16 Cities In Europe Every Beer Lover Should Visit

From iconic monuments like the Eiffel Tower and the Leaning Tower of Pisa to breathtaking landscapes like the Matterhorn and the Cliffs of Moher, Europe's got a lot to offer when it comes to tourism. This culturally-rich continent also boasts an unrivaled beer culture that includes styles as varied as pilsners and stouts. On top of the myriad styles, Europe's beer scene is unique in its ability to blend centuries-old brewing traditions with innovative craft methods.

To celebrate the magic that is European beer, we've curated a list of must-visit cities that every beer lover should visit at least once. In this article, you'll find all the legendary beer capitals along with some new kids on the block. Not only do each of these destinations offer you the chance to savor exceptional brews, but their brewpubs, festivals, and tours provide the opportunity to immerse yourself in their vibrant beer cultures. So grab your passport and get ready for a beer-filled adventure you'll never forget.

Few cities are as closely associated with beer as Munich. Every year, Bavaria's capital city is home to Oktoberfest, a 16-day festival celebrating German culture, food, and, of course, beer. Märzen lager is the unofficial Oktoberfest beer, but all kinds of tipples are available.

Outside of the festival season, Munich is still a must-visit European beer city, if only for its massive beer halls. The Hofbräuhaus, a 3,000-seat tavern dating back 500 years, is the most famous, but it's not the only one worth visiting. Spots like Augustiner-Bräustuben and Löwenbräukeller provide the same raucous atmosphere, minus the massive crowds.

If the weather's nice, then relax with a beer al fresco at one of Munich's many beer gardens. We recommend Biergarten Viktualienmarkt (a centrally-located drinking spot close to Munich's top restaurants), Chinesischer Turm (a restaurant-slash-beer garden housed next to the Chinese Tower), and Augustiner Keller (a popular spot serving up soft pretzels and melt-in-your-mouth ribs).

If you love a good stout, then you'll be right at home in Dublin, the Republic of Ireland's beautiful capital. Not only is this city of 1.2 million people the home of Guinness (the world's most famous stout), but it also boasts plenty of craft breweries that are shaking up traditional Irish beer culture.

Every day is a lovely day for a Guinness at the seven-story headquarters located at the historic site of St. James's Gate. After touring the massive facility, sip on a creamy pint in the Gravity Bar, a rooftop spot offering a 360-degree view of the city. Looking to hone your bartending skills? Then practice the six-step pouring process at the Guinness Pouring Academy.

After you've had your fill of Guinness, why not try some of the city's beloved craft breweries? BrewDog Outpost, Farrier & Draper, and P. Mac's are just a few of our favorites.

Copenhagen might not spring to mind when you think of famous beer cities, but forgetting it would be a mistake. The Danish capital is home to Carlsberg, which has been marketed as "probably the best beer in the world." You can learn more about Carlsberg's lofty slogan and storied history by visiting the Carlsberg Visitor Centre. After the tour, make sure to grab a pint of Carlsberg, Tuborg, or Jacobsen Housebrew at the Jacobsen Brewhouse and Bar.

If lagers aren't your thing, then head to one of the city's many up-and-coming craft breweries. With its global reach, Mikkeller & Friends is one of the city's best-known breweries. The Nørrebro location features 40 rotating beers on tap, plus tons of bottled options. Warpigs Brewpub is another must-see. This funky spot is a collaboration between Mikkeller and 3 Floyds, an American brewery. It's famous for its extra-hoppy IPAs and dark barrel-aged beers, not to mention some of the most authentic Texas barbecue outside of the Lone Star State.

Amsterdam is better known for its cannabis culture than its beer, but the city widely referred to as the Venice of the North knows how to sling brews with the best of them. For starters, the Dutch capital is the birthplace of Heineken, one of the world's best-selling beers. At the Heineken Experience, you can learn all about the company's history, witness the Heineken brewing process, and sip a chilly pint on the rooftop terrace.

Looking for something a little more off the beaten path? Amsterdam's got plenty of craft breweries to choose from. For example, there's Brouwerij 't IJ, a small brewery serving everything from crisp lagers to hoppy IPA that's located inside an authentic windmill — what could be more Dutch than that? Elsewhere, with experimental beers like Funky Frog (a sour beer made with grapefruit), Two Chefs Brewing is one of the more unique options Amsterdam has to offer.

Best known for its Diamond District and Flemish Renaissance architecture, Antwerp doesn't have the beer city reputation of Brussels or Leuven, but it's still well worth the visit. Antwerp is a melting pot of Belgian, Dutch, and German beers. Whether you prefer your beer refreshing and light or heavy and dark, you'll have no trouble finding a tasty brew here.

If you're an ale enthusiast then you may already be aware of the drink De Koninck Bolleke, an iconic aspect of Antwerp beer culture if ever there was one. Bolleke is a colloquial term for a bowl-shaped beer glass, whereas Koninck refers to the Antwerp-based brewery that produces the malty, light amber ale the city is famous for.

To add to its beer-city cred, Antwerp is home to several yearly beer festivals. Every November, Billie's Craft Beer Fest welcomes beer lovers from all over the world to nerd out over their favorite brews. Come summertime, the Antwerp Beer Passion Weekend offers visitors the chance to sample over 200 types of Belgian beers.

Not only is England's capital home to more than 120 breweries, but the city is full of cozy, historical pubs, happening beer gardens, and even a handful of alcohol-free bars. According to many accounts, the city was also instrumental in launching the craft beer revolution in the late 1970s. Needless to say, you won't have any trouble finding a decent beer in merry old London.

However, it's not the number of places in London that impresses the most. Rather, it's the variety of unique locations these watering holes have set up shop in. Some notable locations include The Barrel Project, a taproom hidden underneath a Victorian railway arch, and the Tavern Bar at The Dickens Inn, a converted warehouse.Per the pub's website, this place is "proudly doing what British pubs do best: a good honest pint, friendly faces and top grub."

Also, as a testament to its rich beer culture, London is home to several beer festivals like the Great British Beer Festival, the London Craft Beer Festival, and BrewLDN, to name but a few.

Warsaw was named one of the world's top craft beer cities by CNN in 2019, and it has only gotten better for brews since then. A big part of Poland's success in the craft beer scene is the country's lack of beer brewing tradition. That may sound like a negative, but it's not. Rather, having the freedom to experiment with new techniques has been an instrumental part in creating Poland's craft beers.

The country's capital city is one of the centers of the country's craft beer revolution. Located in Old Warsaw, Nowogrodzka Street is the place to go for the best bars. Here, you'll find Drugie Dno, a six-tap gastropub housed in a tenement house that's over a hundred years old. Not far from that is Kufle i Kapsle, a craft beer pub with 16 rotating taps and a 150-beer bottle selection. Jabeerwocky and Same Krafty are some of the city's most decorated brewpubs, both making appearances on Enjoy Travel's 50 Best Craft Beer Bars in Europe.

When a country has a patron saint of beer and a national beer celebration that lasts for two weeks, you know brewskis are a big part of the culture. Czech Beer Days takes place in September and is dedicated to all things beer. "St. Wenceslas Day, the 28th of September, is a national holiday, celebrating Václav I's legacy of helping unify Bohemia," explains Prague Morning. "But he is also considered the patron saint of beer."

Once the festival season is over, grab a pint at one of Prague's many historical watering holes. Pivovar Sv. Norbert Strahov, a monastery brewery located just steps from Prague Castle, is arguably one of the city's best locales. We also recommend a visit to U Kunštátů, a craft beer bar and beer garden serving up dozens of craft options. And don't forget to explore the Staropramen complex before you leave — it's the country's second-largest brewery in terms of sales and the perfect representation of a traditional Czech pilsner beer.

On top of being the actual capital of Switzerland (a fact that often surprises people), Bern carries the unofficial designation of being Switzerland's capital of beer. Indeed, the city that Toblerone Chocolate built is home to more than 200 breweries and microbreweries. Bern even has its own beer, Bärner Müntschi, an unfiltered, unpasteurized lager made by the Felsenau family brewery.

Altes Tramdepot is one of the city's best breweries, serving up natural, unfiltered brews without chemical additives. In addition to a rotating selection of beers, the brewery has a great selection of permanent offerings including tram beers like Helles and Märzen. Be sure to also check out Barbière, a restaurant-slash-microbrewery serving up a rotating selection of IPAs, ales, and stouts. What's great about Bern is that you don't even have to go out to enjoy some of the city's best tipples — Kurbel Braeu Brewery will deliver your beers via bike anywhere in the city.

In addition to being home to the European Parliament, Brussels is an ideal weekend destination and a beer-lover's paradise. For starters, this bustling city of 1.2 million people is home to The Museum of Belgian Brewers, an intimate locale dedicated to 18th-century brewing techniques, mugs, and carafes. After the tour, head to one of the city's many bars and sample some of Belgium's finest beers.

With its world record 2,004 local and international beers, Delirium Cafe is an obvious place to start. Here, you'll find everything from traditional Belgian Abbey beers to off-the-wall favorites like Floris Chocolat, a chocolate-infused beer. Continue your exploration of the city's beer culture with a visit to Á La Bècasse, an old-timey bar specializing in Kriek, a traditional cherry-flavored beer. If the weather's nice, head to The Saint-Géry Market Halls, a 19th-century open-air market offering a selection of more than 100 beers.

If the name looks familiar, it's because you've seen it before. Pilsen, a small city located 56 miles west of Prague, is the birthplace of pilsner beer. This pale, golden lager first made an appearance in 1842 when local brewers tried to replicate the popular Bavarian lagers of the day. The local ingredients (Moravian barley, Bohemian Saaz hops, and soft Pilsen water) didn't produce the desired product, but rather the world's first pilsner. Unfortunately, the original brewers never patented the name. As a result, pilsner-style beers started popping up all over Europe.

In 1898, Bürger Brauerei trademarked "the original pilsner," aka Pilsner Urquell. You'll have no trouble finding a spot to try Pilsen's favorite beer — you can even tour the Pilsner Urquell brewery. If you need a break from the pilsners, head to Klub Malých Pivovarů, a beer bar highlighting beers from the Bohemia region and beyond. Or, there's Raven Pub City & Bolevec, a centrally-located bar serving every type of beer you can imagine.

Move over Munich, Cologne is making waves in the beer world. Germany's fourth-largest city is the birthplace of Kölsch, a pilsner-style beer that blends the top-fermenting yeasts used in ale brewing with the low temperatures of lager brewing. The result is a low-alcohol, easy-to-drink beer with light fruity notes.

Given how proud Cologne is of its beer, you'll have no trouble finding a spot to down a tall glass. Founded in 1883, Päffgen is Cologne's oldest house brewery and makes one of the best (if not the best) Kölsches in the city. As the city's second-oldest Kölsch brewery, Mühlen is another solid option.

For something beyond Kölsch, head to Heller. This organic-certified brewery features pilsners, wiesses, and a rotating seasonal selection of wheat beers. Braustelle, Cologne's smallest brewery, offers wheat IPAs, pale ales, and Pink Panther, a fruity ale made with hibiscus flowers.

Although Alsace, the region where Strasbourg is located, is known for its white wines, it's impossible to ignore the nascent beer culture emerging in this eastern region of France. Brasserie Saint-Pierre is one of the region's largest craft breweries. Since 2001, it's been concocting everything from IPAs and stouts to fruit beers — blueberry beer, anyone? Try a tasting flight at the in-house bar, take a guided tour, or make your own brew at a beer-making workshop.

Bendorf Brewery is another unmissable spot when visiting Strasbourg. Since 2013, this craft brewery has been selling an impressive collection of both permanent and seasonal beers. Some of their flagship products include Kollane Lill, a pale ale, À L'ombre des Pensées, a white IPA, and Les Abysses du Baggersee, a 10% imperial stout. There are plenty of places for beer lovers to visit in this beautiful city.

Poland is better known for being part of the Vodka Belt, but Wrocław, a city of 640,000 located in Western Poland, is a beer city through and through. Locals even refer to it as The Polish City of Beer. Unlike other parts of the country that are just starting to get into the beer game, Wrocław has long been associated with the frothy stuff. Thanks to its location between Germany and the Czech Republic, the city's beer culture has been influenced by Bavarian wheat beers and Czech pilsners for centuries.

These days, Wrocław's Browar Stu Mostów is Poland's biggest and most popular brewery. This ten-tap brewpub pours unique offerings like WRCLW, a Baltic nitro porter, and Salamander, a low-alcohol sessionable IPA. Another one of our favorites is 4HOPS, a 16-tap bar with plenty of Polish beers to sample. Can't choose just one beer? Then sample a bunch on Wrocław's Craft Beer Tour or visit the city's annual Good Beer Festival in May.

An up-and-coming European beer city, Belgrade is worth the visit if you find yourself in the area (plus, Serbian food is to die for). Opened in 2014, Kabinet Brewery is one of the city's most famous brands. Some of its top sellers include Brrkaaa, a citrusy American pale ale, and SuperNova, Serbia's first IPA. You can sample Kabinet's offerings at Samo Pivo, a craft beer bar housed in an abandoned mall, and Gunner's Pub, a cozy 16-tap bar.

Dogma Brewery & Tap Room is another stand-out in the Serbian capital. From its hop-heavy Zuma Mountain IPA to its more accessible Light House Pale Ale, every beer drinker will find something to suit their palate at Dogma. For a truly local experience, head to The Black Turtle, an Irish-inspired brewpub offering a mix of Belgian and German-style beers, plus some fruity options for good measure. If you're in town in June, you can't miss Belgrade Beer Fest, a four-day celebration of local brews and music.

You've probably never heard of this small Flemish city located 16 miles east of Brussels, but we're willing to bet that you've tried at least one of its beers. That's because Leuven is home to AB InBev, the world's largest brewery. Some of its best-known products include Budweiser, Corona, and Busch. In addition to these staple college party beers, AB InBev manufactures a number of Belgian-style beers like Stella Artois, Hoegaarden, and Leffe.

While there's no ignoring AB InBev's influence in Leuven, it's the city's microbreweries that make it a must-visit European beer destination. Located just a stone's throw from Leuven's Oude Markt, a bustling town square, is Huisbrouwerij Domus, a well-loved brewery known for its old-fashioned lagers and ales. Hof ten Dormaal Brewery, a small, family-owned operation is another favorite, thanks to its experimental barrel-aged beers made with local ingredients. And we can't forget to mention Braxatorium Parcensis, a brewery that brews its beers in an actual abbey. This is without a doubt a city that every beer lover should visit.