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.
A relaxed 400 km loop. Spend two nights tasting the mineral springs in Karlovy Vary, drive through Loket and Bečov nad Teplou to Mariánské Lázně, continue to Františkovy Lázně and Cheb, and finish in Pilsen. Perfect for those looking to experience spa culture and stay in wellness hotels; you can easily swap a night for a professional spa treatment.
May, June, September, and October offer the most pleasant weather; most castle interiors are closed in winter.
Day by day
Day 1 · Drive to Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary（Park Colonnade、Mill Colonnade、Market Colonnade、Hot Spring Colonnade (Vřídlo)）
Drive from Prague to Karlovy Vary (126 km, about 1 hour 45 minutes). Walk along the colonnades in the afternoon.
Construction around the Hot Spring Colonnade is scheduled until 2027; follow local detours.
Stay: Spa Colonnade District
Day 2 · Leisurely Day in Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary（Diana Observation Tower & Funicular、Orthodox Church of Sts. Peter and Paul、Jan Becher Museum、Moser Glassworks & Museum）
Take the funicular up to the Diana Observation Tower in the morning. Drive about 10 minutes to the Moser Glassworks in the afternoon. Walk within the town center.
Stay: Spa Colonnade District
Day 3 · Loket to Mariánské Lázně
Karlovy Vary（Loket Castle、Bečov nad Teplou Castle & Reliquary of St. Maurus、Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad)）
Drive from Karlovy Vary to Mariánské Lázně via Loket and Bečov nad Teplou (about 70 km, 1.5 hours).
Allow 2 to 3 hours to explore Loket. Guided tours to see the Reliquary of St. Maurus in Bečov run on fixed schedules.
Stay: Mariánské Lázně
Day 4 · Františkovy Lázně and Cheb
Karlovy Vary（Františkovy Lázně (Franzensbad)、Cheb Castle & Old Town）
Drive to Františkovy Lázně (about 30 minutes), then continue to Pilsen via Cheb (about 1 hour 30 minutes).
Stay: Bory
Day 5 · Pilsen Brewery and Return to Prague
Plzeň（Pilsner Urquell Brewery、Plzeň Historical Underground、St. Bartholomew Cathedral）
Explore Pilsen's historic center and take a brewery tour in the morning. Return to Prague via the D5 highway in the afternoon (about 1 hour).
Tours for the brewery and the historic underground run on fixed schedules; book tickets in advance.