Is Plzen (Pilsen) Worth Visiting?

Plzen is the Czech town that’s home to Pilser Urquell, a (in)famous Czech beer.  If you’ve had a Czech beer, you’ve probably had this one.

But is it worth trekking your way all the way to Plzen (which isn’t exactly on the beaten path – it’s a bus ride, which can be tricky if you don’t speak Czech, or a train ride, which takes awhile.)  The short answer?  Yes, definitely worth it.

Beer

So you’re probably here to enjoy a cold draft of beer and see those two iconic arches that up the stamp that’s on any bottle of Pilsner.  I have to say, though, that the site itself is rather unremarkable.  The arches are nice, but it’s all just kind of industrial.

Having said that, if this is your favourite beer, I’d be remiss not to tell you to go and have a look.  It’s an inexpensive tour, and they do highlight some other brands of beer they sell in the Czech Republic you might not be familiar with.

Oh, and the souvenir shop has some nice t-shirts with funny Czech sayings on them.  Ask a friend to translate!

Other Stuff in Plzen

At first glance, if you only see the bus station and brewery, you’ll think this is nothing but an industrial layover, because behind the bus station is the enormous Skoda plant, a popular Czech car.  But I’d encourage you to linger and walk around the history city centre, which has other highlights, including:

• The 3rd largest synagogue in the world (second only to Budapest and Jerusalem)
• The tallest church spire in the country, which you can climb for a bird’s eye view.

The city also has several very tasty restaurants, where you can have another beer if you so wish.  Plzen isn’t a place to spend a week, but for a day or two, it is a very lovely trip indeed.