Plzeň Region

West Bohemia, on the border with Bavaria, is the home of Pilsner beer and the forests of the Bohemian Forest. A trip to the Plzeň Region takes you to the Pilsner Urquell brewery, to the tallest church tower in the Czech Republic in Plzeň, to the Chodsko region around Domažlice, and to the peaks around Železná Ruda.

Landscape and Location

The Plzeň Region, Plzeňský kraj, borders Bavaria to the west. Part of the Bohemian Forest, Šumava, lies in the south, with glacial lakes such as Black Lake and Devil's Lake. To the west, the Upper Palatine Forest, Český les in Czech, adjoins it. The interior is hilly, with fields, ponds and forests, crossed by rivers such as the Mže, Radbuza and Úhlava, which come together in Plzeň. Near Rokycany, the forests of the Brdy begin.

Plzeň, City of Beer

Plzeň is the fourth-largest city in the Czech Republic. In 1842, the Bavarian brewmaster Josef Groll brewed the first pale bottom-fermented beer here, the Pilsner, which went on to conquer the world. You can tour the Pilsner Urquell brewery, including the cellars, where unfiltered beer is served straight from oak barrels. On the main square stands the Gothic Cathedral of St. Bartholomew, with the tallest church tower in the Czech Republic. The Great Synagogue is one of the largest in Europe. The Brewery Museum, the Puppet Museum and the Techmania science center in the old Škoda works are also worth a visit; the Škoda works were long the largest armaments manufacturer in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. In 2015, Plzeň was a European Capital of Culture. In May, a festival commemorates the liberation by the U.S. Army in 1945.

Sights in the Plzeň Region

Klatovy has a Black Tower and catacombs with mummified Jesuits. Domažlice is the center of the Chodsko region, where the Chods, once border guards, keep alive their costumes, bagpipe music and customs; the Chod Festival takes place in August. In the Bohemian Forest, Železná Ruda is a winter sports resort right on the border with Bayerisch Eisenstein, whose train station is split by the border. Sušice lies on the Otava River and is a gateway to hiking trails. Kašperské Hory was a gold-mining town with Kašperk Castle. Kladruby Monastery with its Baroque-Gothic church by Santini and Kozel Castle are further destinations.

Nature and Active Vacations

In the Plzeň part, the Bohemian Forest is a hiking area with glacial lakes, bogs and lookout towers. From Železná Ruda, a lift takes you up Pancíř; in winter there are ski slopes and cross-country trails. Cyclists follow routes along the Otava River and old trade routes to Bavaria, such as the Golden Trail. Around Plzeň there are reservoirs such as Hracholusky, where you can swim and sail. The ruined Radyně Castle above Plzeň offers a sweeping view of the city.

Food, Getting There and Best Time to Visit

Beer is accompanied by dumplings, roast pork, utopenci (pickled sausages) and pivní sýr (beer cheese). In Chodsko, people bake large kolache pastries, Chodské koláče. Besides Pilsner Urquell and Gambrinus, small and monastery breweries also brew beer. The region has no commercial airport; Prague is an hour away, and trains run to Plzeň from Prague and Nuremberg. The best time to visit is from May to October; in winter, the ski slopes of the Bohemian Forest beckon.