Coffee With Einstein
Though Prague has a great variety of small and large atmospheric cafes, some of them are not so easily spotted as they are located on the first floor terraces of buildings. One in particular, Café Louvre, has a great fin de siècle atmosphere and was frequented by such famous persona as Kafka and Einstein. Another secret tip: the café is rumored to have the best hot chocolate in the city.
Café Louvre, Narodni 22, Prague, Czech Republic, +420 224 930 94
Alternative Art
During the post-communist years, this city saw the springing up of many daring contemporary artists. One in particular, David Černý, has stunned the world with strange and shocking sculptures such as the gigantic babies climbing the Žižkov Television Tower. The artist has also opened up a space called the Meet Factory which combines art exhibitions, workshops, theatre and musical performances that display the alternative art and cultural side of the nation.
Look Up!
Prague is famous for its many curious and unusual sculptures, all created by the talented artists that inhabit the city. While most of them are quite easy to discover, one in particular requires passers-by to look up at the rooftops of one seemingly ordinary Old Town street. It depicts the psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud hanging by a hand, pondering whether to hold on or to let go. It is an unexpected and eye-catching sight, though quite disturbing at the same time. The sculpture is called Man Hanging Out and has been mistaken for a real suicide attempt on more than one occasion.
An Urban Woodland
Though there are many beautiful parks inside the city, Divoká Šárka is one that provides a true escape into the untouched world of Czech nature. Only a short tram ride away from the city center, this gorgeous valley offers a day out of hiking, swimming, and even golfing. Legend has it that Šárka, who gave the park its name, was a beautiful female warrior who seduced her opponent Ctirad in a battle of the sexes for control of the city.
Divoká Šárka 41, Praha 6, Czech Republic, +420 603 723 501
Alternative Cinema
For all true cinema enthusiasts it is essential to go off-the-beaten-track and visit the two old bohemian cinemas of the city, Kino Aero and Bio Oko. The décor of the cinemas is old school; the seating options include beach chairs and a vintage car. You might not be able to see The Avengers here, but a cool selection of alternative, indie and what-not films is on offer, with a small selection of films in English too.
All That Jazz
Prague’s Jazz scene is a colorful and varied one but unfortunately not so well known by the city’s visitors. There are several good old jazz clubs in the city that provide live music in a great bohemian atmosphere such as AghaRTA Jazz Centrum , U Malého Glena and Reduta, where Bill Clinton once demonstrated his saxophone skills.
Žižkov TV tower
The Žižkov TV tower, with the aforementioned giant babies climbing to reach its top, is a very unusual and modern sight in the city. Moreover, it is very much worth it to climb to the top of the TV tower, which offers spectacular views of the city (not recommended for those with a fear of heights). The Žižkov neighborhood is itself an interesting place to visit too, as it has the world’s highest concentration of bars per capita.
The Cross Club
The Cross Club is delightfully unusual throughout, from the interior and exterior décor made of futuristic mechanical sculptures and frameworks to the cool and eclectic music selection, which includes live bands, reggae, dubstep and a variety of electronic music. The club gets its name from its original intent to be a crossroads for different subcultures, so expect all manner of artsy people at this one.
Plynární 1096/23, Prague, Czech Republic, +420 736 535 053
Qubus
Another way to explore Czech art culture is to visit Qubus, a contemporary ceramics gallery located round the back of the Old Town square. Czech people are certainly one of the oldest nations that mastered the art of ceramics, with archaeological finds in the medium dating back to 25,000 BC. The gallery exhibits works of ceramics in all its forms, from traditional pots and bowls to a gold-glazed baroque clock fronted with a 1970s LED readout.
Rámová 1071/3, Prague, Czech Republic, +420 222 313 151
The national cuisine
Especially dedicated to Czech national food and offering a 14 course tasting menu, La Dégustation Bohême Bourgeoise, located in Prague’s Old Town, takes its food inspiration from a 19th-century cookbook the manager found in a junk shop. The restaurant is therefore delightfully authentic and offers dishes such as třeboň catfish with kefir, poppy seeds and dill, or mnetěš pigeon with elderberry and hazelnuts.
Haštalská 753/18, Prague, Czech Republic, +420 222 311 234