Mariánské Lázně

First there was a swamp, then in the 1200s period people started to realise that the water in the area was different to river water. When drank or bathed in, people felt better and so the beginnings of Mariánské Lázně were formed. Over the next centuries the town developed into a retreat for the aristocracy of Europe a sophisticated place to take the medicinal waters. Happily now, anyone gets to drink the water for free and the treatments have changed somewhat over the years, to include dry gas baths.

I was lucky and won the top prize at the IWAP Christmas raffle. This was a two night stay with breakfast and dinner, spa treatments and use of the facilities at the beautiful Hvedza hotel in Mariánské Lázně. I was given a splendid big room with views to the colonnade and across the town. The hotel is very stylish and boasts the largest swimming pool in the town. It is as classy from the outside as it is on the inside, all very up-to-date, without losing any of the old world charm. My husband is always traveling and unavailable for such treats, so on this occasion my Mother flew in from England, a woman who is in early 70’s, who loves to be spoilt. The mention of a couple of days at Mariánské Lázně and she was flapping her boarding pass and making her way onto the plane.

The drive to Mariánské Lázně is about two hours from Prague, you can get there by train or bus, we enjoyed seeing some sights along the way and made a stop at Plzen and a few other destinations. The town is surrounded by hills and has a ski area within a short walk from the main town. The snow was still there when we left at the end of March and school children were out on the slopes. There are many pretty walks in the woods, around the town and up into the hills. We did a couple of short walks, just an hour or so in the woods, enjoying spotting the evidence that Spring had arrived, as the sunshine streamed in through the trees.

The town is in a valley, the springs are throughout the valley with various fountains. In 1528 King Ferdinand ordered tests be made on the salts in the water. This is the start of the science behind the healing properties of Mariánské Lázně. The first ‘Spa House’ was opened in 1805, by 1818 Mariánské Lázně was declared a public spa by Government decree. By the mid 19th Century everyone who was anyone was going to take the waters: Geothe, Chopin, all manner of princes and princesses. The time between 1870 and 1914 were the heydays for the town, my very own British King Edward VII went there to open the Golf Course. From the Tsars of Russia the Princesses of Europe all were enjoying the waters, the railway line made it much easier for the crowds to get to Mariánské Lázně. The glamour is shown in the stunning architecture of the town and the number of art deco buildings with amazing facades and mosaics. In the 1920’s and 1930’s Masaryk and Benes were also frequent visitors to Mariánské Lázně to recharge themselves from the drain of political life.

In 2019, it was me and my Mum. We enjoyed the CO2 dry gas bath: you get into a massive white bin bag, the goes up to your chest, it is then secured tightly around your chest. Then you lie on a bed whilst a nurse fills the bag with natural carbon dioxide (sourced locally). You lie there for thirty minutes and the effect is meant to be increased blood flow, this in turn improves sexual function and general increased cardiovascular benefits. Needless-to-say the waiting room was full of very old men. We enjoyed a massage and a special mineral bath, that looked like pond water but smelt lovely. We swam in beautiful pools, enjoyed the bubbles of the jacuzzi and popped our heads into the sauna. Being British we found it beyond our abilities to strip off and go in naked. We wear our swimming costumes in the UK but it is not permitted in Mariánské Lázně. Maybe one day we will feel brave enough to shed our clothing and enjoy the sauna.

If you have not been, I highly recommend a trip, whether for the day, an overnight or several days. There really is something for everyone, from teeth whitening, to proper medical treatments for asthma and all manner of other ailments. The town is picturesque, the countryside beautiful and all relatively near to Prague. A special piece of Czech history that is wonderful to experience.

Helen, previous IWAP President, is a long time supporter of IWAP, she is very active in the international Prague community. She enjoys living in Prague with her husband.