Plzeň
CzechiaCfa
© OpenStreetMap, CARTO
Město piva | City of beer
Why visit
Plzeň is the obvious pilgrimage for beer lovers, the Pilsner Urquell brewery tour ends with a sip of unfiltered, unpasteurized lager drawn straight from oak lagering barrels in the historic cellars. Beyond beer, climb the 102-meter Gothic spire of St. Bartholomew's, explore Europe's third-largest synagogue (the Great Synagogue), and descend into the medieval Plzeň Underground tunnel network. Use the city as a quieter base for the Bohemian Forest national park or as a weekend escape from Prague's crowds.
When to avoid
The brewery district near the train station can feel desolate after dark and attracts the occasional rough crowd. Sundays still see many smaller shops shuttered. Winter brings damp grey skies for weeks at a stretch. The big Pilsner Fest in early October books out hotel rooms months ahead at premium rates. Beyond the brewery and main square, the suburbs are typical drab Czech panelaks, stay central.
