# Plzeň An hour and a half by train from Prague: the brewery where pilsner was born in 1842, tunnels beneath the old town and the tallest church tower in the country. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/czechia/pilsen · Revisado: 2026-11-12 Plzeň is Czechia's fourth-largest city and the birthplace of pale lager: in 1842 the city's brewers made the first golden lager, the pilsner, which today gives its name to half the beers in the world. You can tour the whole Pilsner Urquell brewery, right down to the cellars where you are served a glass of unfiltered beer. But Plzeň also has an enormous square with a Gothic cathedral, the tallest church tower in the country, one of the largest synagogues in the world and a maze of tunnels beneath the old town. It is an easy day trip from Prague. ## How do you get there from Prague? By train, from Prague's main station to Plzeň hlavní nádraží, in about an hour and a half. From the station the brewery is about ten minutes' walk and Republic Square about fifteen, or a tram stop away. By car, about 90 km along the D5 motorway, around an hour. You can stop at Karlštejn Castle on the way. In the centre, park in a paid car park and get around on foot. ## What to see in a day In the morning, the brewery. The Pilsner Urquell tour lasts a little over an hour and a half: the brewing process, the brewhouse and the cellars at 5 °C, where you are served the unfiltered, unpasteurised beer. Have lunch at Na Spilce, the brewery restaurant inside the complex. In the afternoon, the centre. Climb the tower of the Cathedral of St Bartholomew, on Republic Square; go down into the historical underground, with the Brewery Museum next door; and call in at the Great Synagogue, five minutes from the square. With children, swap the brewery for Techmania, the science centre in the old Škoda halls, where they will spend the morning touching and experimenting. ## When to go Any month: almost everything is indoors and the brewery is open all year. Watch the closing days: Techmania is closed on Mondays; the Great Synagogue on Fridays, Saturdays and Jewish holidays. In summer and on bank-holiday weekends, book the brewery tour in advance. ## How much does it cost? The brewery costs 430 CZK per adult; the underground, 250 CZK; the Brewery Museum, 150 CZK; the tower, from 110 CZK; the Great Synagogue, from 140 CZK; Techmania, 280 CZK. A meal at Na Spilce with beer comes to around 300–450 CZK. ## Dónde está - Zonas: Czech beer - Cerca: Křivoklát (a 47.9 km), Mariánské Lázně (a 54.4 km), Karlštejn (a 61.9 km), Karlovy Vary (a 63.9 km) ## Qué hacer - **Tour of the Pilsner Urquell brewery with unfiltered beer in the cellars** (1 h 40 · Adults; minors with an adult, without the tasting · 430 CZK adult): Pilsner was born here in 1842 and the recipe, they say, has not changed. The tour takes in the whole Plzeňský Prazdroj brewery: the ingredients, the brewhouse and, at the end, the maturation cellars, kilometres of galleries at about 5 °C where you are served a glass of unfiltered, unpasteurised beer straight from the barrel. The tasting is for over-18s only. Bring something warm to wear. Guided tours run in several languages at fixed times; if there is no Spanish slot, the SmartGuide app narrates the tour in Spanish in your headphones. Buy your ticket on their website. The brewery is about ten minutes' walk from the railway station. - **Cathedral of St Bartholomew and the tallest church tower in Czechia** (45 min · From about age 8 with good legs · From 110 CZK adult; 60 CZK ages 6 to 15; family 280 CZK): The Gothic cathedral stands in the middle of the enormous Republic Square, and its tower, at 102 metres, is the tallest of any church in Czechia. You climb almost 300 steps to the gallery: in good weather you see the forests of Bohemia and the Upper Palatinate and, on very clear days, the Alps. Check the day's opening hours on the Plzeň tourism website. - **Plzeň historical underground, the tunnels beneath the old town** (1 h · All ages · 250 CZK adult): Beneath Plzeň's old town is a maze of cellars, corridors and wells dug over the centuries to store beer and provisions and for water. Part of it is visited with a guide: narrow passages, stairs and cellars at a cool temperature all year. It is run by the same company as the Pilsner Urquell brewery, and booked on the same website. - **Plzeň Brewery Museum** (1 h · All ages · 150 CZK adult): In a former brewers' house in the old town, the museum tells the story of beer from the Middle Ages to today: malthouse, cellars, an old tavern and objects from the Plzeňský Prazdroj collections. It is next to the entrance of the historical underground, and the two visits can be combined. - **Great Synagogue of Plzeň, the third largest in Europe** (40 min · All ages · From 140 CZK adult; reduced 110 CZK; family 350 CZK): Completed in 1893, in Moorish and Romanesque style with two towers, it is the largest synagogue in Czechia, the third in Europe and the fifth in the world by size: it held about 2,500 people. Inside, Oriental decoration and exhibitions on Plzeň's Jewish community. It is open Sunday to Thursday; closed on Fridays, Saturdays and Jewish holidays. It is five minutes from the square, in the gardens that surround the old town. - **Techmania, the hands-on science museum** (3 h · Families; children from about age 4 · 280 CZK; family (2+2) 1,040 CZK): A science centre in the old halls of the Škoda factory: interactive exhibitions, experiments, optical illusions and science shows where children touch, try and get wet. It is the plan for a rainy day or to make up for a morning at the brewery with the children. Closed on Mondays. It is outside the centre, at U Planetária 1: go by tram or city bus. ## Dónde comer - **Hospoda Na Spilce** (Restaurant, Plzeň, €€). Qué pedir: a Czech dish with an unfiltered Pilsner Urquell, after the brewery tour. - **Hotel Central restaurant** (Restaurant, Plzeň, €€). Qué pedir: ask about the house seasonal menu. ## By plane: Fly to Prague and an hour and a half by train to Plzeň Plzeň has no flights from Spain: you fly to Prague, with direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and other Spanish cities, and continue by train from the main station, about an hour and a half, or by car on the D5 motorway, about an hour. It is a classic day trip from Prague. ### Dónde dormir if you're flying - **Hotel Central** (Hotel): The house A four-star hotel on Republic Square, the centre of Plzeň, with the Cathedral of St Bartholomew in front of its windows. It has 77 rooms, a 24-hour reception and a restaurant with views of the square. What it has A wellness area with Finnish sauna, steam bath and whirlpool, and a gym open every day. It offers packages combining room, breakfast, dinner and the brewery tour. Getting there and parking It can keep your car in a closed courtyard, with limited spaces: book beforehand. Without a car, from the railway station it is about fifteen minutes' walk or a short tram ride; the Pilsner Urquell brewery is about 15 minutes' walk away. - **Hotel Purkmistr** (Spa hotel): The house A four-star hotel inside the courtyard of a former brewing farm in Černice, a village absorbed by Plzeň, about 15 minutes by car from the centre. On the same site are the Purkmistr brewery, which makes unfiltered, unpasteurised beers to old recipes, and the restaurant. What it has Its draw is the beer baths: a wooden tub with hot water, brewer's yeast and herbs, in private, with a beer tap beside it. There is also a wellness area and parking. Who it is for For those who come by car and want a quiet, beer-flavoured night outside the centre. Without a car it is less practical: the centre is a long way on foot. - **Parkhotel Plzeň** (Hotel): The house A large hotel with a conference centre on the edge of Borský Park, south-west of the centre. It has a restaurant, an outdoor pool for the summer and parking with charging for electric cars. Who it is for For families and for those who come by car and want hassle-free parking. Without a car it also works: the tram drops you in the centre in about five minutes, and on foot it is about fifteen. ### Servicios - **Plzeň tourist information centre**: Tourist office on Republic Square, next to the cathedral. - **Train from Prague to Plzeň hlavní nádraží**: Trains from Prague's main station in about an hour and a half; Plzeň station is ten minutes' walk from the brewery. ## Car-free: Train from Prague and everything on foot between the brewery and the square Plzeň is a perfect excursion by train: the station is ten minutes from the Pilsner Urquell brewery and fifteen from the square. The tram covers what is further away, such as Techmania. Presupuesto orientativo: 60–120 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir without a car - **Hotel Central** (Hotel): The house A four-star hotel on Republic Square, the centre of Plzeň, with the Cathedral of St Bartholomew in front of its windows. It has 77 rooms, a 24-hour reception and a restaurant with views of the square. What it has A wellness area with Finnish sauna, steam bath and whirlpool, and a gym open every day. It offers packages combining room, breakfast, dinner and the brewery tour. Getting there and parking It can keep your car in a closed courtyard, with limited spaces: book beforehand. Without a car, from the railway station it is about fifteen minutes' walk or a short tram ride; the Pilsner Urquell brewery is about 15 minutes' walk away. - **Parkhotel Plzeň** (Hotel): The house A large hotel with a conference centre on the edge of Borský Park, south-west of the centre. It has a restaurant, an outdoor pool for the summer and parking with charging for electric cars. Who it is for For families and for those who come by car and want hassle-free parking. Without a car it also works: the tram drops you in the centre in about five minutes, and on foot it is about fifteen. ### Servicios - **Plzeň tourist information centre**: Tourist office on Republic Square, next to the cathedral. - **Train from Prague to Plzeň hlavní nádraží**: Trains from Prague's main station in about an hour and a half; Plzeň station is ten minutes' walk from the brewery. ## By car: By car on the D5, with a night in a brewery By car, Plzeň is about 90 km from Prague on the D5 motorway, around an hour. It lets you sleep outside the centre, at the Hotel Purkmistr, or combine it with Karlštejn Castle on the way. Presupuesto orientativo: 70–140 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're driving - **Hotel Central** (Hotel): The house A four-star hotel on Republic Square, the centre of Plzeň, with the Cathedral of St Bartholomew in front of its windows. It has 77 rooms, a 24-hour reception and a restaurant with views of the square. What it has A wellness area with Finnish sauna, steam bath and whirlpool, and a gym open every day. It offers packages combining room, breakfast, dinner and the brewery tour. Getting there and parking It can keep your car in a closed courtyard, with limited spaces: book beforehand. Without a car, from the railway station it is about fifteen minutes' walk or a short tram ride; the Pilsner Urquell brewery is about 15 minutes' walk away. - **Hotel Purkmistr** (Spa hotel): The house A four-star hotel inside the courtyard of a former brewing farm in Černice, a village absorbed by Plzeň, about 15 minutes by car from the centre. On the same site are the Purkmistr brewery, which makes unfiltered, unpasteurised beers to old recipes, and the restaurant. What it has Its draw is the beer baths: a wooden tub with hot water, brewer's yeast and herbs, in private, with a beer tap beside it. There is also a wellness area and parking. Who it is for For those who come by car and want a quiet, beer-flavoured night outside the centre. Without a car it is less practical: the centre is a long way on foot. - **Parkhotel Plzeň** (Hotel): The house A large hotel with a conference centre on the edge of Borský Park, south-west of the centre. It has a restaurant, an outdoor pool for the summer and parking with charging for electric cars. Who it is for For families and for those who come by car and want hassle-free parking. Without a car it also works: the tram drops you in the centre in about five minutes, and on foot it is about fifteen. ### Servicios - **Plzeň tourist information centre**: Tourist office on Republic Square, next to the cathedral. ## As a family: Hands-on science, tunnels and a 102-metre tower Plzeň is not just beer: with children, Techmania fills a morning, the tunnels of the historical underground delight them and the St Bartholomew tower is a challenge for those who already climb stairs. The brewery is better for the older ones. ### What works best Techmania, with experiments and science shows Historical underground, an hour of tunnels St Bartholomew tower, almost 300 steps Brewery Museum, with the old tavern ### Where to sleep Hotel Central, on the square Hotel Purkmistr, if you are travelling by car ### Where to eat Hospoda Na Spilce Hotel Central restaurant ### Keep in mind Techmania closes on Mondays The brewery tasting is for over-18s only The tower is not for small children ### Qué hacer as a family - Cathedral of St Bartholomew and the tallest church tower in Czechia - Plzeň historical underground, the tunnels beneath the old town - Plzeň Brewery Museum - Techmania, the hands-on science museum ## With young children: Techmania and tunnels for a rainy morning With small children, Plzeň works if the plan revolves around Techmania, where they can touch everything, and a while in the tunnels of the historical underground. ### What works best Techmania, with interactive exhibitions Historical underground, if narrow corridors do not frighten them Brewery Museum, short ### Where to sleep Hotel Central ### Where to eat Hospoda Na Spilce ### Keep in mind Techmania closes on Mondays The underground has stairs: a baby carrier is better than a pushchair ### Qué hacer with young children - Plzeň historical underground, the tunnels beneath the old town - Plzeň Brewery Museum - Techmania, the hands-on science museum ## With teenagers: A very tall tower, tunnels and an enormous synagogue For teenagers, Plzeň combines challenges and curiosities: climbing the tallest church tower in the country, getting lost in the tunnels beneath the town, the Great Synagogue and Techmania. They can do the brewery with you, without the tasting. ### What works best St Bartholomew tower Historical underground Great Synagogue, the third largest in Europe Techmania ### Where to sleep Hotel Central ### Where to eat Hospoda Na Spilce ### Keep in mind The Great Synagogue closes on Fridays and Saturdays At the brewery, minors do not taste the beer ### Qué hacer with teenagers - Tour of the Pilsner Urquell brewery with unfiltered beer in the cellars - Cathedral of St Bartholomew and the tallest church tower in Czechia - Plzeň historical underground, the tunnels beneath the old town - Plzeň Brewery Museum - Great Synagogue of Plzeň, the third largest in Europe - Techmania, the hands-on science museum ## Consejos ### Buy the brewery tour with a set time Tours fill up in season; choose your language or use the app in Spanish. ### Bring a jacket The cellars are at about 5 °C even in summer. ### Combine the underground and the museum They are side by side and can be booked on the same website. ### Check the day of the week Techmania closes on Monday; the synagogue, Friday and Saturday. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How long does it take to get from Prague to Plzeň? About an hour and a half by train; an hour by car. ### Are there brewery tours in Spanish? Guided tours run in several languages; if there is no Spanish slot, the SmartGuide app narrates the tour in Spanish. ### Can children go to the brewery? Yes, with an adult; the tasting is for over-18s only. ### What else is there to see in Plzeň? The tower of St Bartholomew's, the historical underground, the Great Synagogue and Techmania. ### Can you do it in a day from Prague? Yes, comfortably by train. ### Where should I eat? At Na Spilce, inside the brewery, or on the square.