Excursions around the Czech Republic |
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Krušovice
On the way to Karlový Vary and Loket, we will stop off at the city famed for its world-class Krušovice beer, brewed here since 1581. Be forewarned: in 1583, when the Emperor Rudolph II stopped in Krušovice to taste the unique flavor of the brew, he ended up buying the brewery for the Royal Crown. Here, in the heart of the Krušny Mountains, amidst the pure spring waters and sweet scented hops of the fields surrounding Krušovice, you will experience what goes into making this fabled brew. Mother Nature and the skills of famed brewers combine to create this unique liquid gold. Our tour ends with a sampling of Krušovice’s three varieties of beer: dark, light and light ležak. Moreover, as at any taste testing, no one will limit your consumption!
Karlovy Vary
In 1358, while out on an Imperial Hunt, Emperor Charles IV spied one of the deer mortally wounded by his party fall at a small spring in the woods. As he rode towards it, the deer roused, lapped at the spring waters and, to his amazement, leapt up and bounded away. The inexplicable curative powers of the spring so impressed the Emperor that he ordered his court architects to build a hunting lodge at its source. This is the legend behind the founding of the spa city, Karlovy Vary, and its city symbol is taken from the little deer “that got away” that day 600 years ago. Since then Karlovy Vary has been known as the cosmopolitan European spa with renowned curative energies – Goethe and Beethoven, as well as a few emperors, took “the cure” here. This graceful, ancient spa, surrounded by forested hills, with a rich history and Belle Epoch architecture, has long been considered one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. A wonderful walking tour around the city center awaits you in Karlovy Vary, where you will have the opportunity to visit the Moser Glass Factory with its famed souvenirs from local porcelain craftsmen.
Loket
The town of Loket sprang up around its unassailable fortress, founded during the Middle Ages on the very borders of the Czech lands by the Premyslids, the first Czech dynasty. Its hoary past speaks of glory and ruin - the vagaries of history. Wandering through this dreamy town, we pass through over a thousand years of history as we travel from the powerful walls of the old fortress to the fairytale Baroque houses rimming its market square.
