By early evening the bridges over the Vltava fill with people walking between the Old Town and Malá Strana, and the pubs of the centre begin to fill with drinkers settling in for the night. Later, the same crowds thin out and the club-going part of the evening starts.
Prague's nightlife is built around pubs and beer as much as around clubs. Pubs, called hospoda in Czech, are spread throughout the city and are an important part of local culture, while nightclubs are concentrated in the centre, with some further out that cater mainly to local students. It suits visitors who want a long, unhurried evening of drinking and talking, and those who prefer to eat and go out late rather than early.
Where to go out in Prague
1. Pubs across the city
Pubs are found throughout Prague and are central to local drinking culture. The beer brand usually varies from pub to pub, and locals will happily argue about their preferences, so recommendations are hard to pin down. The most internationally recognised beers are Pilsner Urquell and Budweiser Budvar, with Svijany popular among Czechs and Staropramen the choice if you want a beer brewed in Prague.
This is the right kind of night if you want to drink slowly and talk. A practical point: it is customary, especially in beer halls, to sit with a group of people if there are no free tables, so you can simply ask whether you may join.
2. The centre's nightclubs
Most of Prague's nightclubs are in the centre of the city. They are generally much more expensive than pubs, and not all of them are good; even locals find it difficult to pick the right one, as some are overpriced, empty or simply bad. Locals tend to arrive around midnight, mostly on Fridays and Saturdays, though Wednesdays and Thursdays are often fine too, and in summer any day of the week works because of the number of foreigners in the city.
This suits a late, high-energy night. On practicalities: entrance fees should be small, and it is worth avoiding anywhere charging a high entrance fee unless there is a genuinely good DJ playing.
3. Clubs further from the centre
Away from the centre there are clubs aimed mostly at local students. These sit outside the main tourist circuit and are the kind of place you find by looking rather than by following a crowd.
This suits anyone who wants a night that feels less like a visitor itinerary. The same caution applies as elsewhere: quality varies, so it pays to look before committing to a venue.
4. Parks and riversides
Drinking outside is very common in Prague. It is forbidden in many public places, but there are many public parks where it is not forbidden and where drinking is popular. Young people often drink in parks or at the riversides before heading to a club in the centre.
This suits an early, cheap start to the evening. One practical point: even where drinking is forbidden, police will probably not bother you, but they may use it against you if you are too disruptive to those around you.
5. Tearooms
Prague has many tearooms, called čajovna, serving teas from around the world. Shishas are often smoked in them, and the smoking ban does not apply to shishas.
This suits a quiet night or a calm start to one, and it is the obvious option if you want somewhere to sit and talk without alcohol.
6. Opera and ballet venues
Opera and ballet have a real tradition in the city, though young locals often overlook them and the audiences tend to be visitors. The main venues are run by the National Theatre company, which is government-owned; tickets are sold on the company website and the best seats tend to sell out, so it is better to buy in advance. The National Opera hosts mainly operas and ballets, while the Estates Theatre is the oldest theatre building still standing in the city, with Mozart's Don Giovanni often on the repertoire alongside other operas, plays and ballets.
This suits a formal, seated evening. Decent clothing, such as a black suit, is customary at National Theatre venues, though this is not enforced.
7. Other theatres and church concerts
There are many other theatres in Prague, but they usually offer plays in Czech only. Classical music concerts are often held in churches, especially in the centre.
This suits anyone who wants a short evening of music rather than a full night out, and it works well before or after dinner.
8. River cruises
River cruises range from one-hour trips to long evening cruises with dinner or music. To get the right price, find a boat yourself rather than buying from touts near Charles Bridge, and if you want the cheapest possible trip on the river you can use a public transport ferry. Named options include the Wine Boat, whose one-hour cruise includes a visit to the Prague Venice river canal and a tasting of local wines; Prague Steam Boats, which offers one-hour cruises, cruises to the zoo and full-day cruises to the Slapy water dam, including a three-hour dinner cruise; Cruise Prague; and JazzBoat, which combines cruising with jazz concerts.
This suits an evening when you want the city seen from the water rather than from the street, and a dinner cruise is the obvious choice if you would rather not move between venues.
How a night out unfolds
Prague runs late. Locals tend to go to clubs at around midnight, mostly on Friday and Saturday, with Wednesday and Thursday often workable as well, and in summer any night of the week. Before that, the evening often begins with drinking in a park or by the river, then moves to a club in the centre. Pubs fill earlier and are the mainstay of the evening for many people, while opera and theatre performances are the one part of the night that has to be planned in advance, since the best seats sell out.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- Prague Spring — the most famous classical music festival in the Czech Republic.
- Prague Advent Choral Meeting — a choral event in the Advent season.
- Signal Festival — a weekend in October, when historic buildings are lit by video-mappings and light-and-sound installations are set up in the city centre, Vinohrady and Karlín.
Frequently asked questions
When do people go out in Prague?
Locals tend to go to clubs at around midnight, mostly on Friday and Saturday, though Wednesday and Thursday are often fine too. In summer, any day of the week should be fine because of the number of foreigners in the city.
How much should a night out cost?
Pubs are cheaper than clubs. Usual prices for a half-litre glass of beer are between 25 and 40 Kč depending on brand and locality, while some restaurants in tourist areas such as the Old Town Square are known to charge more than 100 Kč for a euro-sized glass. In nightclubs, beer costs between 50 and 100 Kč, and entrance fees should be small.
Can I drink in public?
It is forbidden to drink in many public places, but there are many public parks where it is not forbidden and where drinking is popular. Even where it is forbidden, police will probably not bother you, but they may use it against you if you are too disruptive to those around you.
Should I book opera or ballet tickets in advance?
Yes. The best seats tend to sell out, so it is better to shop in advance, and tickets can be bought on the National Theatre company's website.
Decide whether your evening is a pub, a club or a concert, check the timing that suits it, and plan the rest of your night around that.