Budějovický Budvar

Who they are

Budějovický Budvar is the national brewing company of České Budějovice, the one that makes Budweiser Budvar, a lager from the town that gives its name to "budweiser" beer. Its origin is the Český akciový pivovar, the Czech joint-stock brewery founded in 1895, which made its first brew on 7 October of that year. In 1967 the national company Budějovický Budvar was created as heir to it and to the municipal brewery, and since 1 January 1991 it has operated independently; it is still a company of the Czech state, with the legal form "n. p." On its website they also tell the long dispute over the name Budweiser with the American Anheuser-Busch, with agreements in 1911 and 1939. As well as the brewery, it runs the big restaurant in the centre, Masné krámy.

What the tours are like

They leave from the brewery's visitor centre, at K. Světlé 512/4, by reservation on its website: 70–80 minutes through the brew house, the maturation cellars and the bottling plant, with a tasting and a finish in its restaurant, the Budvarka. The route is partly outdoors, is about a kilometre long and has some 120 steps. In the cellar it is about 2 °C and in the brew house about 30, so bring a warm layer and, if it rains, an umbrella. The bottling plant may not be running on the day of the visit.

For individual visitors there are fixed tours all year: at 14:00 in Czech, at 14:20 in German and at 14:40 in English, and in July and August another three at 10:00, 10:20 and 10:40. Up to 30 people fit. Groups of five to thirty choose a time, every 20 minutes from 9:00 to 17:00, and one of seven languages: Czech, English, German, Russian, French, Spanish or Italian.

Prices, ages and other activities

The tour costs 290 CZK and 220 CZK reduced for students and children; outside opening hours, 500 and 300 CZK. Minors can go, but the tasting is only for over-18s. For curious beer lovers there is a Tapping School, a beer-pouring school of about 2 hours 40 minutes for 10 to 20 people, for 1,300 CZK, booked two weeks ahead. At the visitor centre you can have glasses engraved.

Booking, accessibility and getting there

The booking is only valid when the confirmation arrives; if it does not, you must write to [email protected] or call +420 387 705 347. Groups that arrive more than 15 minutes late without warning may lose their slot. The route is not accessible, but wheelchair tours can be arranged in advance. Dogs are not allowed. The centre is open from 9:00 to 17:00, in January and February without Sundays, and closes from 24 to 26 December and on 1 January. Until 30 November 2026 line 2 does not reach the brewery because of roadworks; the website suggests bus 5 from the station and then the 6 to the Kněžskodvorská stop.