We all have those movies we enjoy watching over and over again even if they aren’t great movies. “The Last Holiday” with Queen Latifah is one of mine. That’s why I made a point to visit Karlovy Vary while in the Czech Republic. It may not be a World Heritage ranking city, but it definitely has its charm.
Hot Water
Nestled in the mountains on the western border of the country, hot springs put this town on the map. Throughout the town, a series of spigots spouts tepid to hot water full of minerals. They say the waters have curative powers (a little nod to the movie 😊). For hundreds of years people have traveled to Karlovy Vary to drink and bathe in these healing waters.
Elegant and decorative arcades surround and lead to the spigots. Imagine 150 years ago, the wealthy of Europe promenading up and down the arcades with parasols and canes in elegant clothing. A string quartet may have been playing. People went to drink of the water but also to be seen.
Architecture
The town follows a river out of the mountains in a valley. Along the river on both sides, beautiful buildings compete with each other in décor and opulence. Baroque and Beaux-Arts seem to be the most popular choices for the most recent iteration of historic buildings along the river. The town does boast its fair share of Soviet architecture, but most of this is closer to the mouth of the valley near the extremely Soviet-looking bus and train station.
A series of large baths also dot the valley. Each of these look like palaces. One you may recognize as the casino from “Casino Royale” with Daniel Craig as James Bond. It is right across a small park from the famed Grand Hotel Pupp, which was featured in both movies. This hotel sits at the end of the valley where the river turns, so as you go up valley along the river, you see it at the end like the centerpiece of that end of town. I did pop inside and got a glimpse of the ceiling that made her want to cry.
Until Next Time
Our visit to Karlovy Vary was short, but worth it. We tasted some of the waters. The ones I tried were all a little hard and hot for my tastes. To get there we took a bus from Prague. It was a nice bus like those found in many places across Europe with Wifi, a personal entertainment console, and an attendant who provided complimentary drinks. If we had longer, I would have liked to take the funicular up to a lookout tower to see the hill from above. But, now I have something to look forward to the next time I am in the area.
