Take to the waters! Drop whatever you’re doing, pack your bags, and be off to the healing thermal springs of West Bohemia. Stay there until you feel better. That is what a doctor would prescribe European aristocrats and celebs in the 19th century when life or health got them down. That meant one thing: head to Karlsbad in the Czech Republic.
Fast-forward a few hundred years, and we find ourselves in the former Karlsbad, now called Karlovy Vary. We are neither royal nor famous. It’s a few days after Christmas, and Karlovy Vary in winter is just gorgeous! Happy Days! While times and names have changed, Karlovy Vary remains the hottest (literally and figuratively speaking) spa town in the Czech Republic.
If you’re heading to Czechia and looking for a perfect wellness or winter getaway, look no further than Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad). While Karlovy Vary is a year-round destination, we think it shines brightest when the winter chill sets in. There is something magical about thermal springs and winter, all wrapped in the stunning Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture and forested hills of Bohemia.
Karlovy Vary is the most famous spa town in the Czech Republic and one of the most popular day trips from Prague, but do yourself a favour and stay a night or two instead. Beautiful Karlovy Vary is well worth visiting, and there is lots to see and do.
So, if you’re planning a visit to Karlovy Vary in winter (or any time) and looking for things to see and do, we’ll gladly show you what we did with our two days in town.
Thank you to VisitCzechia and Karlovy Vary Region for sponsoring our accommodation in Karlovy Vary and indulging our spa-town fetishes. As always, all opinions and recommendations are our own.
Please note: This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase by clicking a link (at no extra cost to you).
Quick Guide to Karlovy Vary
Where we stayed in Karlovy Vary: Art Deco Wolker. We loved it!
Getting to Karlovy Vary: Renting a car and exploring the forested backroads of Bohemia is just grand. We always use Discover Cars and recommend them for the best rates. The drive from Marianske Lazne took about an hour, while it took us 5 hours to get the Cesky Krumlov (with a few stops). Driving from Prague should take about 2 hours.
Trains and buses run between Prague and Karlovy Vary several times daily. Buses are faster and run more often.
Getting around: Karlovy Vary is perfect for exploring on foot.
How much time: We recommend staying for at least two nights to experience the best of Czechia’s best spa town.
Top tips: Central Karlovy Vary is a car-free zone. Paid parking is available at Hotel Termal (location).
Buy yourself a spa cup as soon as you arrive in Karlovy Vary. It’s an essential spa town item for tasting the different spring waters. Spa cups are practical and make nice little souvenirs.
The Karlovy Vary Card allows free or discounted entry to the area’s best attractions and the use of public transportation.
Our Winter Trip to Karlovy Vary
We visited Karlovy Vary for two nights last winter as part of our Bohemian road trip. We left Czechia’s other great little spa town, Marianske Lazne, in the morning and arrived in Karlovy Vary about an hour later.
After checking into our snazzy hotel, a great dilemma quickly presented itself. We had to balance sightseeing with relaxing and enjoying the facilities of our spa hotel, especially with the shorter daylight hours in winter. So we decided to go sightseeing during the day and enjoy the spa after an early dinner.
The temperatures were cold but not freezing. While we did pack gloves and hats, we didn’t need them for our stay in Karlovy Vary. But people, it’s the weather, and it changes, so please don’t hate us when you go to Karlovy Vary and it’s too hot or freezing.
Karlovy Vary was buzzing but not crowded during our visit on 27 and 28 December. If you’re looking for a quiet spa town getaway, you’ll love Marianske Lazne (Marienbad), while Karlovy Vary has more attractions and things to do.
Staying at the Art Deco Wolker
There is no better way to embrace everything Karlovy Vary stands for than by booking yourself into a swanky spa hotel. Because you are special and deserve only the best.
We stayed at the fantastic Art Deco Walker in the centre of Karlovy Vary’s spa zone, across from the Market Colonnade. The Art Deco Wolker is an annexe of the Astoria Hotel & Medical Spa, where we had our meals and enjoyed its fantastic spa facilities and medical treatments.
Our room at the Wolker was just incredible, with tasteful and comfortable furnishings. We felt quite posh staying here.
We stayed at the Art Deco Wolker on a half-board basis, which meant a fantastic breakfast and dinner buffet at the Astoria. It also included access to the spa facilities, also at the Astoria.
We loved our stay at the Wolker, and if you’re looking for a special spa hotel in Karlovy Vary, we suggest you check it out.
Check prices and availability at the Wolker
Things to Do in Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary is the main town in the Czech Spa Triangle (the other two being Marianske Lazne and Františkovy Lázně) and is the most visited spa town in the country. With over 80 springs in town with an outflow of roughly 2000 litres per minute, it is the largest spa complex in Europe. The temperatures range from 40 to 74 °C.
Visiting Karlovy Vary is all about experiencing these hot springs, either by walking from spring to the next to take a sip from them or by spending some quality time at the spa. Aside from taking to the waters, Karlovy Vary is a beautiful town ideal for strolling around and admiring the stunning Art Deco architecture.
The surrounding area is ripe for further exploration if you have your own wheels, with colourful villages tucked away in the thick pine forests.
Drink the Healing Hot Waters in the Colonnades
Karlovy Vary is home to beautiful colonnades in various architectural styles which are scattered throughout the town. These colonnades shelter the town’s mineral-rich hot springs which flow out of taps. Each tap has a number and the temperature of the water written beside it.
The quintessential Karlovy experience involves walking from one colonnade to the next with your spa cup while sampling the different water. The hot spring water is slightly fizzy and slightly salty, with some being nice and others weird. These mineral- and CO2-rich waters are the ultimate tonic and have various health benefits. Try them all and find your favourite.
Visiting Karlovy Vary in winter has an added bonus. Your spa cup filled with hot spring water will keep your hands warm as you hop between the colonnades.
Entry to all the colonnades and drinking from the springs are free of charge. Except for the Hot Spring Colonnade, the colonnades are accessible 24/7.
Mill Colonnade
Karlovy Vary’s largest colonnade, the Mill Colonnade (Mlýnská kolonáda), is a beautiful stone structure built in the pseudo-Renaissance style and opened in 1881. The roof has 12 stone figures representing the months of the year. The classic-looking structure with its lines of columns is one of the most beautiful places in Karlovy Vary.
You and your spa cup will find five hot springs gurgling from taps inside the Mill Colonnade. They are Mill Spring, the Rusalka Spring, the Prince Wenceslas Spring, the Libuše Spring, and the Rock Spring, ranging in temperature from 44,9°C to 65,4°C.
Market Colonnade
The white, wooden Market Colonnade (Trzni Kolonada) is right across from the Art Deco Wolker Hotel, where we stayed. It was only natural that our days in Karlovy Vary started and ended with sipping mineral water from the Market Colonnade.
The Market Colonnade was built in the Swiss style and opened in 1883. Inside, there are three springs – the Charles IV Spring, the Lower Castle Spring, and the Market Spring – each with a different temperature ranging from 48.6°C to 65.8°C.
Above (and behind) the Market Colonnade, you’ll see the Castle Colonnade ( Zamecka Kolonada), which is closed to the public. The Art Nouveau Castle Colonnade is now the Zamecke Lazne Spa and Wellness Centre and is only accessible to guests.
Park Colonnade
The Park Colonnade (Sadová Kolonáda) is an intricate cast-iron structure dating back to 1881. It is a beautiful structure set in Dvořák Park, just past the Mill Colonnade, and is often overlooked by visitors.
There are only two springs in the colonnade flowing from a snake and a dragon tap. The Snake Spring, at 30 °C, is one of the coolest in Karlovy Vary but contains much more CO2 than the others.
Freedom Spring
Between the Mill and Park Collonades, you’ll see the Freedom Spring (Pramen Svoboda), not inside a colonnade but in an octagonal pavilion. The Spa Spring (Lázeňský Pramen) seeps out here at 62.4°C and is one of the better-tasting drinking fountains in Karlovy Vary.
Hot Spring Colonnade
The Hot Spring Colonnade (Vřídelní Kolonáda) won’t be nominated as one of the most beautiful colonnades in Karlovy Vary—EVER. This modern steel, concrete, and glass structure in the Functionalistic style dates from 1975 and seems out of place among the beautiful buildings surrounding it.
This ugly structure houses Karlovy Vary’s most impressive (and popular) hot spring, simply called Hot Spring (Vřídlo). The Hot Spring geyser gushes out in impressive spurts, reaching heights up to 12 metres.
Besides being the most impressive in Karlovy Vary, it’s also the hottest of the springs at 73,4°C. Since this is too hot for even hardcore spa freaks, the water is piped to five different outflows and cooled to a more drinkable 30 to 50°C.
The Hot Spring Colonnade is open from 06:30 – 18:00 in winter and until 19:00 in summer.
Take a Walk to Deer Jump Lookout & Peter’s Height
As pretty as Karlovy Vary’s streets and colonnades are, you should also walk into the wooded hills surrounding the town. Few things are better than a nice walk in the woods (with amazing views) on a crisp winter’s morning.
For the most beautiful walk with a view in Karlovy Vary, head up to Deer Jump Point and continue to Peter’s Height. These two historical viewpoints offer some of the best views in town.
The short but beautiful hike, which should take about 30 minutes each way from the Market Colonnade, is ideal for the whole family. You’ll find the path heading up the hill into woods around this pin location.
Look for the Opera Spa building with its window eyes as you look over Karlovy Vary just after you head into the woods.
Deer Jump Point: This statue of a mountain goat standing on a rocky outcrop represents the founding of Karlovy Vary. It depicts a mountain goat rather than a deer since deer cannot leap up the rocks where the statue stands.
Legend has it that while Charles IV, the King of Bohemia, was out hunting, his dog chased a deer and fell off a cliff injuring its leg. Even worse, poor dog fell right into a boiling hot spring. To Charles’ surprise, the water in the spring healed the dog’s leg instead of cooking it alive. Recognizing the healing properties of the hot spring water, Charles IV established the spa town of Karlsbad.
Peter’s Height Lookout: When Russian Czar Peter the Great, founder of St Petersburg, visited in 1711, he rode his horse bareback up to this lookout point. To mark his triumph, he carved his name into a wooden cross that used to stand there. Please don’t follow his example. Instead, take a selfie and admire the lovely view.
Loket Castle
Sitting beautifully in a bend of the Ohře River, just 14 km from Karlovy Vary, the town of Loket with its castle should not be missed. It’s a fantastic little side trip from Karlovy Vary by car, bus, or even bicycle.
Loket, with its Romanesque castle rising above the village, is as pretty as small towns in Bohemia get. Inside the castle, you can explore the dungeons with gruesome dioramas of Middle Ages torturing methods before heading up the tall tower for a sweeping view over Loket and the Ohře River valley.
There is also a museum displaying porcelain, which is famous in the Loket area.
After seeing the castle, spend some time walking around colourful Loket. The town is charming, with several restaurants and a local brewery to check out. Sadly, most of them were closed as we visited on 28 December, when most Czechs were still on the Christmas holiday.
Spa & Health Treatments
The best part of our Karlovy Vary trip was indulging in the wonderful spa and health treatments the city is rightfully famous for. It’s an experience not to be missed. You haven’t been to Karlovy Vary until you’ve dipped into its healing waters.
The spa facilities at the Astoria include a large indoor swimming pool, steam rooms and a dry sauna. There, you’ll feel like a true modern-day aristocrat while you surrender and unwind in one of the best wellness centres in Europe.
In addition to the blissful hours we spent in the water, we also had a very relaxing hydrojet massage.
Those serious about wellness can get a programme tailor-made for them by a specialized spa resort doctor with treatments such as carbon dioxide CO2 injections, mud packs, various baths or a tailored diet therapy, to name just a few.
Diana Observation Tower
Yet another stunning view of the spa town and surrounding countryside awaits at the Diana Lookout Tower, with the added excitement of riding the historical funicular to get there.
The lower Diana Funicular Station is located just behind the Grand Pup Hotel. From there, the beloved green and white rail funicular leaves every 15 minutes. It’s a short but beautiful ride up to the top of the hill.
But it gets even better once you reach the top. Towering 35 metres on top of the hill, the Diana Lookout Tower grants an exceptional view over Karlovy Vary on one side and the forested hills on the other. You can reach the viewing platform by taking the 150 stairs to the top or ride the elevator.
In addition to the views, you’ll also find the Diana Restaurant, a small petting zoo, and a playground for the kids.
If you want to combine the Diana Lookout with some light hiking, you can get off at the middle station on the way down and then walk down via Peter’s Height and the Deer Jump Lookout (see above).
Adult tickets for the funicular cost 100/150 CZK for a single/return journey, with discounts for families or children. However, if you have the Karlovy Card, they’re free.
Kaiser Bad / Imperial Baths
To get a glimpse of former Karlsbad’s opulence, you must visit Kaiserbad or the Imperial Spa. Admission is by guided tour only (included in the Karlovy Vary Card), and we really enjoyed the informative walk through the grandiose architecture.
Built in the Pseudo-Renaissance style, the Kaiser Bad is over-the-top luxurious. Inside, our guide took us from one beautiful room to the next while telling us about the history of Karlovy Vary and the Imperial Baths.
On the walls, enormous paintings depict the famous guests who came to Karlsbad between 1791 and 1914. Our guide pointed out the likes of
Beethoven, Goethe, Pope Leo XII and former Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph.
In another hall, gigantic oil paintings by the Viennese artist Eduard Lebiedzky depict ancient Olympiads. James Bond fans might recognize this room from Casino Royal.
Stroll Along Stara Louka
The best way to see the architectural grandeur of Karlovy Vary is to stroll along Stara Louka, a pedestrian-only section along the Teplá River.
Stara Louka runs roughly between the Hot Spring Colonnade and the Grandhotel Pupp, and along the most famous street in Karlovy Vary, you’ll pass a few stunning buildings from Karlsbad’s heyday. Look out for the Karlovy Vary City Theatre, Cafe Elefant, Quisisana Palace and Městská Spořitelna between hotels, cafes and jewellery stores.
Enjoy Czech Beer & Food at Goethe’s Beer House
Czechs know a thing or two about beer (understatement alert) and hearty food. And if you’re looking for either of them, you should pop into Goethe’s Beer House on Stara Louka (location).
We ordered the beer sampler, which comes with five local Czech beers. This is a great option if you want to try a bit of everything but don’t want to stumble down the stairs on the way out. If you’re into making stumbling exits, though, rock on!
Jin ordered the venison goulash served with Karlsbad dumplings, and I had the sausage plate with horseradish, mustard, and bread. It was fantastic!
And that, people, is a wrap for our Karlovy Vary trip. If you have any questions about visiting Karlovy Vary in winter, ask away in the comments below and we’ll try our best to help. We’re sure you’ll love Karlovy Vary and its healing waters as much as we did
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