Soos is one of the most extraordinary natural sites in the Czech Republic — a mysterious boggy landscape where dry carbon dioxide seeps silently from the earth through vents called mofettes, mineral springs bubble up from ancient depths, and rare salt-tolerant plants thrive in a place unlike anywhere else in the region. Located just 4.5 km northeast of the spa town of Františkovy Lázně, it is well worth a detour.
The reserve covers more than 268 hectares of the Cheb Basin at an elevation of 432–442 metres. The terrain is flat and accessible, making it perfect for a leisurely walk. In summer the wetlands burst with colour — sedge meadows, oligotrophic ponds and unique salt marshes create a mosaic of habitats. In winter, the frozen pools and pale grasslands take on an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere. The mofettes — spots where odourless CO₂ rises from tectonic faults — are one of the highlights; you can spot them by the yellowing vegetation around their edges. This is also the only true inland salt marsh in the Karlovy Vary Region, fed by artesian springs rich in Glauber's salt.
How to get thereSoos is considered one of the best breeding sites in the entire Czech Republic for the bluethroat — around 20–25 pairs nest here each season. And keep an eye out for the historic log granary from 1714, the oldest surviving structure of its kind in Czechia, relocated to the reserve from the village of Kopaniny.