Hey Guys,
Today's post is extremely special. I was kindly invited by Boho Travels on a press trip to the Czech town of Karlovy Vary (also known as Carlsbad). Karlovy Vary is just a couple of hours west of Prague (where we landed) and just one hour ahead of London. We were picked up by a shuttle bus and whisked off into the Czech countryside to the beautiful spa town...
The Town: Karlovy Vary
The first thing to note about this quaint town, is the beautiful architecture and vibrant buildings. There were plenty of Instagram opportunities (which I of course took great advantage of). The colourful faces line the gorgeous river Tepla which is home to ducks, fish and the mystic steam created from the hot spring water touching the cold winter air.
SHOP THIS POST
The second thing to note would be the abundance of natural spring water fountains that occupy many of the streets. You'll notice people walking around with special ceramic drinking mugs. There are 16 springs scattered about the town from which you are free to collect and drink the water! The water has a slight metallic taste due to the various minerals and each spring supposedly has different healing properties, depending on the differences in temperature and gas levels.
On the evening tour of the town, we went "spring hopping" from fountain to fountain, colonnade to colonnade. The Colonnades were yet another beautiful setting for pictures, as well as sheltering multiple spring water fountains...
The sweetest part of this town comes in the form of a sugary wafer called "Oplatky", a large wafer disc that comes in lots of flavours (my fav is hazelnut). I was semi-addicted to these after the two days and at just 10 koruna (34p) each, these warm treats were a welcome addition to our strolls along the river!
SHOP THIS POST
Accommodation: Hotel Prezident
Hotel Prezident was the gorgeous setting for the majority of our time in Karlovy Vary. This health spa hotel boasts dozens of wonderful treatments to sooth mind, body and soul. These treatments are rooted in two types of spa experiences; wellness spa (the kind I think most of us are used to) and medical spa. The medical spa element is based around a three-week focused programme aimed to help heal conditions using the town's spring water, personally tailored treatments and, in some cases, a food plan.
The Spa
I was mostly interested in the wellness element of the spa, as my health is, for the most part, fine. I enjoyed the wonderful food, prepared by an award-winning chef and the free use of swimming pool, sauna and steam rooms. Not to mention, the fantastic fitness class and aqua fitness class we were treated to as part of the "Boho Angels" programme in collaboration with Boho Travels.
Alongside the traditional spa and beauty treatments such as a full body massage, Indian head massage and manicures, Hotel Prezident also offer some less traditional treatments such as a Scotch Douche and Lymphatic massage.
During our visit, we were able to sample three treatments;
1. Hydromassage bed
2. Oxygenotherapy
3. Parafin wax hand treatment
I thoroughly enjoyed the hydromassage bed which sent me into a deep relaxation state. I always go for massages when visiting a Spa, so it was perfect for me. The bed uses water pressure to massage the body and is great for your muscles!
If, like me, you are a huge lover of spa days, breaks and wellness retreats, I would recommend looking into Boho Travels and Hotel Prezident. Sometimes we can tend to stay within the city we live in when looking for a Spa experience, but for something a little more special, how about combining a city break in Europe with a Spa break! I reckon this experience would also make for a great gift too ;)
Have you been to Prague or Karlovy Vary? Do you enjoy Spa breaks or city breaks? Let me know in the comments!
Eb x
Images by Eboni and Rum Freeman
SHOP THIS POST
No comments