Pilsen
Introduction
Plzeň, also known in English and German as Pilsen, sits in the Czech Republic roughly 78 kilometres west of Prague. The city lies at the confluence of four rivers — the Mže, Úhlava, Úslava and Radbuza — which join to form the Berounka.
Before you go
Pilsen rewards a little preparation before you arrive. The city is the birthplace of Pilsner Urquell, and its brewing heritage shapes how you should plan your days: expect beer culture to be central to your visit rather than a side attraction. Check the Visit Pilsen website before you travel, as it is the source for current practical information on what is open and how to get around.
- Look into the city's brewery heritage in advance so you know what you want to see.
- Use the Visit Pilsen website for up-to-date visitor information.
Getting there
Trains and buses both leave Prague hourly and take just over an hour, making the Czech capital the easiest starting point. From Germany, direct trains run every two hours from Munich and take about four and a half hours, while Nuremberg can be reached in roughly three hours via Marktredwitz and Cheb. From the south, a railway line runs from Železná Ruda via Klatovy along a track more than a century old, with spectacular views of the Šumava mountains along the way. A further rail option comes from the Austrian city of Gmünd via České Budějovice. Rail connections hold to the same intervals at weekends as on weekdays. Several bus companies link the city with other European cities and stop at the central bus station, though these services usually require a reservation; trains, by contrast, keep their intervals all week, weekends included, and need no booking. Both the main railway station and the central bus station sit within walking distance of the city centre. The railway station is an art nouveau building opened in 1907, with two tram lines and several trolley-buses stopping just outside the side entrance, reached through a short tunnel from the station; the main entrance now serves mainly parking and some taxis.Getting around
Pilsen is a compact city, and for the centre itself walking is the best way to get around. Both the main railway station and the central bus station sit within walking distance of the centre, so you can often reach your accommodation on foot after arriving.
To cover the whole city, use the services of the public transport operator PMDP, which runs trams, buses and trolley-buses. Trams and trolley-buses also serve the area around the main railway station: two tram lines and several trolley-buses stop just outside the side entrance, reached through a short tunnel from the train station, while the main entrance offers little besides parking and some taxis. Check the PMDP official website for lines, schedules and rates. People aged 65 and over travel for free.
Where to stay
Plzeň's accommodation is concentrated in and around the city centre, with a handful of options in the outer centre and further out in the Bory neighbourhood to the south. For a budget stay, Hotel Slovan sits on Smetanovy sady. Mid-range choices include Hotel Plzeň on Budilova, City on Sady 5. Května in the centre, and AK Penzion Plzeň, Stará Plzeň and Morrison, all in the outer city centre.
If you'd rather stay right in the heart of things, the splurge bracket puts you on the main square at Hotel Central, on Pražská at U Zvonu, and on Sady 5. května at the Courtyard By Marriott Pilsen. Parkhotel Plzeň trades the centre for the Bory neighbourhood south of town, while Primavera sits on Nepomucká.
Food & drink
Pilsen is the city where pilsner beer was invented, and Pilsner Urquell is its famous brand. In a few pubs, such as Senk Na Parkanu, and at the brewery itself, you can get the unfiltered, unpasteurized version of Pilsner Urquell, which tastes even better than the common filtered version. Another brand made in the same brewery is Gambrinus; its light (desitka) is cheaper and weaker than Pilsner Urquell. For an excellent unfiltered Urquell, head to the pub Na Parkáně.
For food, Na Spilce sits within the grounds of the Prazdroj brewery and is the biggest restaurant in the Czech Republic. Potrefená Husa offers a big restaurant with a good selection of meals and drinks, while U Salzmannů is the oldest beer restaurant in Pilsen, serving Czech traditional cuisine. Slunečnice serves healthy bio cuisine including vegetarian and vegan dishes, and Anděl Vegetarian Restaurant is a creative and stylish vegetarian option. La Tartelette does French fast food such as soups, salads and quiche. Among cafés, Měšťanská beseda is a luxurious Art Nouveau-style café, CrossCafe serves good coffee and light meals, Kajetánka is a winehouse, Anděl Café is a coffee and chocolate house with music, and Kačaba is a café and teahouse employing people with disabilities as part of therapy.
What to see and do
Start in the centre, on Náměstí Republiky, where the Gothic Cathedral of St. Bartholomew rises over the square; climb its tower for a view across the city and the surrounding countryside. The Renaissance Town Hall, built in the mid-16th century to designs by an Italian architect, also faces the square, and the city's galleries and museums cluster nearby, including the West Bohemian Museum and the Pilsen Municipal Armoury, the Ethnography Museum of the Pilsen Region, the Puppet Museum, and the Ghost Museum. Beneath the old town lies the Historical Underground Network, a system of cellars and tunnels on three levels, reached from the Brewery Museum, which traces the history of brewing here. The Great Synagogue, one of Europe's largest, stands a short walk away. Beyond the centre, the Pilsner Urquell Brewery shows how the original Pilsener-type beer is made, and you can drink Pilsner Urquell in the city that gave its name to pilseners everywhere. Parks ring the historical centre on two sides and are made for walking. Pilsen Zoo keeps its animals in natural conditions rather than cages, the Techmania Science Center occupies premises at the Škoda factory, and the Patton Memorial Pilsen covers the American occupation of 1945. Further out, the Air Park holds a collection of aircraft. Football fans can watch FC Viktoria Plzeň at the Doosan Arena, a short walk from the centre. Events fill the calendar: the Liberation Festival around the anniversary of the city's 1945 liberation, the Puppet Rock Festival in late July, the In the Streets Festival in the first half of August, and Pilsner Fest in September, when the brewery celebrates its birthday.Three days in Pilsen
Day one: Base yourself in the centre of Pilsen, the Czech Republic's beer capital, and spend your first hours getting your bearings on foot. The city grew where the Mže and Radbuza meet to form the Berounka, and the rivers give you an easy line to follow. Use the trams of PMDP to reach Bory, then work back towards the centre. In the evening, sit down to a Pilsner Urquell and a plate of Czech food, and let the first day be a slow one.
Day two: Give the day to the brewery that made the city's name. A visit to Pilsner Urquell is the obvious anchor, and you can build the rest of your time around it. Check what Visit Pilsen suggests for the season, and look for the smaller corners of the centre rather than trying to cover everything. If you are coming from Prague, the train is straightforward; from Germany, connections run via Munich, Nuremberg, Marktredwitz and Cheb, and from the south via Ruda, Klatovy, the Austrian border at Gmünd and Budějovice. Several European rail routes meet here, so both directions are easy.
Day three: Take the morning at an unhurried pace. People often stay near the Hotel Slovan or around Smetanovy sady, which puts you within reach of the centre's streets and squares. Use the trams again to see a different quarter, then finish with a last Czech meal before you leave. If your time is short, keep the day simple: one neighbourhood, one long lunch, and no rushing.