Pilsner Urquell Brewery

During a trip to Prague, you cannot miss a visit to the Pilsner Urquell Brewery (Plzeňský prazdroj in Czech), which is such a unique site that over the years it has become one of the landmarks of the Czech Republic. The origins of this brewery date back to the mid-19th century when, thanks to the initiative of a few citizens, who involved the Bavarian brewing expert Josef Groll in the team, it was decided to produce a new type of beer that could revolutionise the market of the time. In the 19th century, in fact, there were dark and mostly low-quality beers.

Thanks to the use of local hops from the town of Žatec, one of the world’s first light beers began to be brewed, which went on to inspire numerous other brewers. This beer, called pilsner or pils, became increasingly successful to the extent that the Pilsner brewery is now the world’s leading exporter of beer from the Czech Republic. The name of the beer ‘Pilsner Urquell’ means ‘Original Pilsner‘ and identifies the Bohemian town where it is brewed, which is about an hour’s train ride from Prague and therefore perfect for a day trip from the capital.

Pilsner Urquell Brewery Tour

The Pilsner Urquell Brewery is now one of the most modern and state-of-the-art bottling plants as it can bottle up to 120,000 bottles of beer and 60,000 cans per hour. The tour of discovery of this historic brewery starts from its inception and continues with the selection of ingredients, the brewing process and, finally, the fermentation and processing process.

The production process of this beer is very meticulous and begins with the selection of the best Moravian barley as Pilsner has chosen to always use 100% Czech ingredients for production and to keep the recipe invented in the 19th century intact. The entire complex consists of three large factories built in different centuries that include not only the production and bottling departments but also the historical cellars, a fascinating section that always captivates all visitors. The visit ends with a tasting of the beer brewed here and still unfiltered in order to savour its true taste.

Admission tickets to the Pilsner Urquell Brewery

A visit to the Pilsner Urquell Brewery is only possible via guided tours that last approximately 110 minutes. To visit the brewery, it is highly recommended to purchase tickets online in advance.

Opening Hours

It is possible to visit the Pilsner Urquell brewery:

• may to September daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m
• from October to April every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

How to get to the Pilsner Urquell Brewery

The Pilsner Urquell Brewery is located in the town of Pilsner not too far from the capital Prague. The best way to get there is undoubtedly by train, which connects the two cities in just over an hour. Another alternative is the various buses that travel via the extensive motorway network and make it possible to reach the factory in 70 to 80 minutes. Finally, those who wish to travel by car can reach Plzeň in just over an hour from Prague via the D5 E50.