We agreed to go drink beer in and around Pilsen, the capital of the beautiful Pilsen Region in the Czech Republic– which many say is the home of beer. Would it be the best and most delicious we have ever tasted? We would find that out as Pilsen has been the home of Pilsner beer ever since the special pale lager was born and brewed there in 1842 by the Bavarian brewer Josef Groll. Beer is called “Pivo” in the Czech Republic, it is inexpensive and of high quality. Different kinds of hops bring different aromas and tastes and while this is the birthplace of Pilsener beer, the city has beer to suit all tastes.

The largest brewery in the country is the Pilsner Urquell Brewery, right in the center of Pilsen. We experienced it on an informative, eye-opening day tour. We had lunch onsite in their restaurant and tried all their freshest beers in the tasting room. The worthwhile tour involves lots of history and seeing the current operation—as well as tasting delicious beer in glasses straight from barrels. Tasting at their experimental craft beer department called Proud also turned out to be very fun as well, especially trying their “weird” beers, where brewers have fun experimenting with new tastes. Unforgettable! “It’s like the Disneyland of Beer! All You Can Drink Pilsner Urquell buffet & Tour in Pilsner” is the YouTube we made on Jason’s channel.

We sampled and learned about varying types of beer around the region under his direction. A “pils” and or pilsner has its name from the town’s name. Pilsen is the spelling in English and German, but is known internationally and spelled locally as Plzen. It’s in western Czech Republic – not far from the German border and has a population of just under 200,000.We explored the city – as well as the Pilsner Region, with its smaller towns and breweries.

Our adventure began with a morning train from Prague on the Regio line. On arrival, we went to our rooms at Courtyard by Marriott Pilsen. One of the best features of Courtyard Pilsen, a business hotel, is its delicious buffet breakfast, which got us ready for a day of beer. After breakfast we set out on a guided city walking tour, followed by a local Czech lunch. Typical Czech food is meat, potato, dumplings, and hearty soups – absolutely feel good food. During our tour we did a lot of walking, stopping in front of many locations, hearing about the architecture and stories of people who made up the history of the city. It was founded by the Czech King Wenceslas II in 1295 at the confluence of four rivers.

Ringed by parks, Pilsen is blessed with a lovely old historic center, Old Town. We learned about the 19^th-century Great Synagogue and the Cathedral of St. Bartholomew- an important Gothic church– in the Republic Square, the biggest main square in the Czech Republic. This landmark cathedral is the dominating feature in Pilsen. Its church tower is the tallest in the Czech Republic at 335.5 feet (102.26 meters), and there is a spectacular view from the top.Ever on the lookout for ideas for YouTube videos on the Jason Rupp channel, we knew this square would make a beautiful location for a barber video. We filmed the barber video, “Public shaving is a Sport I Can Play! Classic Barber Shave in the Square. Pilsen, Czech Republic.” right in the town square. We reasoned that in Europe it’s normal that everything happens in the main square; so why not a shave? The help of a handsome, skilled local barber Adrian was enlisted from local hipster barbershop, Shelby, to do the shaving. Jason got a classic wet shave in the center of the Pilsen central square. You would have fun seeing it online.

Pilsen is full of a lot of worthwhile attractions. While the most popular tour is at the huge Pilsner Urquell Brewery plant, there are other important sights not to miss. The Brewery Museum is a must. Here you go into an original brewing house from the 15^th century and learn how beer was made before Pilsner Urquell was founded. It’s entertaining and educational. Underground Plzen is another exciting, must-see attraction that involves walking through somewhat chilly tunnels for a fascinating hour to see where beer was stored and transported under the city center. Many of the artifacts here date back to the 14^th century.

We also went to Pilsen to spend time with our friend and local tour guide Jaroslav Pomp. He showed us around so many places and knows so much about the Pilsen Region and what to enjoy. He’s the author of the book Beer Rebellion (Pivni Rebelie), about Czech beer culture.We were happy to find nightlife and a lively entertainment and music scene in Pilsen. Jaroslav told us he is a member of a rock and blues band called Beer Reminder. He said he was playing at a rock club and we were glad to see him perform on vocals and guitar. We had a lot of fun joining him and his friends afterwards going to Zach’s Bar, and the Cider Bar, with live music on stage, even venturing inside a hard metal bar called Parlament Club.

Pilsen turned out to be the glorious beer paradise we were hoping for. This fourth largest city in the Czech Republic surpassed our expectations, and we can recommend a visit. It was the European Capital of Culture in 2015. Culture includes the first Czech book printed in Pilsen and the second oldest Czech theatre group begun here. You’ll never forget a trip to Pilsen. We won’t. We said a lot of “Cheers” in Czech (“Nazdravi!”).There is a lot to do in between drinking beer. It took a week for us to get settled in and feel at home. Then we even stayed longer because we loved it a lot in the Pilsen Region, exploring the various villages, the breweries, castles, historic mansions, a monastery and restaurants. The Puppet Museum and the Techmania Science Center could be on your list, or one of the festivals. You will enjoy the Region; especially if you want the freshest beer imaginable! Without exaggeration, we found the best world-renowned beers with amazing recipes. We long to go back. Pilsen has a vibe visitors can love. It’s walkable and affordable with big value. There is easy access from Prague, only 48 miles (78 kilometers) away. Complete tourist information about the Pilsen Region can be found at: www.turisturaj.cz and at www.facebook.com/turisturaj/.

Jason Rupp and Carla Marie Rupp are freelance travel journalists. Discovering new places is their passion. They enjoy sharing adventures and writing about their trips. Jason Rupp on YouTube is their main channel, with the theme of travel & pamper. Their emails for tips are [email protected] and [email protected].