menu Mariánské Lázně Discover a balm for the body and soul at Mariánské Lázně When you pass through the heart of Mariánské Lázně you have the sense that you have been transported back in time to a century ago with the wave of a magic wand. Splendid spa buildings alternate with blossoming parks in which spa guests sit, sipping contentedly on jugs filled from some of the town’s famous springs. Get to know the story of a town which, at the height of its fame, hosted the most important of statesmen and artists, and remains one of Europe’s most beautiful spa towns. It’s hard to imagine that two centuries ago there was nothing here but a valley of inaccessible forest and bubbling swamps. However, when Johann Josef Nehr, a doctor from the nearby monastery in Teplá, proved the unique health-giving effects of the local springs, the spa town soon sprang up. Within a few years it was opening its doors to such figures as Chopin, Strauss, Goethe, Kafka, Freud, Kipling, Edison, Twain and Great Britain’s King Edward VII. www map Spa Resort Karlovy Vary Karlovy Vary The incarnation of spa elegance, imposing colonnades, exclusive spa buildings and a wonderful layout in the heart of a forested valley. That is Karlovy Vary. The best known town in the world renowned West Bohemian Spa Triangle, in which some of the most famous figures in European artistic and cultural life have enjoyed treatment, is today the second most visited spot in the Czech Republic. Thanks to its unique architecture, it is one of Europe’s most beautiful spas. Legend has it that Karlovy Vary was founded by the Czech king and holy Roman emperor Charles IV in the 14th century. It is said that the ruler discovered a unique spring here while out hunting deer. Over the centuries a spa town has developed here whose fame has surpassed the borders of Bohemia, with Karlovy Vary becoming synonymous with charm and social standing. It has welcomed such figures as Goethe, Beethoven, Gogol, Paganini, Casanova, and Mozart, along with dozens of heads of state, while in recent times it has hosted many movie stars thanks to its film festival, which is one of Europe’s most important. www map Mariánské Lázně