Czech Trip Part 1: Drinking Spa Water in the Czech Spa Town of Karlovy Vary

Karlovy Vary is a famous spa town

There are hot springs in the Czech Republic, too.

Two and a half hours by bus from the center of Prague.
Karlovy Vary, a town near the German border.

I visited for three days and two nights during the intense heat of August 2023.

This spa town has a long tradition, and as the name suggests, it is a historic place discovered by Charles IV during a hunt in the 14th century.
It is said that many famous people have visited, including local figures like Dvořák and Kafka, as well as Goethe, the 'Three Bs' of the music world (Bach, Beethoven, Brahms), and many others.

In front of the entrance to the Grandhotel Pupp, the most prestigious hotel in Karlovy Vary, the names of famous visitors are embedded in the cobblestones, much like the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Grandhotel Pupp

This Grandhotel Pupp was founded in 1701.
It is also famous as a filming location for the 007 movie 'Casino Royale'.
It is a large five-star hotel that also has a casino.
I didn't stay there, but I did have tea.

Karlovy Vary is for drinking spa water

The characteristic of the hot springs here is that you drink the water rather than bathe in it.

The drinking cure therapy conceived by Dr. Vaclav in the 16th century gained popularity, and by the 17th century, it was incorporated into bathing, with some people reportedly drinking 40 cups of spa water a day.
The tourist board brochure states that this excess was later reviewed, and in the 18th century, prescriptions tailored to each patient's symptoms—not just the amount of water—began to be issued, which further led to the development of the city, including the construction of colonnades in the forest and promenades.

Water quality and benefits

The spa water in Karlovy Vary contains carbonates, chlorides, sulfates, and sodium, with a pH value of 6.8 to 7.0, making it slightly alkaline.
The water temperature ranges from 15.3 to 73.4°C. It is said to be effective for the digestive tract, metabolism, periodontal disease, stress resistance, immunity, diabetes, and cholesterol levels.

The 20 drinking fountains each have different temperatures and carbon dioxide content, so for those visiting for medical treatment, they receive a prescription from a doctor stationed at their hotel.

Touring the drinking fountains with a cup and wafers in hand

Karlovy Vary seems to have many visitors from neighboring Germany and Russia who stay for long periods during their vacations or after retirement, while many Japanese tourists seem to visit on day trips from Prague.

In such cases, you buy your own dedicated cup and some wafers to cleanse your palate, and then go around to the various springs.

The taste varies depending on the temperature, but overall, it is salty and tastes like iron.
That is why you need wafers.
They are similar to Japanese gaufres, and you can choose the cream filling.
I tried almond and apple, and both were delicious.

A wide variety of cups are sold in souvenir shops.
Choosing a favorite is a difficult task.
Their characteristic is that they are made of ceramic and have a thin, long spout.
This likely helps to cool down the high-temperature water.

Inside, there was even a frog-shaped canteen like this.
You have to be careful with metal straws because of the heat.

Getting a map at the tourist information center.

There was no tourist information center at the station, but as expected, there was one in the town center.

It is located on the shopping street between the Market Colonnade and the Mill Colonnade, which I will mention later.

4 Colonnades and 16 Drinking Springs

Except for two, most are concentrated in the center, so you can easily walk around them in two hours.

1. The Hot Spring Colonnade 1a-f

It is located in front of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene (Sv. Mari Magdaleny).

It is a modern building constructed in the late 1970s.
Here, there is a geyser that shoots up 2,000 liters per minute to a height of 12 meters. Since it is indoors, the heat is intense.

There are four drinking springs here: 1a (72°C), 1b (50°C), 1c (30°C), and 1f (73.4°C).

2. The Market Colonnade
The Castle Colonnade 2-5

If you walk straight with your back to the Hot Spring Colonnade, you will soon see a white wooden building in the Swiss style.
It is characterized by its white lace motifs.

There are drinking springs such as Pramen Karla IV (2, 64°C).

The tourist information center is further ahead on the left.

3. The Mill Colonnade (6–11)

This is the largest colonnade, measuring 132 meters in length and featuring 124 Corinthian columns.

There are 12 statues on the balustrade of the rooftop terrace representing the months of the year.
A majestic atmosphere.

Some people were putting the water into plastic bottles to take home.
I wonder if that's okay, given how hot the water is.

Located a bit apart is the gazebo for the 11th spring, the Freedom Spring (Pramen Svoboda).
It was apparently named at the end of World War II.

4. The Park Colonnade (12 and 15)

It is located at the edge of the park.

By this point, I had grown tired of the taste of the thermal water.

About shopping and restaurants

There are souvenir shops and restaurants along the Teplá River, which flows through the center of town.

In particular, on the right side of the road heading toward the Grandhotel Pupp, there are rows of Bohemian glass shops and luxury boutiques. There are also various restaurants.

Access from Prague

Getting to the center of Karlovy Vary on your own, rather than by tour, is a bit of a hassle.

This is because you have to take a bus or taxi from the train station (where the bus terminal is also located) to the tourist center.
I couldn't find that information in advance, so I wandered around a bit.

Since it is the second most popular tourist destination in the Czech Republic after Prague, you would normally expect there to be a tourist information center near the station or bus terminal.
There was no such thing. A pity.

Points to note for the bus between Prague and Karlovy Vary

When taking the bus from Prague to Karlovy Vary, it stops at a small bus terminal before reaching the final stop at the train station.
Most passengers get off there.
From there, you can take bus number 1 or 4 to get to the tourist center.

Conversely, when heading to Prague, you cannot board from the small bus terminal.
The bus terminal in front of the train station is the starting point.
It is about a 5-minute walk from the small bus terminal.

This bus stops at Prague Airport.
I boarded from the airport.
While purchasing tickets via an app is the standard, I was able to buy one from the driver when boarding.

The Florenc bus terminal, which is close to the Old Town, is convenient for central Prague.

If you are staying overnight, I think the most reliable way is to email your booked hotel to ask which bus you should take.
They might recommend a taxi, though.

Other highlights

Although I couldn't go this time, there are other sights to see.

There is the Moser glass museum, a long-established manufacturer of Bohemian glass.
The guided tour looks interesting.

The herbal liqueur Becherovka originated in Karlovy Vary.
It has over 200 years of history and feels a bit like Yomeishu.
The recipe is a secret, and it is said that only two people in the world know it.
There is a visitor center.

If you go 7 kilometers to the west, there is the old Loket Castle.

Also, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is held every summer.
It must be very lively then.

Since it is a land rich in nature, the 30-kilometer hiking course through the woods is also attractive. I wish I could stay there leisurely for about a month.