Visit the top places in the Karlovy Vary Region. Do not miss the most beautiful landmarks, most popular activities and cultural events.
Spa Towns on the UNESCO List
Architectural gems in the form of thermal spring colonnades should not escape the attentive eye of any visitor to the spa towns. Karlovy Vary alone hides five colonnades in its streets: the Mill, Market, Park, Castle and Hot Spring Colonnades. These beautiful structures range in appearance from delicate symbolism of natural themes to the mild architectural controversy of the best-known Hot Spring Colonnade.
Mariánské Lázně also has much to offer. The Neo-Baroque Main Colonnade is the undisputed landmark of the promenade, complemented by the Neoclassical Caroline’s Spring Colonnade.
Františkovy Lázně and its New Colonnade, which houses the first Gas Baths with the Roaring Spring beneath its Tuscan columns, pay tribute to the Neoclassical style. We also recommend visiting Franz’s Spring, renowned since the Middle Ages. Once distributed throughout Europe as a peat mineral water, it still flows today beneath a beautiful Neoclassical rotunda.
Bečov Castle and the Reliquary of Saint Maurus
Bečov Castle is one of the most visited landmarks in the Karlovy Vary Region. The complex of a 13th-century castle and an 18th-century château contains not only beautiful interiors, but also the unique Reliquary of Saint Maurus. It is considered a monument of European significance and one of the most important jewelled artefacts. After the Crown Jewels, it is the second most important monument of its kind in the Czech Republic
Ore Mountains Mining Landscape and UNESCO
The fascinating Ore Mountains region has a history reaching back to the 12th century, when mining began here and continued until the 20th century. Deposits of many ores shaped not only the character of the landscape but also that of its people. The turbulent fate of miners can be felt in museum exhibitions, but you can step into their shoes even more by taking a guided tour of one of the mine adits. In 2019, after nearly twenty years of dedicated work, the area was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, ensuring the care and attention this region rightly deserves.
Ohře Cycle Route
This national cycle route No. 6 offers a leisurely pace. Its flat profile is appreciated not only by families with children, but by cycling enthusiasts of all ages. The 28-kilometre route between Karlovy Vary and Sokolov reveals numerous natural landmarks. The Svatoš Rocks are certainly among them: formed by the long-term erosive action of the Ohře River, they now allow us to admire massive rock pillars and other formations. Seen from the opposite bank, the quiet majesty of the rocks is breathtaking. Many legends surround them, all connected by unhappy love.
Further along the route, you will encounter Loket Castle, which guards the Loket meteorite, an exhibition on medieval torture law and porcelain collections within its walls. You can also climb its observation tower with the Loket dragon. Beyond the junction by the castle, you will find the trunks of mature ivy plants. Usually climbing vines, they have been transformed here through continuous care into a unique botanical exhibit.
Loket Castle
Known as the Key to the Kingdom of Bohemia, as Charles IV liked to call it. This Gothic structure is significant not only for its strategic location high on a rock surrounded on three sides by the Ohře River, but also for its wealth of history and just the right touch of mystery. The castle is shrouded in legends and houses a fascinating, extensive exhibition on medieval torture law. This contrasts with the beautiful romantic view from the 26-metre-high castle tower. And while we are on the subject of beauty, you certainly should not miss the exhibition of local porcelain during your visit.
Culture also has its place here. At the foot of Loket Castle is a natural amphitheatre hosting many cultural events, whose popularity grows year after year. The atmosphere of a favourite cultural event, enhanced by the towering castle nearby, is an experience that should be part of every memory.
Soos Nature Reserve
The unique Soos Nature Reserve, unparalleled in Central Europe, lies north of Františkovy Lázně. It consists of unique remnants of a salt lake that transformed over centuries into a peat bog and mineral salt marsh. Here you will find evidence of volcanic activity in the form of mofettes – bubbling CO₂ mud springs – and numerous mineral springs. Its unusual habitats are home to many protected animals and wetland and salt-tolerant plants.
A 1.2-kilometre educational trail with several informative stops runs through Soos Nature Reserve along wooden walkways. The site also includes a geopark, a museum with natural history and palaeontological exhibitions, a life-size prehistoric dinosaur exhibition, the “Bird World of the Cheb Region” exhibition and a fallow deer enclosure.
Přírodní rezervací Soos vede po dřevěných chodníčcích 1,2 km dlouhá naučná stezka s několika poučnými zastávkami. V areálu najdete také geopark, muzeum s přírodovědnou a paleontologickou expozicí, výstavu prehistorických ještěrů v životní velikosti, expozici “Ptačí svět Chebska” a dančí oboru.
Ore Mountains in Summer and Winter
The Czech-German border formed by the Ore Mountains reflects the wild, rich history of this borderland. During their formation, intense volcanic activity took place here, leaving a mountain range full of metal ore deposits and numerous mineral springs.
The entire area is criss-crossed by cycle paths and hiking routes, while cross-country skiers can also enjoy it in winter. All three groups are drawn to the Ore Mountains Trail, a 242-kilometre route running through the so-called Ore Highlands. The Ore Mountains also offer skiers popular recreational resorts. Choose from Klínovec, Boží Dar, Plešivec and other well-known destinations.
Celá oblast je protkána četnými cyklostezkami, turistickými trasami a i běžkaři si v zimě přijdou na své. Všechny tři skupiny přitahuje Krušnohorská magistrála, 242 km dlouhá trasa vedoucí skrz tzv. Rudohoří. I lyžařům má krušnohorsko co nabídnout v podobě vyhledávaných rekreačních středisek. Vyberte si mezi Klínovcem, Božím Darem, Plešivcem a dalšími zvučnými jmény.
Boheminium Miniature Park
No time to travel around Czech castles and châteaux? No problem – in Mariánské Lázně, you can see remarkable structures from all over the Czech Republic in one place. Put on your seven-league boots and, like Gulliver on his travels, take a photo in a single day with Karlštejn, Bezděz, Červená Lhota or the minaret in Lednice. Meticulously detailed models of more than seventy well-known Czech buildings, made at a scale of 1:25, have earned this place recognition both at home and abroad. Europe’s fourth-largest miniature park will take you on a fairytale journey where the most beautiful places in the country are at your fingertips. The park is located on Krakonoš Hill, easily reached from the town by cable car or public transport.
Slavkov Forest and the Kladská National Nature Reserve
The Slavkov Forest Protected Landscape Area guards the trio of spa towns from three sides. It is a romantic place where rare species of Czech fauna and flora have found refuge. This area is undeservedly overlooked, but anyone who visits will be captivated by its wonderfully balanced blend of romance and mystery.
The Czech Republic is known for its well-marked hiking trails, and this area is no exception. The clearly marked Kladská educational trail leads through the landscape and explains the uniqueness of the surroundings. Mineral springs have created a distinctive peatland landscape that you can explore on wooden paths and raised boardwalks.
Singing Fountain in Mariánské Lázně
The Singing Fountain is the most sought-after attraction in Mariánské Lázně. This circular stone fountain, with more than 250 jets and a flower sculpture as its decoration, stands by the colonnade in the centre of the spa zone. Do not miss it: it is an admirable combination of water jets following carefully designed choreography and popular pieces of both classical and modern music.
Cheb – Castle, Roof Trusses and the Staufen Imperial Palace
Cheb Castle is a place whose walls hold many stories and important milestones in Czech history. It is the only Staufen imperial palace in the country and the easternmost of all such palaces in Europe. At the beginning of the 12th century, the powerful Staufen dynasty built a grand palace, whose remains can still be admired today. The western edge of the Czech lands endured difficult times, with the armies of many rulers marching through it and many seeking control of it because of its strategic location.
The town of Cheb itself is full of historic landmarks. For a truly unusual tour, do not miss the unique visit to the original wooden roof trusses, created during the childhood of Charles IV and still bearing the roofs of Cheb in full strength today.
Premonstratensian Monastery in Teplá
This extensive monastery complex is located near Mariánské Lázně, by the town of Teplá. Founded by Blessed Hroznata in 1193, it is one of the most important monastic complexes in the Czech Republic. It includes a Baroque convent, the Gothic presbytery of the monastery church with a Romanesque chapel, a unique monastery library which, with 100,000 volumes, is the second-largest historic library in Bohemia, as well as a park, cemetery and museum. Its most important building is the Church of the Annunciation, built between 1193 and 1232. The monastery also includes the brewery’s utility buildings, a hay barn and granaries.
Ostrov
Did you know that Czech and Slovak trolleybuses, as well as those running through the streets of San Francisco, were made in this small town? Ostrov is a town where Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance buildings stand alongside the controversial Socialist Realist architecture that is still seeking its place due to the turbulent recent history. The Renaissance château in Ostrov is a complex of buildings housing beautiful halls, porcelain exhibitions and the history of the local Šlik family.
The Sacred Precinct is the name of a monastery complex that was almost completely devastated under the former regime when it was converted into barracks. Extensive reconstruction has restored the place to its original beauty, and you can now visit beautiful chapels of saints and other ecclesiastical buildings.
The aforementioned Socialist Realist architecture took root in the town during the development of uranium mining. The buildings created in the spirit of socialist realism cannot be denied a certain monumentality. Choose one of the six sightseeing circuits through the town and let yourself be absorbed by its spirit.
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
Without doubt, the most important event not only in Karlovy Vary but throughout the entire Karlovy Vary Region is the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, held here since 1946. Over the past 20 years, it has become a prestigious international film showcase sought out by filmmakers, journalists, celebrities and, above all, film enthusiasts not only from Europe but from around the world. More than 200 films are usually screened in world or at least European premieres in cinemas throughout the town.
The festival regularly hosts major international celebrities. In recent years, these have included Judi Dench, Jude Law, Antonio Banderas, Susan Sarandon, Robert De Niro, Danny DeVito and Andy Garcia.
10 Golf Courses in the Karlovy Vary Region
Scotland has always been considered the cradle of world golf. The spa towns of western Bohemia are undoubtedly the cradle of Czech golf. The first golf course was built here as early as 1904 on the outskirts of Karlovy Vary, soon followed by another in Mariánské Lázně.
There are currently 10 golf courses in the Karlovy Vary Region, seven of which have 18 holes. Golf courses in the region rank among Europe’s renowned courses and host both amateur and professional tournaments. Several indoor golf facilities are also available.
