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Czechia · West Bohemia

Karlovy Vary travel guide

Hot springs, colonnades and a famous film festival

The colonnades of Karlovy Vary. Photo: Jialiang Gao, www.peace-on-earth.org, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

1h 45mflight from London
PRGnearest main airport
19° in Julwarmest month
-3° in Jancoolest month

Karlovy Vary is the most famous of Bohemia's spa towns, with pastel hotels lining a wooded valley and hot springs you can drink from along elegant colonnades.

People have come here for the waters since the 14th century. Today it's a relaxed break from Prague, about two hours away, with a big film festival every July.

Good forSpa breaksWalkingArchitectureRelaxing

What Karlovy Vary is known for

  • Hot springs

    Taste the waters from a spa cup.

  • Colonnades

    Grand 19th-century walkways.

  • Film festival

    Stars and screenings every July.

  • Becherovka

    The town's herbal liqueur.

Top things to do in Karlovy Vary

  1. 1

    The Mill Colonnade

    The grandest colonnade, with five springs.

    Find tours and tickets
  2. 2

    A spa treatment

    Mineral baths and massages in a historic spa.

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  3. 3

    Diana Lookout

    A funicular up to views over the valley.

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  4. 4

    The Becherovka Museum

    Learn the story of the local liqueur.

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See all tours and tickets in Karlovy Vary

Where to stay in Karlovy Vary

Find a hotel in Karlovy Vary

Best time to visit Karlovy Vary

Best value: Mar–May, Sep–Oct. May to September for walks in the hills, or winter for warm spa days.

  • Best valueGood weather, smaller crowds
  • PeakBusiest, highest prices
  • QuietCheapest, cooler or wetter
-2.8 C-3°J-1.6 C-2°F2.5 C2°M7.8 C8°A12.5 C12°M16.7 C17°J19 C19°J18.5 C18°A13.5 C14°S8 C8°O2.7 C3°N-1.4 C-1°D
Bar height is the average temperature in Karlovy Vary, °C, 2001–2025 (NASA POWER).

Getting there and around

About 1h 45m from London to PRG, and flights from most UK airports. How long is the flight from your airport?

Walk the valley. Buses run from Prague in about two hours.

Airport transfer to Karlovy Vary

Find flights to Karlovy Vary (PRG)

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Good to know

  • Buy a spa cup to drink from the springs.
  • The waters taste strongly of minerals: sip slowly.
  • Book well ahead for festival week in July.
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Karlovy Vary FAQ

Is Karlovy Vary worth visiting?

Yes, for a relaxed night or two.

Can I drink the spring water?

Yes, from the public colonnades.

More places in Czechia

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