PUB
22 223 1060
Included more as a warning than as a recomendation, this “Irish” pub pegs itself as, and often ends up being, an obligatory stop for British and American tourists. It need not be so. While Rocky’s does blast Prague’s half liters for actual English “pints,” the charm comes with a hefty price tag. Food, like nachos (145Kč) or ribs (295Kč) is solid enough, and the beer (30-65Kč) tastes like beer, but the best things about Rocky’s happen on its walls. Sports events get projected onto a big screen, and a hanging poster, “Rockey’s 10 Commandments of Travelers,” delivers some very wise Prague-specific advice for staying safe and financially responsible while in the city.
A and C: Muzeum. From the station, walk down Václavské náměstí and take a left on Štěpánská. The pub will be on your left. Entrees 155-300Kč. Bar open daily 10am-1am. Kitchen open 10am-11pm. Happy hour M-F 5pm-8pm.
Stare Město
CHAPEAU ROUGE
Jakubská 2
BAR, CLUB
222 316 328 www.chapeaurouge.cz
Chapeau Rouge is smarter—and hipper—than your average bar. Maybe it’s the sprawling Optimus Prime flying over the bar’s front room, or the smattering of penis drawings and condom machines around place, but Chapeau Rouge seems to be that quintessential club we all imagine exists in Europe. Downstairs, where the dancing happens, feels like an entirely different club: smokier and darker. Club has a DJ or a band every night of the week. On Friday and Saturday nights, it’s hard to imagine a better bar.
C: Republicky Náměstí. From the station, head directly west until you dead end at Rybná. Take Rybná head north up and take a left on Jakubská. Beer 25-40Kč. Mixed drinks 60-100Kč. Open M-Th noon-4am, F noon-6am, Sa 4pm-6am, Su 4pm-3am. Dance club open daily from 9pm.
KARLOVY LÁZNĚ
Smetanovo nábřeží 198
CLUB
222 220 502 www.karlovylazne.cz
A colossal five-story club with some genuinely impressive lighting and dance floor effects, Karlovy Lázně also manages to be less trashy than you’d imagine from the outside. Each floor plays a particular decade’s music, with the exception of one floor that proclaims it plays “black music.” The variety of music means that one of the scenes will probably appease you. Drink selection is limited, but the point of this club is mostly to get as drunk as possible and makeout with people: most pub crawls end here. Other highlights include the psychedelic checkerboard dance floor, the Elvis and Marilyn Monroe statues, and the strange laser shooting torso. Huge crowds turn out on weekends, making this place buzz.
A: Staroměstského. From the station, head towards the river then south on Křižovnické. Club is directly past the Charles Bridge through the tunnel of tourist shops. No dress code. Cover until 10pm 70Kč. After 10pm 120Kč. Drinks 40-160Kč. Open daily 9pm-5am.
Malá Strana
JAZZ DOCK
Janáčkovo nábřeží 2
MUSIC CLUB
774 058 838 www.jazzdock.cz
For a little over a year now, this newbie jazz club has been setting trends and making waves, and not just because it’s by the water. Impressive when it’s empty with laser neon stools, full wall windows, and a black angular interior, Jazz Dock swings hard when it’s full of live jazz every night of the week. The gig here is serious; five days of the week include double shows, with programs for children on Saturday and a Dixieland program on Sunday. Due to its genius design, live music can play until 4am without soliciting noise complaints, though on most nights a DJ takes over at 1am or 2am. The ambitious list of progressive cocktails (135Kč) is supplemented by a food menu with catches like Tunafish Snails (85Kč)—“a rolled surprise”—and the Jazz Hot Dock (75Kč)—a hot dog buried in onions and mustard.
B: Anděl. From the station, head north on Nádřažní and take a right on Lidická. At the river, take a left on Janáčkovo nábřeží. Guests who visit the club 3 times receive a card entitling them to a 20% discount on all future club transactions. Cover 190Kč. Under 26 or over 65 90Kč. Beer 29-35Kč. Mixed drinks 135Kč. Open M-F 3pm-4am, Sa-Su 11am-4am. Th, F, and Sa shows at 7pm and 10pm. Food served until 4am.
KLUB ÚJEZD
Újezd 18
BAR
251 510 873 www.klubujezd.cz
Klub Újezd attracts guests as wild as its decorations: bathroom doors show monsters taking dumps, a 20 ft. long leviathan snaps above the bar, and corpse faces melt out of the walls. The clientele isn’t exactly like that, but three floors do cater to three very different scenes. Upstairs is secluded and smoky, the basement is cold and dungeon-like with a DJ spinning on a mini-stage for the 20 people who can fit there, and the main bar is filled with artists—or posers.
A: Malostranská. From the station, take the Tram #to the Újezd stop. Beer 25-60Kč. Mixed drinks 65-100Kč. Open daily 2pm-4am.
Žižkov
PALÁC AKROPOLIS
Kubeliková 27
CAFE, CLUB
296 330 912 www.palacakropolis.cz
Situated in a pre-WWII theater, this entertainment complex has become a landmark in the Žižkov area. The bar and cafe upstairs serve a mix of expats, local artists, and intellectuals, while the multi-level club downstairs has two bars, each with its own nightly DJ and a clientele that changes according to the music. Reggae night on Sunday is always well attended. The space also hosts concerts and regularly collaborates with a group of performance artists.
A: Jiřího z Poděbrad. From the Metro, cross diagonally through the park and then take Milešovská; Kubelíkova is on the other side of the Žižkov tower park. Cover F and Sa 30Kč. Some concerts cost money; check online before you go. Beer 25Kč. Open daily 11am-1am.
Vinohrady
RADOST FX
Bělehradská 2334/120
CLUB
60 319 37 11 www.radostfx.cz
Open as a lounge and cafe every night of the week, Radost takes weekends to unleash its inner world-famous dance club on the city. Glowing rooms and zebra-print couches sell the disco effect, especially when coupled with the eight or so LCD screens flashing crazy images. One of the more advanced light rigs in Prague sexes up the dance floor. If you get tired downtairs, go up for the great but pricey quesadillas and other drunk food (from 195Kč) at the cafe. Vegetarians will particularly enjoy getting wasted on veggie and lentil burgers (185Kc). You must try one of the following drinks: Cosmic Granny (145Kč), Lesbian Joy (110Kč), or Sex with an Alien (145Kč).
C: I.P. Pavlova. From the station, head east on Jugoslávská for a little more than 1 block. when you reach Bělehradská, the club will be on your left. R and B on Th; house, 80s, and 90s on F; funky on Sa. Lounge is wheelchair-accessible; club is not. Cover Th 100Kč, F 100-200Kč, Sa 100Kč. Cafe open M-Th 11am-midnight, F-Sa 11am-1am, Su 10:30am-midnight. Club open Th-Sa 10pm-5am.
VINÁRNA VINEČKO
Lodynská 135/29
WINE BAR
222 51 10 35 www.vineckopraha.cz
An upscale wine bar that errs on the side of adult, Vinárna Vinečko is the perfect place to spend a relaxed evening discussing how delightfully you boogie in a non-ironic way. On warm summer nights, the patio lets you decompress even further. Or, if you’re lucky enough to be spending the evening with yourself, bring your laptop, use the free Wi-Fi, and treat yourself to a nice glass of vino—no buts—you deserve this.
A: Náměstí Míru. From the station, head west down Rumunská, then take a left down Lodynská. The bar is actually to the right on Bruselská where it meets Lodynská. Snacks 68-105Kč. Wine 52-72Kč. Beer 23-60Kč. Open M-F noon-midnight, Sa-Su 2pm-midnight.
Holešovice
CROSS CLUB
Plynární 1096/23
CLUB
www.crossclub.cz
Possibly the coolest club you will ever attend, Cross Club exists over five or six stories, including a five-level patio. The club works like this: half of the club is “pay to enter” and the other half, the cafe and restaurant, is free. But here’s the rub—none of these place
s are connected. In other words, you get a stamp and then you wander between the rooms, all decorated with the most amazing assortment of industrial steel. The crowds err on the side of Czech, but internationals can be found about. The real treats are the various “themed rooms” that you discover making your way through the multi-level club. One room is only tall enough to sit in, and you have to crawl to your seat; another is lit only by narrow lamps made from car engines. The club also features several incredibly cheap food options, like hamburgers (39Kč) and fried cheese (39Kč), at different stations. As if this wasn’t enough, the upstairs has two speciality shops, one featuring a load of original, hip T-shirts, the other selling vinyl records.
C: Nádraží Holešovice. From the station, head south through the bus station to Na zátorách. Head east on Na zátorách until it becomes Plynámí; the club is on your left. Cover 40-100Kč. Beer 25-40Kč. Mixed drinks 40-105Kč. Cafe open daily 2pm-2am. Club open Su-Th 6pm-4am, F-Sa 6pm-6am.
Smichov
FUTURUM MUSIC BAR
Zborovská 82/7
BAR, CLUB
257 328 571 www.futurum.musicbar.cz
Perhaps the most stylish bar you will find in Prague, Futurum boasts high ceilings with gorgeous mosaic formations on the floor and ceilings. Set in red low lighting and expansive with its many nooks, the place is perfect for both an intimate evening or a melodic, high-spun night on the town. Order your drink at the long, winding bar that looks like the brim of a tastefully tiled swimming pool and enjoy the live music happening almost every night.
Trams #4, 7, 10, or 14: Zborovská. Head towards the river ½ block, turn left on Zborovská Check online for event listings. Beer from 30Kč. Open daily 9am-3am. Concerts begin at 9pm.
ARTS AND CULTURE
Travelers itching for some authentic artistic and cultural experiences are about to get scratched. By Prague. But anyone interested in seeing a show of any kind should be warned: while Prague has incredible art, music, and showmania, there also exist God-awful tourist shows that cost inexcusable sums. The best opera Prague has to offer is available to students for the cost of a sausage from a street vendor. The best music Prague has to offer comes at the cost of two said sausages. In other words, any show that costs more than 190Kč for a student ticket is probably going to suck. Prague has three symphonies, each of which is world-class: the Czech Philharmonic, the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the Czech National Sympohny Orchestra. Opera can be seen at the State Opera House, the Estates Theater, or the National Theater. Additionally, there are private galleries all about the city, even in portions of Old Town where many artists personally show their work. As with all crafts, more legitimate respected artists will sell their wares away from Old Town. The popular music scene can be good at various clubs, but for some awful reason, someone decided it would be a good thing for piano players to play the same five songs at cafes around the city and for cover artists to sing the same five whiney guitar songs (“Wonderwall” included).
While Prague does have a few theaters that consistently show English productions, these shows are mostly tourist traps and in no way reflect the incredible wealth of English theater that actually goes on here. Prague does, however, have a number of companies that more or less consistently put on shows in various venues. Travelers interested in seeing legitimate theater should check www.expats.cz and www.prague.tv for extensive theater listings. In recent years, Prague Playhouse (www.prague-playhouse.com) has produced the highest number of English language shows, while Blood, Love, and Rhetoric (www.bloodloverhetoric.com) is a great up-and-coming company. The Prague Shakespeare Festival (www.pragueshakespeare.cz) even produces a few English performances of Shakespeare plays each year. While most Czech theater plays are repertory, or one or two nights over a six-month period, most English language shows play in short runs or in five to six runs scattered over two weeks or so.
Theater
NATIONAL THEATER
Národní třída
NOVÉ MĚSTO
224 90 14 87 www.narodni-divadlo.cz
Producing a program of dance, opera, and Czech-language drama, the National Theater is considered one of the most important cultural institutions in the Czech Republic. The theater itself dates back to 1881, though various fires and other setbacks have caused alterations since then. In addition to its regular schedule, during the summertime, smaller, open-air productions consistently grace the surrounding square.
B: Národní třída. From the station, walk north to Národní and turn left toward the river. Tickets 300-1200Kč. Open M-F 10am-5:30pm, Sa-Su 10am-12:30pm and 1-5:30pm. Evening box office opens 1hr. before curtain.
STATI OPERA PRAHA
Wilsonova 4
NOVÉ MĚSTO
224 22 72 66 www.opera.cz
Thanks to the State Opera House’s student-rush program, travelers can see a fully staged opera for less than the price of a sausage at nearby Wenceslas Sq. Presenting a dozen or so plays at a time, the State Opera sticks with favorites but paints with a bigger brush than the tourist-friendly Estates. Wagner, Mozart, Verdi, and Puccini operas are most frequently produced, with new productions interspersed more occasionally.
A or C: Muzeum. From the station, head past the National Museum to the left. Tickets 100-1500Kč. Students 50-750Kč. Open M-F 10am-5:30pm, Sa-Su 10am-12:30pm, 1pm-5:30pm. Evening box office opens 1hr. before curtain.
ESTATES THEATER
Ovocný trh
STARE MĚSTO
224 90 14 48 www.estatestheatre.cz
If it’s not enough for you to walk by the famous theater where Mozart conducted Don Giovanni or the legendary theater where movie Mozart conducted The Magic Flute in the movie Amadeus, then it’d better be enough for you to see a show here, because otherwise you’re out of options. These days, the Estates plays mostly opera hits like Carmen, The Marriage of Figaro, and you guessed it, Don Giovanni.
A or B: Můstek. From the station, head northwest up Na Můstku and turn right on Rytířská. Tickets 300-1200Kč. Open M-F 10am-5:30pm, Sa-Su 10am-12:30pm and 1-5:30pm. Evening box office opens 1hr. before curtain.
Festivals
PRAGUE SPRING MUSIC FESTIVAL
Hellichova 18
MALÁ STRANA
257 31 25 47 www.prague-spring.net
An enormous, month-long festival featuring over 70 performances by the world’s best soloists, small ensembles, symphony orchestras, and conductors. In addition to public exhibitions ranging in admission price from free to exorbitant, the festival also plays host to an extensive soloist competition. Founded in 1945, the fest survived the pressures of an oppressive communist regime and continues to bring music to the world in a truly unique way.
Tickets 100-10,000Kč. Early May-early June. Check website for specific dates.
PRAGUE WRITERS FESTIVAL
Platýz, Národní 37/416
STARE MĚSTO
224 24 13 12 www.pwf.cz
An exciting five-day celebration of writers of all tongues, the Prague Writers Festival prides itself on bringing in the best of the craft. In 2010, the Festival honored Nobel Prize winner Gao Xingjian, among other top writers in the field. Events of the festival include readings, signings, galas, and question-and-answer sessions. Tickets 100-500Kč. During the 1st 2 weeks of June. Check website for specific dates.
SHOPPING
It’d be a bit of a stretch to call Prague a prime shopping destination. While rare items and great deals can be found, they are few and far between. Most of tourist Prague is overrun by Bohemian crystal dealers and marionette shops, but any traveler on a budget would do well to avoid these. Antique and secondhand stores offer the best shots for rare communist artifacts or snazzy, underappreciated clothing.
Clothing
PARAZIT
Karlova 25
STARE MĚSTO
603 56 17 76 www.parazit.cz
An amazing find in any city, Parazit has more unique fashion finds, outrageous wardrobe choices, and other pieces out of some T
im Burton nightmare. Dresses seem like passion projects from Project Runway; match one with a bag that looks like a human head. There are definitely more options for women, but men can find a few fiercely original T-shirts. Every item is handmade by Czech designers and Czech design students.
A: Staroméstka. From the station, head down Křižovnická directly along the river. At the Charles Bridge, turn left at Karlova towards Old Town Sq. Keep following Karlova as it snakes around. The shop will be in a courtyard to the left. Shirts 200-500Kč. Dresses from 1200Kč. Bags from 300Kč. Open M-Sa 11am-8pm.
Books and Music
GLOBE BOOKSTORE
Pštrossova 1925/6
NOVÉ MĚSTO
222 52 02 36 www.globebookstore.cz
Attached to a cafe with the same name, the Globe caters specifically to American and British expats looking for literary enlightenment in Czech-speaking Prague. Featuring an impressive collection of literature, travel guides, and general-interest books, the Globe should definitely be a first stop for book-seeking travelers, and we’re not just saying this because it sells Let’s Go.
Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide Page 46