Great Spas of Europe

Karlovy Vary (also Karlsbad or Carlsbad) in the Czech Republic, one of the most well-known spa towns in the world, is leading the way as the project coordinator in a bid to be recognized by UNESCO along with other spa towns from France, Germany, Austria and Italy. The nominations will be submitted in 2015 for World Heritage status for the trans-national  „Great Spas of Europe“ group.

Karlovy Vary

Four spas towns in the Czech Republic are involved in the project group. Three of the towns – Karlovy Vary, Františkovy Lázně and Mariánské Lázně –  lie relatively close together and make up what is known as the West Bohemian Spa Triangle. The fourth spa town is Luhačovice in East Moravia, which is currently cooperating with the WelDest project team in their research on Health and Well-being destinations. In 2008 the West Bohemiam Spa Triangle submitted their own application to be recognized as a World Heritage site, but was placed on a tentative list with UNESCO as they requested further studies to look at other spas.

It remains to be seen whether the bid will be accepted, but throughout this complex process the Great Spas of Europe group continues to work toward ensuring that each of the project members fulfill the criteria necessary to be granted World Heritage status and determining the details of the management plan should they be accepted.