If someone would ask me to describe Karlovy Vary with three words, I would say that it is a picturesque, aristocratic, spa city in Czech Republic. The city is built on the base of a forest hill, while it is crossed by the Tepla River. Beautiful buildings and luxurious hotels stand like ornaments next to the river, including spa centers and jeweler’s stores. It is no coincidence that the “Casino Royale” movie was filmed in a place like that!
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| Spring Museum |
It is true that in Karlovy Vary there are a lot of springs and it is said that they have therapeutic abilities, each one treating a different disease (digestive problems, oncologic diseases, metabolism problems, obesity etc). Unfortunately, there is no welfare paying for a spa therapy in Karlovy Vary, the patient has to pay approximately 5.000 – 10.000 euro for a 6 week treatment. Nevertheless, there is a museum containing springs with water of 30 °C, 50 °C and 72 °C temperature, which is potable and curative. Although I didn’t taste it, because it had an egg smell, I got impressed by that museum and especially by the blower that discharges 2.000 liters of water every minute!
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| Spring |
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| Blower |
About the story of Karlovy Vary and how its springs were found, there is a sculptured paint showing Charles IV going for hunting on Karlovy Vary hills with his companion and hurting a deer. While the deer was running for its life, it fell into a pool with hot water. Charles IV got close to the injured animal and to his astonishment; he saw that there was no bleeding anymore. The deer left, while Charles IV went to the pool to check what had happened. He saw a spring with hot water and from that day he decided to take advantage of the springs.
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| Sculptured paint |
Nowadays, Karlovy Vary is a very touristic area, where the visitor can do a lot of sports and get relaxed in one of the spa centers. Porcelains, Moser glassworks, the Becherovka liqueur, sweet wafers and the traditional water drinking cup are some of the souvenirs that a tourist can buy. I recommend you to taste the wafers, they are really nice.
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