Birthplace of the Pilsner beer, home of Škoda Engineering and rich in traditional Bohemian beauty, Plzeň is a city of flavour and innovation, just a stone’s throw away from labyrinthine Prague. Plus, with a chequered Second World War history, a meandering network of medieval underground tunnels, and one of Europe’s best interactive science museums, there’s more to Bohemia’s biggest city than vintage beer barrels and retro trolleybuses. In fact, Plzeň provides just enough spice and variety for a balanced weekend away – so here’s a light guide on how to get the most out of a typical two night visit.
 
Day One
 
Time to Play Tourist

Plzeň is home to one of the largest, most colourful squares in the Czech Republic, so spend your first morning taking in the sights with a casual stroll around Náměstí Republiky (Republic Square). This fountain-friendly public place sits under the shadow of the Gothic, 13^th Century St Bartholomew Church, home to the beloved Plzen Madonna, a marble statuette dating back to 1390. Whilst here, take an opportunity to stare up at the signature sgraffito of Plzeň’s 16^th Century town hall, and sample some traditional Czech snacks alfresco at the morning markets. If you’re with the family, nearby lies the wonderfully kitsch Puppet Museum: a whimsical opportunity to gawp at goblins, witches and impromptu performances.
 
Take a Tour of the Pilsner Urquell Brewery

Locals call it ‘liquid bread’, we know it as one of Central Europe’s finest exports. Since Joseph Groll pioneered bottom fermentation back in 1842, Pilsner Urquell has been a benchmark of the beer world, and little of the brewing technique has changed since. Learn the trade, check out a 19^th Century model brewery, and dive deep into the old cellars, taking a taster away with you at the end of the trip. Reservations can be made by email and English tours take place at 12.45pm, 2.15pm and 4.15pm.
 
Have a Late Lunch at Na Parkánu

After your tour, settle down in the summer garden at adjacent pub, Na Parkánu and sample traditional roast pork dumplings. Take some time to enjoy your surroundings and feel like a true Czech local – and don't dare leave without sipping on a traditional nefiltrované pivo (unfiltered beer).
 
See The Great Synagogue by Sunset

Plzeň’s Great Synagogue is the largest of its kind outside of Jerusalem and Budapest. Built by 2,000 local Jews back in 1892, its mammoth double-domes and towering Moorish elegance never fail to impress. The place is quite simply a Plzeň must-see, looking its best, of course, against the backdrop of a Bohemian sunset. The building’s brilliant acoustics mean it’s frequently used as a local concert venue, so check online ahead of your trip and you might be in with a chance of hearing thepneumatic organ open its lungs.
 
Day Two
 
See the City from the Downside-Up

Start the day with a topinky (double-fried bread with garlic) or a houska (braided bun with poppy seeds). Then, venture underground for an alternative view of Plzeň that’ll take you deep beneath street level and even deeper back in time. Between the 14^th and 19^th Centuries, Plzeň's wealthier citizens had wells in their cellars. Overuse of these often lead to severe water shortages, and the dried up wells were filled with unwanted rubbish – a modern day treasure trove of medieval artefacts. Enjoy, but be sure to take a jacket, because even in summer the temperature down below rarely exceeds 10-degrees-C!
 
Czech out Plzeň's More Recent History at Patton Memorial Museum

During WWII, Bohemia’s great capital was liberated not by the Soviet Red Army, but by the US Army, led by General George S. Patton. The Patton Memorial Museum charts the liberation of Plzeň in May 1945, comprising over 1,000 exhibits. Come here for a unique chance to see screaming sirens, archive film clips and handwritten memoirs of former American soldiers who have returned to the city in recent years.
 
Settle Back into the 21^st Century at the Techmania Science Centre

As they say, ‘variety is the spice of life’, so mix up your trip and keep the kids entertained simultaneously at this hyper-interactive Science Museum – one of Europe’s finest and most diverse. Visit Movie World and educate yourself on classic film trickery Czech-style in the land of resident special effects pioneers, Jan Švankmajer and Karal Zeman. Alternatively, visit the 3D planetarium, test your hairdo in the wind-tunnels, or marvel at a selection of some of the oldest surviving Škoda vehicles in existence, some of which date back to 1928.
 
Finish Up with Some Local Food and a Final Beer at U Mansfelda

By now you’ll have long realised that pubs take prescience over restaurants in Plzeň, but don’t be fooled into thinking that the Czechs don’t dine in style. Beneath U Mansfelda’s beer-happy terrace lies a chilled vinárna (wine bar). So sample some traditional wild boar goulash up-top, drink your last Pilsner, and then slip downstairs to unwind.
 

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