Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary, also known to foreigners as Carlsbad is the largest and the most famous spa town in the Czech Republic. This gem of a town is definitely worth a stop if you are traveling around the Czech Republic. Karlovy Vary is in West Bohemia near the Teplá River and the Ohře River and is about 120 km from Prague. The city dates back to the 14th century when Charles IV requested a spa town be built after an accidental discovery of thermal springs occurred during a royal hunting tour. The spa city enjoyed many aristocratic houses from the 16th century on. Due to natural disasters not many original buildings survived in the city. The attractive and intricately decorated houses, churches and colonnades you see in Karlovy Vary today are the result of the 18th and 19th centuries, when spa towns were all the rage. Given the beautiful buildings and cultural events that take place in the city including the International Karlovy Vary Film Festival, it’s no wonder that the city is one of the most visited towns outside of Prague. If you wish to experience the healing art of Balneotherapy, Karlovy Vary and wellness go hand in hand. The city has numerous spas and wellness centers to treat a great number of illnesses, not to mention many springs from which to sample healing waters that do wonders for your health.
Tourist Information Center: +420 777 747 448, www.karlovy-vary.cz