Saturday 3 October, just after half past twelve, Park Colonnade (Sadová kolonáda). At the Park Spring (Sadový pramen), the first one on the way from most of the car parks, there was a huge queue, so Veronika and I turned round and walked on.
Half an hour later we were standing at the Imperial funicular. There was nobody there. Literally nobody. Straight after that we queued for 10 minutes at the Diana funicular and didn’t move a single metre.
That happened to us several times that day: the famous one has a queue, the one next door is empty. The other springs were almost empty before lunch, and beyond the Hot Spring (Vřídlo) you eat more cheaply than around the Pupp. It was the same elsewhere: the underground car park at Hotel Thermal put us off, but we can recommend the outdoor car park right next to it.
If you’re wondering what to see in Karlovy Vary in one day, here is our route. From parking the car to Becherovka it took us about four hours, brunch included. First, the most important things in brief.
We arrived in Karlovy Vary before 11:00 and reached Becherovka roughly four hours later, brunch and funicular included. You will find the exact route, with times taken from our photos, further down in our itinerary.
| Item | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Imperial funicular, ordinary city ticket valid for 20 minutes | 25 CZK (about €1) | dpkv.cz |
| Diana funicular, adult return ticket | 165 CZK (about €6.8) | dpkv.cz |
| Castle Tower lift | free | our experience |
| Becherovka tour with tasting | 290 CZK (about €12) | becherovka.com |
| Karlovy Vary spa wafer (oplatka) | 20 CZK (about €0.8) | shop price list, 3 October 2026 |
| Spa cup | from 160 CZK (about €6.6) for a printed one to 290 CZK (about €12) for a blue-painted one | prices at the colonnade, 3 October 2026 |
| Sausage with bread at a stall | 180 CZK (about €7.4) | stall price list, 3 October 2026 |
| Eggs Benedict at Republica Coffee | 209 CZK (about €8.6) | our visit, 3 October 2026 |
| A meal at a restaurant near the Pupp | 400 CZK (about €17) and up | our experience |
| Underground garage at nám. Dr. M. Horákové, 1 hour | 60 CZK (about €2.5) | price list on site, 3 October 2026 |
The funicular prices are taken from the price list of the city transport company DPKV (Dopravní podnik Karlovy Vary). One Imperial ticket is valid for 20 minutes, so if you come back in time, it covers the trip up and down.
If you want to stay in Karlovy Vary overnight, here are four hotels in the spa zone or just outside it. We go into the areas and the hotels in detail in the Karlovy Vary accommodation guide.
Chosen from our own experience
Karlovy Vary has 15 named springs and most of them are freely accessible in the colonnades along the river Teplá. We tried every one along our route, from the Park Colonnade through the Mill Colonnade (Mlýnská kolonáda) and the Market Colonnade (Tržní kolonáda) to the Hot Spring. Before lunch we almost had them to ourselves, and on a Saturday, too – with just one exception.
The Park Spring is the first one you come across on your way from most of the main car parks and from the town. That is why people wait there even when the other colonnades are empty. When we arrived at around half past twelve, there was a huge queue.
We’ve been to Karlovy Vary several times before, so we know you can simply turn round and come back later. That’s why we left the Park Spring for the very end.
When we finally tried it, Veronika didn’t look very enthusiastic. The spring is very aromatic and she picks up a strong “iron” taste in it, which she is sensitive to. I like all the springs, this one included.
The city describes it differently: it comes out at 39.1 °C and is rich in carbon dioxide, which is why it supposedly has a pleasantly tart taste. You’ll only find out how it tastes to you at the spout.
Tip: If you see a queue at the Park Spring, carry on and come back to it on your way back. Just don’t leave it for the evening – unlike the colonnades around it, the spring is only open 6:00–18:30.
The Hot Spring is the hottest spring in Karlovy Vary, at 73.4 °C according to the city (source: karlovyvary.cz). It is tucked away inside the Hot Spring Colonnade (Vřídelní kolonáda), so here you aren’t drinking under the open sky.
We had a drink here too, just like at every spring on the route. And a short way from the Hot Spring is where the Imperial funicular starts – more on that below.
For the springs you need a spa cup, a porcelain mug with a drinking spout in the handle. You can buy one pretty much anywhere along the colonnade; we brought our own from a previous trip.
The price depends on the size and on how the cup is decorated. The cheapest are the ones with a printed picture, the most expensive are the blue-painted ones.
Bring cash for the cup. Why that is, and where to find a cash machine at the colonnade, we explain in the Karlovy Vary parking guide – you will also find the whole walk from Hotel Thermal to Grandhotel Pupp there, and more about the Hot Spring.
If you’re curious about more than the taste of the springs – who built the colonnades and the story behind the houses around them – you can see Karlovy Vary with a guide.
Tour of Karlovy Vary with a certified guide – 45–60 minutes, from €15 (about 360 CZK).
We did go inside. We had a look at the lobby, the reception and the part with the offices. Officially, the hotel says only that it is happy to see guests who aren’t staying there in its restaurants and bar, and it says nothing about the lobby.
We got to the Pupp right after the queue for the Diana funicular, whose lower station is only a few metres from the hotel. We wanted to see what it looks like inside and what the atmosphere is like.
We were absolutely blown away. As you walk in, a pleasant scent of flowers greets you and a piano plays in the background. The staff are beautifully dressed and the whole hotel is wonderfully lit inside.
We listened for a while to the staff talking to guests, and it was all completely professional, yet friendly.
It made a perfect first impression on us, and next time we want to sleep here. So far, though, we only know the lobby, not a room or the breakfast, so our recommendation to stay at the Pupp rests on a first impression of the interior, not on a stay of our own. You can find prices and available dates on the Grandhotel Pupp page on Booking.com.
If you don’t just want to wander through the lobby, the surest way in is Café Pupp. It is open daily 11:00–19:00 and, according to the hotel, it is a traditional stop for day-trippers from the colonnade.
They bake the Pupp cake here to the Pupp family founder’s recipe, which includes Becherovka. We didn’t go into the café. For the restaurants and the bar the hotel requires smart casual dress.
On the pavement in front of the hotel you will find plaques with the names of film stars. We photographed two: Danny DeVito 2007 and Johnny Depp 2021.
Both years match their visits to the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF), which we write about below under Hotel Thermal. Looking for familiar names takes a few minutes, so it’s worth pausing here before you head in.
There are two historic funiculars in Karlovy Vary and on Saturday we went to both. One was empty, the other we gave up on.
We went to the Imperial funicular intending to just see what is at the top, and we were surprised that nobody was waiting there. So we rode up – and then came back down again.
Inside, the cabin is quite retro, but as an experience it’s fun. The ride itself takes about a minute and the funicular runs daily roughly 7:45–19:05. It has been in operation since 1907, so it is older than Diana.
Tip: In the Vary Virtual app, choose a later activation before you buy. Otherwise the ticket is activated immediately, or rather about a minute after purchase, and its validity starts running before you have even reached the funicular.
In fairness, we should say one thing straight away. If you’re going for the view, you won’t really get to any viewpoint at the top. But we did find out something else up there, which is mainly useful for drivers.
The upper station stands only 20 metres from a multi-storey car park that we call Garage Centrum. Officially it is the car park at the upper station of the Imperial funicular (Parkovací dům Libušina) at Libušina 2120/21. Parking there costs 50 CZK (about €2.1) per hour, 500 CZK (about €21) for 24 hours.
We had already parked here once and walked into the centre. We were a bit annoyed that it is quite a long way – we didn’t know any other car parks back then. And yet we could have taken the funicular down.
To be exact, according to the car park operator it’s about 5 minutes on foot downhill. The funicular mainly saves you the way back up, uphill to the car. Down below you are a short way from the Hot Spring Colonnade, and it is about an 8-minute walk to Grandhotel Pupp.
Good to know for next time. You park at the top, walk or ride down, and then let the funicular take you back up to the car. Just keep an eye on the funicular’s hours – it doesn’t run late in the evening. You will find the other car parks in the centre, with prices, in our Karlovy Vary parking guide.
From the Imperial we walked to the Diana funicular, thrilled that we hadn’t had to wait anywhere so far. But the queue here went right out of the door, and when Veronika went to look inside, there was another one.
We waited about 10 minutes and the queue didn’t move by a single metre, so we skipped Diana. The view from Diana is reportedly fantastic – at least according to the staff in the shop next door. We’ll try again next time.
The lower station is on Mariánská ulička, a few metres from the Grandhotel Pupp, and an ordinary city public-transport ticket isn’t valid here. A return ticket costs 165 CZK (about €6.8) for an adult and 85 CZK (about €3.5) for a child, and a family ticket is 440 CZK (about €18). A one-way ticket up costs an adult 110 CZK (about €4.5).
In October the funicular runs 9:00–18:00, every 15 minutes. Entry to the Diana lookout tower at the top is free.
If it’s the view you’re after, go to the Diana and expect a queue. If you just want a ride on a historic funicular, at the Imperial there’s no waiting.
The lift up to the Castle Tower is just a short way from the Market Colonnade. We took it on our way from the Market Colonnade to the Hot Spring, and the view from up there is great. The ride is free, so it’s definitely worth a stop as you walk round the colonnades.
You only pay for access to the tower’s viewing gallery itself: 50 CZK (about €2.1) for adults. We describe exactly where to find the entrance, and the lift’s history, in our Karlovy Vary parking guide.
The Becherovka museum and the shop are in the same building at T. G. Masaryka 282/57, and we visited both. We recommend the museum to anyone who likes Becherovka – it’s a very detailed tour and there’s a tasting at the end.
We arrived shortly after lunch and there were already quite a few people queuing outside, so expect to wait a few minutes at times. We didn’t wait – we had GetYourGuide tickets and walked straight in.
Becherovka – visitor centre tour – 50 minutes, from €12 (about 290 CZK).
Don’t make the trip to the Becherovka museum on a Monday. The museum is open Tue–Sun 9:00–17:00 and closed on Mondays (information from the city of Karlovy Vary), and the shop in the same building is open daily 10:00–18:00.
One thing caught our eye in the shop: you can have a bottle of Becherovka made up with your own name on the label.
Food in Karlovy Vary is a bit like the springs: at the most famous spot you pay the most, and a little further on it works out cheaper. We had brunch, two spa wafers and a sausage from a stall.
We got to Karlovy Vary before lunch and wanted to start with a proper brunch, so we picked Republica Coffee on třída T. G. Masaryka. On Google it has a rating of 4.6 out of 5 from just under 2,000 reviews.
I personally really liked the interior: it feels modern, elegant and clean. There are two outdoor seating areas – one in the inner courtyard, where other guests happened to be sitting, and the other right in front of the entrance, where Veronika and I sat.
We ordered eggs Benedict for 209 CZK (about €8.6) and scrambled eggs for 199 CZK (about €8.2). Both dishes came with homemade bread and both were great.
I had the scrambled eggs and really enjoyed them, but next time I’ll go for the Benedict because of the hollandaise sauce. It had just the right amount of salt and had a really distinctive flavour. Honestly, the sauce, butter and homemade bread alone would have been enough for me.
We’ll happily come back. It’s best to check the opening hours on Google Maps before you set off.
Straight after brunch we had two wafers, one nut and one coconut, and they were excellent.
We bought them at the Original Karlovarské oplatky shop, and we go back every time we’re in Karlovy Vary. It’s pleasant in there and they have a big choice of flavours. But 20 CZK (about €0.8) per wafer is the normal price – you’ll pay the same at most places, even right on the colonnade.
If hunger strikes around the Grandhotel Pupp, all you’ll find is very ordinary bistros or expensive restaurants. In the restaurants by the Pupp, budget 400 CZK (about €17) or more for a meal.
But once you walk on from the Pupp, past the Hot Spring and a little further away from the colonnades, prices drop and you’ll come across restaurants and places that are more affordable.
For comparison, here’s what we paid for food: eggs Benedict at Republica Coffee cost 209 CZK (about €8.6). We only went for something savoury towards the end of the trip, at a grill stall, where we had a sausage with bread, horseradish, mustard and ketchup for 180 CZK (about €7.4).
Hotel Thermal stands by the river Teplá, a short way from the colonnades. Next to the hotel there’s also a pillar with the logo of KVIFF, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Thermal is the festival’s main hub. The festival is held every year in early July, and the most recent one was the 60th edition, 3–11 July 2026.
We had to take a look at the car park by the Thermal too, because we’d read dreadful reviews of it, mainly about the underground part. Even from the outside, the entrance took us aback – it’s dark and badly lit.
But the real shock came inside. Damp seeps through the ceiling and the whole car park is very neglected. We didn’t leave the car here, and we have no plans to park here at the moment either.
If you want to take advantage of the Thermal’s good location, park outside. The outdoor car park is open to the public, and according to the price list on site the first 15 minutes are free, then it’s 50 CZK (about €2.1) per hour, or 600 CZK (about €25) for the whole day. Don’t count on it around the festival, though. According to the city, you normally can’t park here from 25 June to 10 July.
You’ll find more car parks, with prices, in our Karlovy Vary parking guide.
But a hotel and its car park are two different things, and our experience is only of the car park, not the rooms. If you’re tempted to stay right by the festival and the thermal pool, you’ll find prices and guest ratings for Hotel Thermal on Booking.com.
By the Thermal we also noticed a banner for Saunia. It’s a wellness centre covering 7,000 m² with a thermal pool and a sauna area, open daily 9:00–23:00. Admission for an adult starts at 699 CZK (about €29).
We didn’t go into Saunia on this trip. The current pool and Saunia price list on the Thermal website has several options, from one hour to a whole day.
Before lunch you have the colonnades almost to yourself. That goes for weekends too – we went on a Saturday and there were few tourists. The only exception was the Park Spring, the first one on the route from most car parks.
In the afternoon we ran into queues twice more: around 13:40 at the Diana funicular and an hour later at the Becherovka museum, where quite a lot of people were standing outside.
Everything we’ve said about empty colonnades applies outside the dates of KVIFF. The festival is held in early July, so unless you’re going for the films, check its dates in advance.
This is what our Saturday, 3 October 2026, looked like. We took the times from the photos on our phones, so they’re accurate give or take a few minutes. From parking the car to Becherovka it took us about four hours.
If you want to repeat our route, take one thing from it above all. When there’s a queue at the first spring, keep going and come back later, and when there’s one at the famous funicular, try the other one.
That’s plenty for one day. If you’d like to combine Karlovy Vary with an overnight stay, it’s also among our tips for a weekend for two in Czechia. And if you’re only just choosing where to go, you’ll find more ideas in our article on day trips from Prague.
We’ve written separate articles on both, so here are just the essentials.
You’ll find the price lists for all the car parks, the rules for driving into the spa zone and free parking in our Karlovy Vary parking guide.
Accommodation: closest to the springs is the spa zone around the colonnades. The wider centre lies around třída T. G. Masaryka, and for peace and quiet head for the neighbourhoods above the town.
All we saw of the Grandhotel Pupp was the lobby and reception. We compare the areas and specific hotels in our Karlovy Vary accommodation guide.
To finish, here are answers to the questions people most often have before a trip to Karlovy Vary. We checked prices and opening times on 4 October 2026.
In roughly four hours, from parking the car to Becherovka, we walked through the colonnades and tried the water from the springs, took the Imperial funicular and the Castle Tower lift, and had a look inside the Grandhotel Pupp. We finished at the Becherovka museum and along the way also managed brunch, wafers and a sausage from a stall.
We looked in at the lobby and the reception even though we weren’t staying there. On its website the hotel invites non-resident guests to its restaurants and bar, and Café Pupp is open daily 11:00–19:00.
If you don’t want to wait, the Imperial. On a Saturday afternoon nobody was waiting there, an ordinary DPKV city public-transport ticket for 25 CZK (about €1) is enough, and the ride takes about a minute. At the Diana the queue stretched outside, and a return ticket for an adult costs 165 CZK (about €6.8).
At the stalls by the colonnades we saw prices ranging from 160 CZK (about €6.6) for a printed one up to 290 CZK (about €12) for a blue-painted one. It depends mostly on the size and the decoration.
No, the museum is open Tue–Sun 9:00–17:00 and closed on Mondays. The shop in the same building is open daily 10:00–18:00. If you’re driving, they won’t pour you any alcohol at the tasting.
We park in the underground garage on náměstí Dr. M. Horákové. It’s 60 CZK (about €2.5) an hour there, and longer stays are 500 CZK (about €21) for 8–24 hours. You’ll find other options and prices in our separate Karlovy Vary parking guide.
Before lunch, when the colonnades are almost empty even at weekends. At the colonnades we only saw a queue at the Park Spring, the first one on the route from the car parks. It’s different during the KVIFF film festival in early July.
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