Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
One of the oldest A-list film festivals in the world and the leading film event in Central Europe, held every July. About 200 films from around the world are screened each year.
PlizioGo
The famous herbal liqueur, try it at local bars or visit the Jan Becher Museum.
Round, sweet spa wafers. Buy them warm from small stalls along the main promenade.
Classic dish with dumplings and cabbage, available at traditional Czech restaurants along the Teplá river.
Exquisite luxury crystal glassware, with a factory shop and several boutiques in town.
A porcelain cup with a built-in straw handle, the excellent unique souvenir available everywhere.
Thermal spring salt products and cosmetics, sold at colonnade shops.
A beautiful central park by the spa district, great for a peaceful stroll among statues and greenery.
An elegant lookout tower surrounded by quiet forest trails, offering great views.
A rocky outcrop with a chamois statue above the town, providing a serene forest escape with panoramic views.
Water temperature…
Karlovy Vary, also known as Carlsbad, is the most famous spa town in the Czech Republic and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of the Great Spa Towns of Europe. The city was founded around 1370 by Emperor Charles IV, who reportedly discovered the hot springs during a hunting expedition. Situated in the easy on the eye valley of the Teplá River, the town is renowned for its grand architecture from the Belle Époque and Historicist periods. Karlovy Vary is home to 13 main thermal springs, with the most powerful being the "Vřídlo", which erupts at 72 degrees Celsius and reaches heights of 12 meters. Elegant colonnades, such as the Mill Colonnade and the Market Colonnade, provide a setting for visitors to sip healing mineral waters from traditional porcelain cups. The city is also globally recognized for its International Film Festival, the herbal liqueur Becherovka, and the prestigious Moser glassware. Karlovy Vary continues to be a symbol of European spa culture and high-society tourism.
The most pleasant time to visit is Jun–Aug.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °C | -3 | -2 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 14 | 8 | 3 | -1 |
| Rain mm | 47 | 36 | 41 | 38 | 68 | 73 | 77 | 77 | 57 | 48 | 49 | 51 |
See what it looks like near Karlovy Vary right now.
Carlsbad: Lázně - Panorama · 0.5 km · Open webcam on Windy · Webcams provided by Windy.com
Notable places around
Where do you start? We build the route here, with stops and country notes along the way.
© OpenStreetMap contributors · OpenRouteService
Start your day with the taste of Becherovka at the Jan Becher Museum. Then, stroll along the Teplá River to the magnificent colonnades, the heart of Karlovy Vary, where you can taste the healing springs. The morning is dedicated to the spa town's elegant architecture. In the afternoon, climb the heights to the Diana Observation Tower. The walk through the spa forests is refreshing, and the view from the top rewards every step. End the day by enjoying the atmosphere at the legendary Grandhotel Pupp, perhaps with a traditional Bohemian dinner.
Start your morning dry inside the Jan Becher Museum, where the history of the herbal liqueur makes you forget the rain. At noon, the city's vast colonnades, like the Mill Colonnade, provide perfect shelter while you sample the hot springs. In the afternoon, head to the iconic Grandhotel Pupp and take the funicular up to the Diana Tower to avoid muddy forest paths. The evening ends with an atmospheric walk along the Teplá river, with city lights reflecting in the puddles.
In winter, the day starts at the Jan Becher Museum with warming tales and a sip of spiced liqueur. At noon, the steaming hot springs wrap the colonnades in a mystical mist, giving the city a magical feel. In the early afternoon, admire the snow-covered rooftops from the Diana Tower before dusk sets in around 4:30 PM. The evening is dedicated to the festive lighting of the Imperial Baths and the winter silence of the spa district.
Start your bike tour at the Moser Glassworks, just outside the center. Then cycle along the river into the heart of Karlovy Vary to explore the Jan Becher Museum and the famous colonnades. Here you can take a break and enjoy the city's flair. At noon, continue to the Grandhotel Pupp. The afternoon is reserved for an extended bike ride along the Ohře River, taking you out of the city's hustle and bustle into peaceful nature, offering a different perspective of the region. End the day by returning to the center to wind down the evening.
Start your ride protected from the rain at the Moser Glassworks, enjoying the heat of the glass furnaces. The route to the Jan Becher Museum follows wet streets, so cycle carefully. At noon, the colonnades provide a shelter for a break while your bike stays parked nearby. Spend the afternoon on the cycle path along the Ohře river, where the forest scent is most intense in the rain, before returning to the center.
A winter bike tour in Karlovy Vary starts at Moser Glassworks, where the furnaces provide cozy warmth. The ride to the Jan Becher Museum requires warm gloves against the icy wind. At noon, warm up by the steaming colonnades before heading along the river, where trees are often beautifully covered in hoarfrost. Finish your tour early before the cold intensifies after the 4:30 PM sunset.
The day starts by car at the Moser Glassworks. After the visit, drive to the center and park. The first walk takes you to the famous colonnades in the heart of the spa town. At noon, drive to the Grandhotel Pupp for an elegant lunch and a trip to the Diana Tower by funicular. In the afternoon, the car takes you to the Jan Becher Museum, another highlight. This cluster structure allows you to conveniently reach the main sights while enjoying the atmosphere during relaxed walks.
By car, you start comfortably at Moser Glassworks, where you can park right at the door. The drive to the center leads to the 'Libušina' parking garage, from where you can reach the colonnades almost completely dry. At noon, enjoy the grand entrance at Grandhotel Pupp for a first-class lunch. In the afternoon, the funicular takes you to Diana while the car remains safely parked, finishing with a short drive downtown.
A winter day by car starts at Moser Glassworks, where the heat of the glass furnaces dispels the cold. Driving through snowy Karlovy Vary leads you to a central parking garage, just steps away from the steaming springs. At noon, park in style at Grandhotel Pupp and enjoy the winter charm inside. In the afternoon, take the funicular to Diana before starting your drive back before the early sunset.
