Karlovy Vary
Bohemia's most famous spa town, where colourful colonnades line the Teplá River and you sip mineral water from a spa cup; together with Mariánské Lázně and Františkovy Lázně it forms part of a UNESCO-listed group of spa towns.
Karlovy Vary (German: Karlsbad) is the most famous spa town in West Bohemia, about 130 km west of Prague. The Teplá River runs through town along a narrow valley, its banks lined with 19th-century neoclassical, neo-Baroque and Art Nouveau buildings. Legend has it that Charles IV discovered the hot springs while hunting in the 14th century; the town has more than a dozen drinkable mineral springs, and in 2021 it was inscribed, together with Mariánské Lázně and Františkovy Lázně, as part of the “Great Spa Towns of Europe” World Heritage Site. The classic experience is strolling along the river with a spa cup in hand, following the Hot Spring Colonnade, Market Colonnade, Mill Colonnade and Park Colonnade in turn; then take the funicular up to the Diana Observation Tower for views over the town, visit the Becherovka herbal liqueur museum and the Moser crystal glassworks, and snack on spa wafers. Nearby are Loket Castle and the Svatošské Rocks, and within an hour's drive lie Mariánské Lázně, Františkovy Lázně and Cheb. The best time is May–September; the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in early July makes accommodation scarce, so book ahead. Buses from Prague take about 2 hours and run frequently. Allow 2–3 days. Note: the spring water is highly mineralised, so start with small amounts, and anyone with health conditions should consult a doctor first; the Czech Republic uses the koruna, and some shops accept cards.
Top sights
- Mill Colonnade – Karlovy Vary's most magnificent spa colonnade: 124 Corinthian columns support a Neo-Renaissance arcade, and five drinkable mineral springs…
- Hot Spring Colonnade (Vřídlo) – Home to Karlovy Vary's most famous geyser, the Vřídlo, where water at 72°C shoots more than ten meters into the air.
- Loket Castle – A 12th-century Gothic castle built on a rock at a sharp bend of the Ohře River. The town is wrapped on three sides by the river, like somet…
- Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad) – One of the 'Spa Triangle' towns on the World Heritage List, set in a forest park with a cast-iron colonnade and the 'Singing Fountain', whi…
- Market Colonnade – A Swiss-style colonnade of white carved wood, as delicate as lace, with the Charles IV Spring and a relief showing Charles IV discovering t…
- Park Colonnade – A white cast-iron colonnade in Dvořák Park, home to the Snake Spring, whose water flows from a snake's mouth.
- Diana Observation Tower & Funicular – Ride the funicular, opened in 1912, up the hill, then climb the 40-metre observation tower for views over the whole spa town and the Teplá…
- Jan Becher Museum – The old distillery museum for Becherovka, the herbal liqueur known as the 'Thirteenth Spring.' Visit the cellars and taste three liqueurs.
- Moser Glassworks & Museum – A top Bohemian crystal brand founded in 1857. Visit the glass-blowing workshops and the brand museum.
- Church of St. Mary Magdalene – An 18th-century church designed by Baroque master Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer, with twin towers rising on a hill above the Geyser Colonnade.
- Orthodox Church of Sts. Peter and Paul – An Orthodox church built at the end of the 19th century for Russian spa guests, with five golden onion domes shining on the hillside.
- Grandhotel Pupp – A Neo-Baroque luxury hotel at the southern end of the spa district. It is the home of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and a fi…
- Deer Jump (Jelení skok) – A lookout with a bronze antelope statue on the rocks. Legend says Charles IV discovered the springs here while hunting deer, and the spot o…
- Hotel Thermal & Outdoor Thermal Pool – A 1970s brutalist landmark and the main venue of the film festival. An outdoor thermal pool on the terrace above the hotel offers views ove…
- Svatošské skály (Hans Heiling Rocks) – Granite rock formations on the banks of the Ohře River. Legend says they are a wedding party turned to stone by a curse, and Goethe once vi…
- Františkovy Lázně (Franzensbad) – The smallest of the Spa Triangle towns in western Bohemia. Its yellow-and-white Empire-style buildings and large park make it an elegant li…
- Bečov nad Teplou Castle & Reliquary of St. Maurus – A castle complex in the valley that houses the Reliquary of St. Maurus, regarded as the Czech Republic's most precious treasure after the B…
- Kynžvart Chateau – The summer palace of Austrian Chancellor Metternich. Its Empire-style rooms preserve his collection of curiosities, and a large English lan…
- Cheb Castle & Old Town – The 12th-century imperial palace site of a Holy Roman Emperor. Beside the Black Tower and the double-storey chapel stands the Špalíček, a g…
- Klínovec – The highest peak of the Ore Mountains (1,244 m). In winter it is the largest ski area in western Czech Republic, and the summit observation…
Where to eat
- La Hospoda – A modern Czech bistro on the banks of the Teplá River, reinventing traditional dishes with seasonal ingredients, freque…
- Le Marché – A Michelin Guide-selected seasonal restaurant offering a daily changing set menu, with a lovely terrace by the Teplá Ri…
- Tusculum – A family-run farm-to-table restaurant sourcing ingredients from their own farm, located just steps away from the spa co…
- Sklípek – An affordable, traditional Czech restaurant near the city center, offering great-value lunch menus and serving as a rar…
Itineraries
- West Bohemia Spa Triangle & Pilsen Road Trip – A self-drive loop through UNESCO-listed spa towns, passing Loket Castle, and ending at the Pilsner Urquell Brewery.
- Prague and Three Day Trips in – Three days in the city, then day trips to Kutná Hora, Karlovy Vary and Bohemian Switzerland National Park.
- Czech Republic Grand Self-Drive Loop – Drive a loop around the Czech Republic, connecting spa towns, Český Krumlov, Moravian wine country, and Olomouc.