Karlovy Vary Springs Guide: PDF with Map, Routes and Drinking Rules
Karlovy Vary is one of the few resorts in the world where water from natural springs is an official…
Karlovy Vary is a compact city. All the main colonnades fit within a half-hour walk. It sounds simple — arrive, find a spring, drink some water, done.
In practice, most visitors spend their first day like this: drink from the nearest spring, photograph Vřídlo, buy wafers, return to the hotel with the feeling of “we looked around but didn’t really understand.” There were many springs, they tried the water — but why and what for remained a mystery.
There is a better way to begin. Here it is.
Step 0 — City Hub “Feel Karlovy Vary”: Understand First, Then Go
Lázeňská 14, between the Mill Colonnade and Market Colonnade
Before heading to the springs — come here first. It takes 60–90 minutes and changes the quality of everything else that follows.
At City Hub “Feel Karlovy Vary” two documentaries screen daily:
“Karlovy Vary: The Power of Water” — 60 minutes on the geology of the springs, the history of the resort, and the science behind drinking therapy. After this film you understand why the water is hot, how it rises from 2.5 km underground, why different springs have different temperatures, and why the resort has existed for 600 years. The springs stop being just fountains — they become a system you understand. Screenings daily: 16:00 and 20:00.
“Journey Through the Karlovy Vary Region” — a 15-minute visual guide to the region. Castles, nature, landmarks across different seasons. Helps you decide where to go the next day. Screenings every 30 minutes from 10:00 to 19:30.
Here you can also:
Book an excursion — to one of the castles or natural sites of the region you saw in the film, or an organised tour across Europe for 2–3 days: Switzerland, Italy, Paris and other destinations. We arrange everything with comfortable transfer and a guide.
Get advice from locals — our team knows Karlovy Vary and the region in detail. What to see specifically for you, how to get there, where to spend the evening, where to have dinner without tourist markup — ask us, we’ll give you an honest answer.
Also here: the official authorised Karlovy Vary salt shop with direct factory supplies, wellness cosmetics, the springs guide.
Why this is Step Zero: 60 minutes that make the rest of the day meaningful — this isn’t a sales pitch, it’s logic. A visitor who understands what they’re drinking gets a completely different experience from the springs than one who simply tries the water.
Step 1 — Hot Spring Colonnade and Vřídlo: The First Spring
2 minutes on foot from City Hub
Vřídlo is the only true geyser among all 13 springs. Temperature at source: 72°C, jet height up to 12 metres, flow rate 2,000 litres per minute. The hottest drinking water in Europe from a natural spring.
Inside the colonnade — three bowls at different temperatures:
- Bowl C (~30°C) — maximum CO₂, stimulates intestinal motility
- Bowl B (~41–50°C) — universal, start here
- Bowl A (~57°C) — hot, binding effect, for high stomach acidity
Buy a drinking cup at the kiosk by the entrance (from €3) — a plastic cup and hot water don’t mix well, and the spout directs water to the back of the mouth, protecting tooth enamel.
How much to drink: 150–200 ml in slow sips, while walking.
Step 2 — The Colonnade Route: 5 Points, 90 Minutes
All five colonnades run along the Teplá River over ~1.5 km. The logical route — from the Hot Spring to the Park Colonnade:
1. Hot Spring Colonnade — Vřídlo (springs No. 1–4), glass pavilion from 1975.
2. Market Colonnade — wooden, 1883, springs No. 5–7 (Charles, Rupert, Mill Spring). The most beautiful and photogenic.
3. Mill Colonnade — the largest, 1871–1881, springs No. 8–12. Architect Josef Zítek. Five sculptures of the seasons on the facade.
4. Park Colonnade — Baroque style, spring No. 13 (Freedom). Small and cosy.
5. Garden Colonnade — cast iron, 1881, the Snake Spring. Nearby — the Dorotka spring (closed, visible from outside only).
Practically: the route takes 60–90 minutes at a relaxed pace with stops at each spring. This is the classic Karlovy Vary Colonnade Walk.
Step 3 — The Springs Guide: For Those Who Want to Go Deeper
If you want to understand which spring is for which condition, what temperature changes what, and the rules of the drinking cure — it’s all in the authorised Karlovy Vary Springs Guide.
45+ pages, route map, parameters of every spring, diagnosis navigation. Works offline — download once, open without internet right at the water.
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Which of the 14 springs is right for you?
This guide shows you which of the 14 springs best suits your needs—and how to avoid common mistakes that can waste half a day.
View guide
Step 4 — Lunch: Where to Eat Near the Colonnades
After three hours of walking — lunch. A few reference points:
At the colonnades (convenient, slightly pricier): restaurants along the Teplá promenade. Czech cuisine — svíčková (beef in cream sauce with dumplings), goulash, knedlíky. Lunch 350–600 CZK per person.
A little further (cheaper, just as good): walk 5 minutes from the promenade in any direction — restaurants without the tourist premium. Daily set menu (denní menu) 12:00–15:00: soup + main course = 250–350 CZK.
Quick: oplatky (lázeňské oplatky) right at the colonnades — thin round wafers, a symbol of the resort, €2–4 per pack.
Step 5 — Diana Tower: The View from Above
40–50 minutes on foot from Grandhotel Pupp, or funicular (~100 CZK)
After lunch — up to the Diana observation tower (547 m). The best view of the city: the Teplá valley, the colonnades, the surrounding mountains. From up here you can see everything you walked through in the morning — and grasp the full scale of the resort.
At the top: a café, viewing platform, children’s playground. You can descend by a different forest path — 30–40 minutes.
Step 6 — Evening: Film, Shop or Planning Tomorrow
16:00 or 20:00 — City Hub on Lázeňská 14
If you didn’t make it in the morning — the evening screening of “The Power of Water” is a great way to close the day. After walking the springs, the film lands completely differently: you’ve now seen everything it shows.
If you’ve already seen the film — come to plan tomorrow. Our team will suggest which castle or natural site in the region is worth visiting, how to arrange an excursion, or where to have dinner this evening without tourist traps.
Want to travel beyond Karlovy Vary for 2–3 days? We organise tours to Switzerland, Italy, Paris and other destinations — with comfortable transfer and a guide. Everything can be discussed and booked right here.
In the shop: Karlovy Vary salt, cosmetics, gift sets. Original salt with direct factory supplies.
First Day Route at a Glance
| Time | What you do | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00 | “Journey Through the Region” film (15 min) | City Hub, Lázeňská 14 |
| 10:30–12:00 | Route through 5 colonnades | Hot Spring to Garden Colonnade |
| 12:00–13:00 | Lunch | Restaurants by the promenade |
| 13:00–14:30 | Diana Tower | Ascent from Grandhotel Pupp |
| 14:30–15:30 | Walk back through the forest | Forest trails |
| 15:30–16:00 | Shop, souvenirs, consultation | City Hub + promenade |
| 16:00 | “The Power of Water” film (60 min) | City Hub, Lázeňská 14 |
| 20:00 | Second screening (optional) | City Hub, Lázeňská 14 |
What to Bring on Your First Day
- Comfortable shoes — cobblestones and gentle climbs
- Drinking cup — buy at the first colonnade (from €3)
- Light rain jacket — mountains, weather changes
- Charged phone — map and photos
Practical Details
Springs: free, open around the clock City Hub: Lázeňská 14, “The Power of Water” at 16:00 and 20:00, “Journey Through the Region” every 30 minutes from 10:00 to 19:30, shop open daily Diana Tower: open April to October; in winter — on foot only, café closed Payment: Czech crowns (CZK) and euros accepted most places; cards accepted everywhere
→ All 13 Karlovy Vary Springs: Complete Guide → What to see around Karlovy Vary: Regional Guide → Springs Guide — offline companion: Buy → Drinking cure in Karlovy Vary — how a course works: Read
