The view from the country’s highest church tower at St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral is simply fantastic, offering a panorama that sweeps across one of Europe’s largest public squares, over historic town houses, the renaissance-era town hall and the late-gothic water tower. Changes in the 19th century resulted in majestic new buildings such as the city theatre and the Burghers Hall – tip: the Art Nouveau café! – as well as the West Bohemian Museum. The moorish-romanesque Great Synagogue is the second-largest synagogue in Europe and the third-largest in the world.

Beer has been brewed in Pilsen since the city’s foundation and the first light, bottom-fermented lager beer was brewed here in 1842, becoming a registered trademark as “Pilsner Urquell” in 1898. Past and present come alive during a tour of the impressive production facilities of Central Europe’s leading brewery.

Nature lovers will enjoy a stroll through the zoological and botanical gardens. Besides the varied landscape of ponds, rocks and parks, visitors can see Europe’s second largest bear enclosure as well as a large open-air enclosure for monkeys and big cats.