Karlovy Vary

Karlovy Vary (also called Carlsbad, its German name) is a spa town in western Bohemia that has been pulling in visitors since the 14th century. Charles IV supposedly discovered the hot springs during a deer hunt. By the 19th century, European royalty and artists were showing up regularly.

Goethe came thirteen times. Today the crowd is a mix of Russian spa-goers on long wellness stays, Czech day-trippers from Prague, and film buffs who descend every July for the international film festival. The town has about 49,000 permanent residents but swells dramatically during festival season.

It sits at the confluence of the Teplá and Ohře rivers, surrounded by forested hills, with the whole spa zone earning UNESCO World Heritage status. The architecture along the river is striking, all pastel Belle Époque facades and ornate colonnades, but the town itself is fairly small and easy to walk end to end in under an hour. Worth knowing: Karlovy Vary has historically attracted a significant Russian-speaking population, so German and Russian are almost as useful as English in many shops and hotels.

Say 'Dobrý den' when you walk into any shop, restaurant, or even a small hotel lobby. Czechs greet strangers in these contexts and skipping it reads as rude, not cool.. When toasting, make eye contact with every single person at the table and clink glasses individually.

Never cross arms with someone else while doing it. Say 'Na zdraví' (to health). These rules are taken seriously..

Tip around 10% in restaurants. The cleanest way to do it: when the server comes to collect, just state the total you want to pay. If the bill is 270 CZK, say '300' and they keep the change..

Remove your shoes when invited into a Czech home. This isn't optional politeness, it's a firm expectation.. Keep your voice down on public transport.

There are quiet zones on buses and the locals genuinely notice (and silently judge) people who ignore them.. Tap water is not automatically free in Czech restaurants. You will be charged for bottled water.

If you want tap water, ask for 'voda z kohoutku' but don't be surprised if they don't have it.. Czechs are reserved with strangers but warm up quickly. Don't mistake initial coolness for unfriendliness.

And don't ask 'how are you' as a casual opener to someone you just met, they'll actually answer.. During film festival week in July, book everything months in advance. Hotels, restaurants, even some cafes get fully booked.

The whole town operates differently for those 9 days.

Karlovy Vary is genuinely safe for travelers. Violent crime is rare. The main thing to watch for during film festival week is pickpocketing in crowded areas around Hotel Thermal and the main promenades.

Keep your bag in front of you in dense crowds. Avoid unofficial taxis near the festival venues, overcharging is a known issue. Some souvenir vendors near the colonnades are aggressively priced.

A thermal spa cup costs a few hundred CZK from a reputable shop but you'll see the same thing marked up significantly at tourist-facing stalls. The thermal springs are hot, some exceeding 70°C. Don't touch them directly.

Use the drinking spouts and the spa cups designed for it.

Getting to Karlovy Vary is straightforward from Prague. The bus is your best option. FlixBus and RegioJet both run roughly hourly from Prague's main station (Hlavní nádraží) and take about 1h35m to 1h55m.

Tickets start around $7-8 booked in advance. RegioJet buses include free hot drinks and a steward on board. Avoid the train: it takes 3.

5 hours and costs significantly more. There's also a direct bus connection from Prague Airport to Karlovy Vary, useful if you're landing and heading straight there. Within Karlovy Vary, the spa zone is completely walkable.

The colonnades are all connected on foot along the Teplá River. Local buses cover the wider town for 36 CZK per ride. The Diana funicular runs from behind Grandhotel Pupp up to the observation tower and forest trails.

Taxis exist but use licensed services only. During film festival week, the organizers run festival shuttle buses between venues.