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Did somebody say ‘spa time’? One of the best places to visit in the Czech Republic if you are into self-care and pampering yourself is without a doubt the picturesque city of Karlovy Vary. Famous for its hot springs and 19th-century architecture, Karlovy Vary is a popular day trip from Prague. You can easily get here by public transport or on a guided tour. Wondering what to do in Karlovy Vary in one day? Here’s a thorough guide with everything you need to know!
Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
Karlovy Vary is located in the Western Bohemia region of the Czech Republic. It is also known under the name ‘Carlsbad’ and is one of the most famous spa towns in the world.
The history of the healing mineral waters of Karlovy Vary already dates back to ancient times and they were the reason to build this city at this wonderful location surrounded by dense forests and amazing lookout points.
There are two ways to try the healing powers of the curative waters in Karlovy Vary, either by bathing in them in one of the many spas or by drinking from the 15 fountains that you can find in the historical collonades around the city.
Karlovy Vary is a UNESCO World Heritage Site but you also might know it from Casino Royale, one of the James Bond movies with Daniel Craig. Certain scenes of this movie were shot around the Mill Colonnade and Grand Hotel Pupp, the most famous spa hotel in the city.
The Tepla River surrounded by lovely promenades
Yes, Karlovy Vary is definitely worth visiting! It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the Czech Republic and it’s a great place if you are looking for a relaxed spa experience.
You can enjoy the healing powers of thermal springs here for a day but there’s much more to discover.
Karlovy Vary is also the home of Becherovka, one of the most popular traditional herbal liqueurs of Czechia. You can buy it at literally every street corner in the city and it’s quite tasty but strong though!
Furthermore, the city is also home to the Moser Glass Factory and there are various lookout points surrounding the city, like the Diana Observation Tower, which provides great views over Karlovy Vary and its surroundings.
I’ll go into more detail about these sights later in the post!
The Tepla River in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
If you are only going to spend one day in Karlovy Vary, then you should try to aim for a good mix of spa treatments and experience the town’s architecture and cultural identity.
I’ve only spent one day in Karlovy and that was enough to get a grasp of the city. I do think that two days is more ideal, as you can stay over for one night at one of the spa luxury hotels.
Nevertheless, one day is enough and there are day spas in the city where you can indulge in various treatments. The Saunia complex was my favorite. This spa house in the city center boasts an incredible outdoor pool that looks out over Karlovy town!
Assuming you are visiting Karlovy Vary on a day trip from Prague, here are the best ways to get to the city, either by car or public transport.
I myself had visited Prague on previous occasions and decided to visit Karlovy Vary from my Airbnb in Loket, a small town with a medieval castle, located about 15 kilometers (10 miles) from Karlovy Vary.
If you are coming to Karlovy Vary by car, don’t worry about finding parking space, there are plenty of them in and around the city.
Traveling by train is one of main ways to reach Karlovy Vary from Prague. Trains leave Prague from Prague Main Railway Station (Hlavní Nádraží) and the train station in Holesovice (Nádraží Holešovice) and will drop you off at the main train station in Karlovy Vary.
Direct trains leave Prague about every two hours and tickets can be bought via the website of Czech Railways. It takes about three hours to reach Karlovy Vary from Prague by train.
A faster way to reach Karlovy Vary from Prague is by taking a bus. Comfortable buses leave Prague for Karlovy frequently throughout the day and reach the city in about one and a half to two hours.
Flixbus and Regiojet are the most popular bus companies and you can buy tickets on Busbud, Omio, or on the site of Flixbus itself.
Florenc Bus terminal in District 8 is Prague’s main bus station but there’s also another one near Hradčanská metro station on M. Horakové Road. This one is more convenient if you are staying in the Letna area.
If you are doing a road trip, you can easily get to Karlovy Vary from Prague in about one and a half hours via Route 6. Alternatively, you can rent a car in Prague for the day, although that’s not the most sustainable option. Taggart is a local rental agency in the center of Prague.
As I mentioned before, finding parking space in Karlovy Vary is easy (but not free though). You can find a list of all the parking lots on this website. I found Podzemní parkoviště Karlovy Vary to be a very secure and comfortable underground parking lot.
For a more detailed guide about how to get from Prague to Karlovy Vary, check out my Prague to Karlovy Vary transport guide!
Upon arrival in Karlovy Vary, make your way to the famous colonnades in Karlovy Vary along the Tepla River. Both the bus and train station are not too far from the city center and you can reach the main spa area in the town center on a leisurely stroll from there.
If you haven’t had breakfast yet, it’s worth it to make a detour first to the non-touristy area of Karlovy Vary, around T.G. Masaryka, the main shopping street.
Pinkiez Espresso Bar is great for non-vegans and has a funky vibe, but Republica has more vegan options.
Mill Colonnade
Your first stop on your day trip to Karlovy should be the city’s colonnades where you can find the healing water fountains. A good idea is to put Grand Hotel Pupp as a destination point into Google Maps, as this will lead you by the river passing by all the colonnades.
The first one you’ll encounter is the Mill Colonnade, a beautiful Renaissance structure with Corinthian columns.
You should have passed by a dozen tourist stalls by now selling porcelain cups. These cups are used to drink the water from the fountains and it’s up to you if you want to buy one. I personally didn’t as I had my Hydro Flask water bottle with me.
Be sure to feel what the temperature of the water is like before drinking it. I burnt my lip here, eagerly wanting to try the healing water of the mineral springs!
The next stop on the road is the Market Colonnade. This was easily my favorite colonnade as it is a gorgeous white wooden structure in baroque style. Behind it, you can find another colonnade, the small Castle Colonnade with only one spring. It is less popular but equally interesting!
The thermal natural springs of Karlovy Vary have been frequented by prominent figures throughout history. The water is said to have healing powers due to mineral substances that mix with the water deep below the ground.
Thermal spring and St Mary Magdalene’s Church
The temperatures of the mineral springs vary between 30 to 75 degrees Celcius and, depending on the temperature, can treat things like constipation, liver diseases, boost your metabolism, and improve blood sugar levels.
Which spring is suitable to cure which ailment depends on the temperature. There are doctors in Karlovy Vary who can prescribe the perfect blend of fountain water for your body type and any complaints you might have!
After exploring the most popular colonnades you’ll arrive at Grand Hotel Pupp. You can marvel a bit at this hotel as it is the most popular place to stay in this beautiful city.
It has a bit of a cult status because a lot of celebrities have stayed here like Johnny Depp, Robert Pattinson, and Richard Gere just to name of few. This is partly due to the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival that is held in the city every year in July.
Right next to the hotel, you can find a funicular that takes you all the way up to the Diana Observation Tower. From the top of the hill, you’ll have a panoramic view over the entire city and the mysterious forests surrounding Karlovy Vary. It can’t get any more fairy-tale-like than this!
After visiting the Diana Observation Tower it’s time to head back to the lesser touristy part of town for lunch. I found all the restaurants in the tourist areas around the colonnades to be very expensive and, as a conscious traveler, I was looking for a more local dining experience away from the crowds.
As you make your way back to the area around T.G. Masaryka, make a short stop at Vřídlo, a thermal water geyser also referred to as the ‘hot spring colonnade’. This spring spouts water up to 12 meters high and is mainly used for all the bathing activities around Karlovy Vary.
On your way, also make a small detour to the Park Colonnade, another scenic colonnade inside the municipal park Dvořákovy Sady. You can find two more springs here, a pond, and many benches to sit and relax.
Czech Goulash
After the park, make your way to Spunt and Knoflik. This is in my opinion the best restaurant in Karlovy Vary. It offers a great selection of burgers (Portobello van be made vegan) and it has a great shaded outdoor terrace, perfect during the summer months.
Alternatively, if you are looking for Czech cuisine, head to Staroslovanská kuchyně Karlovy Vary. They offer ‘Old Slavic Cuisine’ and their grilled vegetables with potatoes is to die for!
After lunch, the best thing to do is visit one of the wellness centers or hotels and indulge in some pampering. Grand Hotel Pupp is the most impressive place for wellness treatment but unfortunately, most hotels only offer them to in-house guests.
But not to worry, there are other spa options in Karlovy Vary!
Grand Hotel Pupp in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
From your restaurant of choice, make your way back in the direction of the colonnades and Grand Hotel Pupp. You can find two wellness centers here that cater to one-day visitors, Saunia and Elizabeth Spa.
Both centers differ greatly though and what you choose will highly depend on what you are looking for. Saunia, as the name says, is a sauna and bathing complex. It offers an amazing year-round outdoor pool, thermal water bath, and various saunas where you can experience sauna ceremonies by the top ‘saunars’ of the Czech Republic.
Elisabeth Spa, however, also has a pool, whirlpool, and sauna but also offers different treatments next to it like massages and beauty treatments. They also have an in-house doctor who can help you by putting together a mineral water drinking cure based on your body type and ailments.
Beer spas are also available in Karlovy Vary, but you also have them in Prague, so I wouldn’t go for those here on your one-day visit.
After spending an afternoon in the sauna, it’s time to treat yourself to some local drinks and snacks.
Karlovy Vary is famous for two things: Becherovka, a herb liquor originating in Karlovy Vary, and Karlovarské Oplatky, a thin wafer made from a mix of thermal water, hazelnuts, sugar, and additional ingredients like vanilla or chocolate.
Cute streets and strong local liquor
You can find various small stalls when you walk along the Tepla River where you can buy a bottle of Becherovka. For Karlovarské Oplatky, head to Karlovarské Oplatky Caffé & Prodejna Karlovarských Oplatek, a local coffee shop that sells thermal wafers and offers coffee with soy milk (they also sell Becherovka here)!
Maybe you wanted to learn about the thermal springs and the colonnades but don’t want to spend half of your day in a wellness complex? I got you. There are a few other activities to participate in when in Karlovy Vary! Here are the most popular ones.
Moser Glass Factory is one of the most famous producers of luxury crystal in the world. As a traveler, you can pay a visit to the factory to learn about hand-made glass and see the glassmakers at work. Additionally, you’ll also get access to the Moser Museum.
Tickets cost 350 CZK / person and the factory is open from Monday to Saturday. You need to book in advance to go on a guided tour.
If you like Becherovka, Karlovy Vary’s locally produced herb liquor, then it’s probably a fun idea to visit the Becherovka Museum. At the museum, you can learn about the history of the history and how it is produced. Tours always finish with a tasting!
Guided tours start at 280 CZK and the museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday. You can book your tickets online in advance.
If you’re not keen on taking public transport or driving to Karlovy Vary, there’s always an option to go on a guided tour. They are not the most relaxed option in my opinion and they won’t include a wellness center visit but you have to do what’s best for you!
You can find most guided full-day tours on the website of Get Your Guide. If I could pick one tour, I’d go for this tour organized by Arkway. This Karlovy Vary day trip also includes a visit to the town of Loket and Loket Castle!
The best time to visit Karlovy Vary highly depends on your own wishes. The summer months are the busiest when the city boasts a great atmosphere with outdoor terraces and all sorts of events and activities.
For less crowds, yet pleasant weather for a stroll through the city, I’d opt to visit in May or June but the city will still be crowded with tourists on the weekend.
Fall and winter are perfect for an intimate setting with fall foliage or snow on the foresty slopes surrounding the city.
There you go! We are at the end of this travel guide with the best things to do in one day in the small city of Karlovy Vary.
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or drop me a message through my contact page.
Also, don’t forget to check out my resources page with my favorite booking platforms and tips to start planning your trip. Additionally, have a look at my favorite travel gear if you want to pack more consciously!
ENJOY!
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Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and yourself!
On this website, I cover different topics like slow travel, plant-based food guides, responsible travel, sustainable packing, eco-travel, and more!
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