Karlovy Vary combines sophistication with relaxation to create the Czech Republic’s most glamorous city! As one of UNESCO’s famed “Great Spa Towns” and home to a world-renowned film festival, it’s a dreamlike getaway.
Restorative hot springs emerge from drinking fountains around the city and fanciful estates line its historic streets. It’s a place of immense beauty, but most importantly, it’s a place to take it slow. If you find yourself in West Bohemia, you’ll want to make your way to the illustrious spa town!
Here are 12 things to do in Karlovy Vary aka Carlsbad…
VISIT THE FAMOUS COLONNADES
Ranging from intricately crafted wooden installations to Romanesque arcades, each of Karlovy Vary’s colonnades is picture-perfect. The historic structures appear throughout the city, drawing people in for a taste of the region’s therapeutic waters.
The first thing you’ll want to do when visiting Karlovy Vary is walk the route along the Teplá River. Following it will lead you past every one of the city’s colonnades. Each is unique in its own way, housing one or more taps where water from the hot springs flows.
Here’s a quick look at the city’s five colonnades:
The Park Colonnade | The 19th-century cast-iron colonnade resides at the edge of Dvořákovy Park in front of the Sadový Pramen Hotel. It’s a stunning, complexly created veranda designed by Viennese architects Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer. Underneath its open-air rooftop, you’ll find the Snake Spring and Park Spring.
The Mill Colonnade | Formerly a wooden hall for spa guests, the Mill Colonnade was the first of its kind in Karlovy Vary. Its current look was built in the late 1800s and designed by Josef Zítek, an architect known for a few of Prague’s most popular buildings. The iconic faux-renaissance construction has since become an iconic landmark of the city. With its neatly arranged Corinthian columns and sandstone statues, it’s a must-see.
As the largest colonnade in Karlovy Vary, it’s also home to the most springs. Inside you’ll encounter valves for five different water sources.
They are as follows: Mill Spring, Rusalka Spring, Prince Wenceslas Spring, Libuše Spring, and Rock Spring
The Hot Spring Colonnade | A modern building adorned with glass and home to the Hot Spring. It was designed by architect Jaroslav Otruba and has a fountain that shoots mineral water over 10 meters high.
The Market Colonnade | A dazzling and elegant Swiss-style colonnade that stands on the site of the former city hall. Its masterly carved wooden beams and brilliant white paint almost glow in the sun. Three springs reside here: the Market Spring, the Charles IV Spring, and the Lower Castle Spring. It’s my personal favorite of Karlovy Vary’s colonnades.
The Castle Colonnade | Often overlooked, it’s fashioned in the Art Nouveau style and designed by Austrian architect Johann Friedrich Ohmann. You’ll find the Upper and Lower Castle Springs here.
Alois Klein’s Arbour | An octagonal gazebo built in the Swiss style. It’s where you’ll find the Štěpánka Spring.
Freedom Spring Arbour | A wooden gazebo that’s located between the Mill Colonnade and Park Colonnade. The Freedom Spring is located in it.
DO A MINERAL WATER DRINKING SELF-TOUR
Drinking from Karlovy Vary’s revitalizing springs is almost a visitor’s right of passage. There is a whole industry based on tasting the metallic, sulphuric-smelling waters. To get the full benefits of thermal mineral waters, it’s said you should consult a qualified spa physician. This is the recommended and traditional way, however, the numerous kiosks selling the quintessential porcelain cups would suggest differently.
If you do brave drinking on your own (which is what I did), I suggest starting with a modest taste of each spring. The aroma and flavor won’t be for everyone, and too much of a good thing could cause a small tummy attack. However, I found it very soothing strolling from tap to tap, sampling the different tastes and temperatures.
№1 Hot Spring 73.4°C
№2 Charles IV Spring 65.8°C
№3 Lower Castle Spring 48.6°C
№4 Upper Castle Spring 51.1°C
№5 Market Spring 63.8°C
№6 Mill Spring 57.8°C
№7 Rusalka Spring 60.6°C
№8 Prince Wenceslas Springs 65.4 & 58.6°C
№9 Libuše Spring 61.5°C
№10 Rock Spring 44.9°C
№11 Freedom Spring 61.7°C
№12 Park Spring 39.1°C
№14 Štěpánka Spring 14.2°C
№15 Snake Spring 28.1°C
As you can see the water temperatures range from moderate to “blow on it before drinking.” Make sure to take it to slow and let your body react to each spring accordingly. Oh, and make sure not to dump it out on the plants. What’s good for us isn’t always good for them.
More | If you want to learn more details about each of Karlovy Vary’s springs have a look here.
CHECK OUT CASINO ROYALE (THE GRANDHOTEL PUPP)
Magnificent and luxurious, The Grandhotel Pupp is where the stars stay. I’m not kidding either, just about every celebrity that comes to Karlovy Vary stays here. In recent years that list has been dominated by esteemed actors and actresses visiting the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. However, in the past, the hotel hosted guests such as Napolean, Chopin, and Beethoven.
Star power | If you want to check out a comprehensive list of famous guests you can see it here.
The hotel has more in common with films than just its guests as well. It has appeared in multiple movies throughout the years, the most notable being Casino Royale. If you watched James Bond coolly playing no-limit Texas Hold’em, then you’ve seen the filming location for the movie’s Hotel Splendide. It’s also claimed that Grandhotel Pupp was a source of inspiration for Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. If the allure of Hollywood isn’t your thing, I still suggest stopping by for the neo-Baroque architecture.
If you didn’t already guess, the hotel will cost you a pretty penny to stay in. However, you’ll find it comparable to hotel prices in most Western European cities. I opted for a stay a few blocks away, but I’d love to come back and spend a night sometime in the future. In the meantime, you can stop in for a drink at the hotel’s bar or cafe. It’s a great way to start or end your day while experiencing the classy atmosphere of Karlovy Vary.
EMBRACE KARLOVY VARY’S HISTORY WITH FILM
The Czech Republic has a growing film industry, one that’s slowly getting more involved with the production of mainstream motion pictures. At the forefront of this change is the previously mentioned Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
The festival has been around since the 1940s and every year seems to add to its expanding list of celebrity guests. Just one peak at the clientele of the Grandhotel Pupp and you’ll see why. On my visit, the talk of the town was Johnny Depp’s upcoming appearance.
If you’re around during the summer festivities you’ll see the whole city come to life, stripping away its placid ways to accommodate the star-studded atmosphere. The Hotel Thermal becomes the heart of the town, hosting various movie venues, and the Pupp Cinema Karlovy Vary Theatre awakens from hibernation.
Smaller cinemas throughout the city also take part in the celebration. A few of them, namely Kino Čas and Kino Drahomira provide yearlong service. These are your spots to catch a flick if you’re visiting at another time.
HIKE UP TO DIANA’S OBSERVATION TOWER
Diana’s Observation Tower is a hulking observation deck that offers panoramic views of Karlovy Vary. It’s perched atop a hill that looks over the city and provides a nice escape from the bustling streets and riverside shops.
Around the tower, you’ll discover a restaurant, a mini zoo, and various trails through the trees. It’s definitely worth exploring these paths, you’ll come across many small monuments and interesting historical landmarks. As you descend towards the edge of the building line you’ll come upon some amazing viewing platforms
Notable lookout points on the western side of the lake:
Deer Jump Lookout | Possibly the oldest viewing structure built, the statue is on a tall rock just above the spa center.
Peter the Great Lookout | A statue of Peter the Great built into a rock. A stairway extends above it overlooking the town.
Charles IV Lookout | A small structure resembling a minaret that got its name after WWII.
Alternative | If you don’t feel like making the journey up the 150 steps, an alternative route by cable car can be found at the base of the hill near Grandhotel Pupp.
GET A VIEW FROM THE EAST
On the hill east of the Teplá River, you’ll come across even more trails and pathways. Exploring nature in these areas is a great way to find aerial views of the Karlovy Vary and experience the wonderful Czech wilderness.
Some of the highlights of these trails are:
Goethe’s Lookout Tower | A fairytale-like building that looks like a mini castle and appears in the Gothic style. You can see deep into the Czech countryside for miles upon miles here.
Three Crosses Lookout | Three large crosses on the hill of the same name. Across from them is a modern wooden gazebo that acts as an observation deck.
Camera Obscura View | A picturesque gazebo near the Three Crosses Lookout that gives you an advantageous picture of the city.
WALK ALONG THE WARM RIVER
Almost every top attraction in Karlovy revolves around its serpentine-like Teplá River. The slender waterway, whose name roughly translates to the warm river, is flanked by a wide, easy-to-navigate pedestrian promenade. It’s truly a year-round walking spot, with warmth emanating from the gently flowing river at all times.
Starting close to the convergence with the much colder Ohře River, you’ll saunter past beautiful parks, the city’s famous colonnades, and story pastel-colored businesses. There’s a pretty typical route to follow, starting at the cleanly cut Smetana Orchards and following the river’s west bank to Dvorakovy Park and the Park Colonnade. Besides the colonnade and its water taps, the park has a small cafe, a Becherovka bar, and a few notable sculptures. If you’re doing the mineral water drinking tour mentioned above, this is a good place to start.
Eventually, you’ll hit every potable spring on the way towards the Grandhotel Pupp and some of the famous spas. In between feel free to wander into the souvenir shops, stop at the memorable houses, and admire the Church of Saint Mary Magdalene. The banks of Tepla River are where you’ll find the majority of Karlovy Vary’s visitors, and are, by all accounts its life force.
Other walks to do | You can have a look here for some other walks around Karlovy Vary. They are self-guided tours that range from short trips to challenging walks, and difficult hikes. Each one has a downloadable map and also explains what you’ll see on the route.
DAY TRIP TO MARIANSKE LAZNE
Mariánské Lázně is like a smaller, calmer version of Karlovy Vary. It’s also another one of the UNESCO Great Spa Towns of Europe. There are three in the Czech Republic that makes this honored distinction, the two I’ve already mentioned and Františkovy Lázně. They all form a sort of triangle in western Bohemia.
What makes Marianske Lazne stand out from them all is its impressive neo-Baroque colonnade. Marianske Lazne Colonnade is beautifully constructed, with magnificent frescoes and richly decorated walls.
In front of it, you’ll find a photogenic singing fountain that plays music every hour or so. When I was there Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On was roaring from speakers as water from the fountain danced along to the beat. Across the park the Colonnade of Karolinina and Rudolf’s Spring show off their charming architecture.
Other noteworthy things in the town are the Ferdinand Spring Colonnade and the perfectly manicured Park Boheminium Marianske Lazne.
Just like Karlovy Vary, you’ll find drinking fountains all about town. The water was cooler here, therefore easier on the palate. It’s worth grabbing one of the region’s famous wafers, wandering around the charming town, and letting all your worries wither away.
Getting There | There are local trains and buses from Karlovy Vary to Marianske Lazne. Sometimes you’ll have to make a quick change in another town, but it’s generally pretty easy. The journey should take between 1 and 2 hours. For a timetable check the IDOS website.
CHOMP ON THE WAFERS
The Czech Republic has some weird foods it’s famous for. Fried cheese anyone? Or maybe svíčková (aka candle sauce)! I’m teasing, I’ve grown to enjoy most of the traditional Czech cuisine. However, lazanske oplatky, better known as spa wafers, is something most people will enjoy.
Dating back to as early as the 18th century, spa wafers and Karlovy Vary go together like peanut butter and jelly. The thin, plate-like treats are a delicacy and offer a variety of fillings. My personal favorite is hazelnut. You’ll find them in stores throughout all the Czech spa towns, including specific wafer shops.
Try | If you’re missing the wafers or didn’t get to try them while visiting one of the aforementioned towns, have a look in your local grocery store for the Kolonada brand. The Czech brand exports its original wafers across the world.
HAVE A SPA DAY
If you’re looking to just take it easy in Karlovy Vary, you can’t go wrong with a spa day. After all, the city is recognized as one of Europe’s great spa towns.
Staying in a hotel? Chances are it offers spa treatments. The town did grow in popularity hundreds of years ago due to its health-nurturing mineral waters.
If your accommodation doesn’t offer the option, feel free to ask them what choices you have around town. Several places offer spa days, including the popular Elizabeth Baths. The spa was established in the early 20th century and is the largest consumer of the town’s hot mineral water.
A unique alternative to traditional spa treatments is a trendy beer bath. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a country known around the world for its beer would have such a thing. I promise it’s not a joke, beer bath therapy has been around for a long time. The natural ingredients are supposed to be both revitalizing and beneficial for your skin.
DISCOVER BECHEROVKA
The Czech Republic’s beloved herbal liqueur isn’t for everyone. It’s an aromatic, bitter, almost medicinal aperitif with a recipe list of herbs and spices that would put even the local KFCs to shame. But, it has a long-standing history within the country and more specifically Karlovy Vary. In fact, the headquarters of Becherovka’s producer, Jan Becher, is located in the spa town.
Along with the distillery, you’ll also find the Jan Becher Museum in the city. Here, you can go on a guided tour, visit the gift center, and have a tasting. The museum is a perfect place to learn the history and distilling process of the beverage. It’s also located in a striking red-orange building.
Even if it doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, or in this instance liqueur, it’s worth learning about the Czech drink’s popularity. After all, you’ll see advertisements and large Becherovka bottles appearing all over town.
ADMIRE THE MAGICAL STREETS OF KARLOVY VARY
If you haven’t quite had your fill by now, make sure to head out onto the streets of Karlovy Vary. It’s a seriously magical town, with historical landmarks and striking architecture wherever you look.
Every building seems to send you back in time, emphasizing the Austro-Hungarian empire’s grandiose and prosperous 19th century. Besides the sights I’ve already mentioned, you’ll see many more buildings that are deeply engrained in Karlovy Vary’s history.
Here are some you’ll see wandering through the city:
Houses and Villas | There are some gorgeous residences in the city, each showing different craftsmanship. On Tržiště Street you’ll find two Art Nouveau-style houses, the House at the Three Moors and the Felix Zawojski House. The former is a former Baroque house that was burned down in a devastating fire before being reconstructed. The latter feels like an ode to the roaring 20s, with dazzling gold trim. Up the hill, on the other side of the Tepla River is Lutzow’s Villa, a private residence with a garden worth romanticizing.
Churches & Chapels | There are over a dozen churches and chapels in Karlovy Vary, including the aforementioned Church of Saint Mary Magdalene. The most beautiful of them might be the Orthodox Church of Saint Peter and Paul. It’s a Byzantine-style cathedral with sky-blue trim and immaculate golden domes.
Spas | I’ve already mentioned the historic Elizabeth Baths, however, the Emperor Spa and Spa III are worth a look too. Both were built in the 1800s and were culturally important social centers.
Others | Some other standout places to see are the magnificently decorated City Theatre and the Art Nouveau-style National House.
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