First time at the festival
Is this your first time at KVIFF? Then you will surely appreciate these tips and tricks for how to best enjoy your time.
Things to do at the festival
See a movie
Die-hard cinephiles as well as regular filmgoers are sure to find what they’re looking for in Vary. If you want to see a film, you have two options:
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The first and more popular option is to get a Festival Pass, with which you can reserve up to 3 tickets for 3
different showings a day while also enjoying various other benefits. You can get a Festival Pass at the
festival ticket offices in Karlovy Vary starting at 9am on 27 June.
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The second option is to buy individual tickets. This option is most commonly used by visitors who have come to
Vary for just a day and plan to see maybe just one film.
Things to know about tickets
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Tickets are made available for reservation and purchase every day at 7am for screenings held that day and the
following day. This rule applies to reservations/pick-ups using a Festival Pass and also for the purchase of
individual tickets.
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The only exception is 27 June, when presales are launched at 9am for films being screened on the festival’s
first two days – Friday, 28 June and Saturday, 29 June.
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The festival has 25 ticket offices at the Thermal and its surroundings, at the Grandhotel Pupp, and at the tent city.
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For more about Festival Passes, tickets, and reservations, see HERE.
Pro tip: How to see a film without a ticket
If you have a Festival Pass, you can try your luck and get in line in front of your desired film’s screening venue.
People in line are let into the venue 5 minutes before the start of the screening, and so you have a good chance of
getting an empty seat. Bear in mind, however, that empty seats are given away on a first-come,
first-served basis, and admission is not guaranteed.
Check out a party or concert
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The festival’s program of accompanying events has something to offer every day. Enjoy a party with friends or
check out a concert by your favorite band. You can also stop by KVIFF.TV Park or one of the special
zones run by our partners
Accompanying program
Take in a discussion with professionals or another event
Check out the surroundings
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Karlovy Vary and the surrounding region offer lots of destination that you can visit in your free time. The city’s organization responsible for forests and parks especially recommends the Saint Linhart Forest Center and the Goethe Lookout. At the Saint Linhart Forest Center, you can walk along a path lined with animal silhouettes, some of which you can see in the local enclosures. There’s also some amazing tree houses and a popular rope course. At the Goethe Lookout, you can try a zip line. On your hike up to the lookout tower, you will encounter various spooky forest beings.
Day-trippers can make use of the cable car up to the Diana Lookout Tower, where you get a perfect view and can also check out a butterfly house and a mini-zoo. From here, it’s a beautiful walk to the Chamois Statue – the symbol of Karlovy Vary.
Things to know about the festival
Hotel Thermal
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The Thermal is the main festival center. Here, you will find the largest screening hall, which
among other things shows the films in the Crystal Globe competition.
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The hotel is also the place to pick up your Festival Pass and tickets and to purchase festival merch as a
memento. So your first steps in Vary should lead you here. And to ensure that your festival outfit is in
perfect shape, stop by the Kärcher ironing point. In front of the Thermal, you’ll find the iconic red
carpet that the stars and film delegations walk down.
Accommodations
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Besides the city’s dense network of hotels, the festival itself offers several alternatives for
where to stay:
the tent city, accommodations at a school, and
last-minute accommodations
(unused festival capacities offered at a considerable discount). You can also follow the
Facebook group “Ubytování na MFF Karlovy Vary,” where private individuals can post their requests/offers.
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Last-minute accommodations
Available hotel rooms from the festival’s unused reserves are
updated every day and offered at
considerable discounts. You can find contacts for reservations here or you can personally
stop by the Last-Minute Accommodations desk in the Thermal’s accreditation hall.
Extra tip
So that you’ll always look your best, you can have your clothing ironed FREE at the Kärcher ironing point in the
Hotel Thermal passage. They’re open for you daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Vodafone KVIFF Guide
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You should definitely download this app, which contains a complete catalogue of films, an overview
of all screenings, a map of cinemas and other festival venues, and a list of various programs
and other accompanying events.
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Most importantly, you can use the app to reserve tickets for film screenings. Just don’t forget to
go to a ticket office to pick up your reserved tickets in person. You can do so any time during the day,
but no later than 60 minutes before the start of the screening.
Food and drink
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Karlovy Vary has lots of options for you – no matter if you’re budget-conscious or want to spoil
yourself to a fancy dinner by candlelight. Let yourself be inspired by our recommendations,
which we have tried out first-hand:
Map with restaurant recommendations in Karlovy Vary.
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You’ll find plenty of information on our various information channels:
