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Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour Review

Pilsen > Things to do in Pilsen > Pilsner Urquell Tour

Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour is is according TripAdvisor one of the world´s best tourist attractions. Discover how to book Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour online, learn how to dress and everything you need to know before visiting Pilsen Brewery in this Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour Review.

Book the brewery tour

Plzeň (in English and German called Pilsen) is the Czech City situated only 90 km southwest of Prague , the Capital of Czech Republic. Pilsen is the home to two major breweries: Pilsner Urquell and Gambrinus, but you can find also several microbreweries here. 🍺

Plzeň is especially known as the birthplace of the famous Pilsner beer , which is the grandfather of all lager beers and which has been brewed in Pilsner Urquell Brewery the same way since 1842.

Pilsen Urquell Brewery Tour in Plzeň is a goal of 750,000 tourists from all over the world every year.

The famous golden drink (Pilsner Urquell Beer) attracts thousands of tourists to visit Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour each year.

So, if you want to know more about the history of the legendary Pilsner Urquell Brewery, about the ingredients from which Pilsner lager beer is brewed, and taste unpasteurized beer directly from the barrel, then take part on the Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour .

Because I live in Pilsen I prepared for you a detailed guide to Pilsner Brewery tour :

1. Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour Plzeň

2. how to book pilsner urquell tour.

• 3. Pilsner Urquell Brewery tour from Prague

3.1. How to get to Pilsner Urquell Brewery from Prague?

4. about pilsner urquell brewery.

• 5. Pilsen Brewery Restaurant

6. Pilsner Urquell Shop

• 7. Brewery Museum Plzeň

8. Hotels near Pilsner Urquell Brewery

• 9. Purkmistr hotel with spa, restaurant and brewery

When visiting Pilsen brewery you understand why Pilsner Urquell beer is so unique. Pilsner Urquell Tour will take you across all Pilsner Urquell factory's areas and explain how beer is made. You will learn about every step in the brewing process: ingredients used, malting, fermentation is steel tanks, maturation in wooden tanks etc.

First you will see the ingredients and beer brewing in general, then packaging plant (which has a capacity of 120,000 bottles per hour), will continue to see authentic parts of the brewery where the original Pilsner beer has been made since 1842 and current brewing houses of Pilsner Urquell Brewery.

Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tours lead through all parts of the famous Plzeň Brewery.

Pilsner Brewery Tour takes 110 minutes and finishes in the brewery cellars 20m below ground. Cellars beneath the Pilsen Brewery are 9 km long and they used to serve for storage and cooling of Plzeň beer. Ice pieces remained here for almost a whole year. Nowadays, only a small part of production is stored here: only beer which is fermented in wooden barrels.

Pilsen Brewery Tour finishes by tasting of Pilsner Urquell unpasteurized and non-filtered beer (0.3l) straight from the wooden barrel. Of course, if you are older than 18 years.

Don't forget to bring a jacket or sweater, because beer cellar is really cold: 7°C (40° F).

You can get a fully guided Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour in English, Czech, German, French and Russian. The ticket costs about US$16 and if you want to take pictures then another US$5. For booking of Plzeň brewery tour you have following 2 options:

• Come to Pilsner Urquell Brewery Visitors Centre directly. Pilsner Urquell Brewery tours are in a variety of languages that are shown on a screen above the admission desk. Just sign up for the one you need if it isn't full.
• Book your Pilsner brewery tour online here.

Pilsner Urquell Brewery

U Prazdroje 7, Plzeň GPS: 49°44'47.339"N, 13°23'10.568"E Book your tickets to Pilsner Urquell Brewery » --> Open daily: January - June: 10 am – 6 pm July – August: 9.30 am - 6 pm September - December: 10 am – 6 pm

Web page of Pilsen Brewery

Pilsner urquell brewery tour times Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour in English language takes place two or three times a day, check date and language here .

Visit to Pilsner Urquell Brewery as a one day trip from Prague. The driver will pick up you in Prague and then bring you again back to your hotel. You will have enough time to visit the Pilsen Urquell Brewery Tour, have lunch, and still have time for a short walk through Pilsen city centre. The city can be easily reached on foot. We strongly recommend to make a booking online at least 2 days ahead. Price for Pilsner Urquell Brewery tour (110 minutes) is CZK 300 (US$13).

The view from the main entrance to the area of Pilsen Brewery: the Visitor Centre is located on the left side, the Pilsner Urquell Restaurant "Na Spilce" is situated on the right side. You can see the Water Tower of Plzen Brewery in the middle of the picture.

How to get to Pilsner Urquell Brewery from Prague by train? Czech Republic has one of the best railway networks in Europe. So, the transportation from Prague to Pilsen is quite easy by a direct train connection from Prague Main Railway station (Hlavní Nádraží) or Prague Smíchov station. Pilsner Urquell Brewery is situated 400 meters from the Pilsen Main Railway Station (Plzeň Hlavní nádraží). You can walk, just follow the sign "Plzeňský Pivovar".

Trains from Prague to Pilsen run several times a day. The journey takes about 90 minutes. Train ticket costs for one way (Prague to Pilsen) US$7 or you can buy the return ticket which is cheaper than two one way tickets. For train schedule go to the Web page of Czech Railways and choose the English or German language. Read also our detailed guide how to get from Prague to Pilsen here »

Based on my recent experience, I highly recommend adding a seat ticket to your ticket, because the trains from Pilsen to Prague are very popular and you definitely don't want to stand in the aisle for more than an hour.

Where you can learn more about beer and taste the best beer in the world than in the City where almost every household brewed beer at home since 1295 until the biggest brewery in the Czech republic Pilsner Urquell was grounded?

Plzen Brewery Tours are perfect for learning something new about beer.

You have to understand: in the medieval times was the beer healthier than water, because the water had very poor quality.

4.1 History of Pilsner Urquell Brewery

Pilsner beer wasn´t always so tasty as today.

Beer has been brewed in Plzeň since 1295 when the King Václav II. gave to 260 Pilsner burghers the right to brew the beer. This privilege, a very profitable financially, allowed the holder to sell beer in his house.

Pilsners had been making beer without the necessary education and knowledge and often improving the tastes by variety of ingredients. No wonder, that the quality of beer was really horrible!

This lead to an unusual theatre: 36 barrels of disgusting Pilsner beer was poured out in front of Pilsen City Hall in February 1838.

The owners of the right to brew beer joined together and choose a place for constructions of a new brewery: a place with sandstone underground for deep cellars and with a rich water source. The construction started in 1839. Then they hired a German brewer Josef Groll to prepare German style lager beer. The taste of new brewed beer was extraordinary! Probably because of unique Plzeň water. It was the year 1842 when the legendary Pilsner Beer was born.

To take part on Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour is a great opportunity to learn more about Pilsen beer history.

4.2 Pilsner Urquell ingredients

Plzeň has very good assumptions for brewing excellent beer. Special local Czech ingredients as: Pilsen´s soft water, red hops from Žatec, malt and special brewer´s yeast accompanied with the love to beer create the necessary base for production of Pilsner beer.

You will see all these ingredients during your visit to Pilsner Urquell Brewery tour.

Pilsner Urquell ingredients are used in beer baths. Pilsner Urquell Brewery and Spa Beerland® invite you to the unique beer wellness on Pilsen main square.

Read about my visit to BEERLAND beer spa in Pilsen here .

4.3 Wooden barrels

Pilsner Urquell Brewery is the only one brewery at the world which keeps the traditions of handmade wooden barrels . Coopers of Pilsner Urquell Brewery produce small and also huge beer barrels (of the size 4.000 liters) which serve for storage of Pilsner lager beer in cellars of Pilsner Urquell Brewery. You can see these barrels during the Pilsner Brewery tour. And we hope that this tradition will be included to UNESCO intangible cultural heritage soon.

Nowadays, Pilsner Urquell Brewery is the biggest producer of beer in the Czech Republic.

5. Pilsner Urquell Restaurant

The famous Pilsner Urquell Restaurant "Na Spilce" is situated in front of visitor center in the area of Pilsner Urquell Brewery. After the visit to the Pilsner Urquell Tour is the right time to relax, taste the typical Czech cuisine and the unpasteurized and unfiltered Pilsner Urquell beer from the tank. The Pilsner Urquell Brewery restaurant is equipped with the children playing area; you can also sit in the garden in good weather.

Pilsner Urquell Brewery Restaurant

Restaurant Na Spilce U Prazdroje 7, Plzeň GPS: 49°44'47.339"N, 13°23'10.568"E Open: Mo - Su: 11 am – 10 pm

Web page of the Restaurant Na Spilce

Did you enjoy Pilsen brewery visit and want to buy some souvenirs, Pilsner Urquell glasses and mugs, pilsner beer, home accessories or clothing with the logo of Pilsner Urquell Brewery? There is a special Pilsner Urguell Souvenir Shop in the area of Plzeň brewery where you can find wide-range of these items. Pilsner Urquell Shop is open every day from 10 am till 7 pm. Don´t have the chance to visit Pilsner Urquell Gift Shop? Then you can also buy Pilsner Urquell beer and gifts online here »

Pilsner Urquell Souvenir Shop in the area of Pilsen Brewery.

7. Pilsen Brewery Museum in Plzeň

Get the Brewery Museum Entrance including a Glass of Beer here.

Pilsen Brewery museum uses the same entrance as Pilsen Historical Underground . It is located in Plzeň City Centre, only 400 meters far from Pilsner Urquell Brewery. It is easy to walk by following marked path from Pilsner Urquell Brewery. You can download the free Tourist Map (pdf) of Plzeň City Center here .

The exposition of Pilsen Beer Museum will take you through the history of Plzeň beer production. In the atmosphere of the Middle Ages you will learn how Pilsen beer is brewed, how to serve and drink it. You can even taste Pilsner Urguell, of course if you are older than 18.

Pilsen Brewery museum reminds the time when started the production of Pilsner Beer.

Veleslavínova 6, Plzeň Open daily: 10 am – 6 pm Web page of Plzen Beer Museum

BOOK NOW »

Just in front of Pilsner Urquell Brewery you will find very pleasant hotel Vienna House Easy Pilsen . It is an excellent place where you can stay overnight because it is situated close to Pilsner Urquell Brewery and also very close to Pilsen Old Town. The railway station is only 300 meters far. Click here to check out prices and book your stay.

Vienna House Easy Pilsen isn´t of course only one hotel near Pilsner Urquell Brewery. I prepared for you the list of 11 best hotels in Plzeň. Now, the choice will be easier for you. Read more about hotels in Plzeň here »

Pilsner Urquell Brewery isn´t the only one Plzeň Brewery. During your visit to Plzeň you can taste also craft beer and have a beer spa in a local microbrewery Purkmistr:

#2 Restaurant and brewery Beer Factory

The new microbrewery and restaurant Beer Factory was built in the old town house located on the corner of Dominikánská and Veleslavínova Street, just a few steps from the Plzeň Republic Square. The restaurant serves typical Czech food as Svíčková, Venison, burgers and steaks, the great advantage of this place is garden in inner courtyard.

Architects succeeded to connect an old architecture with modern clean industrial style: dominants are walls without painting and materials as iron, steel and wood. The beer club and the biggest part of all technologies are concentrated in the cellar, but the main bar with two brew houses are in the ground floor.

The brewery offers several kinds of own beer including top fermented beer (called ale) but it imports also fine beer from Belgium as Kasteel Rouge or Gulden Draak.

The brewery is very popular among tourists, for Friday evening you will need a reservation.

If you want to find an accommodation close to the brewery Beer Factory, I recommend a beautiful place Hotel Rango .

Open Mo-Th: 11am-11pm, Fr+Sa: 11am-12pm, Su: 11am-11pm. Dominikánská 8, Plzeň. Web page of Beer Factory Brewery.

Restaurant and brewery Beer Factory.

For those who prefer bottom-fermented beer (as Pilsner lager made by Pilsner Urquell Brewery) and don´t like fruity beer as ale, is better to visit the next Pilsen brewery “U Pašáka”. #plzenguide

Read also: The best restaurants in Plzeň »

9. Purkmistr: hotel, brewery, restaurant and Plzeň beer spa

Purkmistr brewery is a great place where you can spend a whole weekend with your partner, friends or family and we guarantee that nobody will get bored.

This Pilsen brewery is located in the suburban part of Plzeň-Černice. The large newly renovated farmhouse includes a beerhouse with a brewery, a restaurant, a hotel Purkmistr with spa , wellness and a bowling alley .

It brews own beer under Purkmistr brand: PURKMISTR lager (classic Pilsner style lager), semi dark and dark 12% lager, PÍSAŘ wheat beer (top-fermented wheat beer with a characteristic fruity component), RADNÍ (amber semi-dark special with a prolonged maturation time) etc. There is also a wide variety of beers flavored with fruit and herbal flavors.

Restaurant is open: Mo-Th: 11am-11pm, Fr-Sa: 11am-12pm, Su: 11am-10pm. Selská náves 21/2, Plzeň - Černice. Book your stay in Purkmistr here.

Brewery and beer spa Purkmistr in Plzeň.

The beer in Purkmistr house is brewed using traditional recipes , several types of high quality malting barley, hops from the Žatec region and a famous Pilsen’s soft water. The beer is served unfiltered and unpasteurized, so all the original nutrients are preserved and thanks to this it contains exclusively natural substances: a high vitamin B content, sugar, yeast, etc. So it has many benefits for your body.

Former farmhouse was reconstructed and serves as a brewery now.

• a wide range of activities as Pilsen brewery tour, bowling, yoga lessons, wellness with sauna and massage
• a beautiful and quite place of the former farmhouse
• Pilsen city center very easily reachable by trolleybus No. 13
• Czech traditional cuisine

#3 RAVEN brewery and pub

We finish our Plzeň Brewery Tour in young Pilsen Brewery RAVEN. The cute pub with 60 places for sitting was open in 2017.

RAVEN brewery is situated behind the pub and brews 6 kinds of own beer, mainly ale beer. It is also possible to order the brewery tour with beer tasting.

Pub is open: Mo-Fr: 4pm-10pm, Fr-Su: 2pm- until the last guest leave.☺ Address: Mozartova 1, Plzeň. Web page of RAVEN Brewery.

The pub offers cold and sometimes hot meals, and there are barbecues in the garden during the summer. The RAVEN beer is unfiltered and unpasteurized and it is served directly from the lager cellar at the same temperature as the beer matured.

Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour is one of the most popular things to see and do in Pilsen .

Visiting the Pilsner Urquell brewery tour can be an interesting and also educational experience for anyone who is interested in the history and process of brewing beer.

You can learn about the history of Pilsner Urquell beer and how it has evolved over the years, as well as see the traditional methods and equipment that are used to brew this famous beer. 🍺

I think that you are already looking forward to visit Pilsner Brewery Tour.

Are you looking for accommodation in Plzeň? Here are the best deals for today »

Written by Šárka Novotná

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Šárka Novotná Hi, I'm Šárka and I'm so glad you've found this Website! I was born in Plzeň and from the love to my home city I launched PlzenGuide.com . I hope you will find important information and ideas about how to spend an incredible time in Pilsen Czech Republic.

• Our brewery
• Our ingredients
• Perfect pouring
• Well served here
• Food and beer
• 180th Anniversary

A taste worth protecting since 1842

Brewed only in Plzeň. enjoyed all over the world.

Meet the keepers of the craft.

Deep inside the cellars of our brewery in Plzeň, Czech Republic, we make sure that every Pilsner Urquell drop tastes as unique as it did in 1842. We proudly continue the heritage of Josef Groll, the original brewmaster who introduced the world to the first golden “Pilsner” lager and changed beer forever.

BREWED THE ORIGINAL WAY

Everyone at our brewery gives their all to keep our recipe intact. It has been untouched for more than 180 years and uses traditional methods like triple decoction and parallel brewing. Yes, it takes longer, but it means we never compromise. And because Pilsner Urquell is only brewed in Plzeň, Czech Republic, that means our beer tastes the same all over the world.

WANT TO SEE HOW WE KEEP OUR CRAFT INTACT?

Come join a tour of our mythical brewery in Plzeň. Just one hour outside Prague you will find keepers of the craft hard at work to make sure thewhole world gets the original Pilsner taste.

WE DO IT ALL SO YOU CAN ENJOY THE PERFECT POUR

To keep our craft, we don't skip any steps. Our tapsters make sure you always get a thick head of dense, wet foam to seal in the freshness, protect delicate flavours from oxygen and create a perfect balance in our beer so that every sip has the perfect taste.

BUT WE ALSO GIVE YOU CHOICES. WE’RE NOT THAT STUBBORN.

You can enjoy our perfect taste in three different pours. Each one has a different flavour because each has a different amount of foam.

TRUST YOUR TAPSTER. THE ULTIMATE KEEPER.

In Czech we say “the brewmaster brews the beer and the tapster makes it“. And you better believe that every one of our tapsters is expertly trained in Plzeň, Czech Republic, to give you the perfect Pilsner Urquell experience all over the world.

SO IT’S FRESH AND FULL OF FLAVOUR

Pilsner Urquell’s signature flavour balances the sweetness from triple-decocted malt and the bitterness from Saaz hops. The thick head of dense, wet foam adds smoothness and seals in flavour and aroma.

REFRESHING, RICH AND JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF HOPPY BITTERNESS

In every sip of Pilsner Urquell you’ll notice a refreshing crispness from natural carbonation, subtle caramel tones and a clean finish with a pleasing, hoppy bitterness.

BREWED THE SAME WAY SINCE 1842

They say you shouldn't fix what isn't broken. That's why we will never change our recipe. During the brewing process, we heat a portion of our mash three times to add more flavour and colour to our beer. This is called triple decoction.

SWEET MORAVIAN BARLEY, BITTER SAAZ HOPS, SOFT PLZEŇ WATER

We’ve only ever used 100% Czech ingredients to brew our beer, so we can be sure it tastes the same as it did in 1842. We will never change that.

COPYRIGHT © 2018 PLZEŇSKÝ PRAZDROJ, A.S.

don’t drink and drive / aboutalcohol.com / Social Media House rules

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Pilsner Urquell – Guided tour of the brewery

Plzen and beer!!! The world-famous Pilsner Urquell has been brewed in Plzen since 1842. We went in search of traces on a guided tour of the Pilsner Urquell brewery.

During our visit to the historical underground of Plzen, we had already learned something about the city and its beer. It’s hard to believe, but there was a time when Plzen had the worst beer in the region.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the townspeople with brewing rights decided that this had to change. They wanted to build a new brewery and brew a modern bottom-fermented beer there. But the people of Plzen didn’t really know what they were doing, so in 1842 the Bavarian Josef Groll was appointed the first brewmaster of the Civic Brewery.

Groll was quite successful. Shortly after his arrival in Plzen, the first golden Plzner beer was available. He brewed Pilsner Urquell, which has been registered as a trademark since 1859. The beer was a revolution among beers in its time. Refreshing, spicy-tart and with a beautiful color, it enchanted the people in Plzen.

Only a little later, the first barrels of beer reached Prague. In the pub U Pinkasů (still exists today) it was served and enthusiastically received.

In 1873, the first barrels were shipped to the United States. A really risky venture. The beer could not be transported in refrigerated tanks, as is customary today. These did not yet exist. And so the barrels went on the road with the hope of not arriving with spoiled beer. It was a success.

The production volume grew and grew. In 1913/14, they brewed 1 million hectoliters a year for the first time.

In 1996, the Pilsner Urquell Brewery already exported the beer to 50 countries, and here, too, demand increases year after year. And of course it is not only sold in barrels, but also in the typical green bottles.

After several changes of ownership, Pilsner Urquell has belonged to the Japanese brewery group Asahi Beer since December 2016.

Pilsner Urquell brewery tour

We reach the grounds of the Pilsner Urquell brewery via a bridge-like footbridge that runs over a warehouse. Behind it is a large open area that is freely accessible. This is also where the brewery’s visitor centre is located, where the guided tours start.

We didn’t have to wait long for our guided tour in German to begin. There are several guided tours in different languages offered here every day. These are often well booked, so it is advisable to reserve tickets online in advance.

While you wait, you can look around the large visitor centre and, of course, watch a promotional film of the brewery. I found the motorbike and the replica of a house much more exciting.

The tour begins on the upper floor of the visitor centre. There is a lot of historical information to be heard and then you go together to the brewery’s outdoor area. At a large factory gate, where there is also an old horse-drawn carriage and a railway wagon, you learn about the water tower on the grounds.

Then it’s off to the old brewhouse. The largest passenger lift in the Czech Republic takes you to a panorama cinema. A film about the production of Pilsner Urquell beer is shown.

Brewing process

When brewing the first Pilsner Urquell in 1842, Josef Groll uses a method that has become established in the world of beer brewing to this day.

The beer took and still takes 35 days to complete the entire production and maturation process.

During the tour of the brewery, this process is made clear. At the beginning, you learn about the ingredients and the production process.

In Plzen, for example, they work with a malt obtained from a sweetish barley from Moravia. This is mixed with water in copper tanks to make beer wort. Part of the beer wort is boiled over an open fire in the so-called three-mash process. This process is one reason for the golden colour and typical taste.

Typical of Pilsner Urquell is the use of Saarz hops. Groll already used only this type of hop, which comes from the small town of Žatec. The fields are not far from Plzen, so they brew with regional products. The hops are known for not tasting so bitter and having only a low acid content. Groll chose exactly these hops because he was convinced of the wort. He thus created a beer that tastes unmistakable: not too bitter with a light caramel note, tangy and refreshing.

During the brewing process, hops are also added three times. The brewing process of Pilsner beer takes one day. The beer is then fermented for 10 days. After maturing for 24 days, it can be bottled and sold.

Path through the brewing process

To ensure that this does not remain mere theory, everything becomes a little more practical in the next rooms. The ingredients are presented and the brewing process is explained. Brewhouses from three different centuries are on display. They are particularly proud to be able to show the brew pan from 1842 in which the first batch of beer was brewed. Employees of the brewery made it possible for it to survive two world wars unscathed.

Then we went deep under the brewery buildings. We went through the historic brewery cellars. Here you learn about storage , visit an ice cellar and finally come to a room with huge wooden barrels.

Everyone receives a glass from a pallet and then it’s time to be quick. A staff member opens a tap and the beer starts flowing. Pass the glass, go around the employee, take the full glass and don’t let the chain break. Not a drop should hit the floor and the tap should stay open as much as possible.

With our freshly tapped unfiltered and non-pasteurised Pilsner Urquell, we then stood at a table. Not much time left, we could already hear the next group. What a delicious taste ran down our throats. After so much “beer history”, just the right end to the tour.

On the way back through some cellar corridors, we learned a lot about barrels, barrel production and barrel cleaning.

Through the souvenir shop we went back to the brewery grounds. You can also visit the souvenir shop without a guided tour. In addition to beer, there are many other products with the brewery’s logo for sale.

We left the grounds through the Jubilee Gate. This beautiful gate decorates the main entrance to the brewery. The brewery erected it in honour of Josef Groll, exactly 50 years after the creation of Pilsner Urquell.

We enjoyed the tour of the Pilsner Urquell brewery. It was very informative, our guide was easy to understand and she also tried to answer questions.

Only 2 days later, we were drawn once again to the brewery grounds. There was a market with arts and crafts. Young artists played live on a stage and of course there was also freshly tapped beer.

U Prazdroje 7, 301 00 Plzeň 3,

Opening hours:

May-September: 9.30-18 October-December: 10.30-17

Entrance fees:

Adults:250 CZK Discounts are offered.

Disclosure: The brewery visit was part of a research trip to Pilsen.

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Visit our breweries

Four breweries, three magical places and the unique brewery museum.

Come and discover the history of brewing or your own favourite brand of beer. See the authentic places where the Pilsner Urquell legend originated, hold a party in the Gambrinus Brewery, immerse yourself in history in the Brewery Museum in Pilsen or enjoy an unforgettable day where Radegast and Velkopopovický Kozel are brewed. Each of our breweries offers a lavish programme of events which every beer lover is sure to enjoy.

Brewery tours

Brewery Museum in Pilsen

This museum, one of a kind in the world and housed in the original 15th-century brewery building, is also unique in terms of the range of exhibitions it offers. Hundreds of unique exhibits portray the history of brewing beer from ancient times to the present day. Visitors can learn more about the history of Pilsen’s pubs, tour the malt house, malt kiln, drying shed and laboratory and see a range of beer-related curios (such as the smallest beer mug in the world).

The historical underground of Pilsen

With almost 14 kilometres of passageways, the historical underground of Pilsen is one of the largest historical underground systems in Central Europe. The underground tour circuit is around 800 m long and runs at a depth of 9 to 12 metres under the historical centre of the city of Pilsen. Discover mediaeval life under the city and reveal the secrets of the authentic finds and nooks hidden underground.

Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour – Czech Republic

By: Author Corinne Vail

Posted on Published: 9 November 15  - Last updated: 13 November 23

Home » World Foods and Recipes » Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour – Czech Republic

Visiting the place where Pilsner was invented is a must for any beer lover. Just a day trip from Prague, the Pilsener Urquell Brewery tour is a must.

Living in Grafenwoehr , right over the border from the Czech Republic, we definitely get our fill of the golden nectar that is beer. Here you can find beer in so many varieties and styles that you your mind will be left reeling by all of the choices even before you’ve had anything to drink!

But no matter where you are in the world, chances are pretty good that you’re tipping back a glass of sudsy brew, called a “pils”,  that had its origins in the small city of Pilsen in the Czech Republic .  To say we were excited to take the Pilsener Urquell Brewery Tour is an understatement.

Pilsen, the Original Pils Beer

According to most experts, beer, in some form or another, has been around since the times of ancient Egypt and the pharaohs . It has even been used in spas, at beer baths throughout the Czech Republic . And, indeed, in the early nineteenth century it was not a new drink. In Pilsen when the city brewers guild and aldermen got together and decided to do something about the bad quality of their favorite drink, the decision was made to design and build a new, state of the art brewery to accommodate the needs of the town to develop the best tasting brew possible.

Once the brewery was operating, it only took the master brewer, Josef Groll, a short time to develop the next great beer, a bottom fermented pale lager with a longer shelf life and better taste than anything the townspeople had tipped back before. Soon the word got out and the new beer, Pilsner Urquell, was being barreled up and shipped far and wide. A testament to its taste and popularity, it’s still widely sought after in all corners of the world, and we Vails?  We love it!

The History of Pils Beer

So how do you learn about this fascinating history? Who can tell you all about the endeavors of Josef Groll, master brewer? Why, the guides on the Pilsner Urquell brewery museum and factory tour, of course! The brewery is still in operation today, massively so, in fact. It brews and bottles beer at the rate of over 120,000 bottles per hour.

But you can slow down and enjoy a two hour tour without getting caught up on the conveyor belts or pushed aside in the reject pile. Check the brewery’s website for up to the minute information; but, on most days, you can take an English tour at one of three times throughout the day. You’ll be accompanied by a tour guide who will happily give you all the pertinent details of the factories operation as well as sharing a story or two about Josef and some industrial spies.

Taking the Pilsener Urquell Brewery Tour

The tour will take you through the small museum, to the bottling plant, into the old and new brew houses, through a hands on experiential exhibit complete with 360 degree cinema, and finally down into the lagering caves. The breweries high tech cooling system, back in the day, included miles of these cool tunnels that could be kept even cooler during the summer months with ice that had been packed in during the winter.

Of course, the tunnels don’t get much use in today’s brewing and bottling process, but the factory does still brew and ferment a large batch of special, unfiltered pilsner especially for consumption on the tour only. You’ll get a chance to belly up to one of the big wooden casks, pull a beer and enjoy it in the cold cellar tunnels. I especially recommend this on a hot summer day!

Aside from taking the tour of the factory and the cellars, you can enjoy a good meal at the onsite restaurant where you can also sample a version of that special unfiltered brew, though it wasn’t fermented in the oaken casks. There is also a small museum store where you can purchase mementos of your visit, and of course, a case or two of your favorite pale lager, Pilsner Urquell!

Practical Information

Opening hours.

10:00 – 5:00, English tours are offered once every hour.

Getting There by Train

Take the train from the main station. It’s one hour from Prague on the RegioJet. Once you arrive in Pilsen, you can either take the number 13 to NC Černice or the number 15 bus to Mrakodrap, but this one has a longer walk.

Pilsner Urquell Brewery U Prazdroje 7, 301 00 Plzeň 3, Czech

What’s your favorite brew? Have you been to Plzen or the Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour?

Author Bio: Corinne Vail is a travel photographer, food lover, and a perpetual traveler who has been travel writing for over 14 years. For many years she lived overseas in Germany, Japan, Turkey, South Korea, and the Netherlands teaching the children of the US. military. She’s visited over 90 countries, and she’s not stopping anytime soon.

Pin the Pilsener Urquell Brewery Tour for later!

The Edinburgers

Sunday 19th of March 2017

Visited a few weeks ago for the brewery tour and loved it! Incredible amount of history tied to the place and not to mention great beer of course :)

Corinne Vail

Jonathan, I agree. I totally love Czech beer!

Wednesday 18th of November 2015

I do enjoy a good beer, Corinne, and pilseners are some of my favorites. And speaking of beer, I'd like to try a Czech Budweiser, just so I could finally say I had enjoyed a Bud. It would make for a good laugh among my friends, who know that I think America's Budweiser beer is detestable. :) #TheWeeklyPostcard

Linda, I detest American Budweiser as well. Yes, you need to come and check it out!

Catherine Sweeney

Sunday 15th of November 2015

Haven't been to Plzen, but it's on the hubby's list of next things to do in the Czech Republic (being the beer drinker in the family). I do enjoy a brew once in a while especially in special places like this where the beers are made. Interesting to think that beer has been around since ancient Egypt.

Catherine, Yes, well I do like a good brew and I have to say that I love Czech beers more than most.

Saturday 14th of November 2015

1842? I bet they know a thing or two about making beer. I love the building. Without seeing the chimney, I would have thought it was a government building, not a factory. The car, beautiful color, is a nice touch. Looks brand new, too! Thanks for the tour, Corinne!

Marcia, The building was beautiful with an ornate gate to welcome you right up front. I highly recommend it!

Man, the next time I make it over to the Czech Republic I am definitely going to have to do this! I love beer and I find the history of breweries so interesting! Thanks for sharing! #TheWeeklyPostcard

Lolo, Then you definitely need to go. What a beautiful brewery!

Today open 11:00 - 20:30 (Last entry 19:00) Today open from 11:00

CZECH OUT OUR BEER STORY IN PRAGUE!

Discover the story behind the world's first golden beer & learn to pour beers like a professional tapster!

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The Original Tour

Experience our story, brewing processes, games & tasting

Tapster Academy

Learn to pour a perfect Pilsner!

The Original Tour + Tapster Academy

Enjoy the immersive Experience and learn to pour our Pilsner!

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Just click on the button below and choose the type and number of gift vouchers, which you can then download from our website and print immediately after purchase.

Why come to us?

Great pilsner urquell beer.

Taste the best, forget the rest!

Fantastic food

You will taste amazing Czech and international food

Tapster shows

If you're lucky, you can try our pub quiz or compete in beer pouring.

Customer reviews

After learning the history of Czech beer, I now have many fun facts to share with friends.

Would highly recommend to anyone visiting Prague who likes beer!

The building is beautiful, and the experience is really interesting!

Did the Tapster Academy and the Tour - if you love beer, you’ll love the Experience!

Amazing story in Japanese, together with the best beer we've had so far.

We didn't expect such luxury in the souvenir shop and impulsively bought a few trinkets.

The team was extremely informative about the local culture valuing the foam on top of the beer, not just the contents below.

Spacious and high-tech, with brilliant multimedia and interactive displays.

It's a truly excellent experience, with the tradition of the brewery juxtaposed wonderfully with modern graphics and technology and friendly, knowledgeable staff.

Frequently asked questions

We are located right at the bottom of the Wenceslas Square. The exact address is 28. října 377/13, Prague. Check the map on the link: https://goo.gl/maps/UiHtPCrnrbJ7qLsu9

Yes! The Original Tour is very informative, and your children will enjoy it, too. However, we don't serve beer to anyone under the legal drinking age (18 years), but don't worry - two non-alcoholic beverages are available instead.

Our Tapster Academy is reserved for adults only.

Yes, we do! You can easily purchase them at the Gift vouchers section!

You will receive a download code for the gift vouchers right after the purchase, and will be able to download a beautiful voucher ready to print from our website right away.

Nevertheless, you can turn up within our opening hours and purchase your tickets on-site.

Tapster Academy has to be booked in advance.

We serve hot and cold food both in the Výčep U Zvonu and at the end of The Original Tour in the Beer Hall. The well tapped Pilsner Urquell beer is of course matched with well-known classics of Czech gastronomy such as freshly mixed beef tartare with fried bread, fried cauliflower, or Pilsner goulash. But you can also find other specialties here. You can order a great strudel with your coffee or traditional sweet buns with vanilla custard. Enjoy.

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On the Brewery Trail in Pilsen, Czechia’s Beer Capital

• Last Updated March 17, 2024
• Europe , Czech Republic

Even as an ardent beer enthusiast – a person that could equally be described as both a beer nerd and beer snob – I can’t help but think that 10.30 am is a little early to be imbibing glass after glass of lager, particularly when it is 10.30 am on a Tuesday Morning. I watch as the brewmaster tilts my glass towards the tap and it slowly fills with a golden, hazy liquid, all topped off with a thick layer of white foam. Taking my first sip, I soon shake off these more sensible thoughts when I realise where I am. It is not every day that I get to stand in the damp, dark cellars of the Pilsner Urquell Brewery drinking its famed lager directly from an enormous wooden cask. As our guide explains, “This is the best beer that you can get, so enjoy it. Na zdraví.”

Those unfamiliar with the Pilsner Urquell Brewery may at least know of pilsner lager. Even if you previously didn’t join the dots and associate the beer with the name of the Czech town of Pilsen, situated about 90 kilometres from Prague in western Bohemia, the style that is now the most brewed and most imbibed worldwide, spawning equally popular adaptations like German Pils and American light, was first produced here. However, the story behind the creation of Pilsner begins with a town square covered in terrible beer.

Pilsen has had a brewing heritage since its inception. When the city was founded in 1295, King Wenceslas II gave Pilsen’s burghers his permission to brew and sell beer in their homes. There was a time when almost all of the houses in the city’s historic centre either brewed or sold the stuff. At the time, brewers top-fermented their beers, meaning that the wort was pitched with yeast on the surface to get the fermentation process rolling. Brewing this way required higher temperatures and could often result in varying quality or off-flavours. The ales were prone to spoilage either by wild yeasts or bacteria. Even with 800 years of experience, the brewers of Pilsen didn’t know how to withstand contamination.

This eventually came to a head in 1838 when a batch was so bad that local citizens rolled 36 barrels of ale into the street, opened them up, and poured the beer across the cobbles of the main square in protest.

Something had to be done. Local architect Martin Stelzer was sent on a scouting mission to study the breweries in Munich and returned with plans to build Pilsen its perfect brewery. Thankfully, he also brought with him Josef Groll, a master Bavarian brewer, who would go on to change beer history forever. On October 5, 1842, Groll and the other brewers of Pilsen gathered for their first taste of this new beer. They were instantly impressed. Its straw-like golden colour and clarity were unlike anything they had ever seen and the brewers of Pilsen knew that they had made something special. With this, the Pilsner Urquell Brewery was born.

What made this beer in particular so appealing? Pilsen sits at the confluence of two rivers, the Mze and the Radbuza, which, along with an abundance of natural springs, provide a steady supply of soft water that has low mineral content. Combine this with locally sourced Saaz hops that grow in northern Czechia and you have something refreshing and drinkable.

All of this Information can be found in the Pilsner Urquell Brewery Museum and tour at the site that has grown enormously in the 180 years since Groll was in charge. Crossing the Radbuza and entering through the Neo-Renaissance gateway, I found myself inside the sprawling complex where I spend some time perusing the various exhibits, toured the modern and historical breweries, and had a view of the bottling room that has the capacity to fill 120,000 bottles per hour. Like most major breweries, the Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour is a fairly touristy – but interesting – experience. You will walk through a museum of various beer-related objects, watch a film on a 180-degree video screen and ride the Czech Republic’s largest lift before getting to the best part of the tour: the underground beer cellars.

There are 9km of lime-washed tunnels that run almost 20m beneath the site. It is here in this cavernous labyrinth of dark, dank passageways that brewers of the past would leave their huge oak barrels of beer to condition, aided by the cool temperatures and large blocks of ice carved from a nearby lake each winter.

It’s in this chilly basement that I find myself supping a Pilsner Urquell Nefiltrovany Lezak – an unpasteurised, unfiltered version of Urquell’s finest straight from the barrel under the vaulted ceiling of an underground room. The brewery still maintains a few dozen of these barrels and uses them to carry out the original fermentation process. It’s a way to see if the properties of the beer in the newer brewery at ground level still adhere to the company’s founding standards. However, mostly this is for the tourists – a unique place to do a tasting session that, I am told, can be rented out for corporate events with each attendee receiving unlimited pours.

Speaking of old barrels and using traditional methods, Pilsner Urquell is one of the last places in Europe that still preserves and develops the traditional craft of coopering, or barrel making. There are currently only eight coopers in Pilsen and their knowledge is passed down orally from master to journeyman. We were lucky enough to be taken around the workshop to catch a glimpse of the art of coopering for ourselves and although it is not part of the regular tour, it can be witnessed year-round at special brewery events.

Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour

A guided tour of the Pilsner Urquell Brewery (CZK 300 per person) lasts around 80 minutes with another 30 minutes for beer tasting in the cellars. However, the beer tasting included in the tours is available only to visitors ages 18 or older. The brewery is open daily from 9 am – 6 pm from May to September and 10 am – 6 pm between October and April.

The next morning, I found myself once again in the subterranean world, donning a hard hat at the Pilsen Historic Underground. As previously mentioned, historically, almost all of the houses in the city centre once brewed or sold beer and these were all connected by a 20 km-long labyrinth of tunnels that were built under the Pilsen during the 14th century. They were mostly used to access underground wells for beer-making as well as storing beer in cold conditions with most of the brew houses having (now blocked) doorways that opened up into these corridoors. Nowadays many of the passageways have flooded or collapsed but around 800 metres of the underground is still accessible via a guided tour. I should warn that it’s not for the claustrophobic – the ceilings are low and the walls are damp and narrow – but it is at least well-lit so that you can view the numerous water wells and displays of historical objects found in the caverns; cannonballs and swords left behind during times of siege, as well as pottery, glassware and various trinkets carelessly discarded by Pilsen’s medieval residents.

At ground level, above the Historic Underground, is Pilsen’s Brewery Museum. It’s housed in a 15th-century brewing house that has been preserved in its original form and takes you through the history of beer, not just in Pilsen, through displays of old bottles, labels and drinking paraphernalia. While these may not be interesting to anyone other than the most ardent beer aficionados, the dioramas and faithful reproductions of mill houses and pubs of the past that occupy entire rooms are a fun diversion even if the mannequins of old-timey drinkers feel a little creepy.

As you can probably tell from the sheer number of beer-related attractions, the people of Czechia – and by extension, the people of Pilsen – take beer incredibly seriously. It is said that the Czech Republic consumes more beer per capita than any other nation in the world. On average, a Czech citizen will put away a whopping 181.7 litres of beer a year. This roughly translates to almost a pint per day. Compare this to other countries with a strong beer-drinking culture such as Austria (96.9 litres), Poland (96 litres), and Germany (92.6 litres) and it is easy to see how the nation’s love of lager has spawned some of the world’s most popular breweries in Pilsner Urquell, Staropramen and Budweiser Budvar.

It is due to this passion for ales that Pilsen’s beer scene extends far beyond the mainstream producers and has spawned a number of independent craft breweries that coexist alongside the Asahi Group-owned Pilsner Urquell. However, I will put in a disclaimer here that the first brewery I visited isn’t technically a craft brewery in the usual sense, or independent for that matter.

Renovation to turn this space into a tap room is still in its initial steps. The broken tiles on the walls and the Soviet-era control panel that is fixed to a wall halfway down the cavernous room are a reminder of the building’s power-generating past, a past that gave the brewery its name; Proud meaning ‘current’ in Czech.

Thanks to the funding from Pilsner Urquell, the main area of the brewery is rather grand for one that is considered ‘craft’. Dozens of gleaming steel tanks line the main room and a brand-new canning line has just been installed at one end. However, through talking to Michal and tasting a few of Proud’s specialist beers, I find that they are able to run somewhat independently from their owners. While most of the major breweries (and even some of the microbreweries) in Czechia produce almost exclusively lagers, Proud is able to be more experimental with the recipes they brew. Head brewmaster Lenka Straková joins us as we try a smokey coffee stout, deep-red plum sour, and a West Coast IPA.

To get a sense of the truly independent beer scene in Pisen, I head to Pivovar Raven on the outskirts of the city, where I meet owner Filip Miller, an Australian ex-pat who has lived in Pilsen for 16 years, mostly spent homebrewing until he opened his own brewery in 2015. It is a much more ramshackle affair than Proud and more of what I would expect of a small brewery; reams of labels are barely organised on straining shelves and bottles lie around haphazardly. As we all try to squeeze past a brewer that is diligently mashing in, we struggle to hear Filip over the sound of industrial metal booming from a speaker in the corner.

It turns out that Filip knows a thing or two about beer and given his Australian background, he is less reverential about styles, experimenting wildly rather than produce multiple variations on pilsner like many Czechs. He slowly walks us through the back of the brewery taking samples of his latest creations straight from the tanks: a sour that has yet to be fruited and a selection of IPAs. This is when things start to turn south. Keen to show more of his wares, Filip cracks open a few large bottles for us to taste, most of them sours, and we ended up tasting four – the highlight being a margarita-style beer named ‘Brutal Lime and Salt’. It lives up to its name and by the end of our session, my head was beginning to spin.

After Raven, I’m keen to both line my stomach with a hearty Czech meal and have the chance to see what claims to be Pilsen’s oldest brewery. Purkmistr, a brewpub based on the site of an old farmhouse in the south of the city, traces its roots all the way back to 1341 when they were known as Domažlice Brewery. Although Purkmistr, which took over the space and opened anew 2007, is a different brewery from the original, they still produce some of the orginal beers using the same recipes. It has quickly become one of the largest and most important microbreweries in the country; every year it hosts Slunce ve skle (Sun in the glass), a festival of small breweries that attracts thousands to this quiet suburb.

We pass through the bustling old-fashioned dining hall into the back of the building where the brewery is based. After a day of touring breweries of varying size and capacity, there becomes a point when a brew kit is just another brew kit, but this does give us a chance to sample Purkmistr’s pilsner in a variety of serving styles. You see, unlike with British beer, there are several styles of tapping in the Czech Republic. The classic Czech style is the hladinka, a large beer with a thick and foamy head that takes up the top third of the glass. Contrary to what we have come to expect at home, the volume of foam doesn’t mean that you are being ripped off and instead acts to protect the beer and ensure that it keeps its zest. A snyt is a small beer poured into a large glass that is more foam than beer, which is perfect for tasting. Then there is the cochtan which is poured in the British style without any foam. Finally, the most unusual style is the mliko. Here the glass is filled entirely with foam, resembling a glass of milk that is intended to be downed in one gulp. I opted to sip instead, but it is thought that this particular pour gives the ‘beer’ a smooth, sweet flavour. 

Back in the main restaurant, I settle down at a long wooden table with a beer flight in front of me. There are a couple of pilsners, an IPA, wheat beer and stout along with a very malty non-alcoholic beer. They’re all excellent, which is to be expected from the Czech Republic’s largest microbrewery.   

Tucking into a plate of pork knuckle, I reflect that times are changing in the Czech Republic and beyond the large producers, even the most traditional microbreweries are creating interesting drinks that are bound to win around the Czech public.  

If not, that doesn’t matter. Even supping a pint of mass-produced Pilsner Urquell in its unfiltered, unpasteurised form is a joy in the Czech Republic and Pilsen is undoubtedly the greatest place in the world to sample it. 

Breweries in Pilsen

Although the world-famous Pilsner Urquell Brewery is the most well known of Pilsen’s beer producers, it is far from the only brewery in the city. There are a good number of small-scale microbreweries that have appeared in and around Pilsen since its foundations as the home of modern beer in 1842 pffering a mix of classic pilsners and creative takes on modern, craft beer.

Pivovar Raven

Owned and operated by Australian ex-pat Filip Miller, Raven eschews more traditional Czech beers (although it does those very well) in favour of the weird and wonderful. Pivovar Raven is, in my opinion, the essential brewery to visit in Pilsen.

They have two pubs; one located directly next to the brewery at Mozartova 1 in Pilsen Bolevec and another in the centre of Pilsen just a short walk from the monument on Americká Street. Both offer 6 taps serving Raven’s beers alongside a well-stocked fridge of bottles.

Purkmistr Brewery

Sitting on the outskirts of Pilsen in the Pilsen-Černice district and occupying a former farmyard dating back to the 17th century, you will find Purkmistr, the second largest of the city’s breweries. However, stepping down the stairs into the basement of their restaurant to wander amongst the brew kit, you will see that this is nowhere near the scale of Pilsner Urquell and is very much a microbrewery. They brew around 1,600 hectolitres per year and while traditional unfiltered and unpasteurised beers such as light, semi-dark and dark lagers their most popular, they also brew modern IPAs, sours, bocks and smoked lagers, among others. While most people come for the beer, their on-site restaurant serves exceptional Czech food and they even have their own hotel and beer spa.

Time your visit in September and you may be able to attend their ‘Sun in a Glass’ festival where the yard fills with breweries from all over Czechia.

Pivovar Proud

While a brewery owned and funded by Pilsner Urquell can’t necessarily be called a ‘craft brewery’, Pivovar Proud is Pilsner Urquell’s more experimental arm and has free reign to create all manner of weird and wonderful brews. Occupying a former power plant at the confluence of the Mže and Radbuza rivers, Pivovar Proud is crafting award winning beer that is available in pubs and fridges all over the city of Pilsen.

Rodinný Pivovar Radobyčice

This tiny microbrewery in the village of Radobyčice began life with the purchase and reconstruction of a decrepit, 200 year old barn. After 5 years of toil and hard graft, the owners have managed to create a compact and intimate space in the historical village that holds a mere 25 drinkers. Like many Czech breweries, everything is brewed with the highest quality humn malts and Žatec hops and they always aim to have 4 different beer on tap at any one time. Booking is recommended.

Zlatá Kráva

Located south of Pilsen in the picturesque town of Nepomuk, Zlatá Kráva (the Golden Cow in English) was born in 2018 when two local families – the Sochors and the Sladkýs – came together in a mission to restore the charm of the local, almost forgotten local brewery.

The brewery building has its roots in the second half of the 19th century, when it originally was originally the site of Turk’s brewery until 1938, when it took on a new life as a bottling plant for the Pilsen brewery. The two families bought the dilapidated building from the original owner, Ferdinand Jiskra, who at the age of 84 oversaw the first brewed batch of Zlatá kráva beer. A half-dark 13 Spark is now brewed in his honor. The head brewer of our beer is now Žaneta, who took over the craft from her father, Petr Petružalek.

The brewery now has its own wellness spa, beer-themed hotel, restaurant and tap room.

Gambrinus Brewery

With a history dating back to 1869, Gambrinus is one of the most popular beers in the Czech Republic and brews only traditional Czech Pilsners in various forms. You’ll find their brewery just a short hop from Pilsner Urquell where you can take a tour (CZK 200/2 hours) of their brewhouse and brewery cellars, as well as learn the history of the brewery. At the end of the tour, you will get a tasting session where an experienced bartender will teach you how to pour the perfect glass of Czech beer.

Traditional Pubs in Pilsen

Pilsen’s city centre is packed with beautiful, historic pubs. As expected, most of them specialise in lovingly poured pints of local pilsner alongside extensive menus of Czech delicacies. Here are some of the best for beer lovers and fans of Bohemian cuisine:

Attracting a steady stream of both tourists and locals, Pivovarský šenk Na Parkánu occupies one of Pilsen’s original brewing houses and is directly connected to the city’s Brewery Museum. Sitting at the edge of the old town at the end of picturesque Veleslavínova Street, Na Parkánu recently underwent an extensive renovation and is now a must-visit for beer lovers. While it can get a little rowdy on an evening, the food is as much of an attraction as the traditional lager and unfiltered pilsners – expect wonderful soups, plump dumplings, and some fantastic meat dishes.  

U Salzmannů

The oldest pub in Pilsen has been serving cold glasses of foamy-headed beer since 1637. It oozes classic Bohemian character and the skilled barmen will happily serve you a glass of pilsner in one of four traditional styles: Hladinka, Šnyt, Mlìko, or čochtan. Alongside great beer, the menu features an extensive list of Czech specialities.

There is no better place to sample Pilsner Urquell than at the source and so Na Spilce is an essential stop when visiting Pilsen. Occupying a former fermentation cellar in the courtyard of the Pilsner Urquell Brewery – the ‘spilka’ – the vaulted ceilings of Na Spilce can host up to 550 diners, making it the largest gastropub in all of Bohemia. Here you can sample eight different draught beers while gorging on a menu of Czech classics such as beer goulash, rolled Přeštice pork brisket, and rabbit ragu.

U Mansfelda

Like many Pilsner Urquell gastropubs, a round, copper bar sits at the centre of U Mansfelda, surrounded by a laidback, cosy interior where the walls are adorned with framed beer advertisements and old, black and white images of Pilsen of times gone by. If the weather allows, take a seat outside on the terrace that overlooks a section of the pretty parkland which encircles the old town.

Craft Beer Bars in Pilsen

Although Pilsners are unsurprisingly the dominant beer style on offer in Pilsen, there are a growing number of specialist beer bars around the city offering a variety of craft beers either from one single microbrewery or from the hundreds of small-scale producers that can be found throughout Czechia.

Beer Club ‘The Blue Star’

If you don’t find the time to journey 15km southwest of Pilsen to the Blue Star Brewery in the nearby town of Dobřany , their city centre pub has 24 taps serving almost entirely their own beers, with a few reserved for guest ales from local microbrewerie s.  

Zlatá Kráva Bandaska

Just off Republic Square, you will find this city centre outpost of Nepomuk-based farmhouse brewery Zlatá kráva (Golden Cow). Expect to find plenty of their own brews on tap where alongside classic pilsners and wheat beers, they offer up seasonal specialties including fruited sours, IPLs and NEIPAs.

Pivstro - Brewhemian Beer Bistro

A cool beer café serving up beer from a number of local microbreweries alongside a menu of international bar food such as burritos, burgers and fish and chips. Make sure to try their house beer brewed by Zhůřák micro brewery.

Klub Malých Pivovarů

A haven for craft beer lovers, the ‘Club of Small Breweries’ has 8 taps that regularly rotate with beers from nearly 250 different microbreweries across Bohemia. If there is nothing on tap that takes your fancy, they have a well-stocked fridge of international beers.

Francis Beer Café

This snug, retro bar on Náměstí Republiky has just four taps from which they are always pouring beers from Pilsner Urquell, Zhůřák and Raven breweries with a 4th on constant rotation. However, their fridge is always well stocked with a mix of Czech and Belgian bottles.

Beer Festivals in Pilsen

Unsurprisingly, being the home to Pilsner lager, the town of Pilsen has a number of events throughout the year celebrating its foamy, golden creation. These range from small beer festivals run by craft breweries to celebrations that take over the entirety of the city’s main square. Like elsewhere in central Europe, the festivities really begin to take hold at the end of summer and start of autumn to coincide with the traditional hop harvest.

The Sun in a Glass

Held in the beer yard of the Purkmistr Brewery in Pilsen- Černice, Sun in a Glass brings together up to 70 domestic and international microbreweries serving over 150 beers. Alongside the beer, there is a program of music and dance performances, competitions, and tours of Purkmistr brewery itself.

Pilsner Fest

Each year on the first weekend of October, Pilsner Fest takes place on the premises of the Pilsner Urquell Brewery to commemorate the anniversary of the first brewing of its pils-type beer. This was a rather historic event that is worthy of celebration; Not only did the beer style completely change the future of the city of Pilsen, but it also altered the future of beer brewing worldwide. The Pilsen recipe is now used for around 70% of the world’s beer production.

The festival usually spills from the grounds of the brewery into the historic city centre of Pilsen and features musical performances across several stages.

Each year, one of Czechia’s most beloved craft breweries close off the streets around their Bolevec brewery to host a 3-day festival serving up their own beers. There is live music from local bands as well as a host of street food stalls.  

Gambrinus Day

This is a beer festival in which the historic square of Pilsen and all of the surrounding streets are transformed into an enormous beer garden for one full day in celebration of the founding of the city’s Gambrinus brewery. Gambrinus beer is served directly from tanks while musical performances provide a soundtrack to the live finals of the Gambrinus Master Bartender competition.

Where to Stay in Pilsen

Being Czechia’s 4th largest city and a major business/industrial hub, there is no shortage of large hotels and accommodation options in Pilsen’s city centre. However, a number of Pilsen’s breweries also offer a place to stay, often with the option of an adjoining beer spa for those really wanting to theme their entire stay in the city around its famous amber nectar. 

Courtyard by Marriott

Brewery & beer spa, hotel purkmistr.

As well as brewing some of Pilsen’s finest beer, Purkmistr brewery has an onsite hotel of 32 rooms with adjoining beer spa where you can bath in a concoction of hops and yeast while enjoying an unlimited supply of 12° Purkmistr beer.

Pivni Hotel

Located south of Pilsen in the picturesque town of Nepomuk, this beer-themed hotel attached to Zlatá Kráva brewery features 16 designer rooms – each named after their own beers – with their own beer tap (and 5 litres of complimentary ale). Their beer spa and wellness centre features a whirlpool, Finnish sauna and the opportunity to take a beer bath in the old cellar of the brewery. A unique experience.  

How to get to Pilsen

Most people visiting Pilsen will arrive via Václav Havel Airport in Prague (90km away/50mins by car). From the airport, you can take the no. 100 bus to Praha-Zličín (40 Czk) and from there, catch the yellow Regiojet buse or the green-orange Flixbus buse to Pilsen (every hour/100 Czk). It is also possible to catch the airport shuttle to Prague railway station where you can transfer to the Západní Express. The Express leaves every hour and takes approximately 1 hour 15 to reach Pilsen.

There are also direct trains from České Budějovice, Klatovy (Železná Ruda), Domažlice, Cheb and Žatec.

Dave McClane

David McClane is a photographer and travel writer based in Leeds, UK. Since first picking up a camera on a yearlong journey through Central and South America in 2014/2015, He has carefully documented his travels through almost 50 countries.

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Pilsen Historical Underground Tour

Visit the pilsen historical underground, which is an inseparable part of the history and present day of the town of pilsen..

We will take you through a labyrinth of passageways, cellars and wells  built below Pilsen as early as from the 13 th Century. During the tour  you will get to see life below the town and uncover the secrets of authentic finds and nooks and crannies that are hidden underground. You will find out  how the underground originated , and see for yourself in how many different ways it was utilised. Thanks to the exhibits and displayed finds,  you will be immersed in the history of the town and the everyday life of its citizens in the Middle Ages . On the tour you will receive  a beer voucher , in exchange for which at select Pilsen restaurants you can  taste 0.3l of Pilsner Urquell beer  (only for those aged 18 or over).  Treat yourself and your loved ones to a present  from our gift shop.

Would you like to give this tour as a present to your dear ones? We have gift vouchers for you!  GIFT VOUCHERS

CONCESSIONARY PACKAGES

Pilsen historical underground tour + brewery museum tour, pilsen historical underground tour + gambrinus brewery tour.

The Pilsen Historical Underground will be closed from 8 January to 2 February for technical maintenance. Thank you for your understanding!

It is possible to access the tour only with a guide, however, we offer the possibility of downloading the mobile application  Smart Guide in Czech, English and German languages.

Additional tour information

What to look forward to during a tour

The tour starts in the so-called ice cellar, which served to store ice. The ice cellar was part of the ingenious system of cellars of the houses that enjoyed brewing rights– it was situated on the top level of the cellars, from where water from the melting ice flowed down to the lower levels of the fermenting and lager cellars and cooled them.

The underground areas were created together with the construction of the first town houses with brewing rights immediately after the founding of the town, that is, from the end of the 13 th  Century. The last part of the underground system was excavated in the 18 th Century. The cellars were originally built to store food. No less important was their use for the brewing of beer. It was in the cellars of the houses with brewing rights that beer was fermented, matured and stored.

Another important use of the underground was as access to water via wells and pits. Originally there were 360 of them. During the tour you will see 20 wells and pits.

Over the course of time the cellars were expanded and deepened and in places up to 2 floors of mutually connected cellars were created. The underground system thus became part of the town’s defence system in times of war, combat and unrest. The underground passageways served not only as secure storage areas for food and a refuge for the citizens of Pilsen, but were also utilised as communication lines.

The Pilsen historical water tower from the first half of the 16 th  Century is an important technical monument and the best preserved building of its type in Bohemia. Here you can see the remnants of a pumping machine from the year 1847. You will also see chambers for water columns, feeder tunnels for driving the machine, and the replica of a waterwheel. The water tower was also part of the fortification system as it was linked to the system of ramparts.

The tour concludes in the Brewery Museum building. If you are aged 18 or over,  you will receive a beer voucher at the end of the tour  which is exchangeable  for 0.30l of   Pilsner Urquell  beer in the  Na Spilce ,  U Salzmannů  or  Na Parkánu  restaurants.

Only visitors aged 18 or over are entitled to beer vouchers as in accordance with the law on protection against alcoholism and other addictive substances No. 37/1989 Coll., visitors younger than 18 will not be served.

Map of brewery premises

Not to be missed, pilsner urquell brewery tour.

Did you know that the Pilsner Urquell tour is one of the world's best rated tourist attractions? It's no...

Brewery museum tour

Enjoy the medieval atmosphere in the only museum of its kind, located in an original authentic brew house from the 15th century.

Tours and educational programs for schools

The Brewery Museum has prepared three interactive learning programmes for first and second-grade pupils about the history of Pilsen and traditional trades.

Opening hours

For tour times, see below.

If you are interested in booking a tour more than one month in advance, please contact us at  [email protected]  or +420 377 062 888.

Reduced admission : children up to 6 and under 15, students under 26, pensioners over 65, TP, ZTP, HI YHA card holders.

Children from 3 to 6 years of age are charged CZK 50 per visit.

Free admission : children to 3 years of age, ZTP/P card holders + their accompanying person (1)

15%   discount  on the price of tickets for  two or more of our various tours  (Pilsner Urquell Brewery, Gambrinus Brewery, Brewery Museum, Pilsen Historical Museum)  on one day . This does not apply to school groups.

Tours held in a foreign language include the guide’s service in the agreed language.

For safety reasons, children under 3 years of age are not allowed entry to the tour route of the Pilsen Historical Underground.

VISITOR RULES

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In accordance with an order from the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic, tours and experience programme are closed to public until further notice. Sorry for inconvenience. If you have any questions, contact us at [email protected] or by phone on +420 377 062 888.

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