- OVERVIEW
- GAY LIFE
- HOTELS ETC
- HOT TIPS
A guide to Gay Prague
Prague was one of the three imperial capitals of the Austro-Hungarian Empires along with Vienna and Budapest. After the break-up of that Empire following the First World War it became the capital of the new country of Czechoslovakia.
Occupied by the Germans throughout the Second World War, the City was captured by the Soviet Union in 1945. In 1968 the Soviets brutally suppressed the Prague Spring uprising but in 1989 the Velvet Revolution swept away the communist regime.
In 1993 the country peacefully split and the playwright and civil right leader Vaclav Havel became President of the newly formed Czech Republic, with Prague as the capital.
Prague is the country’s major tourist destination. Spared the destruction that befell many other European cities in the war, and preserved by inertia during the Soviet era, the old city is an architectural gem of medieval, baroque and renaissance buildings.
Although relatively small with just 1.5 million inhabitants, today Prague is the sixth most visited tourist city in Europe. The rare mix of architecture, the manageable scale and the history of this former imperial capital is a magnetic draw.
Our top sightseeing tips for Prague
ShoppingThere are two quality shopping areas in the centre of Prague:
It is best to shop in some of the centrally located shopping malls where you can always buy some Czech items – like wooden toys, glass or garnet jewelery which is less likely to be fake. The best are Palladium, My, Černa Ruze, Svetozor, Flora or Andel.
FoodFood in Prague has improved hugely in recent years, and now offers some great restaurants like any European capital. Try to avoid tourist restaurants promoting “real Czech cuisine” to large groups of tourists. For moderate prices and yet great quality of Czech food and beer try the Czech chain “U potrefene husy” (something like 'At Silly Goose'). The chain is run by one large Prague Brewery and there are about 10 of restaurants around Prague.
Getting ThereRuzyně International Airport, is 20 km (12 miles) northwest of the city centre, it generally takes about 30 minutes to reach the city centre by car.
Prague is well connected to European EC train network, however there is no Czech high speed rail, so the maximum train speed is 120–160 km/h (75-99 mph). All international trains arrive at Praha hlavní nádraží (the central station, abbreviated to Praha hl.n.) which has a connection with Metro Line C.
The main bus station for international buses in Prague is Florenc, in Praha 8 (metro lines B and C). It is located east of the city centre.
Beware of taking taxis from the train and bus stations (see “getting around” below)
Getting AroundPublic transport in Prague is relatively cheap – 32 CZK for 90 minutes, with the option of as many interchanges between the means of transport (tram, bus, tube, as well as funicular) you want within this time limit. The basic information (printed) in every single carriage also in English.
TAXI: It is best to order a taxi in advance – the hotel, bar or restaurant will do this for you. If you need to catch one on the street, find a special designated area with the yellow sign “Fair Fare”. Do not take a cab from the street and especially not at the train and bus stations
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Gay Prague
Events in Prague
One benefit of the communist regime in the then Czechoslovakia was the relatively liberal attitude to personal morality, as the influence of the Catholic Church was all but eliminated. Homosexuality became legal for adults over 18 in 1961, some six years before the UK.
Gay life though was not easy in Communist Prague, with one bar and two nightclubs, all managed by members of the secret police. The authorities kept lists of known gay people for blackmail and political control.
The social liberation following the 1989 revolution was tempered by the growing realisation of AIDS.
Nevertheless, the beginning of the 90s brought a boom in gay entertainment premises. Bars and night clubs appeared and then disappeared frequently. After two decades, the gay scene is now more or less stabilised, though from time to time a new bar or club emerges.
Following the revolution, gay rights organisations started to push for gay equality in the new Czech Republic. Homosexuality was declassified from the medical list of diseases in 1993. A law to establish civil partnerships was passed in 2006.
After some less successful attempts in previous years, the first large and really successful gay pride in Prague took place in 2011.
The Czech Republic has a well deserved reputation for producing high quality gay porn and its bars are a good meeting place for 'beautiful young entrepreneurs and older investors'.
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If you’re looking for gay hotels in Prague, you’ve come to the right website. In terms of gay hotels, Prague now offers a growing number of gay-friendly establishments in and around the centre of Prague. A listing of gay hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs in Prague is shown on the right.
However, should you want to search for gay accommodation using a map and more criteria, try our main Gay Hotels page. On the map on that page, you'll find Prague’s gay centre and airport are marked making it easier to choose the right area for you to stay in.
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Links to the best Gay Prague linksSo many Gay Prague destination guides attempt to list the top restaurants, bars, shops, events, and websites for a given town - but their suggestions quickly become out of date, because such information is constantly changing. So instead of trying to list our own suggestions, we've listed the best websites or 'apps' for finding out what's hot in Gay Prague. That way, you get the best information possible. Simply click on any of the logos below to visit any of our recommended sites.
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