I remember that taking a day trip to Pilsen was one of the first things I wanted to do in the Czech Republic. When I spent my summer there several years ago, I admittedly knew next to nothing about the rest of the country. I remember the town of Pilsen sticking out to me for one reason: beer.
That summer, however, I didn’t make it to Pilsen. So when I found myself in the Czech Republic yet again, I knew that I had to visit Pilsen. Luckily, it was ridiculously easy to get to Pilsen from Prague.
Where in the world is Pilsen?
Pilsen is only about an hour drive away from Prague. You can either take the train or a Flixbus. Since a Flixbus was cheaper (2,20€ one way!), it was practically a no-brainer. However the return is where we ran into a problem. The last Flixbus leaves Pilsen around 15:30. Fortunately there were trains that ran later.
For train times and schedules, check out Ceske Drahy.
Related: An Escape to a Czech Countryside Hotel
First order of business: beer
Once we got off the bus, we headed right to Pilsner Urquell for our brewery tour. We were taken through the facility and shown how the beer is made. Of course we also got to taste some of the beer (best part!).
The tour had all sorts of interactive videos. They walked us through the entire process and even took us downstairs where it was a bit wet and chilly! You will definitely want to bring a jacket at least!
Next a walk through town
After touring the brewery and trying some beer, we made our way down to the center of the city. It was quite a nice day. One thing that I didn’t know is that Pilsen is the fourth largest city in the Czech Republic. However since the population of the entire country is only 10 million, Pilsen isn’t like a bustling cosmopolitan city. The population sits right around 170,000 inhabitants.
After spending a little over a week in Prague, it felt nice to get away to a smaller and calmer city. The weather could not have been better either!
Lunch time!
After a little walk into the heart of downtown, we decided to grab a bite to eat. We ended up at Pivstro, a cute little restaurant that had all sorts of things. I of course ordered a beer because why not?
This was a chicken burrito and french fries. Considering Pvistro isn’t a Mexican restaurant, I was surprised at how good this burrito was.
Related: 3 Bohemian Czech Towns in Two Days
The Great Synagogue
Did you know that Pilsen has an amazing synagogue? In fact, this synagogue, called the Great Synagogue in English, is the second largest synagogue in Europe (the largest one is in Budapest). We spent some time walking around and exploring it.
View from the top
In the center of the city, you can find the St. Bartholomew Cathedral. Climbing up the tower gives you some pretty amazing views of the city. I will always climb for a view, so I decided to go up and shoot a few photos.
Other things to see in Pilsen
A day trip is plenty of time to see the main things and get a feel for the city. However if you are left with some time, here are a few other things that you can do:
If you’re planning to visit Prague, I hope you add on a day trip to Pilsen! You definitely won’t regret it!
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This post was written in collaboration with Visit Pilsen. All opinions are my own.
