Afternoon walk in the spa centre

We are offering you a walk suitable for a beautiful Karlovy Vary afternoon. You can start after your lunch which you have enjoyed in one of the spa restaurants.

The starting point of this route is the Elizabeth's Spa (The Spa V), which lies in the Smetana Park. This park is often used by the spa guests to sit on benches in a beautiful park environment. Leave the park near the historic post office building and cross the river in the direction of the Hotel Thermal.

• The Hotel Thermal was built in the second half of the 20th century. It was built as a modern spa centre, which now serves not only the balneology. Its Convention Centre hosts the International Film Festival and other important Karlovy Vary events.

Pass around the Thermal and continue around the Dvořák Park the building of the Military Spa Institute and the Spa III. From there it is only a few steps to the Mill Colonnade.

• The author of the Mill Colonnade is the famous architect Joseph Zítek. When you will be admiring this 132 m long colonnade, know that at the time of its creation in 1869 the Karlsbad (Karlovy Vary) townspeople were not excited about it at all. It seemed to them that it disfigures the neighbourhood.

Continue further upstream. A moment after the river will disappear from your sight you will get to the place from which you can see three colonnades at the same time. The Castle Colonnade and the Market Colonnade will be by your right hand and the Hot Spring Colonnade will be on your left.

• The Castle Colonnade consists of the Upper Spring Colonnade and the Lower Spring Colonnade. Above them stands the Castle Tower. It is the only reminder of the original Gothic castle which was built there by its founder Charles IV.
• When you will be viewing the wooden Market Colonnade, which was built in the Swiss style, note the relief above the Charles IV Spring. It depicts the tale about the discovery of Karlsbad (Karlovy Vary).
• On the other side of the street you will find yourself right at the Hot Spring To observe and feel the power of this spring is a very powerful experience. Apart from observing and tasting the water from the spring in the esplanade hall of the Hot Spring Colonnade, you can also buy traditional Karlovy Vary souvenirs. The hall is open daily from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM. In the underground section of the strongest spring you can also visit an interesting excursion route.

As you leave the Hot Spring Colonnade, climb up towards the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, where you can go to through another tour in its underground crypt. When your eyes have enjoyed looking on the beauty of the most important religious monument in Karlovy Vary, cross the street back to the Market Colonnade and you can resume your walk against the stream of the river Teplá.

 

As you walk about 400 meters, the building of the Grandhotel Pupp will start to take shape when you turn around the corner.

• This luxury hotel is composed of several buildings. Over the years it has dramatically changed its appearance. In recent years it probably became most famous during the filming of James Bond: Casino Royale, a large part of that film took place just at the Grandhotel Pupp.

The Regional Museum stands at the Nová louka (the New Meadow), opposite the Grandhotel Pupp.

• Permanent exhibition in the museum presents the history of the region; it focuses on the development and history of balneology and the natural wealth of the region. The exhibition includes a number of valuable books from the Jáchymov Latin School library. Various short-term exhibitions are organized in the exhibition halls on the ground floor of the museum.

Karlovy Vary Museum	Opening Hours	Admission CZK
The former district office Nová louka 23, Karlovy Vary Tel.: +420 353 226 252	Wed–Sun 9:00 AM – 12:00 AM and 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Permanent exhibition, displays)	Adults 60,– Children 30,– Family 120,–

Before you go to view the Grandhotel Pupp, walk inside the Mariánská Lane and take the funicular to the Diana Observation Tower. After the ride lasting about 3 minutes you can expect a fantastic view of Karlovy Vary and its surroundings. While you will be looking around, you can decide whether to continue your walk in the spa woods and maybe you will decide to sit down in one of the many bowers. Or you will decide to give up your trip to the Charles IV Lookout or the Deer Leap and you will take a ride down and go again back through the town.

If you are back at the Pupp, continue upstream along the hotel. Walking across the “Festival Bridge” behind the Parkhotel Pupp, you will reach the Imperial Spa (Spa I) and the Evangelical Church. This spectacular Spa I building shows the elements of historicism and Art Nouveau. The Charles IV Park is located in front of the spa.

Walking away from the Imperial Spa, go through the wood on the Goethe's trail, which will lead you around the monument to its namesake to the Art Gallery.

The Karlovy Vary Art Gallery	Opening Hours
Goethova stezka 6 Karlovy Vary Tel.: +420 353 224 387 Fax: +420 353 224 388 info@galeriekvary.cz www.galeriekvary.cz	Tue–Sun 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM The gallery regularly organizes cultural and educational events for the public. In these cases, the operating time may vary.

As you leave the gallery, continue further all the way to the Postal Court.

• This famous tourist restaurant dates back to the end of the 18^th century. Its beautiful interior and exterior and the opportunity of sitting in a stylish restaurant attracts tourists to walk right in this direction. Let yourself to be tempted also.

The Postal Court is the last stop on the afternoon walk through Karlovy Vary. On the way back you can go around the Parkhotel Richmond, which in 1998 built a Japanese garden next to it. While in the park you will also come across a bower with the Stephanie Spring or a statue of deer.

To go back to the centre of the town, you can take a walk on the other side of the river Teplá, or take the bus No. 2 or 11 from the Richmond bus stop.