Karlovy Vary - spa town with charm
Karlovy Vary is a spa town in the west of the Czech Republic. The town is one of the most famous and traditional spas in the world and “people go to Karlovy Vary for a cure”.
A vacation in Karlovy Vary offers a unique blend of relaxation and culture. The magnificent spa buildings and facilities invite you to relax and offer a variety of wellness services to revitalize body and soul. The promenades lined with impressive architecture are ideal for strolling and enjoying the picturesque scenery of the city.
The healing effects of the thermal springs in Karlovy Vary have been known since the 14th century. Initially, people only bathed in the water, but later drinking cures were also added.
The surrounding nature is another attraction. The town lies in a valley at the confluence of the Teplá and Eger rivers. The area is ideal for beautiful hikes in the mountains, cycling along the river and relaxation from everyday life.
Sights in Karlovy Vary
Discover places worth seeing in Karlovy Vary. We present our discoveries here.
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7 places in Karlovy Vary →7 places in Karlovy Vary that you should seeDuring our walks through Karlovy Vary we always noticed the beautiful houses. Discovering Karlovy Vary is really worth it, we present 7 great places…
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Loket Castle →Loket Castle - Beautiful castle complex high above the Cheb River
Loket Castle is especially famous for its exposed location. The river Eger runs in the Czech Republic in an almost circular river loop around a granite rock. And it is precisely on these rocks that Loket Castle stands.
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Becherovka →Karlovy Vary and the 13th Medicinal Spring
Karlovy Vary is famous for its drinking cures at 12 public springs. We have discovered the 13th medicinal spring Becherovka.
Health and Wellness in Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary is famous for its spa treatments. Whether prescribed by a doctor or as a wellness offer, the choice is varied.
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Healing hot springs →Healing springs in Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary is one of the most famous spa towns in Europe. Its healing springs and drinking cures have been attracting people from all over the world for centuries.
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Salt Cave Elisabeth Bath →The salt in the air - spa offer in Elisabethbad in Karlovy Vary
Those who spend their vacations in the region around Karlovy Vary will certainly take advantage of the numerous spa offers in Karlovy Vary. These include not only drinking cures, but also the numerous offers from the field of rehabilitation, wellness and beauty treatments.
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Sprudel Karlovy Vary →The "Sprudel" in Karlovy Vary
The fountain in Karlovy Vary has made the city famous. Not every city has such a geyser and if the water from it is also healthy ….
Excursions and hiking around Karlovy Vary
There are numerous signposted hiking and cycling routes around Karlovy Vary. These lead to great excursion destinations in the region.
If you don’t want to travel quite so far, you can cycle to Loket in around an hour. A beautifully situated town with a fantastic castle.
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Bike tour to Loket →Bike tour to Loket
From Karlovy Vary you can take a beautiful bike tour to Loket. The town is really worth seeing and a visit to Loket Castle should not be missed.
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Hans-Heiling-Rock →Hike from Karlovy Vary to the Hans-Heiling-Rock
A very nice hike with very different trails leads to the Hans Heiling Rock. We have put together a tour online before starting our hike.
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Museum of historical motorcycles →Museum of historical motorcycles in Bečov nad Teplou
From Karlovy Vary it is just about 25 kilometers to Bečov nad Teplou. There is a small motorcycle museum here, which is ideal for a trip to the surrounding area.
From Karlovy Vary you can take a nice city trip to Prague. It takes a good 2 hours by car, but there are also good connections by bus or train.
Pilsen is a good 80 kilometers away. We spent a week in Pilsen and a visit is highly recommended. You can make a stop in Bečov nad Teplou on the way to Pilsen and visit a castle complex.
Food and Drink
A healthy body needs good food and drink. We present our tips for a good meal and a good beer.
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Becherovka →Karlovy Vary and the 13th Medicinal Spring
Karlovy Vary is famous for its drinking cures at 12 public springs. We have discovered the 13th medicinal spring Becherovka.
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Cheap food in Karlovy Vary →Cheap food and beer in Karlovy Vary
Although we lived in a vacation apartment in Karlovy Vary, we were drawn to the restaurants of the city. Cheap food and drinking beer in Karlovy Vary is quite possible, but you should not look for a restaurant directly in the pedestrian zone at the colonnades.
Annual events
Karlsbad offers its visitors interesting festivals and events every year. Here is a small selection of the events that take place regularly:
- May: Opening of the spa season
- May: International Jazz Days
- July: Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
- August: Early Music Festival (concerts of early music performed on original musical instruments)
- December: Traditional Christmas Market (Smetanovy sady in front of the Elisabeth Spa)
Book your stay
Grandhotel Pupp
Spa Hotel Imperial
Carlsbad Plaza Medical Spa & Wellness hotel
Hotel Thermal
Luxury Spa Hotel Olympic Palace
Travel information about Karlovy Vary
Arrival
by plane
Karlovy Vary has a small international airport. From here there are several scheduled flights to Moscow.
The nearest international airport is in Prague.
by train
From Germany, trains from Nuremberg will arrive in Karlovy Vary in a good 2.5 hours. From Berlin it takes about 5.5 hours. Those coming from Prague can reach Karlovy Vary in about 3 hours without changing trains. The fare is about 10€.
by bus
There are several possibilities if you want to go to Karlovy Vary by bus. Regional and national bus lines stop at the bus station. From Prague-Florenc the trip takes about 2 hours.
by bike
Karlovy Vary is located on the Euregio Egrensis long-distance cycle route and on the Karlsroute.
by car
Karlovy Vary is easily accessible by car from many directions. From the border town of Oberwiesenthal, for example, you can take the E442, from Prague you take the E48/R6. Please note that many roads in the Czech Republic require vignettes.
On the way in...
In Karlovy Vary, there are several bus lines that run mainly to the outer districts. However, if you are good on foot, you can actually do without the bus, especially in the center, and discover everything on foot.
There are two funiculars in the city. One goes up to the Hotel Imperial, the other on the other side of the valley to the Diana Tower.
Fiaker tours through the city center are also offered to tourists.
Toll
On the route from Bavaria via Cheb / Eger to Karlovy Vary / Karlsbad, there is no longer a toll on the E48 / E49 (= highway D6) between the Cheb junction and Karlovy Vary.
Parking
The inner city area of Karlovy Vary may only be entered by car with a special permit. Parking is also very limited. However, it is possible to park your car in numerous parking lots or garages.
Here are a few parking lots:
- Guarded parking lot “Kouzelné městečko”: 24-hour non-stop – for cars, campers, buses
- Guarded parking lot “Poštovní dvůr”: 24-hour non-stop – for cars, campers
- Unguarded parking lot “Horní nádraží”: Parking lot at the main train station
- Unguarded parking lot Polská Street: free parking
- Parking is also permitted in the designated areas with parking meters.
Hotel guests may drive into the center to unload and load on their arrival and departure days. It must be possible to prove that you have a hotel reservation in the event of checks.
Tourist Tax
The tourist tax (tsch. pobytová taxa, lázeňská taxa) is 15,- CZK/person/day and is usually not included in the hotel and travel prices.
