home page » activities » TOP 10 - "what you should not miss!"

TOP 10 - "What You Should Not Miss!"

Before you leave Karlovy Vary you should...

1.) ...be astonished with the vehemence of the Thermal Spring

Approximately halfway between the hotel Thermal and the Grandhotel Pupp, in the heart of the spa zone, you can find the largest and hottest spring in Karlovy Vary. It rises to the surface with respectable energy. The Thermal Spring can spurt up to 12 m, thus discharging 2.000 liters of hot water and 5.000 liters of carbon dioxide from the underground every minute.

The Thermal Spring is the only spring whose water is indicated for spa baths as well as drinking cure. The spa sanatoriums are supplied with this spring from the underground Thermal Spring Colonnade.

It most likely strikes your mind that the Thermal Colonnade is the place where the Thermal Spring makes its way to the surface. The colonnade structure was built in the years 1971 - 1975 and is one of several buildings encompassing this unique spring.

The esplanade hall that is open daily from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m.lets you admire not only the Thermal Spring fountains but also another 5 spring outlets whose water can be caught in a special cup and drunk either warm (72°C) or cooled.

The premises of the Thermal Spring Colonnade also provides several souvenir, costume jewelry, glass and porcelain shops. There is a special stand with original Karlovy Vary wafers, a restaurant and public restrooms.

On the second floor of the colonnade you can visit a gallery or go shopping in a boutique. The old section of the thermal spring underground will soon be open to the public who will be able to go on a guided tour there

The Thermal Spring is surrounded with a large number of souvenir shops, luxury boutiques, restaurants and hotels and smaller guest houses. Above the Spring, the church of St. Mary Magdalene towers, facing the Chateau Colonnade and the Market Colonnade.

back to top

2.) ...go for a walk on the Mill Colonnade

Karlovy Vary is a spa city well known for its colonnades. The main purpose of these structures is to provide spa guests with utmost comfort while taking indicated curative water.

All the colonnades are situated within a close distance from each other. If you walk away from the Thermal Hotel down the stream of the Tepla River, you will soon come across the Park Colonnade located in Dvořák Park. Several meters further, the largest colonnade - the Mill Colonnade was built in the year 1871 - 1881.

The colonnade roof is carried on 124 majestic columns among which five springs spurt out. The sixth spring is found in the open space in front of the colonnade, opposite the orchestra platform.

Name	Description
Rock Spring 53°C	Before the year 1845, this spring rose into the Tepla River. Following some landscaping modification, this spring was taken to the place of the present-day Mill Colonnade.
Libuše Spring 62°C	Originally called the Spring of Elizabeth’s Roses, this spring was made by four smaller springs flowing together.
Prince Václav I Spring 65°C	The water from this spring was used to produce Karlovy Vary curative salt of. At the end of the 18th century, its yield and force allegedly matched those of the Thermal Spring. The Prince Václav I Spring outlets into two spring vases. The Prince Václav II Spring flows out in front of the colonnade, across from the orchestra place.
Prince Václav II Spring 58°C
Mill Spring 56°C	This spring has been used for therapeutic purposes since the 16th century, initially mainly for baths. In the past, the water from this favorite spring could be bought from nearly every Czech chemist.
Rusalka Spring 60°C	From the 16th century until the year 1945 this spring was known as the New Spring. The water exhaled from this spring used to be more popular than that from the Mill Spring. The spring even had its own colonnade called the New Spring Colonnade that was later reconstructed and called the Mill Colonnade.

The colonnade walls are decorated with allegoric statues. Twelve statues representing one month of the year each look down from the roof. Inside the columns an orchestra platform has its place along with a monument dedicated to the architect of the colonnade, Josef Zítek, or along with a commemorative plaque with the „Thermal Spring Ode’ by Bohuslav Hasištejnsky from Lobkovice“.

The colonnade is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

If you feel the urge to try some of the springs, you can buy a special original drinking cup in one of the numerous stands. If the sips of mineral water make you feel ‘uneasy’, you will find public restrooms right on the colonnade. Around the corner from the Mill Spring, there is an Information Center.

If you keep on walking upstream, you will reach the Market, Chateau and the Thermal Spring Colonnade. All of them are found only several metres from each other. On your way there you will go past many shops with luxury goods and souvenirs.

back to top

3.) ...look around from the top of Diana

Diana towers 547 meters above sea level in the spa forests in the vicinity of the Grandhotel Pupp. It was erected in 1914 since when it has been offering a wonderful view of the whole of Karlovy Vary and its surroundings.

The lookout tower can be reached on foot or by cable car. The ride, including a brief stop at the „Deer Jump“ station, takes 3 and half minutes. Můžete ji absolvovat 4x do hodiny. Every hour, the cable car makes four round trips. At the ticket office you can buy either a 12 CZK crown ticket (for a ride to the Deer Jump halfway stop) or a 36 CZK ticket (for a ride to the lookout tower) or a 36 CZK return ticket.

Schedule for Diana cable car.

The look out tower stands just a few steps from the upper cable car station. Its gallery is open daily except January.

Month	Operating hours
February, March	9:15 - 16:45
April, May	9:15 - 17:45
June to September	9:15 - 18:45
October	9:15 - 17:45
November, December	9:15 - 16:45

Before you can enjoy the view of Karlovy Vary from the top of its gallery, you have to climb 150 steps or take a lift.

Near the lookout tower is a fast food stand and a restaurant where you can eat or have a cup a cup of good coffee.

Information boards will help you to get oriented in the network of spa tracks whose total length is 180 km. They will lead you to many other places, including more lookout towers. The tracks are marked with different color signs, depending on the level of hiking difficulty. Everybody can thus choose the track that is right for them.

back to top

4.) ...taste the Becher liqueur

To get to know Karlovy Vary through all your senses you should not miss the tasting of the traditional herbal liqueur that is manufactured only here.

The Becher liqueur, or ‘Becherovka’, was first made produced by Josef Becher at his chemist shop in 1807. First, he sold it in vials as gastric drops. The growing popularity of the drink went hand in hand with the increasing size of the flasks in which the liqueur was decanted under its original name „Carlsbader English Bitter“. Approximately seventy years after the creation of the formula Becherovka began to be filled in typical flat bottles.

The Czech name „Becherovka“ has been officially used since the foundation of Czechoslovakia in 1918.

For more than 200 years, the very production of the liqueur has been shrouded with mystery. The exact ratio of ingredients was handed from father to son as a family secret. Today, the Becherovka formula is known only to two people who prepare a special mixture of spices and herbs once a week. The specific taste of the liqueur is acquired, amongst others, by two-week maturing in oak casks and allegedly also by the environment of Karlovy Vary.

A glass of Becherovka can be ordered practically everywhere in Karlovy Vary: in every pub, restaurant or bar. It is served either cooled in a special liqueur glass or in cocktails, the favorite one being perhaps „Beton“ (Becherovka and tonic water).

Becherovka is inherently connected with Karlovy Vary that has its „JAN BECHER MUZEUM“.

Name	Opening hours	Admission fee
JAN BECHER MUZEUM T.G.M. 57, Karlovy Vary reservations: tel.: +420 353 170 177 fax: +420 353 229 421 e-mail: muzeum@jan-becher.com web: www.becherovka.cz	Mon - Sun 9:00 - 17:00	Adults 100.- CZK Children/students 50.- CZK

The museum exposition is situated on the premises where the liqueur has bee made for 150 year. During a sightseeing tour you will watch a short film about Becherovka, walk through the original cellars (where the liqueur matures in oak casks), see a part of production premises and a variety of objects historically connected with the liqueur (the original bottle labels, bottles, imitations, etc.). The museum also has a factory outlet store and a museum bar where Becherovka is served cooled to the right temperature.

back to top

5.) ...enjoy some of the many spa procedures

Relaxation massages, whirlpool baths, pleasant warm wraps and packs are not available only to the spa patients. You can also treat yourself.

The history of the Karlovy Vary spa treatment goes back to the 14th century when King Charles IV soaked his wounded body in thermal water. Therapy was gradually developed. Yet sometimes it ran into extremes when it called for half-day continuous baths or excessive drinking cure. The doctors who were very instrumental in the promotion and optimization of the spa therapy were Jan Becher and Jean de Carro.

The spa sanatoriums offer a wide range of wellness and beauty programs. You can enjoy just one procedure or a whole „package“. It’s only up to you. Women may prefer cosmetic wraps and anti-cellulite therapy. Men may go for reflex massages and thermal spring baths.

To have a better idea of what you can try and enjoy in Karlovy Vary look at the description of procedures.

For the detailed information on individual programs and prices go to the internet pages of the respective spa houses. For instance, check the pages of Spa V.

back to top

6.) ...daily guided tours into the Glassworks MOSER, Glass Museum

The new Moser Museum offers a unique look at the history of the glassworks. The newly designed, modern exposition offers an absorbing tour, which maps over 150 years of the glassworks’ history. The tour presents famous owners of luxury Moser glass, together with pieces ranging from the oldest examples of glass work to contemporary collections, with more than 2,000 exhibits on display. The exhibition is supplemented by 7 documentaries in 9 international languages.

Audio guides are available, allowing visitors to choose their own individual routes and pace.

• Moser glassworks and its history
• Moser molten glass
• Decorative glass and glasses by Moser in the course of history
• Moser - the glass of the kings - Moser glassware with coat of arms and initials
• Moser Giant Goblets Club
• Moser Glass making symposiums
• Daily glassworks tours!

Don’t miss the unforgettable experience of seeing Moser glassmakers at work at the glassworks!

Name		Opening hours	Entrance
VISITORS CENTER MOSER Kpt. Jaroše 46/19, Karlovy Vary tel.: +420 800 166 737, tel.: +420 353 416 112 - tours reservations museum@moser-glass.com www.moser-glass.com	Factory shop Museum Glassworks tour	Mo - Su 9:00 - 18:00 Mo - Su 9:00 - 17:00 Mo - Su 9:00 - 14:30	Free 80 CZK 120 CZK

Jan Becher Museum

This museum - like the production plant - is located in a historical building scented with the local unique liqueur ‘Becherovka’. Becherovka is one of the best known products of Karlovy Vary. During a museum tour you will learn basics on the history, manufacturing, or storage of the liqueur. You will also see historical objects and a short instructional film. Becherovka can be bought in a local outlet store attached to the museum or enjoyed in the museum’s bar. Museum tours are organized for individuals and groups. A guided tour in English is also available.

Name	Opening hours	Admission fee
Jan Becher Museum T.G.M. 57, Karlovy Vary reservations: phone: +420 353 170 177 fax: +420 353 229 421 e-mail: muzeum@jan-becher.com web: www.becherovka.cz	Mon - Sun 9:00 - 17:00	Adults 100,- CZK Children/students 50,- CZK

back to top

7.) ...go for a walk on spa paths

Besides walks on colonnades and esplanades, you should also direct your steps into the calm and quiet environment of the spa forests.

Hikes and bike trips can take place on 180 km long roads, paths and tracks. All the tracks are well maintained and marked. Most of them are named after famous guests of Karlovy Vary.

During your walks you will surely see several gazebos, lodges and other small buildings that were erected to provide a rest place or a shelter from rain.

If you set out for a concrete destination, numerous signposts, road signs, tourist marks and orientation plans will help you to stay on the right track. The paths are marked with three colors, depending on their difficulty level: green - low difficulty, blue - medium difficulty, and red - extreme difficulty. Most people usually head for an excursion restaurant or a belvedere spot.

We recommend going on a walk to Charles IV belvedere or to a place called Deer Jump. Both sites can be accessed from the Friendship Height on which the Diana lookout tower stands.

back to top

8.) ...visit the renowned restaurants of Karlovy Vary

The Post Office Manor has stood at the edge of the spa zone for more 200 years. Originally, a stable for post office horses, this manor soon became a setting for distinguished social, cultural and political events. It was also a favorite venue of the elite of Karlovy Vary.

This building comes from the end of the 18th century. Its classicist exterior and romantic interior inspire the place with unforgettable atmosphere. Definitely the most spectacular room is Labitzky’s Hall that is decorated with fresco paintings by Master Kramolín.

The restaurant offers a rich menu comprising Czech and international specialties as well as a broad choice of alcoholic and soft drinks. It is ideal for an afternoon sit-down or for a romantic evening. The ceremonial halls often become a venue of wedding banquets or seminars. The dance pavilion is suitable for company parties and similar functions.

If you go past the Post Office Manor during one of your walks, make sure you stop here perhaps just for a cup of good coffee.

The historical center of Karlovy Vary is proud of another notable restaurant located inside the Embassy Hotel. Besides the varied choice of gourmet specialties and exquisite wines, the restaurant boasts about beautiful historical interiors.

back to top

9.) ...practice sports

Whether you are an active or passive sports fan, Karlovy Vary has a lot to offer. In addition to regular sports grounds, there are golf courses, tennis courts, extra league ice-hockey matches or horse race tracks.

back to top

10.) ...buy Karlovy Vary souvenirs

When you pack your baggage, make sure you take home several things typical of Karlovy Vary. They can become your keepsakes or a great present for your dear ones.