7 Days in Prague & Czech Spas
Skip Prague's crowds and head to Karlovy Vary, Europe's most elegant spa town, where couples soak in thermal pools, sip healing waters from ornate colonnades, and explore mountain walks under snow. Add a day in nearby Mariánské Lázně and one back in Prague's quieter districts for a winter romance that's warm, affordable, and authentically Czech.
What to expect
- Bathe in naturally heated thermal springs at Mill Colonnade.
- Stroll snowy forest trails around Grandhotel Pupp.
- Taste Becherovka herbal liqueur at its source, Becher Museum.
- Explore Mariánské Lázně's Belle Époque spa architecture.
- Attend a concert in Prague's winter classical season.
Day by day
Train from Prague (2.5 hours); check into a spa hotel and collect your thermal water cups.
Walk the Tepla River through town; bathe your feet in the hot springs at Vřídlo Colonnade.
Dinner at a traditional Czech restaurant; try tripe soup and goulash with dark beer.
Couples spa treatment: massage and mud wrap at your hotel spa.
Promenade along Stará Louka; visit the ornate Mill Colonnade and sip five springs, each with mineral properties.
Concert at the Grandhotel Pupp (usually classical); warm mulled wine in the lobby afterwards.
Guided winter hiking in the forests north of town; spot frozen streams and snowy clearings.
Tour of Jan Becher Museum; taste Becherovka liqueur and learn the secret formula (it's still locked away).
Fondue dinner at a cosy wine bar in the Old Town.
Train to Mariánské Lázně (1 hour); wander the Central Colonnade and Russian Orthodox Church.
Hike to HaIDE viewpoint overlooking snow-covered valleys; champagne from a flask at the top.
Return to Karlovy Vary; quiet night-bath in thermal pools under stars.
Rent a car; scenic drive through snowy Bohemian countryside to Prague.
Check in to a small hotel in Vinohrady district; walk to Riegrovy sady (Rieger Gardens) for city views.
Dinner at Eska, a beloved modern-Czech restaurant in Vinohrady.
Prague Castle tour (fewer crowds in winter); see St. Vitus Cathedral and Golden Lane.
Wander Nerudova street down to Petřín Park; take the funicular up the Petřín Lookout tower.
Cocktails at Negroni bar in Vinohrady; dinner at a local wine bar like Vinicka Galerija.
Cross Charles Bridge at 7am when it's empty; watch sunlight on the Vltava and sculptures.
Last coffee and trdelník (sweet pastry) in Old Town Square; browse antiquarian bookshops.
Depart for airport or train.
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