About this event
"FESTI'TOUR — Pilsner Fest: Plzeň, Birthplace of Pilsner
EDITORIAL TEXT
INTRODUCTION
Plzeň changed the history of beer. It was here, in 1842, that brewer Josef Groll created the world's first pilsner, Pilsner Urquell. Every autumn the city celebrates this legacy with Pilsner Fest: six days of festivities in the brewery's own courtyard, from 5 to 10 October 2026, opened by a symbolic toast on Monday at 6:42 pm. As the capital of West Bohemia, Plzeň deserves more than one evening: a compact historic centre, a lively craft scene and generous cuisine. This Festi'Tour guides you on foot, over one to two days, from the city-centre bars all the way to the festival, the grand finale of the route.
MEET
Start at Klub Malých Pivovarů, near the railway station. This bar champions small Czech breweries: the team talks you through the local scene and pours Staropilsen, 1. Roudenský pivovar or Plzeňský Bandita, all listed on beBeer. Ask for their current favourites: it is the perfect spot to meet brewers, enthusiasts and regulars before the festival.
TASTE
Head for Proud, Prazdroj's craft brewery housed in the former power station opposite the mother brewery: IPAs and modern lagers, with a bar overlooking the tanks (see the Pivovar Elektrárna record). The next day, take a table at Na Parkánu, next to the Brewery Museum: creamy svíčková, beer goulash and unfiltered Pilsner drawn straight from the cellar. The perfect pairing before exploring the city.
DISCOVER
Then make your way to the Great Synagogue, the second largest in Europe, a Moorish-Romanesque masterpiece from 1892. Five minutes further on, náměstí Republiky, one of the finest squares in Czechia, opens onto St Bartholomew's Cathedral: climb its 301 steps — the country's tallest church tower (102 m) offers views as far as the Bohemian Forest. Beneath the square, the historic underground unfolds kilometres of medieval tunnels where beer was already being stored in the 14th century. Finish at the Brewery Museum, set in a 15th-century brewing house: the story of pilsner falls into place before you head to its source.
JOIN
A fifteen-minute walk and the iconic gates of the Plzeňský Prazdroj brewery open onto Pilsner Fest: concerts every evening under the big top, unfiltered Pilsner Urquell, tapping masterclasses, Butcher Wars, quizzes, stand-up and guided tours of the historic cellars. Gambrinus and Proud's creations flow freely too. Free entry, cashless payment only, VIP passes available. The natural climax of the route, right where it all began.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Pilsner Fest: 5–10 October 2026, Pilsner Urquell brewery, U Prazdroje 7, Plzeň, Plzeň Region, Czechia. Free entry. Full programme: prazdrojvisit.cz and visitplzen.eu.
———
BEER PLANNER STRUCTURE
Festi'Tour name: Festi'Tour Pilsner Fest — Plzeň, Birthplace of Pilsner
Festival: Pilsner Fest 2026
Town: Plzeň
Region: Plzeň Region (Plzeňský kraj)
Country: Czechia
Dates: 5–10 October 2026
Recommended duration: 1 to 2 days
Approx. distance: ≈ 6 km on foot
Number of stages: 7
Route type: weekend
Stage 1 — Venue: Klub Malých Pivovarů (Plzeň)
Beer bar near the station, entirely devoted to Czech microbreweries, with constantly rotating kegs. Meet the team and local brewers for a panorama of the regional craft scene. The ideal warm-up: taste Plzeň's breweries before the great pilsner celebration.
beBeer record: existing · Priority: must-see · Suggested time: 1.5 h · Tags: #beerbar #beer
Stage 2 — Brewery: Pivovar Elektrárna (Proud) (Plzeň)
Prazdroj's craft brewery set in the former power station, facing the historic brewery. Sample IPAs and modern lagers with a view of the tanks: the other face of Pilsner Urquell. Proud belongs to Prazdroj, organiser of Pilsner Fest, and pours its beers there.
beBeer record: existing · Priority: recommended · Suggested time: 1.5 h · Tags: #brewery #beer
Stage 3 — Gastronomy: Na Parkánu (Plzeň)
Traditional tavern adjoining the Brewery Museum: svíčková, beer goulash, unfiltered Pilsner. Taste Czech classics and the rare unfiltered beer drawn straight from the cellar. Czech cuisine and unfiltered pilsner are the stars of the festival.
beBeer record: to create · Priority: recommended · Suggested time: 1.5 h · Tags: #gastronomy #estaminet #beer
Stage 4 — Heritage: Great Synagogue (Plzeň)
Europe's second-largest synagogue (1892), Moorish-Romanesque in style, hosting concerts and exhibitions. A spectacular monument that tells of Plzeň's multicultural richness. Five minutes' walk from the historic heart, on the route towards the brewery.
beBeer record: to create · Priority: recommended · Suggested time: 45 min · Tags: #heritage #culture #history
Stage 5 — Heritage: St Bartholomew's Cathedral & náměstí Republiky (Plzeň)
Iconic Renaissance square dominated by Czechia's tallest church tower (102 m, 301 steps). Panoramic views over the city and West Bohemia from the tower. The heart of the city that gave its name to the pilsner celebrated at the festival.
beBeer record: to create · Priority: must-see · Suggested time: 1 h · Tags: #heritage #history #viewpoint
Stage 6 — Museum: Historic Underground & Brewery Museum (Plzeň)
Medieval tunnels beneath the old town and a brewing museum in a 15th-century house with brewing rights. Understand why Plzeň was already brewing underground centuries before the 1842 pilsner. The perfect historical prologue: the whole genesis of Pilsner Urquell before you reach its source.
beBeer record: to create · Priority: must-see · Suggested time: 1.5 h · Tags: #museum #history #beer
Stage 7 — Festival: Pilsner Fest (Plzeňský Prazdroj brewery) (Plzeň)
Six days of festivities in the brewery courtyard: concerts, unfiltered beer, Butcher Wars, tapping classes, cellar tours. Experience the biggest Czech beer festival at its birthplace, with free entry. The climax of the Festi'Tour: the festival itself, opened by Monday's toast at 6:42 pm.
beBeer record: existing (Plzeňský Prazdroj) · Priority: must-see · Suggested time: an evening to a full day · Tags: #festival #beer #brewery
———
SUGGESTED NEW RECORDS
• Gastronomy — Na Parkánu (Plzeň): Traditional tavern adjoining the Brewery Museum, renowned for its unfiltered Pilsner Urquell and Czech cuisine (svíčková, goulash). A benchmark address for beer-and-food pairing in Plzeň, a natural complement to the existing brewery records. Priority: high
• Heritage — St Bartholomew's Cathedral & náměstí Republiky (Plzeň): One of Czechia's major historic squares and a Gothic cathedral with the country's tallest church tower (102 m), open to visitors. An essential heritage stop on any route through Plzeň, an anchor point for Festi'Tours and Beer Trips in the city. Priority: high
• Museum — Historic Underground & Brewery Museum (Plzeň): Network of medieval tunnels beneath the old town and a beer museum in a 15th-century house with brewing rights. A place that directly links urban heritage and beer culture: ideal content for the beBeer ecosystem. Priority: high
• Heritage — Great Synagogue (Plzeň): Europe's second-largest synagogue, completed in 1892, now a venue for visits, concerts and exhibitions. An iconic monument that broadens the cultural dimension of beBeer routes in Plzeň. Priority: medium"
EDITORIAL TEXT
INTRODUCTION
Plzeň changed the history of beer. It was here, in 1842, that brewer Josef Groll created the world's first pilsner, Pilsner Urquell. Every autumn the city celebrates this legacy with Pilsner Fest: six days of festivities in the brewery's own courtyard, from 5 to 10 October 2026, opened by a symbolic toast on Monday at 6:42 pm. As the capital of West Bohemia, Plzeň deserves more than one evening: a compact historic centre, a lively craft scene and generous cuisine. This Festi'Tour guides you on foot, over one to two days, from the city-centre bars all the way to the festival, the grand finale of the route.
MEET
Start at Klub Malých Pivovarů, near the railway station. This bar champions small Czech breweries: the team talks you through the local scene and pours Staropilsen, 1. Roudenský pivovar or Plzeňský Bandita, all listed on beBeer. Ask for their current favourites: it is the perfect spot to meet brewers, enthusiasts and regulars before the festival.
TASTE
Head for Proud, Prazdroj's craft brewery housed in the former power station opposite the mother brewery: IPAs and modern lagers, with a bar overlooking the tanks (see the Pivovar Elektrárna record). The next day, take a table at Na Parkánu, next to the Brewery Museum: creamy svíčková, beer goulash and unfiltered Pilsner drawn straight from the cellar. The perfect pairing before exploring the city.
DISCOVER
Then make your way to the Great Synagogue, the second largest in Europe, a Moorish-Romanesque masterpiece from 1892. Five minutes further on, náměstí Republiky, one of the finest squares in Czechia, opens onto St Bartholomew's Cathedral: climb its 301 steps — the country's tallest church tower (102 m) offers views as far as the Bohemian Forest. Beneath the square, the historic underground unfolds kilometres of medieval tunnels where beer was already being stored in the 14th century. Finish at the Brewery Museum, set in a 15th-century brewing house: the story of pilsner falls into place before you head to its source.
JOIN
A fifteen-minute walk and the iconic gates of the Plzeňský Prazdroj brewery open onto Pilsner Fest: concerts every evening under the big top, unfiltered Pilsner Urquell, tapping masterclasses, Butcher Wars, quizzes, stand-up and guided tours of the historic cellars. Gambrinus and Proud's creations flow freely too. Free entry, cashless payment only, VIP passes available. The natural climax of the route, right where it all began.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Pilsner Fest: 5–10 October 2026, Pilsner Urquell brewery, U Prazdroje 7, Plzeň, Plzeň Region, Czechia. Free entry. Full programme: prazdrojvisit.cz and visitplzen.eu.
———
BEER PLANNER STRUCTURE
Festi'Tour name: Festi'Tour Pilsner Fest — Plzeň, Birthplace of Pilsner
Festival: Pilsner Fest 2026
Town: Plzeň
Region: Plzeň Region (Plzeňský kraj)
Country: Czechia
Dates: 5–10 October 2026
Recommended duration: 1 to 2 days
Approx. distance: ≈ 6 km on foot
Number of stages: 7
Route type: weekend
Stage 1 — Venue: Klub Malých Pivovarů (Plzeň)
Beer bar near the station, entirely devoted to Czech microbreweries, with constantly rotating kegs. Meet the team and local brewers for a panorama of the regional craft scene. The ideal warm-up: taste Plzeň's breweries before the great pilsner celebration.
beBeer record: existing · Priority: must-see · Suggested time: 1.5 h · Tags: #beerbar #beer
Stage 2 — Brewery: Pivovar Elektrárna (Proud) (Plzeň)
Prazdroj's craft brewery set in the former power station, facing the historic brewery. Sample IPAs and modern lagers with a view of the tanks: the other face of Pilsner Urquell. Proud belongs to Prazdroj, organiser of Pilsner Fest, and pours its beers there.
beBeer record: existing · Priority: recommended · Suggested time: 1.5 h · Tags: #brewery #beer
Stage 3 — Gastronomy: Na Parkánu (Plzeň)
Traditional tavern adjoining the Brewery Museum: svíčková, beer goulash, unfiltered Pilsner. Taste Czech classics and the rare unfiltered beer drawn straight from the cellar. Czech cuisine and unfiltered pilsner are the stars of the festival.
beBeer record: to create · Priority: recommended · Suggested time: 1.5 h · Tags: #gastronomy #estaminet #beer
Stage 4 — Heritage: Great Synagogue (Plzeň)
Europe's second-largest synagogue (1892), Moorish-Romanesque in style, hosting concerts and exhibitions. A spectacular monument that tells of Plzeň's multicultural richness. Five minutes' walk from the historic heart, on the route towards the brewery.
beBeer record: to create · Priority: recommended · Suggested time: 45 min · Tags: #heritage #culture #history
Stage 5 — Heritage: St Bartholomew's Cathedral & náměstí Republiky (Plzeň)
Iconic Renaissance square dominated by Czechia's tallest church tower (102 m, 301 steps). Panoramic views over the city and West Bohemia from the tower. The heart of the city that gave its name to the pilsner celebrated at the festival.
beBeer record: to create · Priority: must-see · Suggested time: 1 h · Tags: #heritage #history #viewpoint
Stage 6 — Museum: Historic Underground & Brewery Museum (Plzeň)
Medieval tunnels beneath the old town and a brewing museum in a 15th-century house with brewing rights. Understand why Plzeň was already brewing underground centuries before the 1842 pilsner. The perfect historical prologue: the whole genesis of Pilsner Urquell before you reach its source.
beBeer record: to create · Priority: must-see · Suggested time: 1.5 h · Tags: #museum #history #beer
Stage 7 — Festival: Pilsner Fest (Plzeňský Prazdroj brewery) (Plzeň)
Six days of festivities in the brewery courtyard: concerts, unfiltered beer, Butcher Wars, tapping classes, cellar tours. Experience the biggest Czech beer festival at its birthplace, with free entry. The climax of the Festi'Tour: the festival itself, opened by Monday's toast at 6:42 pm.
beBeer record: existing (Plzeňský Prazdroj) · Priority: must-see · Suggested time: an evening to a full day · Tags: #festival #beer #brewery
———
SUGGESTED NEW RECORDS
• Gastronomy — Na Parkánu (Plzeň): Traditional tavern adjoining the Brewery Museum, renowned for its unfiltered Pilsner Urquell and Czech cuisine (svíčková, goulash). A benchmark address for beer-and-food pairing in Plzeň, a natural complement to the existing brewery records. Priority: high
• Heritage — St Bartholomew's Cathedral & náměstí Republiky (Plzeň): One of Czechia's major historic squares and a Gothic cathedral with the country's tallest church tower (102 m), open to visitors. An essential heritage stop on any route through Plzeň, an anchor point for Festi'Tours and Beer Trips in the city. Priority: high
• Museum — Historic Underground & Brewery Museum (Plzeň): Network of medieval tunnels beneath the old town and a beer museum in a 15th-century house with brewing rights. A place that directly links urban heritage and beer culture: ideal content for the beBeer ecosystem. Priority: high
• Heritage — Great Synagogue (Plzeň): Europe's second-largest synagogue, completed in 1892, now a venue for visits, concerts and exhibitions. An iconic monument that broadens the cultural dimension of beBeer routes in Plzeň. Priority: medium"