Karlsbad
(Karlovy Vary in Czech language),
the largest SPA city in the country, remains one of the most
picturesque
and most visited in Central Europe. Located less than 100 kilometers
away
from Prague, easily reachable by cheap train and bus networks, this
Bohemian
resort
welcomes
each year about 85,000 visitors from 70 countries. We were amazed by
the
invasion of Russian patients, actually transforming the place into a
colony.
Do they follow the paths of Karl Marx, who used to be a faithful summer
resident in Karlsbad where he still gets its statue… just
opposite
the superb St
Peter & Paul Orthodox Church ? The spa
gardens start from the
ugly and shabby Thermal Hotel: an impressive concentration of bad taste
into a late 70’s bunker. Here takes place once a year, on July, the
quite
famous Karlsbad Cinema
Festival. Don't
miss to have a look inside: that's an absolute experience. You'll feel
like 30 years backward ! The hotel has a reputed open air thermal
swimming
pool: entrance fee is definitely inexpensive.
Karla
IV street drives to
Ridelni street, then to Nova Louka street, allowing the walkers to see
the nicest buildings in town. You will not miss the Zawojski House:
this
three floors house, facing the River Tepla, was built in 1900 by
Viennese
architect Karl Hayback. Opposite stands the remarkable Mill
Colonnade : built in 1888, what should have been a
provisional building
for a determined period of ten years has been standing here
successfully
for more than a century. There are two mineral springs in the
Colonnade:
bring your glass or –far better- buy one of these unique china cups
with
incorporated straw you will only find here in Karlsbad: it makes an
unconventional
and tasty souvenir to bring back home.
A
modern building hosts the famous
Sprudel mineral spring. According to an old legend, Charles IV was the
one who actually discovered the spring: by chance, hunting a deer
across
the forest. Ugly building, but great atmosphere: with 72C water
spouting
out of a depth of about 2000 meters. Across the street is a stands the
magnificent St Maria Magdalena church: founded in the early XVIIIth
century
by architect Gillean Ignatius Dienzenhofer, from Prague, it is one of
the
best example of the baroque style in Bohemia.
There
are six public thermal baths
(lazne). Plus private sanatoriums: most of them are
also elegant
old fashioned hotels. Concerning the spas, the most impressive remains
the SPA Number 1 (Lazne I): this is also the most luxurious, with the
private
Emperor Franz Joseph's
Plush Bathroom anybody can use now a democratic
way for a moderate fee. Advance booking is kindly advised, of course.
Quite
close stands the reputed Richmond Sanatorium, looking like a palace
hotel,
strategically located on the top of a green hill overlooking the city.
A few hundred meters away, the Imperial Sanatorium is also quite
impressive,
offering comfortable accommodation and attentive cares. The real palace
hotel in Karlsbad -though not offering spa facilities- remains the
legendary
Grand Hotel Pupp
, on the elegant and
central Mirove square. This turn of the century monument was completely
refurbished when the Czechs dropped communism. The hotel aimed wealthy
German and Austrian guests. These rich neighbours actually came and
stay
on impressive DM room rates; but, as an irony, most of the visitors
nowadays
tend to be Russian gamblers attracted by the hotel ritzy casino
! The Grand Hotel Pupp gets its own CSA
office, where you may reconfirm your flight.We actually prefer the
neighbouring
Hotel Dvorak,
with a great central
location and an excellent SPA. Another warmly recommended hotel, maybe
the most beautiful in town since recently refurbished, is the top
luxurious
Imperial Hotel.
We enjoyed our
last stay in Karlsbad in this great location, also equipped with a SPA
and even... a clinique allowing surgery. Note that the restaurant at
the
Imperial can be considered the very best in town... though still
registered
as II category by the Czech authorities: which means fares are very
good
value for money, indeed.
DO not
leave Karlsbad without
using the Cable Railway (it lower station station starts from the
Pupp),
which will take you to the top of the Height of Friendship. Here is the
Diana Viewing Tower and its coffee shop (the best in town with the
Viennese
styled Café
Elefant):
the panorama on the spa gardens and its distant environs is dramatic.
If
you enjoyed –or may be even loved- Karlsbad, do not forget that in the
same area you can also discover two elegant old fashioned spa cities:
Marienbad
(Marianske Lazne) and Frantiskovy Lazne. Both of them being easily
reachable
by a 30 minutes bus journey.