Nature, spa towns and castles in Cheb District

In Cheb District, Soos combines a distinctive peat-bog landscape with springs, carbon dioxide emissions and an accessible nature trail. Culture enthusiasts will also find notable sites: the castles range from Romanesque origins to later Gothic and Renaissance features.

Peat-bog landscape and springs at Soos

Soos is a national nature reserve in the Cheb Basin, six kilometres northeast of Františkovy Lázně, and is part of the Natura 2000 network. Its protected habitats include inland salt meadows, transition mires and peat bogs. A deep peat bog lies in the northern basin; there was once a shallow lake in the south, but it has since disappeared. Another feature of the area is a diatomaceous earth layer several metres thick. Common cranes regularly nest here.

Mineral springs and carbon dioxide emissions, known as mofettes, also shape Soos. Bubbling mud pools resemble pseudovolcanoes. Visitors can taste water from two captured springs. The nature trail is accessible and takes about an hour. It starts and ends at Nový Drahov–Kateřina railway station; a red-marked hiking trail also connects Soos with Františkovy Lázně. This gives you both the approximate time required and the start and end points of the nature trail, while the link to Františkovy Lázně offers another point of reference for planning your trip.

Castles and spa towns with stories of their own

Františkovy Lázně (Franzensbad) and Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad) are among the Great Spa Towns of Europe. Kynžvart Castle was Metternich’s grand summer residence. Its collections include works of art, coins, weapons, rare books, manuscripts and curiosities. Vildštejn is a castle in Skalná with origins in the Romanesque period. It stands on a granite spur above a stream valley; a moat separates it from the town.

Seeberg also reflects several periods of construction: the late Romanesque ministerial castle dates from the late 12th century and was later remodelled in the Gothic style. The courtyard contains a Renaissance wing with an arcade. The farmyard includes agricultural buildings and a Baroque barn; the palas combines Romanesque and Gothic features. Cheb Castle is an example of an imperial palace, with a history dating back to the 12th century. Its courtyard is open to visitors. Today, Pachelbel House houses a museum; the house is also associated with the murder of Albrecht z Valdštejna.

Things to do and trip-planning tips

Krajinka is a recreational and sports area on both banks of the Ohře below Cheb Castle. A pedestrian promenade is lined with playgrounds; there is also a minigolf course, a lookout tower near the Vávrova footbridge and a picnic lawn with several grills. The public municipal swimming pool at the Jesenice reservoir is in Dřenice. A well-maintained route passes the Egerwarte lookout point, Stein-Hof and Komorní hůrka on its way to Františkovy Lázně.

Spa wafers are considered a traditional speciality in the wider Karlovy Vary Region. When choosing where to stay, you can first decide what you would like to focus on during your trip: Soos offers a peat-bog landscape, springs and a nature trail; Cheb combines its castle with Krajinka.

Discover more destinations: Lázně Kynžvart, Mnichov, Skalná, Velký Luh, Skalka U Chebu, Teplá, Cetnov, Třebeň, Lipová, Hranice, Františkovy Lázně, Dolní Žandov, Mariánské Lázně, Hazlov, Drmoul, Cheb, Pomezí nad Ohří, Aš, Nový Kostel, Libá, Luby, Nebanice, Plesná, Vojtanov, Křižovatka, Třebeň, Milhostov, Třtěnice U Mariánských Lázní, Křižovatka, Trstěnice, Milíkov, Vlkovice, Krásná, Poustka, Habartov, Podhradí, Prameny, Stará Voda, Krásná, Hohendorf - Abaschin, Velká Hleďsebe, Poutnov, Krásná U Aše

For the overview of the wider region: Karlovy Vary.