Punkevni Caves

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 Macocha Abyss is deeper than the Statue of Liberty is tall.

  It plunges 138 meters deep — that’s more than enough to swallow Lady Liberty and still have room for an echo.

• The Punkva River runs both above and below ground.

  This unique river disappears into the caves, reemerges elsewhere, and helps shape the entire karst landscape.

• Part of the tour includes an underground boat ride.

  The boats glide silently through floodlit tunnels — no motors, just guides pushing off the rocks and steering with poles like Venetian gondoliers of the underworld.