The German poet Johann Wolfgang Goethe, the brilliant composer Ludwig van Beethoven, the enigmatic Italian Giacomo Casanova, the Russian Tsar Peter the Great, Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev, Yuri Gagarin, Leonid Brezhnev - all these famous people could meet in one place, which in I visited each of them for treatment and relaxation in due time - in Karlovy Vary.
How springs came about
The city is located among the hills in a valley of unique beauty, at the confluence of two rivers, Tepla and Ogra. According to legends, in the 14th century, King Charles IV of Bohemia (aka Emperor of the Roman Empire) discovered a healing spring while hunting deer. The wounded animal plunged into a small reservoir and, with new forces, rushed to run, hiding from the pursuers. The ruler was amazed and gave the order to found a city where, with the help of miraculous water, he and the nobles gained he alth and regained their strength. The city was named after him, Carlsbad (laterrenamed Karlovy Vary), and the deer or chamois became the symbol.
Who and why is it useful to visit
Today, rest in Karlovy Vary for recovery is chosen by people with problems of the digestive tract and excess weight, diseases of the spine, joints, to restore the nervous system. Modern methods of treatment with water from thermal springs are based on many years of experience, work and research of balneologists. Mineral water is used internally for therapeutic purposes, water massages are done with it, and baths are taken.
Springs of the city are located in small groups:
- Three - in the Garden Colonnade: Serpent Spring, Park, Freedom.
- Six - in the Mill Colonnade: Rock, Libuse, Prince Vaclav I, Prince Vaclav II, Mill Spring (radon), Mermaid.
- Two - in the Market Colonnade: Spring, Spring of Charles IV.
- Two - in the Castle Colonnade: Lower and Upper Castle.
- One - in the Geyser Colonnade (Vřidło).
The chemical composition is similar in all sources. For those who remember the periodic table, this is carbon dioxide-sulfate-sodium water with calcium, iron, lithium, bromine, potassium. The water in the springs differs in temperature (from 30 °C to 72 °C) and carbon monoxide content (0.3 - 0.7 g/l), which has a different effect on the body and is taken into account when prescribing treatment.
Sources are not a panacea, moreover, under certain conditions, treatment is prohibited. Contraindications are:
- the presence of an acute disease,
- infection,
- alcoholism and drug addiction,
- malignant tumors,
- acute heart failure.
But even in such cases it is not forbidden to come to rest in Karlovy Vary and enjoy the atmosphere of this city. For people who prefer outdoor activities - golf, tennis, horseback riding, cycling. These activities will help you relax and heal your body, because the air is also saturated with healing minerals.
Where to stay
Hotels, boarding houses, apartments, sanatoriums - the choice is sufficient for the discerning tourist and budget traveler. Travelers with experience in reviews of holidays in Karlovy Vary with treatment recommend looking at some particularly attractive accommodation options.
Aparthotels
Revelton Suites Karlovy Vary. This is a complex of spacious apartments in the city center, a ten-minute leisurely walk to the hot spring. Visitors agree on impeccable cleanliness, comfort, comfortable beds and bedding. The kitchen was equipped with the necessary appliances: stove, coffee maker, toaster, dishwasher, multicooker. For music lovers, a high-quality stereo system was installed. By agreement, you can take your favorite pets to this apartment - pets are allowed here.
SPA Apartments Bulharska. Duplex apartment with an excellent location, one kilometer from the Mill Colonnade. Residents note the stylish design, cleanliness and comfort. This is a good option for a large family withchildren and grandmothers - the apartments have three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Spa complex "Lazne" with a swimming pool and a wide range of services is located directly opposite.
Apartment Luxury Nostalgia. Housing in this complex is in a well-deserved demand, there are very often no vacant places here. And this is understandable: a convenient place - in the middle between the Mill and Market colonnades, one and a half kilometers from the hot spring. The kitchen is fully equipped with appliances. The owners have provided every detail for the best stay in Karlovy Vary: there is a bedroom with a fireplace, a sauna in the bathroom, a computer, cable TV.
Pensions
Penzion Valkoun-Lilienfeld. Pleasant pension overlooking the Tepla River, rated 9.5 out of 10 by visitors. Five minutes walk - and you are at the Colonnade. The guests noted delicious continental breakfasts, cleanliness, silence, helpfulness of the staff.
Pension Dvorak. This guest house is located 900 meters from the Mill Colonnade and a five-minute walk from Alzbetina Lazne, where treatment is convenient. High ceilings, spacious rooms decorated simply and tastefully. Cheap restaurants and supermarkets are nearby.
Hotels
Hotel Ontario. Ontario knows how to welcome guests - after all, it has been doing this for 150 years. The hotel offers beautiful views of the city and the river thanks to its location in a quiet area above the Mill Colonnade. A short walk will lead you to a bathhouse, a mineral spring, a restaurant or a shop. Localchefs create varied and delicious breakfasts: pâtés, sausages, cheese, the freshest pastries, juices and aromatic coffee. Nearby is the Moser crystal factory and the Becherplatz museum.
Retro Riverside. The hotel is located in the town of Březova, on the edge of the forest near the Tepla River. Guests have free access to the spa and wellness center with swimming pools, saunas, hot tub and gym. There are standard rooms and suites to choose from. In reviews, hotel guests compare the hotel with a fairy-tale castle surrounded by greenery and water, peace is guaranteed in this place. But for mineral water in Karlovy Vary you will have to travel by transport.
Sanatoriums
Imperial. This hotel is a landmark in the city. It was built in 1900 and since then has maintained the level of service and comfort at the highest level. The guests of the hotel, who visited Karlovy Vary in 2018, noted the excellent choice of dishes in the restaurant, the silence, the impressive services of the spa professionals, and the well-organized system of spa services. The source of mineral water is right in the hotel.
Vienna House Dvorrak Karlovy Vary. Specialists of the sanatorium "Dvorak" will help to cleanse the body and reduce weight. Here they will offer therapy developed by Franz Mayr, an Austrian doctor. Dishes in the restaurant are prepared both as part of the main menu and according to special dietary recipes. The spa offers a choice of 16 treatments, including oxygen, relaxation therapies.
Bristol. Wellness hotel"Bristol" is part of a complex of six sanatoriums. Very well located in relation to the springs and the natural park. If you are in the mood for serious therapy, this is a great option. Competent doctors who have worked here for 10 years or more will conduct an examination and prescribe the right treatment, all procedures can be done in the building of the sanatorium. The restaurant is advised by a diet sister who will help you choose the right dishes from the variety of the buffet. The hotel provides an indoor pool, spa services (body wrap, Thai massage), sauna and fitness center for use.
They also offer excellent treatment and relaxation in Karlovy Vary at equally high-level sanatoriums, such as Windsor Spa Hotel, Parkhotel Richmond, Cajkovskij Palace.
Things to do with baby
Have you come to rest in Karlovy Vary with children? This has its advantages. If stories about magical water and healing air that give he alth did not add optimism to your offspring, organize an entertainment program in Karlovy Vary with outings around the area.
Plon Amusement Park
Located near the Czech-German border, the distance to Karlovy Vary is 72 kilometers, but the trip is worth it. Behind the gate you find yourself in the world of German fairy tales. Puss in Boots, Sleeping Beauty tell their stories, trees talk, dragons roar and blow smoke - not only children will be impressed. It is better to arrive in the morning, as the choice of attractions is rather big: a children's railway, roller coasters, go-karts, trampolines, a walk along the river on a raft, an obstacle course, a labyrinth. Through the parkdeer, donkeys, goats walk and communicate with children with pleasure.
Observation tower and funicular ride
Not a single child will refuse to take a ride on the Lanovka Imperial or Lanovka Diana funicular to the observation decks "Deer Jump" and "Diana", from where the city will appear in full view. From the interesting things on the Diana, kids will discover a mini-zoo with ponies, goats, piglets and peacocks.
Loket Castle
In the medieval castle of Loket, children can feel like real knights and princesses. You can skip the torture chamber, and the wedding and ceremonial halls, the weapons room cannot but interest a curious teenager.
Add to a family vacation in the Czech Republic in Karlovy Vary, a trip to Pilsen to visit the "Dino Park" and the zoo, where a young naturalist is sure to enjoy. In two hours drive - Prague with an aquarium, a zoo and other activities. Visit the swimming pools of Karlovy Vary - outdoor with mineral water at the Termal hotel, closed complexes in Lazne. Toddlers will be thrilled to ride in a carriage pulled by three horses.
Which hotels to stay for families with children
You should carefully consider the choice of hotel when traveling with children for treatment. The fact is that not all resorts are ready to accommodate families with children under a certain age. In the specialized hospital Manes, children older than two years old are accepted. If the baby is five years old, Carlsbad Plaza Medical Spa & Wellness hotel, Smetana Vyšehrad hotels,Krivan. A year later, from the age of six, you can undergo procedures at the Tchaikovsky Hotel and Ostende. The main group of sanatoriums will accept children 10-12 years of age and older. Therefore, if the plans are only for recreation, the best choice would be an apart-hotel or a good hotel.
Especially for men (and not only)
While moms relax in the spa and have fun with the kids, dads can diversify their Karlovy Vary vacation by stopping by the European Center for Natural Beer Baths, which is located just six kilometers from the city along a scenic forest road along the river. The interior of the first half of the 19th century has been recreated in the building. In the yard there is a pond with carps, which even an inexperienced fisherman can easily catch. Nearby is another pond with trout living in it. The catch will be baked according to an old recipe in a beech wood oven.
Beer, which is brewed here on German equipment, is poured into special wooden containers for procedures. Heated to a comfortable temperature, beer brings an amazing effect: the skin becomes soft, the body is saturated with vitamins, acids and microelements. Toxins are removed and the person is energized. Beer baths are recommended for strengthening the circulatory system, cardiac activity, weight loss and restoration of potency.
Where else is there an opportunity after a walk in the forest with a fishing rod over your shoulder to take a beer bath with an aeromassage and a glass of fresh beer, which is served to each guest, to dine with smoky home cooking? Rest and treatment in Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic) will undoubtedly bring benefits and pleasureto all family members.
