Day 2: KARLOVY VARY - LOKET - MARIÁNSKÉ LÁZNE - CESKY KRUMLOV
Saturday, May 8, 2010
At 7 o'clock the alarm sounds with what we set in motion, to take a shower and go down to breakfast at the breakfast room of the Karlovy Vary hotel, the Boston Hotel, the hotel where we stayed at Karlovy Vary. Today we are going to visit two of the most important spa cities in the Czech Republic: Karlovy Vary and Mariánské Lázne.
The breakfast is quite concise, but sufficient and in the end we end up with a full stomach against what we had thought.
At 8:30 in the morning we set off to visit Karlovy Vary, the first and most famous spa town in the Czech Republic we arrived yesterday starting our route through the Czech Republic by rental car.
We started doing the walking tour through Karlovy Vary, which is recommended by the Lonely guide and which is very successful to have a first contact with the city.
Karlovy Vary, one of the spa cities of the Czech Republic
We start at the Café Elefant, which is very close to the hotel and from there we see the City Theater. Before continuing we approach the hotel that served as the setting for the movie Casino Royale.
Karlovy Vary, one of the spa cities of the Czech Republic
We return on our steps, to continue with the tour, all this without stopping to take photos of the spectacular buildings.
Karlovy Vary, one of the spa cities of the Czech Republic
We go through the Mary Magdalene Church, then stop at the concrete building of the Colonnade of the Hot Fountain, inside we see the geyser that emanates continuously.
And there we are going to buy our jarritas, to start testing the waters that it offers us the spa town of Karlovy Vary.
Karlovy Vary, one of the spa cities of the Czech Republic
Before arriving, we have passed through the Colonnade of the Mill, but we have not stopped too much, since before we wanted to go buy the jarritas and we decided to see it on the way back.
Karlovy Vary, one of the spa cities of the Czech Republic
We continue along the river, until we reach the Park ColonnadeWhere do we test our first little jar of water and what to say? Well, the truth is that not much. We had heard that it was not very good, but seeing that everyone was drinking, we thought it was just an opinion. Well, there is another similar opinion: ours.
We tried to try 3 different sources and it was impossible to pass the first drink.
More practical information to prepare your trip to Czech Republic
- How to go from Prague to Karlovy Vary
- How to go from Prague to Cesky Krumlov
- 10 essential places to see in the Czech Republic
- 10 essential tips for traveling to the Czech Republic
Although this has been a pure anecdote, since we have not stopped carrying our jug in our hands throughout our journey through Karlovy Vary.
From here we have gone to Dvorak gardens, where we passed yesterday and the neatness in the streets has continued to surprise us.
Karlovy Vary
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- Excursion to Karlovy Vary from Prague
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From here we have taken one of the upper streets, to go to the Russian Orthodox Church, which we have found after a short walk and a few ups.
We have come back down, to take the last photos and see again the Colonnade of the Mill.
With the sunlight, this area is spectacular, the architecture leaves you amazed and makes you think of the “glamor” that the guides tell us when they explain all the things to see in Karlovy Vary.
Karlovy Vary, one of the spa cities of the Czech Republic
We leave Karlovy Vary with a very good taste, to go to Loket, which is about 15 minutes away and continue our route through the Czech Republic.
The reason is to see its castle, one of the emblems of the city.
We are doing very well in time, so we entertain ourselves for a while strolling through the town and going up to Loket Castle, to see it more closely.
Loket
Our idea on this trip is to see only the castles on the outside, we will only visit a couple, since we are not big lovers of seeing them inside and we also have a fairly tight time.
Loket Castle
After Loket, we are on our way to Mariánské Lázne, the second of the spa cities of the Czech Republic We will visit today.
The tour takes us a little more than half an hour, something more than expected since our GPS takes us along a secondary road, which is well worth it because it is spectacular, seeing us surrounded by a lush forest that has nothing to envy to those who We saw last year in the US.
Once we arrived in the city of Mariánské Lázne, we managed to park in the "blue zone", where we paid 2 euros to change for a one hour stay.
We look at our planning and see that everything we want to visit is around the park, so before we start with our circuit, we stop on a terrace to let the sun shine a little and have a drink. After this moment of relaxation, we begin our circuit by the monument to the American liberation and continue to make famous Colonnade of Mariánské Lázne.
There we are quite a while, resting, admiring the views and above all, taking photos.
We arrive at the singing fountain and there we see many people waiting to see the waterfalls that we did not take too long to see, so we are moving away from this area to continue with our route.
Mariánské Lázne, one of the spa cities of the Czech Republic
Suddenly the music begins to play and we see that the source "accompanies", so we return a little on our steps, to be able to see more closely the water game that represents the source with the music.
After a good time walking around the area, we go to the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and from here, we go in search of the following Orthodox Church: St. Vladimir.
Mariánské Lázne
After this walk through Mariánské Lázne, our stomach is already like the singing fountain, so we get into the first restaurant we see that is recommended in Triadvisor and by chance, it turns out that it is another Italian.
We leave the restaurant after a good dinner and see that it is starting to sparkle.
Yes, it only sparked when we left and in the 300 meters we had to walk until we reached the rental car in the Czech Republic, changed from that, to a water trickle.
So we had to run a little and get a little wet. It has been fine, since we do not have time for spas, at least we have been wet with rainwater.
Mariánské Lázne, one of the spa cities of the Czech Republic
Our first idea was to sleep in Mariánské Lázne, but once we made the route through the Czech Republic, we decided that it was best to go to Cesky Krumlov and sleep there.
From Mariánské Lázne to Cesky Krumlov we have 3 and a half hours of travel, but we opted for that option as the best, to make the most of tomorrow.
After today, it has been a good choice, since we have won almost half a day.
On the way we have returned to the green landscapes that are attracting so much attention to us and to the tiny villages that we are going through.
The 3 and a half hours pass quickly and we begin to see in the distance the tower of Cesky Krumlov Castle.
We had to go a few laps to find our hotel in Cesky Krumlov, the Švamberský dům
Since the area is not too good to enter by car, but we, we have managed to get almost to the door, by pure stubbornness. Today we have reserved a "suite" in a hotel near the castle.
First impression: stairs. Many. And on top narrow…
Hotel in Cesky Krumlov
A room with a lot of charm, wooden beams, which have been preserved since the time, expands and next to the castle, we can not ask for more.
Nor has it been an excessive price that we have paid, vice versa, so we will not complain too much, it will not be that they listen to us and tomorrow they will not give us breakfast.
After settling in, we went for a walk around Cesky Krumlov, one of the most amazing cities in the Czech Republic. The first impression has been fantastic.
The city is surrounded by a meander of the Vltava River that makes it seem even more so if it fits in a city out of a story.
It is full of shops, bars, restaurants, hotels ... but everything is taken care of to the smallest detail.
Today we did not want to take the camera, since this afternoon was to appreciate it only with the eyes. Tomorrow morning plays the "official visit".
Of course, Roger has not stopped, so now I will download the photos to see how they are left.
Cesky Krumlov
A few minutes before 9 pm we have gone to dinner at a restaurant with a terrace next to the river, overlooking the castle tower that looks spectacular with the lighting at night.
About 10 o'clock we have already made our way to Švamberský dům, because there are already few people in the street and our body asks us for a little rest.
Tomorrow we continue with our route through the Czech Republic.
Day 3CESKY KRUMLOV - HLUBOKÁ CASTLE - CESKÉ BUDEJOVICE - TREBON
