Restaurant Embassy
What to order: ask about the seasonal dishes on the menu.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 50.23° N · 12.88° E
Karlovy Vary in a day from Prague, drinking from the spring and bathing in it.
Two hours by bus from Prague, a stroll along the colonnades with the spa cup, Becherovka, the funicular up to the forest and an hour in the open-air thermal pool before heading back.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Praga fromBarcelona 2 h 30Bilbao 2 h 45Palma de Mallorca 2 h 45Alicante 3 hMadrid 3 hMálaga 3 h 30Sevilla 3 h 30Lanzarote 5 hFuerteventura 5 h 15Gran Canaria 5 h 15
Part of Karlovy VaryThermal getaways
Add to my trip
Total time11 h
By car1 h 45 each way
BusAbout 2 h from Prague
ColonnadesFree
Thermal poolFrom 699 CZK an hour
BecherovkaFrom 290 CZK
DifficultyEasy
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Prague 2 h by bus
direct bus from Prague · you arrive around 10:00
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1
Colonnades and thermal springs: the cup walk
buy a spa cup and try the springs
- 15 min on foot
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2
Becherovka Museum: the liqueur museum and tasting
45 minutes with a tasting · from 290 CZK
- 15 min on foot
-
3
Restaurant Embassy
on Nová Louka, by the river · book by phone
Nová Louka 21, Karlovy Vary · +420 353 221 161
Restaurant €€€Book - 10 min on foot
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4
Diana funicular and lookout over the spa forests
leaves every 15 minutes next to the Grandhotel Pupp
- 30 min on foot
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5
Hotel Thermal outdoor thermal pool, with views of the town
an hour in the outdoor pool · open until 23:00
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Back home 2 h by bus
bus to Prague · you arrive around 20:30
Approximate cost
About €35–60 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Colonnades and thermal springs: the cup walk
Karlovy Vary can be done in a day from Prague if you leave early: two hours by bus and you are at the spa. The plan brings together the essentials: a stroll along the colonnades tasting the springs with the porcelain cup, the town's liqueur, the funicular up to the forest and, before going back, an hour in the open-air thermal pool of the Hotel Thermal.
The day, hour by hour
8:00 · Bus from Prague. Direct, about two hours. Buy your ticket online.
10:15 · Colonnades and springs. Walk down the bank of the Teplá: the Mill Colonnade, the wood and iron ones and, at the end, the Vřídlo, the hottest spring. Buy a cup at a stall and taste a little of each spring.
12:15 · Becherovka Museum. 45 minutes of the liqueur's history, with a tasting for over-18s.
13:15 · Lunch at the Embassy. On Nová Louka, by the river. Book by phone.
15:00 · Diana funicular. It leaves every 15 minutes next to the Grandhotel Pupp; at the top, the viewing tower. Walk down through the forest.
16:30 · Thermal pool at the Hotel Thermal. An hour in the outdoor pool at 32 °C and in the spring-water bath at 38 °C, with the town in front of you.
18:30 · Return. Bus to Prague.
With children or on a weekday
With children, make the pool longer, as it has a children's one, and skip the Becherovka. From Monday to Friday you can swap the liqueur museum for the Moser glassworks, by reservation: watch glass being blown in front of them.
Time2 h
Change the route
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Café Moser
What to order: a coffee and a sweet treat after the factory visit.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Karlovy Vary
All year; in winter the open-air thermal bath is the best part. Avoid the days of the July film festival.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Bring swimwear and a towel
The outdoor pool is paid by the hour: arrive ready.
- 2Drink in sips
The spring water is very mineral.
- 3Buy the return bus
The last ones fill up at weekends.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Prague to Karlovy Vary?
About two hours by direct bus.
Can you bathe without booking a treatment?
Yes, in the outdoor pool of the Hotel Thermal, paying by the hour.
How much does the day cost?
The pool from 699 CZK an hour, Becherovka from 290 CZK; the springs are free.
Is it worth it in winter?
Yes: the outdoor pool is open all year.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/czechia/karlovy-vary/itineraries/colonnades-funicular-and-thermal-bath
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.