What lies between Prague and Munich? Pilsen, apparently. Non-alcoholic me didn’t blink twice when Chris exclaimed, “Pilsen! We gotta make a quick stop to Pilsen.”

Pilsen is the 4th most populated city in Czech Republic.  It is also known worldwide for Pilsner beer.  I’m not a beer drinker, so I don’t really know what that means, but if you drink beer, I’m sure you know.  Chris found his happy place. =)

Although the heart of the city did house beautiful Bavarian structures worth stopping for, we only had time to make a quick detour to the Pilsner restaurant and visitor center. There were paid daily tours at the brewery, which we skipped.

The charming brewery:

At the restaurant we both ordered cheap beer–the Original Pilsner.  I couldn’t resist turning down beer at a brewery…mainly because it was the cheapest beverage on the menu!  I ordered Czech potato dumplings stuffed with Prague ham, topped with fried shallots, and served on a bed of sauerkraut–literally enough sauerkraut to last me months back at home.  The potato dumplings were incredibly delicious.  Comfort food at its finest.

The visitor center:

Nothing much or anything interesting inside the visitor center, except a glass floor that allowed visitors to look down into the brewery:

Then we were on our way to Munich.  If Pilsen happens to be conveniently located somewhere in your itinerary, and you have an appreciation for beer, the Pilsen Urquell brewery is worth the quick detour!