Karlovy Vary Self-Guided Walking Tour: Eight Spa Landmarks

Follow the Hot Spring Colonnade and eight landmarks at your own speed, with audio stories and quizzes built into each stop.

This self-guided walking tour of Karlovy Vary runs entirely on your smartphone with no app download required. You move through eight stops along the town's UNESCO-listed spa architecture (from Grandhotel Pupp to the Hot Spring Colonnade where the Vřídlo geyser rises) at whatever pace suits you, pausing for coffee or a sip from the springs whenever you choose. At each stop, an audio story explains the place, followed by a short quiz or riddle to test what you've heard. The route covers about 2 km and takes around 1.5 hours, available in seven languages, with a free eSIM included to keep you online while you walk.

Step-by-step itinerary

Self-guided walking tour of Karlovy Vary

• Pass Grandhotel Pupp facade
• Pass Imperial Spa building
• Pass statue of Charles IV
• Pass Church of St Mary Magdalene
• Pass Hot Spring Colonnade
• Pass Market Colonnade
• Pass Castle Tower viewpoint
• Pass Mill Colonnade and finish

The experience

The Hot Spring Colonnade and its Vřídlo geyser anchor the route, but the walk builds around eight stops that trace how Karlovy Vary became a spa destination. You'll pass Grandhotel Pupp's grand facade beside the river, the Imperial Spa's landmark building, the Church of St Mary Magdalene, and the Castle Tower lookout point. The audio guide explains what you're seeing: the story behind the hotel's long guest list, how the town's thermal water rises from underground, why Charles IV is linked to the town's founding. A short quiz or riddle at each stop turns the moment into something closer to a game than a lecture, so you're testing what you've just heard rather than passively moving through.

The route is self-contained and flexible: you set the rhythm. At 2 km and roughly 1.5 hours, it fits into a morning or an afternoon, but you can stretch it by stopping for a coffee at one of the colonnades or lingering to sip from the springs themselves. No app to download means you open the Ciceru experience on your phone, follow the map, and move between stops on your own schedule. A free eSIM is included so you stay connected throughout the walk: the audio guide and map both need internet on your phone, so the eSIM keeps you online without burning through your own data.

The tour is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and three additional languages. Service animals are welcome on the route.

What’s included

• Self-guided tour accessed on your smartphone with no app to download.
• audio guide with a quiz or riddle at each of the eight stops.
• free eSIM to keep your phone online throughout the walk.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Ciceru

Is this one for you?At 1.5 hours, the walk fits into a morning or afternoon without consuming your whole day, so you can pair it with other Karlovy Vary stops or a longer meal. The self-guided format means you move at your own speed and pause whenever the mood strikes: ideal if you prefer to wander without keeping up with a group or a fixed schedule.

Top questions

What is the Vřídlo geyser and where do I see it on the walk?

The Vřídlo geyser is the town's hot spring that rises from underground, located at the Hot Spring Colonnade (Vřídelní kolonáda), one of the eight stops on the route. The audio guide explains how the thermal water reaches the surface and why it shaped Karlovy Vary's identity as a spa town.

Do I need to download an app to use this tour on my phone?

No app download is required. You open the Ciceru experience directly on your smartphone, follow the map, and move between the eight stops at your own pace. The tour runs entirely through your phone's browser.

How long does the walk take and can I pause along the way?

The route takes around 1.5 hours to cover 2 km, but you can pause whenever you like, for a coffee at one of the colonnades, a sip from the springs, or simply to rest. The tour is self-paced, so the total time depends on how long you spend at each stop.

What happens at each stop on the tour?

At every stop, you hear an audio story about the landmark or place you're standing in front of: its history, its role in the town, or the story behind it. After the audio, you answer a short quiz or riddle to test what you've just learned, which makes the experience feel more like a game than a lecture.

Is internet connection required to use this tour?

Yes, your phone needs internet to access the audio guide and map. A free eSIM is included with the tour so you can stay online while you walk without using your own data plan.

Which languages is the audio guide available in?

The tour is available in seven languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and three others. You select your language when you open the tour on your phone.