7 Czech Breweries Where You Can Take a Real Tour: From Plzeň to a Prague Monastery
Czechia is one of the few countries where brewing remains a living tradition rather than a museum piece: at many breweries, brewers still open their doors to visitors, show off the brewing halls, and let you taste unfiltered beer straight from the tank or barrel. This roundup is for anyone who wants more than just a pint at a bar — who wants to see how beer is actually made, from giants like Pilsner Urquell to a small monastery brewery just a stone's throw from Prague Castle.
Pilsner Urquell Brewery, Plzeň
The visitor centre is located at U Prazdroje 64/7, 301 00 Plzeň-Plzeň 3. The tour lasts about 100 minutes and in 2024 was named the best brewery tour in Europe at the World Travel Awards. Visitors are taken through the historic and modern brewhouses, as well as the brewery's famous 9-kilometre cellars, where some of the beer is still brewed using 19th-century methods. An adult ticket costs 430 CZK, children under 15, students and seniors pay 345 CZK, and a family ticket costs 1,240 CZK.
Budweiser Budvar Brewery, České Budějovice
The brewery is located at Karolíny Světlé 512/4 in České Budějovice. The tour takes 70–80 minutes and costs 290 CZK (220 CZK reduced), culminating in a tasting of unfiltered, unpasteurised Budweiser Budvar B:ORIGINAL straight from the lagering tank in the cellar. Tours are offered in several languages, including English, German, Spanish and Russian, and it's best to book tickets in advance on the official website.
Staropramen, Prague 5-Smíchov
The Staropramen brewery operates in the old industrial district of Prague 5-Smíchov, at Nádražní 43/84 (Pivovarská 244/9). The visitor centre is part of a historic complex of brewery buildings in Prague's old Smíchov industrial quarter. The interactive tour with tasting lasts about 50 minutes, guided by the story of legendary brewer Josef Paspa, and ends with a chance to try several beers at the brewery's on-site bar.
Plan your Prague trip
1. From the airport to the centre
2. Public transport and tickets
3. Money and currency exchange
4. Where to stay
5. What to see in 1, 2 and 3 days
6. What to book in advance
7. Beer halls and pubs
8. Day trips from Prague
9. What is on this week
Velkopopovický Kozel, Velké Popovice
The brewery is located in the picturesque village of Velké Popovice, about 25 km southeast of Prague. The "In the Footsteps of the Goat" tour lasts 90 minutes, taking visitors through the historic and new brewhouses, the lager cellar, the bottling and kegging lines, and even a chance to meet the brewery's live goat mascot, Olda. The price includes a 0.3-litre tasting of Velkopopovický Kozel light lager. Tickets cost 250 CZK and can be bought online at prazdrojvisit.cz.
Klášterní pivovar Strahov, Prague 1
This monastery brewery is located within the Strahov Monastery complex, just a couple of steps from Prague Castle. The brewing kettles stand right in the restaurant hall, so you can watch the brewer at work from your table. The brewery's website offered no tours as of 12 November 2026: come here to taste the beer and see the brewhouse. Here they brew their own unfiltered, unpasteurised beers named after St Norbert, founder of the Premonstratensian order — ranging from an amber lager to IPA and seasonal specialities.
Gambrinus, Plzeň
Another Plzeň brewery belonging to the Prazdroj group, Gambrinus is included alongside Pilsner Urquell in a joint tour programme: organisers invite guests to discover how beer is brewed at the Gambrinus brewery. Gambrinus tours are often combined with a Pilsner Urquell visit as part of a single day in Plzeň — convenient if you've already come to the city for "Pilsner" beer and want to compare the two iconic brands.
Radegast, Nošovice
The Radegast brewery is located in the Moravian-Silesian region, in the village of Nošovice, and is also part of the Prazdroj group's network of breweries offering guided tours for visitors — the programme invites guests to discover the "bitter" Radegast brewery on a guided tour. It's a great option for those travelling through Moravia who want a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most recognisable Czech beer brands outside Bohemia.
If you only have one day in Prague, take the Staropramen tour in Smíchov and finish with a beer at the Strahov monastery brewery: both are within the city. Fans of the legendary Pilsner should set aside a whole day for Plzeň, combining tours of Pilsner Urquell and Gambrinus, while admirers of the original "Budweiser" should make the trip to České Budějovice. And almost everywhere the same rule applies: book your tour in advance, especially in summer, and bring warm clothing — even in July, the old cellars can be chilly.
See also: Prague beer tasting and brewery tours 2026.
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