22. 9. 2026 · Penzion Afrika
The nearest spa town is just beyond Cheb. This Empire-style town with yellow houses, colonnades and large parks has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Great Spa Towns of Europe since 2021.
Stroll through the spa quarter, taste the mineral water from one of the springs and stop at the František Spring (Františkův pramen). Close by stands the little statue of František – according to legend, it helps those who touch it. On the Isabella Promenade you will also find a statue of Emperor Francis I, after whom the spa town is named.
From Cheb you can get here in a few minutes by car, bus or train, and in good weather by bike as well. Allow half a day for a walk.
Between Cheb and Františkovy Lázně stands Komorní hůrka – one of the youngest volcanoes in the Czech Republic and a national natural monument. It was made famous by Johann Wolfgang Goethe, who visited it and joined the debate about how it was formed.
A short walk leads to the top, manageable for children and older people too. A popular route starts at the František Spring in Františkovy Lázně and runs just under three kilometres along the red-marked trail – so it combines perfectly with the previous trip.
Soos is a national nature reserve north of Cheb: a peat bog where mofettes – vents of carbon dioxide of volcanic origin – bubble up from the ground. It looks as if the mud is boiling, even though it is cold.
The nature trail is about 1.7 km long, runs along wooden boardwalks and has nine stops with information boards. It starts at the car park in front of the entrance, where there is also a museum. You can get here by car or by train from Cheb on the line towards Luby – get off at the stop near the reserve (Nový Drahov or Hájek; check the current timetable). Allow two to three hours for your visit.
The largest of the spa towns in the area is worth a full day. Stroll along the cast-iron colonnade, listen to the Singing Fountain, which plays at regular times, and head out into the forests surrounding the town. Mariánské Lázně is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Great Spa Towns of Europe.
From Cheb it is about half an hour by car, and there are also direct trains.
If you have a day to spare, head to Loket. The castle on a rock in a bend of the Ohře river and the picturesque square below it are among the most beautiful places in the Karlovy Vary Region. The town is small, so you can visit the castle and take a walk in an afternoon.
Is the guesthouse a good base for trips?
Yes. From Cheb it is about 6 km to Františkovy Lázně and about 30 km to Mariánské Lázně, and in the evening you are back on the terrace with a barbecue grill.
Can you do the trips without a car?
Trains run from Cheb to both Františkovy Lázně and Mariánské Lázně, and a local line goes to Soos. You can walk to Komorní hůrka from Františkovy Lázně.
Which trip is best with children?
Soos, with its nature trail on wooden boardwalks, and the short climb up Komorní hůrka. Both are easy and children enjoy them.
Penzion Afrika
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