Pilsen brewery tour with lunch: Pilsner Urquell tasting

Beer straight from the oak barrels tastes different than what you drink at home.

A guided tour of Pilsen's city center and the Pilsner Urquell brewery, led by a local guide in English or German, with two-course lunch at a restaurant in the center and a tasting of unfiltered, unpasteurized beer drawn directly from oak lager barrels in the historic brewery cellars. The tour runs 5.5 hours and starts at 11am at U Salzmannů pub. A minimum of four people per booking is required, and beer tasting is for guests 18 and over.

The experience

What makes Pilsen worth a half-day is the brewery itself, not a museum version of one, but the actual place where Pilsner Urquell has been made since 1842. The tour takes you into the historic cellars where the beer ages in oak, and you taste it unfiltered and unpasteurized, tapped straight from the barrel. That's the core of the day, but it doesn't stand alone: a local guide walks you through the city center first, showing you the stories and landmarks that built Pilsen into what it is, then you sit down for a two-course lunch at one of the city's established restaurants before heading to the brewery.

The day starts at 11am at U Salzmannů pub in the city center, which means no need to arrange transport to a distant facility or wait for a shuttle. Your guide handles the whole route (the walking tour, the brewery entrance, the tasting itself), so you're not navigating between stops or figuring out what to do next. Lunch is included and seated, not grabbed between activities. The beer glass you get to take home is a souvenir that actually marks the place.

Bring a sweater or light jacket for the cellars. They stay cool year-round. The minimum group size is four people, so you'll have other travelers with you but not a crowd. If you don't drink, the brewery tour and lunch still work. The tasting is optional for anyone under 18 or choosing to skip it, though the tour is built around it.

What’s included

• Local guide in English or German.
• guided walk through Pilsen's city center.
• two-course lunch with one drink at a restaurant in the center.
• entrance to the Pilsner Urquell brewery.
• beer tasting of unfiltered, unpasteurized beer from the oak barrels.
• exclusive beer glass souvenir.
• all taxes and fees.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 11:30

Book up to2d before

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and German

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPublic transport nearby

Operated by Pilsenjoy s.r.o.

Is this one for you?The tour starts in the city center at a pub, so you don't need a car or a ride to a distant brewery. If you're staying downtown or can reach U Salzmannů by public transport, the guide picks up the route from there. That setup works for anyone without a rental car or staying outside the center.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and German.

How does the beer taste different when it comes straight from the oak barrel?

Unfiltered and unpasteurized beer retains more of its natural flavor and texture than the filtered versions sold in stores. Tapping it directly from the oak barrel in the historic cellars means you're tasting it as close to the source as a visitor can get, without any processing between the barrel and your glass.

What exactly happens during the brewery tour?

The Pilsner Urquell brewery tour takes you through the production process and the historic cellars where the beer ages in oak. You learn how Pilsner Urquell is made, see the equipment and storage, and then taste the beer tapped directly from the barrels: that tasting is the centerpiece of the brewery visit.

Where does the tour start, and do I need to arrange my own way there?

The tour starts at 11am at U Salzmannů pub in Pilsen's city center. If you're staying in the center or can reach the pub by public transport, you don't need a separate transfer. The guide meets you there and handles the rest of the day's route.

Is the lunch included, or do I pay separately at the restaurant?

Lunch is included in the tour price. You'll eat a two-course meal at one of the established restaurants in the city center, and one drink comes with it, so there's no separate bill for that part of the day.

Can I do this tour if I don't drink beer?

The beer tasting is part of the tour, but it's not mandatory. You can join the brewery tour and skip the tasting itself. The city walking tour and lunch work for anyone, regardless of whether you drink.