Depart Prague by air-conditioned coach and make the journey into the pretty Bohemian countryside. As you travel, listen as your guide tells you about the spa town of Karlovy Vary, sometimes called Karlsbad or Carlsbad.

Hear how this Bohemian town grew up around some natural springs, said to have been discovered by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles — or Karl, IV — in 1358. Hear how the town took the emperor’s name and how, in the 1800s, it attracted figures such as Ludwig van Beethoven, who came here for the reputedly curative waters.

Drive through the lush forests that surround Karlovy Vary and visit the town’s Moser Glass Factory. Learn about the company’s products, favored by Europe’s ruling elite during the 19th and early 20th centuries, and still one of the world’s most prestigious brands of crystal glassware.

See the skilled glassblowers at work and, if you wish, buy some of the exquisite crystal at the factory gift shop.

Continue into Karlovy’s stately center and stroll around the graceful spa colonnades and fountains. Sample some of the water and taste the town’s famous wafers, circular cracker-style treats smeared with chocolate, vanilla, and other moreish coatings (own expense).

Enjoy the included lunch at a restaurant and try some Becherovka (own expense), a traditional herbal liqueur that’s synonymous with the town. Savor the gingery cinnamon-flavoured tipple as you hear how it’s made according to a secret recipe using Karlovy Vary’s soft water.

Your trip ends back at the original start point in Prague.