Travels with Terri

So just where in the world is Karlovy Vary? I’ll give you a few hints. It is a famous spa destination in Europe. It hosts an International Film Festival and is a popular film location. Celebrities who have visited include Daniel Craig, Morgan Freeman, Robert Redford, and Sharon Stone. It is also known as Carlsbad. Still stumped? I had never heard of Karlovy Vary until I watched the delightful film “Last Holiday” starring Queen Latifah and Gérard Dépardieu. I immediately fell in love with its beauty and old-world charm and knew that I had to visit it someday. Luckily, it is about an hour bus ride from Prague in the Czech Republic, so we planned a three night stay there in April of 2019.

We stayed at the charming Alisa Hotel along the Teplá River which was built in the mid 1890’s. Our spacious apartment offered stunning views of the famous Grandhotel Pupp on the opposite side of the river. Decorated in warm shades of yellow, gold, and green, the apartment includes a large bedroom, well-equipped kitchenette, modern bathroom with tiled walls and floors, and a lounge with a sofa, chair, dining set, and television. Both the bedroom and lounge have crystal chandeliers and ceiling to floor curtains. A complimentary buffet breakfast was included in our room rate and featured a variety of pastries, fruits, eggs, and meats in addition to coffee, tea, and juices.

On our second day, we took the funicular near the Grandhotel Pupp to visit Diana Tower. Built in 1914 and situated at 1,795 feet (547 meters) above sea level it offers sweeping views of Karlovy Vary, the Ore Mountains, and the German borderlands. There is an elevator, or you can climb 150 steps to the lookout gallery. Admission to the tower is free and the funicular costs about $6.50 per person for a round trip. Near the tower is Diana Restaurant, which offers both indoor and outdoor dining and a variety of Czech and International dishes. After a delicious lunch, we went to the Butterfly House for an up-close encounter with hundreds of exotic butterflies. As there are no barriers between visitors and the butterflies, we were thrilled when they landed on us for a brief rest. Admission is around $6.00 per person.

Karlovy Vary is the site of numerous hot springs and is the most visited spa town in the Czech Republic. Its name means “Charles’ Baths” since it was founded in the 14th century by the King of Bohemia Charles IV. According to legend, the King discovered a hot spring in a nearby forest that healed his injured leg. For centuries after, visitors from all over the world flocked to Karlovy Vary to swim in its hot springs. Over time, it was discovered that the best way to absorb the benefits of the water was by drinking it and in the 18th century, the first public spa (Mill Spa) was opened. In the late 1800’s three Colonnade Springs (Mill, Park, and Market) were built to provide healing water to visitors. The waters range in temperature between 102 to 163 degrees F (39 to 73 degrees C) and provide various health benefits. In 2021, Karlovy Vary became a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a “Great Spa Towns of Europe” due to its spas and architecture from the 18th through 20th centuries.

As a belated birthday surprise for Rick, I booked a Chef’s Table dinner at Le Marché Restaurant. Dining in the kitchen and being served by the Executive Chef is a truly special experience. Each course was impeccably presented with an in-depth description of the ingredients and preparation. Our dinner included duck terrine with plum sauce, tuna tartare with lime and sesame seeds, grilled prawns with orange slices and cilantro, pan seared scallops over ratatouille, and brioche with berries and creme fraiche. A Chef’s Table dinner in cities like Paris, Prague, or Lisbon, can easily cost over $250 per person just for the food. Our bill was less than $200 (including four glasses of wine, a coffee, and a whisky.) A bargain for a 10-course gourmet meal and drinks!

The Grandhotel Pupp has a fascinating history which dates back more than three centuries. The Pupp family purchased a portion of the property in 1778, added the new Parkhotel in 1877, and opened the new Grandhotel Pupp in 1894. It quickly became the pride of Karlovy Vary, hosting VIP guests from around the world. Between 1907 and 1910, the hotels facades were reconstructed in a Neo-Baroque style. In 1923, each room was upgraded to the highest standards of the day and equipped with a toilet and a bathroom with hot water. The Pupp Royal Spa, a unique wellness center, was opened in 2013. It is a truly stunning hotel and the most beautiful that I have seen in all my travels.

On our last night in Karlovy Vary we went to Becher’s, an English style bar in the Grandhotel Pupp for a nightcap. Located in the basement, the stylish interior features plaid rugs, leather and upholstered chairs, gold columns, and Tiffany-style lamps. Framed photos of celebrity guests including Dame Judi Dench, John Malkovich, and Harvey Keitel are displayed on the walls. On our way back to our hotel, we noticed that the Grandrestaurant was empty, so we wandered in to have at look at the stunning interior. The ornate dining room features gold marble columns and an intricately painted ceiling in various shades of brown and gold. Adjacent to the Grandrestaurant is Malá Dvorana, a Neo-Baroque restaurant with a monumental crystal chandelier and a modern glass bar. Large format black and white photographs of film legends decorate the walls. Shot inside the hotel by photographer Tono Stano, the images are both creative and playful. Not the usual artwork one would expect to see in such an elegant space, but I loved the juxtaposition of modern and classic. As a photographer, seeing these wonderful images brought me so much joy and was a picture-perfect end to our time in Karlovy Vary!

In my next blog, we travel to Berlin to learn more about its history, architecture, and culture. Stayed tuned!