About the trip
The Czech Republic produces more beer per capita than any other country on earth, and this tour goes beyond the standard Prague brewery visits to explore two of the most interesting brewing destinations within reach of the capital. Velké Popovice — home of the award-winning Kozel brand and one of the most visitable large breweries in Bohemia — and Chodovar, a unique family brewery whose lagering cellars are carved into natural sandstone rock in the Slavkov Forest, represent opposite ends of the Czech brewing spectrum: industrial excellence and 450-year artisan tradition.
Czech beer culture is inseparable from Czech national identity — the relationship between Bohemian water, Žatec aromatic hops (the most prized in the world), and bottom-fermentation technique was codified in Pilsen in 1842 but practised across Bohemia in varying forms for centuries before. This tour explains both the history and the process while delivering it in the most direct way possible: drinking excellent beer in the places where it is made.
Velké Popovice is approximately 30 minutes south of Prague. Chodovar adds another 90 minutes southwest to the edge of the Bohemian highlands. Both visits combined fit comfortably into a full day with time for lunch between stops.
You might also enjoy: Pilsen, Moravian Wine Trail, Moravian Karst & Brno.
Pricing: Car tour — price per kilometre, stops, and waiting time. Vehicle: Hyundai Staria (up to 8 passengers). Velké Popovice brewery tour: approx. 180–220 CZK/person including tasting. Chodovar brewery tour: approx. 150–200 CZK/person; beer baths (optional) require advance booking and are priced separately.
Tips: At Velké Popovice, the Kozel Dark draught from the brewery pub is significantly better than the exported bottled version — this is the point of coming. At Chodovar, the descent into the 16th-century sandstone cave lagering system is the highlight — temperature drops noticeably as you enter the rock, and the smell of maturing lager fills the passages. The beer bath experience (hop, yeast, and beer immersion) can be added as an optional extension at Chodovar if booked in advance. A good traditional lunch is available at either brewery restaurant between the two stops.
Stops
Velké Popovice Brewery 1 h 30 min
The Velké Popovice Brewery has operated continuously since 1874, when it was established by František Ringhoffer on a site chosen for its exceptional water quality. It is the home of Kozel — one of the best-selling Czech beers internationally and a multiple winner at the World Beer Cup, particularly for its dark lager, which has won gold in the Munich-style Dunkel category several times.
The guided visitor tour moves through the complete brewing process from raw materials — Bohemian malt, Žatec hops, and the soft local water — to the lagering tanks and bottling hall, with the historic Victorian brewery buildings preserved alongside the modern production infrastructure. The original sandstone cellars, used for lagering before mechanical refrigeration was available, are part of the tour route. The visit concludes with a tasting in the brewery pub, where Kozel Dark and Kozel Premium are served unpasteurised from the tank — a noticeably different product from the exported version. The brewery park, which includes a small open-air museum of historic brewing equipment, is pleasant before or after the tour.
Chodovar Brewery 2 h
Chodovar in Chodová Planá is one of the most distinctive brewery experiences in Bohemia, and one of the oldest: the family-owned brewery has been producing beer continuously since 1573. Its defining feature is the lagering system — natural sandstone caves carved into the hillside, where the beer matures at a constant 8°C without mechanical refrigeration. The caves extend 120 metres into the rock and have been used without interruption since the 16th century.
The visitor tour descends into the cave system — noticeably cool, lit by low lamps, the passageways smelling of maturing lager and damp stone — before emerging for tasting in the brewery restaurant. Chodovar is also well known for its beer spa: therapeutic wooden bathtubs filled with a mixture of spring water, hops, yeast, and dark beer are available for booking as a separate wellness experience, a tradition rooted in the medieval belief in beer’s restorative properties that has found a new contemporary audience. The surrounding Slavkov Forest, a protected natural area of mixed woodland and meadow, gives the brewery an unhurried rural setting that makes the 90-minute drive from Prague feel like a genuine departure from the city.
Price per vehicle with driver (max. 8 persons)
Frequently asked questions
Planning your trip with Private Tours Czech is simple:
- 📍 Choose your pick-up location.
- 🗺️ Plan your route and stops.
- ⏱️ Select the length of each stop or 🛏️ overnight stay.
- 📍 Set your final destination (which can be the same as your starting point).
- 👶 Choose additional services – child seats, a tour guide, 📸 a photographer, or a special photography tour with a photography course.
🚐 Travel in comfortable, spacious vehicles and complete your booking easily online.
💡 If you don’t want to plan the entire trip yourself, you can choose from our Popular Tours section with recommended routes and then customise them to suit your needs.
💳 Payment is made directly to the driver – you can pay in cash or by card in your chosen currency (CZK / EUR / USD upon request).
✅ The price includes everything listed in your confirmed booking – for example, transportation in a comfortable vehicle, professional driver services, and selected additional services.
❌ The price does not include expenses such as parking fees, entrance tickets, local guides, meals, overnight stays, or other personal expenses.
⚠️ Please cancel at least 12 hours before the scheduled pick-up time. For quick cancellation, use the cancellation link in your confirmation email.
🔄 There are two ways to change your booking:
- ❌ Cancel your existing booking using the cancellation link in your confirmation email and create a new one.
- 💬 Contact our customer support via email or chat – our team will make the changes for you.
🚐 We use fully equipped Hyundai Staria 4×4 vehicles for up to 8 passengers, with a fixed price and large luggage capacity.
Perfect for airport transfers, transporting multiple passengers and luggage, weddings, families with children, and trips.
All vehicles feature:
- 🛋️ Leather seats
- 👶 Britax Römer child seats
- 💧 Vittel water
- 🚪 Electric doors
- 🕶️ Tinted windows
- 🛡️ Modern safety systems
- 📶 USB and air conditioning
👨✈️ Drivers are carefully selected, follow strict quality codes, and are regularly checked.
✍️ If you have special requests – such as assistance for passengers with reduced mobility, transport of sports equipment, specific vehicle equipment, or route adjustments – include them in the “Notes” field when booking.
💬 You can also contact us via email or chat for personalised advice.
📌 Don’t want to plan from scratch? Choose from our range of Popular Tours with carefully designed routes and itineraries.
You can customise each one – change the order of stops, adjust the length of visits, add services, or include your own stops.
Further Reading
