Holiday in Karlovy Vary
City in the Czech Republic — tips, highlights & best time to visit 🇨🇿
Country
Czech Republic
Type
City
Best time to travel
May to September for walks, film festival in July, December for Christmas atmosphere
Budget/day
65-110 € (spa hotel, restaurants)
Getting there from Germany
Car from Nuremberg about 2 hours, from Dresden 2.5 hours, from Munich 3.5 hours
Deals for Karlovy Vary:
What makes Karlovy Vary special as a destination?
Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad) is the most magnificent spa town in Central Europe — a city that resembles an imperial film set, nestled in a wooded valley by the Teplá River. For centuries, spa guests have been coming here to drink the healing thermal water from 15 hot springs. Beethoven, Goethe, Chopin, and Kafka — they all took the waters here. The main colonnade spans the hottest spring, the Vřídlo geyser, which shoots up to 12 meters high. The five historic colonnades line the river and invite visitors to promenade and drink thermal water — traditionally from the typical Karlsbad drinking cups. The city impresses with pastel-colored Art Nouveau facades that rise amphitheatrically up the slopes. The Grandhotel Pupp — filming location for the James Bond film Casino Royale — embodies the Belle Époque elegance of spa tourism. From Germany, the city is reachable in a few hours: from Nuremberg in two hours, from Dresden in 2.5 hours.
What are the top highlights in Karlovy Vary?
The top highlights in Karlovy Vary include Vřídlo-Geysir, Historical Colonnades, Grandhotel Pupp, Becherovka Museum.
The places you absolutely must not miss.
Vřídlo-Geysir
Hottest spring at 73°C, shoots up to 12 meters high in the main colonnade
Historical Colonnades
Five magnificent colonnades in various architectural styles for promenading and drinking cures
Grandhotel Pupp
Legendary hotel from the Belle Époque, filming location for James Bond's Casino Royale
Becherovka Museum
Museum and tasting of the famous herbal liqueur, made since 1807 from a secret recipe
Hotels in Karlovy Vary
Compare thousands of hotels, apartments and resorts on Expedia – with price guarantee, free cancellation and reward points.
* You will be redirected to Expedia.de. Their terms of use apply.
Reise-SIM für Karlovy Vary
Günstig surfen im Urlaub mit travSIM
Pauschalreisen & Rundreisen
Berge & Meer – 170 Tage Cookie
When is the best time to visit Karlovy Vary?
The best time to visit Karlovy Vary is May to September for walks, film festival in July, December for Christmas atmosphere. Pleasant, 18-26°C, ideal for spa walks In winter: Cold, -3 to 4°C, fog in the valley gives a mystical atmosphere
Recommended travel time
May to September for walks, film festival in July, December for Christmas atmosphere
Summer
Pleasant, 18-26°C, ideal for spa walks
Winter
Cold, -3 to 4°C, fog in the valley gives a mystical atmosphere
How much does a holiday in Karlovy Vary cost?
Budget travellers: 35-55 € (guesthouse, local cuisine)/day, mid-range: 65-110 € (spa hotel, restaurants)/day, luxury: 130-250 € (Grandhotel Pupp, spa treatments)/day.
Average costs per person per day
Budget
35-55 € (guesthouse, local cuisine)
Hostel, Street food, Public transport
Mid-range
65-110 € (spa hotel, restaurants)
Hotel, Restaurant, Excursions
Luxury
130-250 € (Grandhotel Pupp, spa treatments)
Boutique hotel, Fine dining
How do I get from Germany to Karlovy Vary?
Car from Nuremberg about 2 hours, from Dresden 2.5 hours, from Munich 3.5 hours
Book a package holiday to Karlovy Vary
Compare thousands of package holidays to Karlovy Vary and find the best deals with flight & hotel.
Compare package holidays nowWhat travel tips are there for Karlovy Vary?
Insider knowledge that makes your holiday better.
Buy a Karlsbad drinking cup and do the drinking cure through all the colonnades
Visit the Grandhotel Pupp at least for a coffee — an experience even without an overnight stay
Reach the Diana lookout tower by funicular — panoramic view over the entire valley
Buy Karlsbad wafers fresh — the original spa wafers are a must
Come in July for the International Film Festival — the most important film festival in Eastern Europe
What should you eat in Karlovy Vary?
Typical specialities in Karlovy Vary: Karlsbad wafers — thin wafers with various fillings, a souvenir since the 19th century, Becherovka — the famous herbal liqueur made from 20 herbs and spices, Svíčková na Smetaně — beef in cream sauce with dumplings and cranberries, Trdelník — sweet yeast pastry baked on the grill, warm with sugar and cinnamon, Kulajda — creamy dill potato soup with poached egg and mushrooms.
These specialties you must try!
Ready for Karlovy Vary?
Plan your Karlovy Vary holiday now with our free tools.
