Prague Info

Prague is a wonderful city with a plethora of historic and cultural attractions that can keep a diligent traveler busy for quite a while. For those just wishing to breeze through it's also possible to take in the city in just a few days, all depending on what your pace is and what you are looking for. Prague is a very walkable city; you can walk across the main downtown area in about 20 minutes. In this area, surrounding Old Town Square and the Charles Bridge, you'll find most of the famous sights as well as many restaurants, bars and shops. Like any major European capital, don't expect things in the area to be excessively cheap, but with a little digging you can find some good deals at local places.

A few suggestions for Prague Information:

Prague Information Service - The official tourism bureau for the City of Prague. You can find up to date information as well as some basics about Prague here.

www.czech.cz - Official pages of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Good information on Czech Republic as a whole featuring current events and other useful info.

If you're only going to be here for a short while, there are a few places that are 'must see' and they are also a good place to start for any visit:

1. Charles Bridge - Dating from the 1300's, this icon connects the two main sections of town, Old Town and The Lesser Quarter. Every visit to Prague must include a stroll across this often crowded pedestrian thoroughfare.

2. Prague Castle - One of the oldest castle complexes in Europe. Sprawls across a hill overlooking the city. Most of the buildings are bland administrative things but don't miss St. Vitus Cathedral.

3. Old Town Square/Clock - Filled with historical sights, tourists and over-priced restaurants. The famous clock does a dance on the hour during the day.

4. Czech Beer - It's everywhere and it's cheap. This beverage has been enjoyed by Czechs for ages and really forms the heart of the culture as you see if you are fortunate enough to find a local pub.

Prague has an active gay scene with the locals (natives and foreigners) and tourists mixing it up and having a good time. There are many gay friendly places spread out throught the city and a fairly big concentration of gay bars, dance clubs and saunas in the downtown area around Wenceslas Square and the adjacent, quieter Vinohrady neighborhood. Places come and go so it's best to try to get a hold of a guide book or other current source of info to find out the hottest places (or drop us an email!)

Some recommendations:

DownTownCafe - A gay friendly cafe & restaurant located at the foot of one of the best parks in the city. A great place to start off and meet some locals who can give you some good tips.

Piano Bar - A nice local place where you can meet the neighborhood crowd.

Czechs are on the whole a very open minded people and are usually very tolerant of alternative lifestyles and the wishes of others. Equally they tend to be even-tempered and you'll rarely witness an argument escalate more than some raised voices. All that being said, they aren't extremely outgoing or willing to stick out in a crowd. So, while a gay pair holding hands or kissing in public most likely won't bring harrassment you might get some sideways stares.

Prauge is a generally safe city for all and there are very few places that aren't safe, even late at night. Here's a few tips:

-Pickpockets, like in any major city, are a problem. Be careful especially in the tourist areas, metros and trams.

-Call a taxi or have the bar/restaurant/friend call for you or YOU WILL BE RIPPED OFF!

-Avoid the area around the main train station especially after dark. You won't get anything 'off' except 'ripped-off'!

-Be careful who you trust. If you meet somebody and decide to take them home with you, first stop and think: do you really know this person? What do they really want from you? If it's money, they are often times prepared to take more from you than you might have agreed to!

-Be sensible and have fun! It's a beautiful town but not thinking can ruin your trip very quickly.

When you are in Prague, let some of our friends take care of you:

Ambassador Limo - Need to arrive in style? These guys will make sure you impress whether you are heading to the red carpet or a quiet night on the town. Beautiful cars and Western quality service.

Friends from all around that can help you finding your way from here to there:

Gay To Z - Gay and Lesbian services in the London area and beyond.

Bent Links - Link resource for the Gay community.

Gay Web Links - Search and review GBLT links from all over.