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The Spa Towns of the Czech Republic

The country's wellness destinations tap into the healing properties of water, indulgent treatments and a culture of healthy rejuvenation

By Vanessa Dewson

We are gathered around a fountain, one of 15 found in Karlovy Vary. We take turns filling small porcelain cups with a handle that doubles as a straw. I fill my spa cup only a quarter of the way, still a little wary about drinking water directly from an underground spring. As the warm, bubbly mineral water hits my taste buds, I remind myself that people have been drinking from these springs for centuries. Their healing properties still draw thousands of visitors to this part of the Czech Republic every year. And now that three of its spa towns have been recognized by the UNESCO World Heritage List of the Great Spa Towns of Europe (Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně and Františkovy Lázně), more wellness seekers are coming.

Mariánské Lázně

˝ CZECH REPUBLIC TOURISM

Karlovy Vary

Làzně means “spa” in Czech but since it’s so close to the German border, you may also hear these towns referred to as Karlsbad, Marienbad and Franzensbad. Together, they create the West Bohemian Spa Triangle. Drinking the mineral-rich water is not the only way to get its health benefits. Bathing in the naturally carbonated water is thought to decrease blood pressure, ease inflammation and improve circulation.

˝ CZECH REPUBLIC TOURISM

After sitting in a long metal tub filled with bubbly water for 20 minutes, my skin felt soft. When the spa attendant came back to my private room, she guided me to a bed where I was wrapped in a sheet and told to relax for another 10 minutes. I happily obliged. If I didn’t feel like getting wet, I could have had a dry bath where I would lay down, fully clothed, inside a long bag sealed around your chest and pumped full of carbon dioxide to be absorbed through my skin.

One session of either treatment isn’t enough to feel any long-term health effects, so most guests stay for two to three weeks. (Czech citizens can have their stays covered by their health insurance.) Many spa hotels have medical doctors on staff along with other healthcare practitioners. They have a very holistic approach to treating the mind and the body, prescribing walks in the parks or nature reserves nearby, like the Kladská peat bog. Its peat is also used in treatments and spa products.

Karlovy Vary

Walking along the colonnades where the fountains are found, I’m transported back in time and can easily picture people in Victorian dress milling about, spa cups in hand, nibbling on the thin, tasty spa wafers for which the region is known. But inside the spa hotels, you will find cuttingedge modern amenities. For example, the Savoy Westend Hotel in Karlovy Vary boasts a 3,000 square-metre wellness centre with more than 300 treatments as well as a pool, salt cave and steam bath.

Mariánské Lázně

˝ CZECH REPUBLIC TOURISM

Another popular option is the historic Grandhotel Pupp, established in 1701. Brass plaques by the entrance list the dates and names of famous people who have stayed there, from Beethoven to Morgan Freeman. It was also the filming location for James Bond’s Casino Royale (2006). Meanwhile, King Edward II of England went for treatments at the Ensana Nové Lázně Health Spa Hotel in Mariánské Lázně.

Today, you don’t need to be royalty to be pampered. Like at most spa hotels, an initial medical consultation will help narrow down which treatments would be most beneficial or with a room-only package, you pick them à la carte.

Whether you are looking for a place to heal, recuperate, or simply relax, the beautiful historic spa towns of the Czech Republic are the perfect spots for a European wellness getaway.

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