The word wellness evokes images of high-end spas in island locales, expensive face and body treatments, and detox vacations that cater to the rich and famous. But wellness is not just the buzzword du jour. It\u2019s become an important daily ritual for us all. And when that tradition needs to be extended, spa retreats and hotels meet
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Spa towns and wellness hideaways abound, running the gamut from treetop yoga retreats in Costa Rica to Swiss mountain chalets with fresh air in abundance. One of the most heralded but affordable spa towns is <\/span>Karlovy Vary<\/span><\/a> in the Czech Republic. A UNESCO World Heritage spa town, Karlovy Vary welcomes nearly 500,000 tourists a year, thanks to an abundance of natural beauty, therapeutic hot springs, and luxurious spa hotels. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Set on the confluence of the Rivers Oh\u0159e and Tepl\u00e1<\/span> in Bohemia, not far from the German border, Karlovy Vary has been a renowned wellness retreat since the 14th century when Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV \u201cdiscovered\u201d a hot spring while hunting deer in the surrounding forests. Fast forward 500 years and Karlovy Vary became the <\/span>it<\/span><\/i> spa town for dignitaries, royalty, and even cultural icons\u2014think Goethe and Beethoven. Today, the city is the second most visited destination in all of the Czech Republic, surpassed only by <\/span>Prague<\/span><\/a> 75 miles to the north. With 15 natural thermal hot springs, numerous spa hotels, and a world-renowned film festival, there is no better time than the present to visit. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n