6 Best Sights in Plzeň, Western Bohemia

This is a must-see for any beer lover. The first pilsner beer was created in 1842 using the excellent Plzeň water, a special malt fermented on the premises, and hops grown in the region around Žatec. (Hops from this area remain in great demand today.) Guided tours of the brewery, complete with a visit to the brewhouse and beer tastings, are offered daily. The brewery is near the railway station. There are also tours of the nearby Gambrinus brewery.

The city's architectural attractions center on this main square. Dominated by the enormous Gothic Chrám svatého Bartoloměje (Church of St. Bartholomew), the square is one of the largest in Bohemia. The church, at 335 feet, is among the tallest in the Czech Republic, and its height is rather accentuated by the emptiness of the square around it. There are a variety of other architectural jewels around the perimeter of the square, including the town hall, adorned with sgraffiti and built in the Renaissance style by Italian architects during the town's heyday in the 16th century. The Great Synagogue, which claims to be the second-largest in Europe, is a few blocks west of the square, just outside the green strip that circles the Old Town. Three very modern gold-color fountains were added to the square in 2011; however, not everyone is a fan, as the fountains don't really mesh with the historic surroundings.

While Plzeň lacks the bitter thermal waters that are a draw in the spa region, it is better known for bitter pilsner-style beer. So the opening of a beer spa was inevitable. You can bathe in a custom-made larchwood tub filled with warm beer for a 60-minute treatment. Potable beer is available from a barrel at the same time. The room is lined with stone tiles, and relaxing music plays in the background. The treatment can be combined with a beer massage, or a honey or chocolate massage. Other procedures are also available. The spa is a bit outside of the city center.

In a late-Gothic malthouse, this museum sits one block northeast of Náměstí Republiky. All kinds of fascinating paraphernalia trace the region's brewing history, including the horse-drawn carts used to haul the kegs.

A phone app is available with info in English.

Dating to the 13th century, this is a web of multilevel tunnels. Used for storing food and producing beer and wine, many of the labyrinthine passageways are dotted with wells and their accompanying wooden water-pipe systems. Tours last about 50 minutes. The entrance is in the Brewery Museum.

With exhibits and photos, this memorial tells the story of the liberation of Plzeň from the Nazis by U.S. soldiers on May 6, 1945. As the story goes, Patton wanted to press on from Plzeň to liberate Prague, but was prevented from doing so by the Yalta agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union that said Czechoslovakia was to remain under Soviet influence. U.S. aid to Czechoslovakia is also documented. The museum was dedicated in 2005 on the 60th anniversary of Plzeň's liberation.