Prague is a little sad in the rain. A rain that can sometimes fall hard and cause flooding. But your stay can be saved with a few tips from me. Leave the shiny cobblestones behind and take shelter.
1- Discover all of Prague’s passageways
What would Prague be without its passages? The most famous are the Lucerna and Světozor passages, as well as all those that lead to Wenceslas Square or the main shopping street Na příkopě.
Passages are everywhere in Prague.
There are so many passages in Prague that, after many years of residence, I sometimes discover and forget some of them, especially in the Old Town, where the streets are small and their layout rather anarchic. On one occasion, thanks to a local who had the keys, I even entered a passage that had been condemned since communism, and where old, outdated signs were still visible. After all, all passages are home to stores and restaurants. Here’s a tip: go and admire the superb stained-glass window in the Světozor passage. A beautiful old advertisement for the Tesla brand (Nikola Tesla studied in Prague and there’s a Czech Tesla brand!)
Pasáž Světozor
Vodičkova 41
Pasáž Lucerna
Vodičkova 36
2- Go bowling while you wait out the downpour
I think I first went bowling in Prague! It was in a huge, dilapidated hall in the city center, now closed and destined to become a shopping mall… Prague winters are long, so there are plenty of billiard and bowling alleys all over town (you’ll also find table soccer, darts or ping-pong tables…).
What could be more convivial than a good game of bowling and a few beers?
And because we’re in the Czech Republic, beer flows freely right next to the bowling lanes. The addresses I recommend here are right in the center of town, in the Žižkov district and on Bořivojova “Thirsty Street”. And if you prefer arcade games or pinball machines, I’ll give you three bonus addresses:
- the oversized House of Fun in the well-known Brutalist building Máj
- the aptly named Joystick bar in the center of town
- and the Mama Shelter Prague hotel, perfect for kids, with free arcade games for guests and visitors alike!
Bowling Celnice
V Celnici 10
BowBar
Bořivojova 83
Joystick
Jindřišská 5
Mama Shelter Prague
Veletržní 20
3- Warm up with a cup of tea
In Prague, the čajovna is a very different concept from the French salon de thé (čaj means tea in Czech). Here, no grandmothers and creamy pastries, but rather young people interested in Eastern philosophies. You’ll also often find board games. These tea rooms are always comfortable and quiet. In any case, you’ll always find a fine collection of teas from all over the world.
The two addresses I recommend, right in the center of town, will help you relax before setting off again to see the monuments.
At the first address, on Place Venceslas, you can also buy tea for the home. As for the second, more confidential address, a small fireplace gives the delightful impression of being in a country house on a winter’s day. And everywhere a little bell is waved to be served.
Dobrá Čajovna
Václavské Náměstí 14
U zlatého kohouta
Michalská 3
4- Go to the movies to forget the bad weather
Prague still has a fairly dense network of small, independent cinemas, fighting against the impersonal multiplexes (although I’ve seen a few disappear since 2004). The three cinemas I recommend in the center of town will give you a good time out of the rain. The Světozor, in the passageway of the same name, has a truly art house program with English subtitles more often than not.
The Světozor, a cinema where you can drink a beer comfortably seated!
No popcorn here, though (beer is possible!), which is actually a marketing argument for the cinema. There are two theaters, one very large and one very small (and a fantastic movie poster store). A stone’s throw away, you’ll find the Lucerna. This cinema is in the eponymous passage. The room is majestic, with balconies and an original version program. Finally, Evald is a very small cinema (“chamber cinema” with just a few seats). Seeing a film there will be a memorable experience (films in original version). Good to know: a ticket in these three cinemas will always cost you less than in the multiplexes, minus the advertising!
Kino Světozor
Vodičkova 41
Kino Lucerna
Vodičkova 36
Kino Evald
Národní 28
5- Get lost in a maze
On Petřín Hill, right next to the miniature Eiffel Tower, you’ll find a surprising building in the shape of a Gothic castle built for the 1891 World’s Fair. Don’t be afraid, come in and take cover! You’ll find a small maze of distorting mirrors (Zrcadlové bludiště) that will appeal to children and probably adults too (tickets here). To get there without getting wet, take the funicular (under reconstruction until 2026) which leaves from the bottom of the park, it’s more fun (Újezd stop, classic transport ticket).
And, again for the kids, you’ll find some nice little museums to get out of the rain:
Zrcadlové bludiště na Petříně
6- Go shopping when it rains
There‘s no shortage of shopping centers in Prague. Every time one opens, we wonder how the market doesn’t get saturated… In Prague’s city center, you’ll find the Palladium center, with its salmon-colored facades that look a little like pasteboard (former barracks). Opened in 2007, it features 180 stores on 5 levels. Opposite is the Kotva 5 shopping center (currently under reconstruction). It’s much smaller and less modern, dating back to the 70s, but I recommend you go in for a superb view of Prague.
Go up to the top floor of Kotva! The terrace offers a superb view of the Old Town.
Finally, there’s Máj and House of Fun, (ideal when it’s raining, with its two levels of arcade games or Back in Time for fun learning). A fine example of ’70s Czech architecture, which I personally don’t much like, it stands next to the Quadrio shopping center and its boutiques (behind it, don’t miss artist David Černý ‘s statue of Franz Kafka!)
Palladium
Náměstí Republiky 1
Kotva (under reconstruction)
Revoluční 1
7- Visit a museum on a rainy day
Prague isn’t Paris or Vienna, but it does have some lovely museums. On my list of favorite museums is the National Gallery at the Exhibition Palace (Veletržní palác). This museum is a beautiful building in the constructivist style. It houses contemporary collections from the 19th and 20th centuries (French collection on the 3rd floor with Toulouse-Lautrec, Matisse or Douanier Rousseau). Take the elevators – they’re impressive!
In the center of Prague, there’s also a pretty Mucha Museum (tickets here), the famous poster artist.
Here are three other museums or galleries I’d recommend, which aren’t very touristy (tourists often content themselves with the museums of Prague Castle or nearby museums):
- The Náprstek Museum (Asian, African and American art).
- The museum dedicated to composer Antonín Dvořák, housed in a beautiful Baroque house.
- and above all, the Museum of Technology, where you’ll see superb models of cars and airplanes.
Palace of Exhibitions
Dukelských Hrdinů 47
Mucha Museum (there’s also the Mucha Foundation and a museum located in the Savarin Palace, Na Příkopě 10)
Panská 7
Náprstek Museum
Betlémské náměstí 1
Dvořák Museum
Ke Karlovu 20
National Technical Museum
Kostelní 42
