Excellent guiding by Vadim, professional yet personal and we had time for a few beers, as well as some anecdotes. Would highly recommend this tour.
Beer & Baroque: A Highbrow Brew Tour
4-Hour Tour
Journey Behind-the-Ropes at the Breathtaking Baroque Strahov Library
Beer Tastings at Bohemia’s Oldest Monastic Brewery, Founded in 993
Enjoy a tasting tour of superb monastic-brewed lagers and ales along with delicious traditional Czech beer snacks at two of the oldest monasteries in Bohemia, the fountainhead of much of the world’s beer. Throughout this Prague beer tour, you also take in stunning examples of Czech Baroque architecture, including an intimate private journey behind-the-ropes into the breathtaking Baroque Strahov Monastery Library, which most travelers see only from the door. Your historian guide will help you to appreciate the 1000-year history of Czech beer brewing from monastic origins through modern-day microbreweries as you explore some of Prague’s most unforgettable Baroque environments and discover their histories.
Savor a “flight of beers” that includes nine small samples of different traditional brews in the oldest monastery in Bohemia, Břevnov, a prime example of Czech Baroque architecture.
Enjoy an exclusive private journey behind-the-ropes at the glorious Baroque Strahov Monastery Library (you may recognize it from a number of contemporary films).
Sample the St. Norbert’s microbrew, named for the order’s patron saint.
Discover the history of the monastic breweries, their famous beers and traditional beer snacks from your guide, a local historian and beer lover.
Take in fabulous views over Prague from Strahov Monastery as well as the delightful grounds and grand Baroque church at Břevnov Monastery.
Tour Details
Price
Private tours – $320 USD (1-10 persons)
*your guide all to yourself
Small groups – $95 USD (2-8 persons)
*still intimate with 8 persons or less
Departure time
Private tours daily at 12 PM and 2 PM
Small group
- Tuesday 12 PM
- Thursday 12 PM
- Friday 12 PM
- Saturday 12 PM
Meeting point
Private tours include a pick-up at your central hotel or flat
Small groups: meet right at the door of Metrocafe, Klárov 1, 118 00 Praha 1-Malá Strana. Look for the café connected to the entrance of the Malostranska Metro.
Availability
Year-round, except:
- October 28
- November 17
- December 24, 25, 26 and 31
- January 1
- Easter Sunday
Duration
4 hours
Group size
Private tours: 1-10 persons
Groups of over 10 should contact us at info@insightcities.com in order to get a special rate for their party.
Small groups: 2-8 persons
Participation requirements
Teens are welcome to enjoy the tour with their families and can order snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. Alcoholic beverages can only be served to those 18 and older.
Not included
- A visit behind the lines at the breathtaking Strahov Monastery Library (400 Kč per person)
- Small beers at Strahov Brewery (60 Kč per beer) and your choice of traditional Czech beer snacks
- Flight of beer with 9 small samples (250 Kč per person)
What to bring
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Cash only required for your 400 Kč admission at Strahov Library
- Cash or credit card for beers and snacks
About your guide
Read about our Prague guides
Cancellation policy
For cancellations 48 hours prior to your scheduled tour, Insight Cities offers a full refund. We cannot refund cancellations within 48 hours of a scheduled tour as we need to pay our guide.
Overview of Your Tour
“Bohemia is…the fountainhead…of most beer in the world,” says Garret Oliver, an award-winning brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery and the leading beer critic in America. “Czech beer is phenomenal,” and “Czech beer standards are the best in the world. There’s simply nothing to compare, in terms of lagers,” says The New York Times food and drink writer, Evan Rail. Czech lager is at its best when tasted fresh, and it doesn’t come any fresher than when it’s drawn from where it’s brewed. A few of Prague’s newly reopened microbreweries, set in 18th-century ambiance, are resurrecting the thousand-year-old tradition of brewing in Bohemia.
This Prague beer tour is designed for those who are interested in beer and don’t mind the Baroque as well as those who are interested in Baroque and don’t mind a beer. You will visit two of the oldest breweries in Prague at Břevnovský Klášterní Pivovar, a Monastery Brewery of the Black Monks, the oldest monastery in Bohemia, founded in 993. The monastery’s church of St. Margaret (built 1708-1735) is one of the best architectural examples of the Czech Baroque. In the cellar of the church is a Roman crypt from 1040, one of the most valuable Romanesque structures in the Czech lands. Beer was made here for 900 years until the brewery closed by the end of the 19th century. But the tradition was reclaimed when a new brewery opened in mid-2012.
Come along, taste their beers, see and learn how they are made, and maybe even talk to the people who make it, all in the restored Baroque spaces of the old stables. The program includes flights of beer with nine small samples along with beer snacks at the brewery pub of Břevnov Monastery. Even the Prior of the Břevnov Monastery says, “Beer is a good thing. It brings people together, and always in goodwill.”
Also on the itinerary is Strahov Monastery of The Royal Canonry of Premonstratensians, one of the oldest of this Order in the world. Founded in 1143, its first beer brewing comes from the early 14th century. Today’s brewery and restaurant sit on the spot where the “new” brewery was built in 1628 and operated until 1907. Just beyond the walls of Strahov, located on the hill over the Prague Castle, are breathtaking views of the city - much more picturesque after a glass of the St. Norbert’s microbrew, named for the order’s patron saint. Our tour highlight is our 40-minute private journey behind-the-ropes at the glorious Baroque Strahov Library with an antique book collection numbering approximately 200,000 volumes. Most people experience this astonishing space from the door or in the many films which have featured it.
For those who are interested in a different environment for experiencing Czech beer and its history, please e-mail us at info@insightcities.com(opens in a new tab). We can also offer brew tours that take you through traditional Czech pubs (hospody) or through Prague’s modern-day microbreweries. We can arrange guided beer tastings appropriate for small groups to large company events.
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See What Our Guests are Saying
It was a rainy day so we had to adjust a little. Beer was good, and Vad’s knowledge was over the top. Ended up spending 5 hours with him learning about Czech history
Very interesting, very informative and a lot of fun! Vadim our guide made it a trip to remember! Definitely an experience to recommend!
Vadim gave my husband and I a true learning experience. He shared an incredible amount of knowledge with us, answering all of our questions and giving us background. He is a worldly, fun, good sense of humor. We were able to enter the gorgeous library where all the other people had to stay behind the small door. Vadim shared so many interesting details of the library, the books, the hidden doors, the furniture. Breathtaking! A MUST! We got to try some of the delicious beer from both breweries while learning more about Vadim, the culture, the city. I would HIGHLY recommend this tour with Vadim!