*A circuit to the Diana lookout tower and viewpoints in the hills above Karlovy Vary – 6 km*

• Karlovy Vary is the largest spa town in the country and one of the eleven most famous European spas that were collectively added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2021. It is a grand resort, in every sense, full of elegant Art Deco and Classicist architecture that has attracted film stars and royalty for centuries. In the 14th century, Bohemian king (and Holy Roman Emperor) Charles IV established Karlovy Vary, to enable his subjects to enjoy the many unique hot mineral springs that line the valley.
• Perhaps the most well known walk immediately in the area of Karlovy Vary is the trip up to the Diana lookout tower, originally constructed just before WW I. In addition to the tower, offering a very broad panorama, there is a unique tropical butterfly house, a mini zoo for children to explore and a well regarded restaurant with a terrace.
• Many people take the easy way up, catching the funicular (itself a historical monument, over a hundred years old), which runs throughout the year from just behind the famous Grandhotel Pupp. This is not a bad idea as it saves nearly 200m of ascent.
• However, for the full experience of reaching the Diana lookout, it is recommended to brave the sections of steps and forest footpaths and walk up (and down!) from Karlovy Vary. There are several more excellent viewpoints on both the ascent and descent routes and it is possible to create a nice circular tour that ascends on one side of the hill and descends on the other side, finishing with a walk through the center of Karlovy Vary.
• The suggested route is just over 6 km long, with around 250m of height to ascend/descend. In addition to the refreshments on offer at the Diana restaurant, after completing the walk, why not give perhaps the most famous café in the town a try? The Café Pupp is attached to the Grandhotel, but can be visited even if not staying there. In summer, the outside terrace area is not that formal and there is often a very nice mobile ice cream stall located there, serving probably the best ice cream in town.

Note: click ‘Show on Mapy.com’  to go to a full screen version of the route directly on the mapy.com site. This can be used for on line navigation, saved or exported as a GPX file.

Directions

• Starting at the center of the resort (next to Jánský bridge) pick up the YELLOW hiking trail heading in the direction of Kamzík
• The trail ascends a series of steps that start between two Art Deco mansions, just a few meters from the bridge
• After 400m reach the first viewpoint, with the well known statue of a chamois on a rock
• Continue climbing for a further 300m to reach the second viewpoint (Peter the Great)
• From there follow the terrace path – still YELLOW – for 700m to reach the Pod Dianou trail junction
• At the junction turn right onto the BLUE trail which leads up to the Diana tower after 500m
• After exploring the area around the tower, return back down the BLUE trail to the Pod Dianou junction
• At the junction, turn right onto the YELLOW trail heading in the direction of Vyhlidka Karla IV.
• The Charles IV viewing tower is reached after 700m
• Descend on the forest footpath (still marked YELLOW) for 1.2 km until reaching the river and the bridge at the U Poštovní Dvora junction
• Here, turn left onto the RED trail and follow this back into town, reaching the Grandhotel Pupp after 1.5 km and the resort center in another 400m