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Nightlife

Thanks to the Czech proclivity for beer drinking (the country regularly tops the list as the highest beer-consuming nation in the world), nightlife in the capital has never been lacking. From traditional pubs (most close by 11pm) to hip bars (that stay open nearly all night) to DJ-fueled dance clubs that can erupt in pure hedonism at any moment, the Czech capital's nightlife is enjoyable enough to tempt travelers to lengthen their stay.

Though the Old Town and Mala Strana have long had a stranglehold on Prague's nightlife activities, Zizkov – a working-class neighborhood just out of the center – has recently emerged as the place to party in Prague. Neighboring Vinohrady is also a good place, particularly for those travelers who want to experience Czech nightlife sans tourists. The city's subway and many of its trams/street cars stop running at midnight (until 4.30am) and are replaced by night trams and buses that run every 30 minutes.

For more nightlife event listings, such as concerts, performances, and visiting DJs, pick up a copy of The Prague Post, the long-running weekly English language newspaper.

Thanks to the tourist crush in central Prague, many of the city's traditional pubs in the historic center have disappeared. The few that remain, however, happen to be the best. U Zlateho Tygra (Husova 17; 222/221-111; www.uzlatehotygra.cz) is the place former beer-quaffing and philosophical-musing president Vaclav Havel took Bill Clinton for a few pints of Pilsner Urquell. You'll find Old Town's last bastion of rough-and-tumble (but safe) characters here. Beers will continue to magically appear on your table until you can manage to sputter out dost! (enough!) to the waiter. A few blocks away is U Medvidku (Na Perštýne 7; 224/211-916; www.umedvidku.cz). Don't be put off by the German tour groups who frequent this place. The large beer hall will absorb them, and the more you drink the less you'll notice them. The beer, brewed in a town about 100 miles south of Prague, is known as Budweis in German, and the beer they've brewed for centuries is, you guessed it, Budweiser (in Czech, it's called Budvar). After one sip, we predict you'll wish the Budweiser back home tasted like this. Across the river in Mala Strana, U Hrocha (Thunovská 10; 257/316-890) is a perennial party favorite for locals who come for the pub's salt-of-the-earth atmosphere and (very) cheap draft beer; expect to share a table here (which is the best way to meet the locals).

For hipper, more youthful ambience, La Casa Blu (Kozí 15; 224/818-270; www.lacasablu.cz) – tucked away down an Old Town alleyway – was founded by a few South American expats in the mid '90s and today is one of the best bars in Old Town in which to sip cocktails and quaff brews. Bar & Books (Týnská 19; 224/808-250; www.barandbooks.cz), just steps away from Old Town Square, is a New York City spin-off where the only reading that takes place is on wine and beer labels.

In Zizkov and Vinohrady, the local favorite Palác Akropolis (Kubelíkova 27; 296/330-911) is a great place to pound a few pints of beer (and soak them up with some tasty pub grub) before heading down to the subterranean club to hear some live music. Or head over to nearby homey Hapu (Orlicka 8; 222/720-158) for some of the best (and least expensive) cocktails in Prague in an unpretentious and friendly atmosphere.

See Prague Travel Guide