The Czech Republic - Eastern Europe - page 256

semiprecious inlaid gems adorning its walls; the Chapel of St. Catherine, Karel IV's
own private oratory; the Church of Our Lady; and the library.
Note that you need to make a reservation to visit the Holy Rood Chapel on Tour
2 ( & 274-008-154; fax [phone]; www.spusc.cz or www.hradkarlstejn.cz). The
shorter Tour 1 costs 200K c ($8.30/£4) adults, 100K c ($4.15/£2) students, 20K c
(85¢/40p) children under 6. Tour 2 with the Holy Rood Chapel costs 300K c
($12/£6) adults, 100K c ($4.15/£2) students, free for children under 6. The castle is
open Tuesday to Sunday: May, June, and September 9am to noon and 12:30 to 5pm;
July and August 9am to noon and 12:30 to 6pm; April and October 9am to noon and
1 to 4pm; November, December, and March 9am to noon and 1 to 3pm; closed Jan-
uary and February.
4 Bohemia
Though Bohemia has historically been undivided, there are clear-cut distinctions in
the region's geography that make going from town to town easier if you “divide” it into
sections. After exploring Prague, decide which area you'd like to see first and then plan
accordingly.
Once the religious hotbed of the country, south Bohemia (where you'll find Karlovy
Vary) was a focal point of the Hussite wars that eventually ravaged many of its towns
and villages. Though the days of war took their toll, the region still features fine exam-
ples of architecture from every era. West Bohemia (see C esk ; Krumlov below), home
to the country's spa towns, is one of the few places where a full-blown tourist infra-
structure is already in place.
KARLOVY VARY (CARLSBAD)
120km (74 miles) W of Prague
The discovery of Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) by Charles IV reads like a 14th-century
episode of the TV show The Beverly Hillbillies. According to local lore, the king was
out huntin' for some food when up from the ground came a-bubblin' water (though
discovered by his dogs and not an errant gunshot). Knowing a good thing when he
saw it, Charles immediately set to work building a small castle in the area, naming the
town that evolved around it Karlovy Vary, which translates as “Charles's Boiling
Place.” The first spa buildings were built in 1522, and before long, notables like
Albrecht of Wallenstein, Peter the Great, and later Bach, Beethoven, Freud, and Marx
all came to Karlovy Vary for a holiday retreat.
After World War II, Eastern bloc travelers discovered the town, and Karlovy Vary
became a destination for the proletariat. On doctors' orders, most workers would
enjoy regular stays of 2 or 3 weeks, letting the mineral waters ranging from 110°F to
162°F (43°C-72°C) from the town's 12 springs heal their tired and broken bodies.
Even now, a large number of spa guests are here by a doctor's prescription.
Today, some 150,000 people, both traditional clientele and newer patrons, travel to
the spa resort every year to sip, bathe, and frolic, though most enjoy the “13th spring”
(actually a hearty herb-and-mineral liqueur called Becherovka) as much as—if not more
than—the 12 nonalcoholic versions. Czechs will tell you that all have medical benefits.
GETTING THERE
At all costs, avoid the train from Prague, which takes over 4 hours on a circuitous
route. If you're arriving from another direction, Karlovy Vary's main train station is
connected to the town center by bus no. 11.