Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic: Self-Guided Walking Tour

Karlovy Vary is a historic spa town in western Czechia, famed for its elegant colonnades, mineral springs, and wooded hills that have attracted visitors for centuries. Its blend of grand architecture, wellness traditions, and scenic surroundings makes it a rewarding destination for anyone interested in culture, relaxation, or nature. Neywo offers a free audio guide for Karlovy Vary with 55 narrated places, letting you explore the town at your own pace.

What to see in Karlovy Vary

Imperial Spa

The Imperial Spa stands as one of Karlovy Vary’s grandest spa buildings, its neo‑Renaissance façade designed by the Viennese architects Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer. Opened on 6 May 1895, it once housed 120 bathrooms and featured Zander Hall, originally a gymnasium for therapeutic exercise, later a casino, and now an exhibition on the spa’s history and its famous guests.

Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Located in the Rybáře district on November 17 Square, this Roman Catholic parish church was built between 1904 and 1906 by builders Norbert and Alois Sichert to a design by Karel Schaden. Its Romanesque basilica style has been protected as a cultural monument since 1964.

Church of Saint Andrew

Perched on a steep slope above the right bank of the Teplá River, the Greek Catholic Church of Saint Andrew originated as a Roman Catholic church around 1500 and was rebuilt in the nineteenth century. The site was once known as Am Felsen, referring to the rocky outcrop on which it stands.

Church of Saint Leonard (ruins)

Above the medieval settlement of Obora (also called Tiergarten) lie the ruins of the Church of Saint Leonard, a late Romanesque building that once belonged to Loket Castle. The quiet remnant offers a glimpse into the area’s medieval past.

Tržní kolonáda (Market Colonnade)

This open, richly carved wooden structure in Swiss style dates to the early 1880s and stands on the site of Karlovy Vary’s earliest spa buildings. Three thermal springs rise beneath its roof: the Charles IV Spring (once called the Glutton), the Lower Castle Spring, and the Market Spring. The colonnaded arcade opens onto the Teplá River, while a nearby Castle Tower—rebuilt after the original royal castle vanished—has watched over the district since 1964 as a protected monument.

Museum Moser

Museum Moser is a museum in Karlovy Vary dedicated to the renowned glassworks that have long been associated with the town.

Muzeum Karlovy Vary

The Karlovy Vary Museum serves as the city’s main introduction to its spa heritage, focusing on balneology—the science of mineral‑water treatments—and the artistic industries that made the town famous worldwide, namely glass, porcelain, and tin.

Church of Saint Mary Magdalene

Situated on Church Square in the historic centre, this Baroque parish church was built between 1732 and 1736 to a design by Kilián Ignác Dientzenhofer. Recognised as a national cultural monument, it ranks among the country’s important Baroque buildings.

Statue of Hygieia (Vřídelní kolonáda)

Overlooking the Hot Spring Colonnade, the statue of Hygieia—the ancient goddess of health—was carved in 1878 by Austrian sculptor Vincenz Pilz. As the daughter of Asclepius, she fittingly watches over the thermal waters that have drawn wellness seekers for generations.

Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral

This Russian Orthodox church, known in Czech as Chrám svatého Petra a Pavla, stands on the site of an earlier Orthodox chapel. Consecrated on 9 June 1897, it is regarded as one of the oldest and most important Orthodox churches in the country.

Karlovy Vary District

The town is the administrative heart of the Karlovy Vary District, a sweeping corner of northwest Bohemia where forested mountains meet the German border. Covering 1 515 km², the district is home to about 118 000 people spread across fifty‑six towns and municipalities, with a fifth of its territory taken up by the Hradiště military training area.

Tři Kříže Funicular

Remnants of an unfinished rack railway can still be seen near Vřídelní Street. Intended to climb to the summit of Tři Kříže (Three Crosses Hill) as a tourist attraction, construction began before the First World War halted the project; the funicular was never completed or put into service.

Church of the Ascension of Christ

Located in Stará Role, this Roman Catholic church displays a neo‑Romanesque design from 1908, created by architect Hermann Fiedler and builder Alois Sichert. Until 1909 the locality belonged to the parish of Sedlec; it now forms an independent parish.

Statue of the chamois at Jelení skok

A bronze chamois poised mid‑leap marks the rocky cliff of Jelení skok. The original zinc figure, cast in 1851 by August Kiss in Berlin, stood for over a century before being destroyed in 1984. A replica crafted in 1986 by local sculptor Jan Kotek restores the silhouette that has watched over the spa forests for generations.

Goethova vyhlídka (Goethe’s Lookout Tower)

Rising 39 metres above the town, this observation tower was built in 1888‑1889 by Fellner & Helmer and offers sweeping views over the forested hills and the winding Teplá River valley. Visitors can climb a spiral staircase of 165 steps or relax in the tower’s restaurant. Over the years it has borne several names—Kronprinzessin‑Stephanie‑Warte, a tribute to Adalbert Stifter, Stalinova rozhledna—and finally received its current title in 1957.

Explore with Neywo

Neywo provides three walking tours and one bus route in Karlovy Vary. The walks are:

• “Taking the Waters: Colonnades of the Teplá” – 1.72 km, 91 minutes, 12 stops
• “Spires, Memories and Spa Forests” – 2.62 km, 100 minutes, 12 stops
• “Towers, Gardens and the Southern Bank” – 3.01 km, 78 minutes, 7 stops

The bus line is:

• “Line 2: From Theatre Square to the Hills” – 6.1 km, 26 minutes, 8 stops

Each narrated story plays automatically as you reach a place, allowing you to move at your own pace with no group and no schedule. The audio guide is available in 11 languages, giving you a flexible way to discover the town’s colonnades, churches, monuments, and scenic viewpoints. Download Neywo and let the city’s stories unfold step by step.