Františkovy Lázně

Founded in 1793 near Cheb and named for Emperor Francis II, this UNESCO Great Spa Town is credited as the site of the world’s first peat baths — a method invented by local doctor Bernhard Adler, who mixed peat from nearby bogs with mineral water, then spread it to Mariánské Lázně, Karlovy Vary, and beyond. Its historic specialism in gynecological treatment made it one of the era’s most-visited spa towns, and drew women traveling without male accompaniment at a time when that was itself unusual. Peat baths here still use roughly 85L of peat per 120L of mineral water.