As the birthplace of one of Europe’s finest brews, they take their beer very, very seriously in České Budějovice. The town’s original brewery supplied the Holy Roman Emperor back in the 13th century, and now the town’s namesake Budvar lager (the original and authentic Budweiser) goes head to frothy head with Pilsner Urquell, from Plzeň to the west. České Budějovice’s main square is one of the largest in Europe, with elegant arcades radiating to streets filled with lively bars; the ideal spot to sample the town’s amber gold. Near the river, urban order is abandoned, and the austere lines of the main square dissolve in a charming labyrinth of narrow lanes and winding alleys. České Budějovice’s industrial suburbs now sprawl across the plains of South Bohemia, but the city’s historical heart retains the laid-back appeal of the simple brewing town it used to be.