Belle Epoch Karlovy Vary

A very memorable experience for us was our hike up into the beautiful wooded hills behind the Grand Hotel Pupp. The Diana Observation Tower is not to be missed, and affords gorgeous views of the area.

Quick Tips:

Moderately-priced hotels are difficult to come by, so we suggest booking a hotel prior to arrival in Karlovy Vary to ensure a room at the price you want. Depending on what time of year you visit, you may also wish to book spa treatments in advance as well.

Best Way To Get Around:

Karlovy Vary is a walking town. We parked our car at our hotel and didn't see it again until we left. The Spa District is small and extremely easy to navigate, and much of it is pedestrian-only.

We arrived in Karlovy Vary by car with no hotel reservations, and began to panic when the first few hotels we inquired at had rooms priced over $150 per night. We then came upon the Hotel Ruze, situated at the head of the famous Mill Colonnade, and were surprised that the large, comfortable rooms were only about $60 per night. The kind, young staff gave us a room facing the Mill Colonnade on an upper floor that had spectacular views from two large, flower-boxed windows. The room was very comfortably furnished and had a nice bathroom and a tv. The hotel had a very good restaurant/bar that offered breakfast very morning (included with the room) on the outdoor terrace. We also had lunch and dinner here and were very pleased. We can''t impress enough how great the young staff was (they were all in their early 20s). One waiter, who apparently was on duty all day and all night, befriended us and was a lot of fun to chat with. When we checked out, they charged us only about $47 for each night we stayed, saying that this was a "special price for us." We think that they may have been grateful for some younger clientele - but who knows. Either way, the Ruze is a delightful hotel and we would go there again in a heartbeat - at any price.

The woods are thick and there are some steep hills, but the trails are wide, well marked, and clear of debris. You'll see amazing rock formations along the trail. We hiked in late May - the weather was clear and dry and the trails were in great shape. We hardly saw any other hikers. The lower trails on the hill are marked with monuments to honor past spa visitors. If you cut through Petra Velikeho, you'll come across a large statue of Karl Marx at the bottom of the hill. Across the way from Karl is a beautiful Orthodox chuch, complete with golden onion domes, along with some impressive Belle Epoch-era mansions.

The Mill Colonnade houses five of the special springs that draw so many to Karlovy Vary seeking the "curing waters." The imposing structure features an ornate double colonnade of Corinthian columns with a balustraded upper terrace. The springs are actually small fountains located within the colonnade, and contrary to the way the building looks it is really just a shell and has no interior. There is a cafe on the upper terrace that serves drinks and snacks. The views are spectacular, and the Mill Colonnade is about as centrally located as possible along the pedestrian promenade in the heart of Karlovy Vary's spa district. It is an excellent place to rest with a book or people watch. I don't know about those "curing waters" though - the water looks rusted and smells bad. We didn't partake, although thousands visit the colonnade to do just that in hopes of curing what ails them.

The town has a completely different feel from Prague or other towns we visited in the Czech Republic - it has a more Austrian lilt to it, which provided a nice contrast to the heavier, Bohemian atmosphere of Prague and Cesky Krumlov. We thoroughly enjoyed the filigreed Belle Epoch architecture. Some of the buildings looked as if they had been lifted right out of Vienna and brought to Western Bohemia. We visited in late May 1999 and were happy to see that the town was not too heavily touristed at that time. Most of the other visitors were older Germans and Russians, but they seemed to stick to the spas and go to bed early, leaving the promenades and restaurants practically to us alone in the evenings. It is a very romantic-looking place, the graceful buildings are overshadowed by gentle tree-covered hills which rise up over the skyline. Sunsets were particularly beautiful here. We originally intended to stay only two days in Karlovy Vary and then head to Poland for some serious hiking, but the beauty of the town (along with the good hiking it offered) caused us to change our plans and save Poland for another trip. We spent the remainder of our time in the Czech Republic savoring Karlovy Vary's tranquil beauty.

We were very curious about the alleged healing powers of the springs that are all over Karlovy Vary. We discovered that certain springs are said to cure specific ailments. Many sufferers of upper respiratory ailments come to Karlovy Vary seeking a cure from the waters.

All Karlovy Vary springs have the same source and have roughly the same chemical composition, although water temperatures vary at each spring, which affects the formation of sedimentation. (This sediment is called "thermal tuff." This stuff freaked us out a bit - if you put a rose in a glass of spring water for a few weeks, the thermal tuff will coat it with a reddish layer of gunk. After seeing the coated roses, which are sold as souvenirs, we didn't want to drink the spring water). Apparently, the amount of sedimentation is related to the water's ability to cure certain ailments.

There are 12 springs in Karlovy Vary, and ten of them are meant for drinking and baths (balneology). Spa visitors use special "spa cups" to drink the water directly from the spring. These cups are tradition in Karolvy Vary and are available from every souvenier vendor.

While we didn't drink the water, we did swim at the Thermal Pool, located on a sleek terrace overlooking the spa district and owned by the enormous 60s-style Thermal Hotel. The other bathers were primarily older Russians and Germans. The water felt great, but we don't know if we were "cured" of anything!

*I recommend purchasing "The Indispensable Guide Through Karlovy Vary and its Surrounding" when you arrive in town. The book explains the springs in detail, provides lists of famous visitors to the spas (from as far back as the 1300s), maps out excellent walking tours, and gives a good overview of what is and has been going on in Karlovy Vary for the past 700 years.