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 about 60 minutes and costs around 200 CZK (roughly €8), 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.

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, and groups are advised to book in advance by phone or email.

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, but with advance booking you can also join a guided tour of the brewery itself. 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, start with Staropramen in Smíchov or the monastery brewery at Strahov — both are compact and don't require leaving 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.

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Source: aroundprague.cz

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