Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic

Once we made it home from our Christmas trip, winter really set in. Even though it was a mild winter for Bavaria, it was still plenty cold for us southerners, so our travel slowed way down. We did manage a few day trips here and there on days that were a little warmer.

Laurel and I set out for Karlovy Vary one weekday in February. At just over an hour away, this little Czech spa town was such an easy drive for us. The town was named for and founded by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV in 1370. Karlovy Vary is the most visited spa town in the Czech Republic, boasting 13 main springs, around 300 smaller springs, and the warm water Tepla River. People flock here to receive healing spa treatments said to cure all sorts of diseases. We were not on the receiving end of any such treatments, but we did enjoy strolling through this beautiful little town.

Beautiful colonnades which house some of the hot springs are scattered throughout the town.

It is here that you can find the spring water flowing freely. Decorative cups are sold all throughout the town, and once you have yours, you are ready to fill it up with healing spring water and drink it. Naturally, we had to try it out, so we picked out cute little cups and collected some of the water.

Trust me when I say that I had a questioning look on my face for a good reason. After one small sip, we both spit out our spring water in a most uncultured fashion. We couldn't help it - it was disgusting! Lots of people were just walking around sipping theirs like it was just another drink of water. Either they were in serious need of some healing powers or their taste buds weren't working...lol! Thankfully, the quaint beauty of this town made up for the bad taste in our mouths.

The Church of St. Mary Magdalene, built in 1737, is located in the center of Karlovy Vary. The day we were there, they were preparing for a classical music concert which we could not attend because of the time. We are hoping to go back there at some point and attend another of the many concerts held there throughout the year.

We also visited the Orthodox Church of St. Peter and Paul which was modeled after a Russian Byzantine church near Moscow. Nestled among houses and trees, it was impossible to get a good shot of the entire building, but it was very beautiful and definitely not the kind of church we have been accustomed to seeing. Pictures were not allowed inside, but the interior was very dark, compared to the white and light blue exterior of the building.

We had a great time visiting Karlovy Vary and look forward to going back during the spring or summer. The spring water may not be worth drinking, but the town itself is definitely worth a visit!