The Home of Pilsner Urquell Beer

Pilsen (Plzen) is Czechia’s fourth largest city in terms of population. It is located 90 kilometres west from capital Prague, and has a grand mix of historical charms, as well as culture. Most importantly, its long history of beer brewing since 1842, has made it an important city to visit for all those beer lovers.    

Plzenske Pivovary (Pilsen Brewery)

Let’s start exploring Pilsen with its choice of famous beverages. You might already know, but if you don’t, Pilsner Urquell beer is the symbol of Pilsen. One of the main reasons Pilsen gets so many visitors, it’s because of the Plzenske Pivovary (Pilsen Brewery). This brewery makes the famous Pilsner Urquell beer, a blond lager, which dates back to 1842, and which is today exported and consumed worldwide. The brewery offers a very informative and fun tour, as you get to see and experience the entire process of the beer making, such as the brewhouses, the lager processing caves, the water purification plant, and finally the packaging.   

Brewery Museum & Historical Underground 

About 800 meters from the brewery, you will find the Pilsen Brewery Museum, residing in a 15th-century brewhouse. The museum will take you on a historical journey of beer, its production, and tools which were used. Most importantly, you will also be able to do some beer tasting at the very end. You may also wish to take a tour of the Pilsen’s underground world, which is full of tunnels, cellars, and caves. The underground world of Pilsen was key when it came to defending the city from enemies or during the times of conflict. This was also a place where beer was stored for centuries. In order to get the most out of this underground world, sign up for a tour at the Brewery Museum, which will take about one hour and give you a great historical insight. 

Bohemia Sekt Winery

Even if you are not big on beer, don’t stress. Pilsen is located in the region called Bohemia, a region which is well known for its wine production. To get a better insight into the history of winemaking of Pilsen and of course some wine tasting, head over to the Bohemia Sekt Winery. Bohemia Sekt is actually a sparkling wine, whose production started decades ago. The tour of the winery will take approximately two hours and will be worth every minute and penny. 

Right, other than beer and sekt, what else is there to do in Pilsen? 

St. Batholomew Cathedral

Take a moment to admire the stunning architecture of the St. Batholomew Cathedral. Its construction started in 1342, and because of its fine detail and authenticity, it has also become one of the cultural monuments of Czechia. It also has the highest church tower in the country. 

The Great Synagogue

Not that I want to focus on solely religious sights, but a visit to the Great Synagogue when in Pilsen is a must. This is actually the second biggest synagogue in Europe and third in the world. Pilsen used to be home to four other synagogues, which were all destroyed. After the Second World War, the interior of the synagogue was renovated and is today used for religious purposes, but also as a concert hall.