Karlovy Vary
The grand sister among the spa towns: the 72 °C Hot Spring geyser, opulent colonnades, the Diana observation tower and the home of Becherovka. A full day of spa tradition and film-festival glamour.
Photo: rboed* · CC BY 2.0At a glance
Drive time
~45 min by car
Distance
~31 km
Time on site
3–6 h
Effort
easy
Good for
About the place
Legend has it that Charles IV discovered the hot springs himself while hunting a stag — and the town he founded around them in the 14th century still bears his name. The heart of the spa is the Vřídlo: a geyser of mineral water at over 70 °C, shooting up to twelve metres high. Around it unfolds the promenade of colonnades, the finest being the neo-Renaissance Mill Colonnade by Josef Zítek, creator of Prague's National Theatre.
The classic grand walk includes the funicular ride to the Diana lookout tower, a glass of Becherovka at the herbal liqueur's museum, and a look at the Grandhotel Pupp, home of the international film festival. Together with Mariánské Lázně and Františkovy Lázně, Karlovy Vary has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2021 among the Great Spa Towns of Europe.
