Things to Do in Karlovy Vary

Historically known as a haven for the gentry, as well as a place of inspiration for artists such as Bethoven, Chopin, Nietzsche, Kipling and Goethe, Karlovy Vary is a must-see on your trip to the Czech Republic.

It's130 kilometres from Prague and you can choose to travel there and back from Prague or stay overnight. Here is a list of all the must-see sights you can't miss. And if you want to plan your trip in detail, don't hesitate to read the post What to see and do in Prague and get the best ideas.

On your visit to Karlovy Vary, don't hesitate to visit a spa and soak in its famous medicinal waters, which are popular as a treatment for many ailments.

There are currently more than a dozen spas and health resorts in the town:

• The most popular is the Vrídlo Spa, from which water gushes out at a temperature of over 70ºC.
• You can also opt for The Imperial Spa.
• Or the Beer Spa Berrland, which, as its name suggests, is a beer spa. Yes, just as you read, a spa where while you bathe you can taste Krušovice lager and stout and then relax on a bed of straw.

If you want to go on your own, you should know how to get from Prague to Karlovy Vary. However, I personally recommend booking an excursion to Karlovy Vary from Prague: you won't have to worry about transfers or lunches, you'll see the most important sights of the city and, of course, you'll be able to enjoy the thermal springs.

Located in the upper part of Karlovy Vary, the Orthodox Church of St. Peter and Paul dates back to the end of the 19th century and is characterised by its Byzantine-style architecture, its five golden domes and its 40-metre high tower.

This church is internationally renowned for its beauty, making it a must-see on your trip to Karlovy Vary.

Designed by architects F. Fellner and H. Helmer, the Mestké Divadlo Theatre is a must-see on your trip to Karlovy Vary. It was inaugurated at the end of the 19th century and is neo-baroque in style.

Inside, the backdrop, rococo-style chandeliers and ceiling frescoes, including Gustav Klimt's 'Feast at the Table' and Franz Matsch's 'The Chess Game', stand out.

Throughout the year, the Mestké Divadlo Theatre offers a full programme of theatre, musicals and concerts. If you have the opportunity to spend more than one day in Karlovy Vary, don't hesitate to check the programme and go to a show.

Travellers' tip

Karlovy Vary is a must on your trip to the Czech Republic, where you can enjoy a wide variety of activities such as bathing in the medicinal waters of a spa, tasting the Becherovka liqueur or admiring the view from the Diana Tower.

If you take a trip to Karlovy Vary from Prague, you will certainly be able to see the colonnades, which are very popular arcaded structures in Karlovy Vary.

Before your visit, don't hesitate to buy a ceramic jug, which is sold in the town's shops and is the typical container used to drink the thermal water that emanates from the fountains housed in the colonnades.

• The Colonnade of the Mill is a late 19th century neo-Renaissance building that is over 130 metres long and has a total of 124 Corinthian-style columns. It is the largest colonnade in Karlovy Vary and houses six fountains (the Mill Fountain, the Rock Fountain, the Rulsalka Fountain, the Fountain of Prince Wenceslas I, the Fountain of Prince Wenceslas II and the Fountain of Libuše Fountain) from which medicinal water flows at a temperature of between 53 and 65ºC.
• The Market Colonnade is a white wooden building also dating from the end of the 19th century and is characterised by its carved decoration. It has two fountains: the Fuente del Mercado and the Fuente de Carlos IV.
• The Colonnade of the Park dates from the late 19th century and is neo-baroque in style. It is located in the Park of Dvorak Park and consists of a series of pavilions of metal architecture.

Karlovy Vary stands out for its imperial-style architecture. If you walk along the banks of the Teplá River, known as the Old Meadow, you will come across some of the most beautiful houses:

• The Mozart House.
• The former headquarters of the Knights of Malta.
• The Strauss House.
• Café Elefant, associated with the writer Goethe and other artists.

Book an excursion to Karlovy Vary from Prague and let your expert guide tell you all the secrets of this beautiful city.

The Hot Springs Pavilion is located in the centre of Karlovy Vary and houses the Vrídlo Geyser, from which the highest-temperature medicinal water in Karlovy Vary gushes out at a temperature of 72ºC. The jets are located at a height of up to 12 metres.

I recommend an underground tour of the geyser, which is located underground, where you will also be shown the other five springs of this colonnade.

Today, the building that covers the fountains is a modern, glazed building dating from the 1970s, but it has been transformed at different times throughout history since the 18th century. The Hot Springs Pavilion is open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Located opposite the Thermal Springs Pavilion, the Church of St. Mary Magdalene is characterised by its Baroque decoration and is one of the Czech Republic's greatest exponents of this type of architecture.

Inside it houses an important and beautiful collection of 18th century art. You will also have the opportunity to explore its crypt and an ossuary whose vault has been built with human bones. On your visit you may be lucky enough to enjoy an organ concert - quite a spectacle!

If you follow the pedestrian promenade along the river, you will come to a square at the end of which stands the Grand Hotel Pupp, an example of imperial architecture.

This hotel has been the setting for several films such as 'Casino Royale' and on the floor of the courtyard are a series of plaques engraved with the names of famous people and the year in which they have passed through the hotel, in the style of the Hollywood walk of fame, such as those of:

• Richard Wagner (1835).
• Ludwin Van Beethoven (1812).
• Franz Kafka (1916).
• Peter the Great (1711).
• Luis Buñuel (1956).
• Karl Marx (1874).
• Susan Sarandon (2012).

Don't hesitate to stop for a coffee.

From the Grand Hotel Pupp you can walk or take a cog railway to the Friendship Hill where the Tower of Diana is located.

My recommendation is to take the funicular, which dates back to the early 20th century and is quite an experience. Once at the top, you are less than five minutes away. If, on the other hand, you decide to walk, don't worry, you will only have to climb a staircase of approximately 150 steps to get to this observatory and it is more than worth the effort as from the top you can enjoy the best views of the city. Don't hesitate to take your camera to capture the best snapshots of the city!

The funicular is open from 9 am to 7 pm during the summer months and from 9 am to 5 pm throughout the year.

Becherovka liqueur is one of the most typical products of Karlova Vary, a 38 proof digestive drink made from about twenty herbs.

If you want to learn more about the history of this popular liqueur, don't hesitate to visit the Jan Becher Museum, which is located in the centre of the city and where you can see an old production plant and cellars. You can also watch a short documentary film that explains all the details of the production and history of the liqueur.

The tour includes a tasting and you can buy a bottle to give as a typical gift to friends and family.

Don't forget that Karlovy Vary is located in the West Bohemian region where the famous Bohemian glass is produced. The city is home to the Moser Museum, where the objects of Ludwig Moser, one of the most prestigious international brands of this type of crystal, are made.

I recommend that if you decide to go on a visit, you should book in advance, as they are in great demand and have a specific number of places available. Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you book an excursion to Karlovy Vary from Prague, a visit to the Moser Crystal Museum is included.

As you stroll through the centre of Karlovy Vary, you will see some street stalls selling Karlovy Vary wafers, a very typical sweet treat for the senses, which have been made since 1788.

They are made from flour and thermal water and are available in vanilla, chocolate, almond, white chocolate, cinnamon, hazelnut.... And if you can, don't hesitate to eat them hot. They are even tastier.

What's more, they make an ideal gift to take to friends and family, as they are sold in boxes of ten. Don't hesitate to visit the official website and learn all about the history of these sweets.

In Karlovy Vary you have the possibility to visit the visitor centre of the Thun Porcelain Factory 1794 and take a guided tour. Today, it is the largest porcelain producer in the Czech Republic and is visited by more than 10,000 people every year.

You will be shown around the production plant while an expert guide will give you all the details about the history of this porcelain brand and you will see the exhibition. The visit also includes the projection of an audiovisual presentation that explains the entire porcelain production process.

Visiting hours are from 9 am to 3 pm. However, you can find more details on the official website at

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