„Other countries, other customs” – this adage is also true in Prague. The Czech Republic is a very liberal country, both economically (stores open almost every day of the year, supermarkets open between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m.) and socially (drugs and prostitution are decriminalized). To make sure you’re not thrown off track as soon as you arrive, let’s take a look at the Czech Republic’s cultural traits, clichés and stereotypes. After all, they’re all part of the charm of a successful trip to Prague.
In this article, you’ll also find my best addresses, unusual places, 8-9 EUR lunches, great bars…
Here you’ll find my best addresses with children in Prague, where to eat lunch for 8-9 EUR, the best party district in the Czech capital, the 4 must-try Czech specialties, the address of an amazing old parternoster elevator that you absolutely must use during your stay in Prague..
1- A pint of Czech beer costs 3 euros!
Staropramen, Kozel, Bernard, Krušovice, Gambrinus, Svijany and Pilsner Urquell are the 7 best-known Czech beers. My favorite is Pilsner Urquell, a blonde ale. You’ll find Czech beer everywhere (even in the cinema!) Czech beer is usually light and lager, and its price has risen considerably in recent years. But even if you drink several pints in a row, you won’t break the bank! Depending on the prestige of the place, the price of half a liter of beer hovers around 3 EUR. In the Czech Republic, if you’re charged more, it’s theft!
„In the Czech Republic, beer is often cheaper than mineral water”
At 156 liters per capita per year, the Czechs are the world’s leading beer consumers, ahead of Ireland. A sign that it’s not too hard on the wallet: you’re systematically offered a new beer as soon as the previous one is finished! Praguans and Czechs go out a lot (you have to find draught beer outside the home!) and, during your stay, you may see a large table of young people gathered around beers to celebrate a birthday or exam success.
2- When the weather’s nice, take advantage of the many beer gardens!
Munich’s Biergarten has been emulated in Prague, where you can find open-air beer gardens. I like the one on Letná hill, which offers a breathtaking panorama. On match nights, I prefer the beer garden at Riegrovy sady.
„It’s noisy, friendly and atmospheric!
Finally, you should know that in Prague, many restaurants have a garden that opens as soon as the warm weather arrives. This will often be mentioned on the front with the inscription „zahrada otevřena” or „zahrada na dvoře”. Remember these words!
3- The paternoster, an elevator that never stops!
To reach the heavens, try this fantastic elevator! It takes its name from its ingenious circular system, which resembles a prayer bead. Although the machine was invented in England in the 1880s, there are some 30 examples in Prague. It’s a tricky ride to get on and off, as the cabins are open and run continuously. What happens if you don’t get off at the top floor? Give it a try and you’ll find out – there are several urban legends on the subject..
„In any case, jump at the right moment in the right cabin to go up, in the left one to go down”
Most often found in administrative buildings, these elevators are tending to disappear due to their potentially dangerous nature. In fact, a European Union directive now prohibits their construction. I often show my visitors this unusual, anachronistic machine. Here are a few addresses where you can find it for a short adrenaline rush and an experience you won’t forget!
My 4 secret paternoster addresses :
- New Town Hall (Nová Radnice) Mariánské náměstí 2 (read here to borrow it)
- Úřadměstské části Praha 1 Vodičkova 18
- Palác YMCA Na Poříčí 12
- Palác Lucerna Štěpánská 61 (As the door on the right once you’ve entered the passageway is usually closed, wait for a visitor to come out, or go there when the Lucerna roof is open to the public). Please note that this last paternoster is currently inaccessible.
4- Prague’s cobblestone streets
What would Prague be without its cobblestones? Mostly black or white, they form pretty geometric patterns, reproduce store signs or indicate the names of buildings. You won’t be able to resist them, and they’re part of the Czech capital’s charm.
„You’ll find cobblestones absolutely everywhere, so ladies, forget your pumps!
Here and there in Prague, you’ll often see small mounds of cobblestones, with workers on their knees busy placing them.
5- Relax in a Czech sauna!
Although I don’t go, the Czechs love a sauna (there’s a lot of Scandinavian influence in the Czech Republic). Most often, it’s a mixed sauna. Saunas are also available at the swimming pool. The price of a ticket combining pool and sauna is modest. In winter, you can warm up in a dry sauna at between 90 and 100°C. Many hotels have sauna facilities. See also my tips for choosing your hotel in Prague.
Addresses of the best saunas in Prague :
-Near the Vltava river :
Sauny Vltava Podolské nábřeží 1108
Sauna Spot Podolské nábřeží 1110
Sauna Smíchov Císařská louka 162
-Right in the center :
Národní sauna Ostrovní 1
Sauny Beer Spa Zborovská 19
Sauna Central Ve Smečkách 19
Relax Days Praha Na Rybníčku 5
Infinite Several Prague addresses
Axa Na Poříčí 40 (public pool)
Sportcentrum YMCA Na Poříčí 12 (public pool)
6- The Czech smile, not always there
If Thailand is ” the land of smiles „, the same cannot be said of the Czech Republic. The welcome is sometimes a little cold and the Czechs don’t have a very sharp sense of commerce. All in all, you might come away from your stay a little upset.
„Czechs may not smile a lot, but they have other assets”
Many tourists return charmed all the same, or like me, decide to live here for many, many years. Because the country and its people have many other assets once you get to know them..
7- Prague is a paradise for children… and dogs !
For families with young children, Prague is a children’s paradise ! Throughout the city, you’ll find playgrounds in perfect condition and always bustling with activity. In many restaurants and cafés, you’ll also find a children’s corner (” dětský koutek „) where parents can eat in peace and quiet. Not to mention Prague’s huge zoo and the many events and festivals on offer during the summer months. And public transport is free for children under the age of 15 and for the carer of a child under the age of 3, as almost all mothers stop working for 3 years after each birth!
„In the Czech Republic, children are so pampered that there’s even a day dedicated to them, with June 1 declared „ Children’s Day „
Finally, if you’re traveling with your dog, you’ll be even more welcome. Czechs love dogs (they have the most per household in the EU, and there are more children than dogs nationwide!), and they’ll be accepted in most establishments. In some bars, they may even be offered a bowl of water. Your dog should even give you a chance to chat a little with the locals, who will be delighted to find it an excuse to strike up a conversation.
8- Czech fashion: comfort above all!
While the younger generation doesn’t always approve of everything, there are some rather comical features of Czech fashion that seem to survive. The height of elegance will always be to wear socks and sandals when spring comes around (typical also in schools and colleges, where, as at home, you always take your shoes off). After that, you’ll also see a lot of hiking clothes, as comfort often comes first. On the other hand, at the „maturita” ball (the Czech baccalaureate), there’ll be an outbidding of princess dresses in the Lucerna passage. Czechs are also very tolerant (you’ll never be refused entry to a club because of your looks, for example). They’re also full of originality, in both styles and colors..
„The ultimate in Czech elegance will always be to wear socks with sandals in the spring”
Two little tips: In winter, if you don’t have one, don’t forget to sew a little tie to your coat so you can hang it on the little hooks in bars and cafés. And if you want to go to the opera, make an effort because the audience will be chic! On the other hand, at disco, you’re not there to show off but to have fun, so the atmosphere is often very festive!
9- In Prague, bars are plentiful and open all week long
In Prague, most bars and cafés don’t close for the week. Many clubs are even open on Sunday evenings! So if you’re looking for a night out, you’ll have no trouble finding a welcoming place to go. It is said, for example, that Žižkov is the district in Europe with the highest density of bars, which wouldn’t surprise me (special mention to Bořivojova street). If you’re young and party-loving, this is the place to stay in Prague. It’s also said that Prague has the most drinking establishments per capita after Manchester in Europe.
„Žižkov is the district with the highest density of bars in Europe”
Neighborhood bars can be divided into two categories and two clienteles: the tavern for middle-aged men (the „hospoda”), where the atmosphere is not always very festive, and the youth bar, with its more original decor. In both cases, liters and liters of beer are drawn every evening, sometimes accompanied by shots of plum alcohol or other spirits known as „panák”.
10- Eating at all hours in the Czech Republic
Withthe exception of high-class restaurants, it’s possible in Prague to push open the door of a restaurant at any hour. It’s a real pleasure! If I want to go for pizza at four in the afternoon, there’s nothing to stop me, just as I can have lunch from 11-11:30 and not wait for midday (although restaurants close early in the evening, so arrive before 10pm).
„Czech restaurants serve all day long. Make the most of it during your stay in Prague!”
Czechs have the particularity of being very flexible (we eat ice cream at 8 a.m. in winter, a sweet dessert as a main course at the restaurant or canteen, Prosecco at the hotel breakfast buffet…), which is why you can also go into a restaurant for a simple drink – the waiter won’t reproach you for it, because here it’s perfectly normal to drink tea in a pizzeria! Another practical aspect is that all department stores in the city center are open on Sundays and many public holidays (sometimes from 6 a.m. to midnight), giving the city a lively feel.
11- Public transport is always on time
Prague is also an exceptional city when it comes to public transport. Frequency, punctuality, comfort – I don’t know of any city with such a well-organized network, and my visiting friends are always very surprised to be able to get home by streetcar at 4 a.m. (although night streetcars are less frequent than day ones).
„The quality of Prague’s public transport system amazes tourists”
Plenty of space in the metro (the escalators leading to it seem endless), old and more modern streetcars (you can even take a historic streetcar, number 42), the possibility of buying your ticket with your cell phone, fast travel, well-informed users… Everything is perfect! You can even rent a streetcar with your friends. But don’t forget to punch your ticket (frequent checks), let people off before getting on, and don’t use the spaces reserved for baby carriages..
12- Czech girls in sexy clothes
Slavs are often less modest than Latins.
At the swimming pool, for example, we go naked in the changing rooms and showers – sometimes right under the nose of the cleaning lady – and, in hot weather, we wear bathing suits in the public gardens..
„Czech girls often dress sexier than those from Latin countries”
This trend is reflected in the way girls dress, and they are often sexier than those in other countries. Men, on the other hand, make less of an effort..
13- Discover original Czech culinary specialties
The big Czech thing is the „knedlík” (flour or potato dumpling), which can be served in any sauce. Personally, I don’t like the flour one („houskový knedlík”). You’ll also be surprised by „svíčková”, the most popular traditional dish, always topped with cream and cranberry jam..
„Czechs don’t mind conventions: you can eat ice cream at 8 a.m., eat raw peas in the street in spring, buy your cheese at the delicatessen or eat dessert as a main course…”
What is very conventional for Czechs is soup („polévka”)! Summer and winter alike, it’s on every menu, and you’ll often find it too salty. Finally, it’s traditional to eat salty food in the morning, salty toast on special occasions, carp at Christmas..
14- Czechs love beautiful cars
The national car is the Škoda, even if the brand now belongs to the German Volkswagen group. You’ll see plenty of them, and maybe even a few older models. One thing’s for sure: Czechs love beautiful cars. In the countries of the former Communist bloc, they are often a real social marker.
„Czechs love beautiful cars, a way of showing off their social status”
During your stay in Prague, you’re likely to see many beautiful cars of all makes. If you’re driving, you’ll find it hard to park: the blue lines mark spaces reserved for residents, and if you get caught, you’ll be sent to the pound, even if your vehicle isn’t in the way of traffic! The solution: pay parking!
15- Cheap restaurants at lunchtime in Prague
As a general rule, employees only have thirty minutes for lunch at midday (and they finish their working day relatively early, usually around 5 p.m…), so you have to eat fast! In many small restaurants, you’ll be offered a menu with soup and main course for less than 250 CZK, i.e. 10 EUR euros. In some establishments, you can also get an express dish called „minutka” (small minute): as soon as you order, the dish will arrive in a minute or so.
„In Prague, you can eat soup and main course at lunchtime for less than 10 euros”
As for me, when I want to eat fast I go to Jiná Krajina (Řeznická 4). It’s often packed except on Fridays! And yes, one last Czech peculiarity: many Praguers leave the city at noon on Fridays to return to their country homes.