Karlovy Vary is one of the most famous thermal cities of the whole Europe. Hosted in the Czech Republic amid western Bohemian, to the edges of the river Tepla and 140 kms from Prague, it receives tourists of the whole world, especially the russians, who look there for the relief and the cure provided by the medicinal waters.
The region of the Bohemian, who stretches out from the frontier with the Baviera and the Saxon, is essentially a zone of bathhouses. The concentration of springs of mineral waters that here exist is unique in the world and they are exceptional for the variety of his chemical composition and consequent scale of physiologic and therapeutic effects what they have.
The thermal waters emerge to the surface for 12 springs from 2.000 to 2.500 meters of deep, and to temperatures between 41 degrees and 72 degrees centigrades. The biggest and their hottest is the spring Sprudel, with a volume of two cubic metres for minute and to a temperature in the surface of 72 degrees. There is still the fountain Vridlo, a geyser that launches water jets to 17 meters of height. The waters have effects dressings on the nervous system, blood circulation and in the glands of internal secretion and many celebrities, like the russian tsar Peter Great or famous names like the poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe proved the effects dressings of the local fountains.
Karlovy Vary, which in Czech means “Charles' boiler“, was established in 1350, by order of the King Carlos IV and it is inserted in a romantic mountainous scenery, where numerous forest ways go through the wooded slopes.
Besides the thermal waters, Karlovy Vary is known also by the fine porcelain and by the crystal Moser, one of the most famous and traditional of the world also called of “Crystal of the Kings”. Another celebrated product of the city is the liqueur Becherovka, considered the "Tenth third spring of Karlovy Vary” and when the base of herbs was prepared by the pharmacist Josef Becher in 1807, which from that time is consumed in whole world.
The architecture of the city is a beauty to the part. Stuck in the slopes that go round the valley, there are the magnificent constructions of the century XIX, which art nouveau and art mix decò in the only mixture that represents the visual identity of the place.
The Russian community has an enormous representativeness in the city, so much that all the plates also are written in russian and there are daily flights between Karlovy Vary and Moscow. Besides, there is there an exemplary perfection of the orthodox Russian church, with his golden domes standing out in the scenery. It the question is the Church of Saint Peter and Sao Paulo built in the century XIX.
The city has far-reaching events, since it is the case of the International Festival of Cinema (Mattoni), which takes place from 1949 without any interruption and also the festivals of Dvorak and of Jazz, these events that go together perfectly with the magic of the city.
The city, which for everything exposed one above, already is unlosable, becomes still more inviting as regards the tourist infrastructure. The offer of hotels is enormous and each one has his special charm. In the top of the list there are the tradicionals Pupp, Carlsbad Plaza and Savoy Westend, true stuffed palaces of sophistication and refinement ... a luxury for few ones (of which unfortunately I am not included!! lol).
The walk to the Karlovy Vary can be done in one day, but it is run. It will be possible, spend one night in the city and enjoy still more this incredible place. It will be more possible, have a great time in one of the charming hotels mentioned above and feel like a truthful Czech monarch! But remember that in the days of today, the "monarches" pay the bill to the end ... good luck! :)
