Western Bohemia
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Western Bohemia - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Jelení skok
From Kostel svatého Lukáše, take a sharp right uphill on a redbrick road, then turn left onto a footpath through the woods, following signs to Jelení skok (Stag's Leap). After a while, steps lead up to a bronze statue of a deer looking over the cliffs, the symbol of Karlovy Vary. From here a winding path threads toward a little red gazebo opening onto a mythical panorama that's worth the strenuous hike to the top.
Karlovy Vary, Karlovarský, 360 01, Czech Republic -
2. Pilsner Urquell Brewery
This is a must-see for any beer lover. The first pilsner beer was created in 1842 using the excellent Plzeň water, a special malt fermented on the premises, and hops grown in the region around Žatec. (Hops from this area remain in great demand today.) Guided tours of the brewery, complete with a visit to the brewhouse and beer tastings, are offered daily. The brewery is near the railway station. There are also tours of the nearby Gambrinus brewery.
View Tours and ActivitiesU Prazdroje 7, Plzen, Plzenský, 304 97, Czech Republic377–062–888Sight Details
Rate Includes: Pilsner Urquell Brewery 300 Kč (in English); Gambrinus Brewery 200 Kč (in English) -
3. "Roland" Statue
In the middle of the central square, Náměstí Krále Jiřího z Poděbrad, this statue is similar to other Roland statues seen throughout Bohemia, attesting to the town's royal privileges. (Roland is a figure in medieval and Renaissance literature; his statues are found throughout Europe.) This one represents the town hero, Wastel of Eger. Look carefully at his right foot, and you can see a small man holding a sword and a head—this shows the town had its own judge and executioner.
Nám. Krále Jiřího z Poděbrad, Cheb, Karlovarský, Czech Republic -
4. Chebské muzeum
The building that houses this museum is just as interesting at its collection; it's known as the Pachelbel House, the setting for a murder during the Thirty Years' War. In 1634, General Albrecht von Wallenstein was executed in this house on the orders of Habsburg emperor Ferdinand II. He was provoked by Wallenstein's increasing power and rumors of treason. According to legend, Wallenstein was on his way to the Saxon border to enlist support to fight the Swedes when his own officers barged into his room and stabbed him through the heart with a stave. Wallenstein's stark bedroom has been left as it was with its four-poster bed and dark red velvet curtains. (The story also inspired playwright Friedrich Schiller to write the Wallenstein trilogy; he planned the work while living at the top of the square at No. 2.) The museum is also interesting in its own right, with a Wallenstein family picture gallery, a section on the history of Cheb, and a collection of minerals (including one discovered by Goethe). There's also the stuffed remains of Wallenstein's horse.
Nám. Krále Jiřího z Poděbrad 4, Cheb, Karlovarský, 350 11, Czech Republic601--122--664Sight Details
Rate Includes: 100 Kč, Closed weekdays in Jan. and Feb., Mon. and Tues. in Mar., Apr., and Oct.–Dec., and Mon. May–Sept. -
5. Chebský hrad
Built with blocks of lava taken from the nearby Komorní Hůrka volcano, this castle stands on a cliff overlooking the Ohře River. The castle—now a ruin—was built in the late 12th century for Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. Redbrick walls are 17th-century additions. Inside the castle grounds is the carefully restored double-decker Romanesque chapel, notable for the many lovely columns with heads carved into their capitals. The rather dark ground floor was used by commoners. A bright, ornate top floor was reserved for the emperor and his family, who entered via a wooden bridge leading to the royal palace.
Dobrovského 21, Cheb, Karlovarský, 350 02, Czech Republic602--169--298Sight Details
Rate Includes: 100 Kč, Closed weekdays in Nov.–Mar., and Mon. Apr.–Oct. -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Chodová Planá
Need a break from the rigorous healthiness of spa life? Chodovar Beer Wellness Land is a few miles south of Mariánské Lázně and offers a wellness hotel, two restaurants, and an underground complex of granite tunnels that have been used to age beer since the 1400s. Generous servings of Czech dishes can be ordered to accompany the strong, fresh Chodovar beer tapped directly from granite storage vaults. You can tour the brewery, but don't expect much English commentary. The brewery also offers a beer bath and spa services starting at 690 Kč. The brewery promises it will cause a mild and gradual rise in heart activity and "scour away any unhealthy substances that may have accumulated." There are brewery tours daily at 2 pm.
Pivovarská 107, Chodová Planá, Plzenský, 348 13, Czech Republic374–617–100-spaSight Details
Rate Includes: Tour 140 Kč -
7. Františkův pramen
Under a little gazebo filled with brass pipes sits the town's main spring. The colonnade to the left once displayed a bust of Lenin that was replaced in 1990 by a memorial to the American liberation of the town in April 1945. To the right, in the garden, you'll see a statue of a small cherub holding a fish. The oval neoclassical temple just beyond the spring (amazingly, not painted yellow and white) is the Glauberova dvorana (Glauber Pavilion), where several springs bubble up into glass cases.
Národní ul. at Nám. Miru, Františkovy Lázne, Karlovarský, 350 01, Czech Republic -
8. Hotel Thermal
Built in the late 1960s as the communist idea of luxury, this oversize modern hotel is the main venue of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in early July. Many people, though, consider it an eyesore that's out of step with the rest of the city.
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9. Komorní Hůrka
Red markers indicate a path from Cheb's main square westward along the river and then north past this extinct volcano, now a tree-covered hill. Excavations on one side have laid bare the rock, and one tunnel remains open. Goethe instigated and took part in the excavations, and you can still—barely—make out a relief of the poet carved into the rock face. The volcano is about 2 miles out of town.
Komorní dvůr, Cheb, Karlovarský, Czech Republic -
10. Kostel Maří Magdaleny
To the right of the Vřídlo Colonnade, steps lead up to the white Church of Mary Magdalene. Designed by Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer (architect of the two churches of St. Nicholas in Prague), this is the best of the few baroque buildings still standing in Karlovy Vary. If it's open, try to visit the crypt.
Moravská ul., Karlovy Vary, Karlovarský, 360 01, Czech RepublicNo phoneSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
11. Kostel svatého Lukáše
A five-minute walk up the steep Zámecký vrch from the Market Colonnade brings you to the Victorian, redbrick St. Luke's Church, once a gathering point for the local English community.
Zámecký vrch at Petra Velikého, Karlovy Vary, Karlovarský, 360 07, Czech RepublicSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
12. Kostel svatého Mikuláše
The plain but imposing Church of St. Nicholas was begun in 1230, when it belonged to the Order of Teutonic Knights. Tinkering over the centuries added an impressive Gothic portal and a baroque interior. Just inside the Gothic entrance is a wonderfully faded plaque commemorating the diamond jubilee of Habsburg emperor Franz Joseph in 1908. The church was restored in 2016, and you can now visit the crypt, which has exhibitions, and the south tower, which has a panoramic view of the city.
Cheb, Karlovarský, 350 02, Czech Republic354–422–458Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tower and crypt 20 Kč donation (put coins in the turnstile), Closed Mon. except for Easter Monday -
13. Kostel svatých Petra a Pavla
Six domes top this splendid Russian Orthodox church. It dates to the end of the 19th century, and is decorated with paintings and icons donated by wealthy Russian visitors. You can usually peek inside, daily 9–6.
Třída Krále Jiřího 26, Karlovy Vary, Karlovarský, 360 07, Czech RepublicSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
14. Mětské muzeum
A fascinating peek into spa culture is housed in this small museum, just off Národní ulice. There's a wonderful collection of spa-related antiques, including copper bathtubs and a turn-of-the-20th-century exercise bike called a Velotrab. The guest books provide insight into the cosmopolitan world of pre–World War I Central Europe. The book for 1812 contains the entry "Ludwig van Beethoven, composer from Vienna." Texts are in Czech and German, but not English.
Dlouhá 4, Františkovy Lázne, Karlovarský, 351 01, Czech Republic354–544–308Sight Details
Rate Includes: 50 Kč, Closed Mon., and mid-Dec.–mid-Jan. -
15. Mlýnská kolonáda
This neo-Renaissance pillared hall, along the river, is the town's centerpiece. Built from 1871 to 1881, it has four springs: Rusalka, Libussa, Prince Wenceslas, and Millpond.
Mlýnské nábř., Karlovy Vary, Karlovarský, 360 01, Czech Republic -
16. Náměstí Republiky
The city's architectural attractions center on this main square. Dominated by the enormous Gothic Chrám svatého Bartoloměje (Church of St. Bartholomew), the square is one of the largest in Bohemia. The church, at 335 feet, is among the tallest in the Czech Republic, and its height is rather accentuated by the emptiness of the square around it. There are a variety of other architectural jewels around the perimeter of the square, including the town hall, adorned with sgraffiti and built in the Renaissance style by Italian architects during the town's heyday in the 16th century. The Great Synagogue, which claims to be the second-largest in Europe, is a few blocks west of the square, just outside the green strip that circles the Old Town. Three very modern gold-color fountains were added to the square in 2011; however, not everyone is a fan, as the fountains don't really mesh with the historic surroundings.
Plzen, Plzenský, Czech Republic -
17. Pilsen Beer Spa & Wellness Hotel Purkmistr
While Plzeň lacks the bitter thermal waters that are a draw in the spa region, it is better known for bitter pilsner-style beer. So the opening of a beer spa was inevitable. You can bathe in a custom-made larchwood tub filled with warm beer for a 60-minute treatment. Potable beer is available from a barrel at the same time. The room is lined with stone tiles, and relaxing music plays in the background. The treatment can be combined with a beer massage, or a honey or chocolate massage. Other procedures are also available. The spa is a bit outside of the city center.
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18. Pivovarské muzeum
In a late-Gothic malthouse, this museum sits one block northeast of Náměstí Republiky. All kinds of fascinating paraphernalia trace the region's brewing history, including the horse-drawn carts used to haul the kegs. A phone app is available with info in English.
Veleslavínova 6, Plzen, Plzenský, 301 00, Czech Republic377–062–888Sight Details
Rate Includes: 100 Kč unguided (English text available) -
19. Plzeň Historical Underground
Dating to the 13th century, this is a web of multilevel tunnels. Used for storing food and producing beer and wine, many of the labyrinthine passageways are dotted with wells and their accompanying wooden water-pipe systems. Tours last about 50 minutes. The entrance is in the Brewery Museum.
Veleslavínova 6, Plzen, Plzenský, 301 00, Czech Republic377–235–574Sight Details
Rate Includes: 150 Kč (in English) -
20. Rozhledna Diana
Give your feet a rest. You won't need to walk to one of the best views of the town. Even higher than Stag's Leap sits this observation tower, accessible by funicular from behind the Grandhotel Pupp. There's an elevator to the top of the tower, and a restaurant at the tower's base.
Karlovy Vary, Karlovarský, 360 01, Czech RepublicSight Details
Rate Includes: Funicular from 100 Kč in main season; tower free
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