January in Prague

Must see -- Communist Museum, pulls no punches when describing Communist Czech.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

Get a travel pass!! Easiest way to get around a complicated ticketing system and avoid the wrath of a plain-clothed ticket inspector.

Bargain accomodation in small friendly pension/apartments based around a small bar/internet cafe, with rooms in a courtyard summerhouse and various apartments along the same street. Friendly and very helpful staff willing to do anything for you. Very basic, but adequate and comfortable accommodations nonetheless. I stayed in the "summerhouse" (room 3) and paid approximately £25 per night for the B&B option (it was the same price whether one or two people stayed in the room).

Predominently a gay hotel, I found it very welcoming as a lesbian. Most of the guests were single gay blokes, and the hotel bar provided a great place to meet up with other travellers. You can even have an extra guest for free, including breakfast, IF you let the management know the night before -- not sure if this is a reflection of the local gay bars or what . . . The place also offered a cheap internet connection (1CzK per minute, minimum of 20 mins).

Check out Arco Hotel

Note -- while I was staying there, they were preparing to move the main hotel bar to new premises a couple of doors away. I did not visit the new bar.

Expensive and small museum that had the only mention I saw of Czech's Communist history. Otherwise, I felt that the Communist experience was mostly swept under the carpet.

It doesn't pull any punches when it describes what the Communist regime did to the country. Especially interesting was seeing the Communist view of the West, (particularly the USA). It had good displays, well-labelled in Czech, English, and German.

When, if like me, you get tired of attempting to speak pidgin Czech and having your efforts awarded with a confused look . . . then Molly Malones is a welcome relief. An Irish pub run by mostly Irish staff, your inability to speak Czech will pass by unnoticed here. Serves Guiness, cider, as well as the usual lager, wines, and spirits. It's a little more expensive than elsewhere, but it does a magnificent Irish breakfast, there's good pub food the rest of the day, a roaring fire, and great Irish music.

Note that, although the Oct 2002 edition of Rough Guide to Prague has this pub's address right, it is shown in the wrong place on their map . . . The place can be found off Dlouha Kozi towards Anezsky Klaster.

A scene in Prague? If you're gay and male, Prague is your oyster . . . I'm not sure where all the dykes go though, as I didn't meet a single lesbian while I was out there!! Maybe it was just the cold that kept them in.

Personally, I was based at the Arco Hotel (Vinohrady), a great place to meet single gay male travellers. If you're staying there, you're bound to find someone to explore the scene with if you're on your own.

Stella Bar (Luzicka 2, pr2) is an underground cellar bar somewhat typical of Prague: small, cosy, open for hours, and full of men!! (Tip: go to the "kitchen" at the far left of the bar for a free "cloakroom"). Like other bars in Prague, you do need to ring the bell to gain entry -- and to be let out again!!

Downtown Cafe (Jungmannovo Namesti 21, off Wenceslas Sq. -- go through passage under the Bata Department Store) does great hot chocolates and baguettes, and has really cute gay guys that work/run the place.

A-Club (Millicova 25, Zizkov). At the time of my visit, this was the only lesbian club in Prague and, after plucking up the courage to venture there on my own, I knocked on the door, only to find it was closed until five days after I left!! Disappointing, but it does appear to be the best dyke club in town - - it has a lesbian festival in April, apparently. The spot does have own website, but all in czech . . . check their entry on gayguide.net

Word of warning, not that I particularly experienced this as a dyke, but according to the men I met out in Prague, it appears that a lot of the male scene is dominated by "escorts". Most of the men I met were American, and most of them had met local Czech boys who were only interested in sex if they were going to get paid. One of the local guys I met told me that being an escort is normal for the local gay guys . . . So if you're male and being paid a lot of attention, check why!! See Gay Guide.