Discover Karlovy Vary in Just One Day
This section highlights the most stunning photography locations in Karlovy Vary, including the colonnades, springs, and showcases the gorgeous architecture of the spa houses. It’s essential to check out the spa forests, along with charming gazebos and scenic viewpoints.
The images portray the largest and most renowned spa town in the Czech Republic. Additionally, amidst stunning nature, you can find solitude, enjoy time with friends or family, and experience the much-desired tranquility while also having opportunities for fun. Where can you do this? Join us, and we will show you around!
Step by step through the famous baths
Even if you have limited time to explore Karlovy Vary, your first destination should definitely be the The waterfront along the Teplá River. This area serves as the main hub of the town’s spa section, and along this path, you’ll discover the main attractions that draw visitors to the city and its famed spa. Here, you can admire the Thermal Hotel, which hosts the annual Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, and wander around Karlovy Vary’s Colonnades, Orchard, Market, Castle, and Mill. The geyser is a unique natural feature that releases about 2,000 liters of mineral water every minute, shooting up as high as 12 meters due to its strong pressure. Part of this thermal water supports the spa facilities, while some is used to make Karlovy Vary spring salts and is also used in souvenirs. If you have some extra time, take a moment to explore the underground area of the Hot Spring Colonnade and see the famous stone roses for yourself!
By cable car to the Imperial and on foot to the Imperial Baths
Not far from the Vřídlo area is Theatre Square, featuring the impressive Municipal Theatre building and the lower station for the cable car. This cable car will take you to the luxurious Imperial Hotel, and from there, you can make your way back to the Teplá Valley through the lovely park. Just south of Imperial Heights, you will discover the elegant Imperial Baths. This notable spa structure offers intriguing tours, and the Atrium concert hall, integrated into the former spa hall, earned the Czech Architecture Award in 2024. Should you have the time, consider stopping by for a tour.
Walk through the park named after the founder of this spa town, King and Emperor Charles IV, and then cross the Festival Bridge to the other side. There, stop to grab a bite at the Grandhotel Pupp and locate Marianska Street. This street is home to the base station for the Diana cable car. When it first opened in 1912, it was 417 meters long and was considered the longest cable car in Austria-Hungary. The cable car will take you to Friendship Heights, where you can visit the Diana lookout tower, a cruise restaurant, and the Butterfly House. If the spa forests intrigue you, you can head toward the Linhart Game Reserve, which features observation bridges for viewing fallow deer, deer, and wild boar, or go to one of the lookout towers and viewpoints. Marked trails, which extend for a total of 130 kilometers in the forests, will guide you to the Peter the Great Lookout, the Deer Jump, the Charles IV Lookout, or the Goethe Lookout.
