Visit Telč

The Renaissance in one walkable city: Michelangelo's David, Brunelleschi's dome, and the Uffizi

The Holy Trinity Column, six baroque fountains and an astronomical clock rebuilt in socialist realism.

The Sedlec Ossuary decorated with 40,000 skeletons and the silver-mining cathedral of St Barbara.

Visit Brno, the second-largest city in the Czech Republic. Explore Špilberk Castle (a historic fortress with underground casemates and city views), see the functionalist Villa Tugendhat (a UNESCO World Heritage site designed by Mies van der Rohe), and stroll through the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul (known for its Gothic spires and daily noon bell ringing tradition).

Visit Karlovy Vary, a historic spa town in the Czech Republic. Sample the thermal mineral waters from the 13 main springs, such as the Vřídlo geyser (shooting up to 12 meters high), stroll along the colonnades like the Mill Colonnade (a neo-Renaissance structure with five springs), and try the local Becherovka herbal liqueur. Don't miss the Moser Glass Museum to see exquisite Bohemian crystal craftsmanship.

The Vitkovice ironworks turned festival ground and the Stodolni street of a hundred bars.

A city built on water with no cars — gondolas, Byzantine mosaics, and getting happily lost in the back canals

Visit Krakow, the historic former capital of Poland, known for its medieval Old Town, Wawel Castle, and vibrant cultural scene.