Karlovy Vary

Some sources say that Karlovy Vary was founded in 1350. Others state that it happened in 1358. But all of them agree on one thing: it was the Czech king and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV who founded it. And since the 14th century, people have come here to heal their bodies — but perhaps even more so their souls. Among the forests, pavilions, and steaming springs, poets, composers, and quiet wanderers found the inspiration they were seeking.

"It's a cake convention!" That's how Le Corbusier described Karlovy Vary. Indeed, the colorful houses along the Tepla river's banks and the lace colonnades remind one of whipped cream and figures on a cake. And of all Czech towns, Karlovy Vary is the least "Czech." Here you inevitably recall the era of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Character & feeling of this place

Art Nouveau facades whisper stories from a time when aristocrats came in search of what we still long for today: peace, beauty, and a return to ourselves.

This is not a place you just visit — it’s a place you breathe in. The soft whisper of colonnade fountains, the pastel facades glowing in the morning light, the rhythm of footsteps on stone. There’s something timeless here, something calm yet alive. A city made not to impress you… but to settle into your memory.

• The city has 13 main springs… but over 300 smaller ones.

  Most visitors taste just a few at the colonnades, but underground lies a vast system of mineral veins. Some springs even bubble up in hotel basements — and yes, they’re drinkable.

• Becherovka is basically Karlovy Vary in a bottle.

  The famous herbal liqueur was invented here in 1807 as a digestive aid. Locals call it the “13th spring” — and it’s probably the only spa treatment that goes well with ice cubes.

• James Bond came here — kind of.

  In Casino Royale (2006), Karlovy Vary doubled as Montenegro. The Grandhotel Pupp appears as the luxurious Hotel Splendide where Bond flirts, fights, and wins big.

• Mozart was here… but so were Marx and Freud.

  The city has hosted an odd mix of thinkers, artists, and revolutionaries — from Chopin to Kafka. It’s where spa treatments, philosophical debates, and gossip all shared the same colonnade.

• There's a festival… and it's actually cool.

  The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) is one of the oldest and most respected in Europe. Red carpet events happen in a city of 50,000 people — which is like Cannes, just with more spa wafers.