Czech Geyser, Karlovy Vary – Spa Town
Itinerary of the day tour:
History and Interesting Facts
Karlovy Vary is the most famous spa town in the Czech Republic, with a history closely tied to its natural hot springs. According to legend, the town was founded in the 14th century by Emperor Charles IV, who discovered the springs while hunting in the area. Since then, Karlovy Vary has become a place of healing, elegance, and international fame, attracting visitors from all over Europe.
The town’s identity is built around its thermal springs, which rise from deep underground and have been used for drinking cures for centuries. Walking along the historic colonnades with a porcelain spa cup is a tradition that continues to this day. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Karlovy Vary flourished as a fashionable spa destination for aristocrats, artists, and composers, shaping its distinctive architecture of grand hotels and ornate spa houses.
Karlovy Vary is also known for its unique cultural traditions and products. The town is world-famous for luxury Czech glass and for Becherovka, a herbal liqueur originally created as a medicinal drink. Surrounded by forested hills and scenic viewpoints, Karlovy Vary offers a rare combination of history, nature, and relaxed spa atmosphere, making it one of the most charming and iconic towns in Central Europe.
Karlovy Vary is world-famous for its hot springs and long spa tradition, which have shaped the town’s character for more than 650 years. Dozens of mineral springs rise from deep underground, heated by geothermal activity and rich in minerals believed to have healing effects. The most powerful spring, Vřídlo, shoots hot water high into the air and symbolizes the natural force beneath the town. For centuries, visitors have come here seeking relief from digestive and metabolic disorders, following carefully designed drinking cures prescribed by spa doctors.
The spa experience in Karlovy Vary is unique not only because of the water itself, but also because of the ritual surrounding it. Guests traditionally walk slowly along the elegant colonnades, sipping mineral water from porcelain spa cups while enjoying the calm atmosphere of the town. In the 18th and 19th centuries, this spa lifestyle became a social phenomenon, attracting European nobility, composers, and intellectuals. Today, Karlovy Vary continues to combine historic spa customs with modern wellness treatments, offering visitors a rare blend of tradition, relaxation, and timeless spa-town charm.
