| In a speech before the European Parliament in May of 1990, Czech President Vaclav Havel said: "The only idea that inspires our internal and international policies is an idea based on the respect of human rights in general and of the uniqueness of each individual human being..." So it's no coincidence that the Czech people were among the first to suggest a league of nations to form a lasting world peace. Respect for diversity is at the very core of the Czech soul. |
HistoryPrague become an important trading post in the early part of the last millennium. It was around then the current sections of the centre started to take shape. The centrepiece of the city skyline is Prague Castle. Looking at it during a clear night from the banks of the Vltava river is an experience no one could ever forget. |
The stunning Charles Bridge across the Vltava River. |
| It’s foundation was laid as early as the 880’s AD but it was not until the 1130’s that it became a properly fortified castle. An in-depth tour complete with all the museums and gardens will easily fill a day if not two. The dominant landmark of the castle and truly of the entire city is the breathtaking St. Vitus Cathedral. | |
| The castle is adjacent to the Hradcany (The Czech word for castle is actually Hrad) section of Prague. The most attractive part of Hradcany is the Square, from which a view of the western line of the Terzian palaces of Prague Castle with the towers of St. Vitus Cathedral soaring above them opens up. From the castle, a ten minute walk down a picturesque lane will lead you to Small Town, the location of most foreign embassies and then on to the Charles Bridge, an ancient pedestrian walkway lined with magnificent gothic statues. |
St Nicholas' Church. |
| Among the many historic sights you'll find after crossing the bridge are The Jewish Quarter, Old Town Square - a breathtaking square surrounded by ancient churches and a wonderful Bavarian clocktower with working characters every hour, and New Town, home of the National Museum, Art Gallery and Prague's modern shopping and restaurant district. | 
The Old Town Square. |
Bars and ClubsThere are close to a dozen gay bars and clubs. If you’re looking for a large hang-out neighborhood bar then Friends in Prague 1 is a great place to start out. Newly reopened in a new location after the 2002 floods it opens every day at 4PM. You can check out your e-mails in their internet cafe till 8pm, and there's a DJ Wednesday till Saturday nights from 10pm with no cover charge or minimum drink consumption. Another friendly neighbourhood bar is Stella’s in Prague 2. It is a small, comfortable basement bar with couches and a fun atmosphere but the staff speaks no English. Stella’s is open from 8pm until 5am. | |
| The gay center at Pinocchio, just a few minutes walk from
the main train station, includes a bar/club that is open 24 hours, a small guesthouse
and a sex shop. The rooms in the guesthouse are quite barren and there is one communal
bathroom. The bar however, is one of the hottest places for gay tourists. The large
community of rent boys calls Pinocchio home and the party usually goes on well
into the morning. In the Czech Republic prostitution and the promotion of prostitution
is legal provided the prostitute is at least 18 yrs old. During the day Pinocchio is a quiet meeting place. Escape, Prokopova 19, is one of two main strip clubs in Prague although Pinocchio has strippers every weekend and sometimes during the week, too. Be warned though - Pinnocchio has been raided by the police 40 times in the past year, and recently a guest was murdered outside the front door. However only Pinnochio & Escape have problems with the police and besides these places gay visitors can feel secure everywhere. The other strip club is Drakes, but they charge an outrageous entrance fee (500 Czech Crowns) to foreigners which is not charged to Czech people!! |  |
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The largest gay dance club in Prague is Geyzeer. It is a huge
club with a large dance floor and a dark room. A great venue for first time gay visitors.
You’ll find the leather scene concentrated in two bars. Regular Prague habitueés will be sorry to learn that Sam’s Bar has closed down, but Alcatraz Club, Borivojova 58, Prague 3 is still open. The hard core leather sex club Tunnel is at Plzenska 41 in Prague 5. Saunas and Sex ShopsThere are two popular saunas in Prague. Sauna Marco is in Prague 2 and is open from 2PM to 3AM. The crowd tends to be a little older but the staff is young and beautiful and usually willing to find time to give you a private massage. Sauna Babylon in Prague 1 is also open from 2PM to 3AM. They not only have a full sauna, but a bar and fitness area also. The biggest gay sex shops are Heaven in Prague 2, Lambda City Man in Prague 1 and at the gay center Pinocchio. | |
AccommodationPrague Vinorady, where the gay owned and operated guest house Arco is located, is a popular neighbourhood amongst gay Czechs. Close to the Arco you'll find the Stella Club, the Gejzeer dance club, the Piano Bar and Sauna Marco. Opened in early '99 by two Czech gays, they are working on improvements as well as their English and German language skills. They also run the Reinado disco club, a cafe and they have 3 internet terminals where you can check your emails. | 
Click here for more details about the Arco guest house, rates and reservation information. |
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It's
a quiet location, two tramstops from the Metro station Namesti Miru
and three to I.P.Pavlova (Centrum). Open all year, but
advance reservations are required.
If you'd prefer an apartment there are a number of recommendations. Guest Residence Loft & Prague Center are both owned by an American, Bob, who's moved to Prague. Both locations are great, they're open all year, but advance reservations are essential. Toucan offer almost 30 options from small studios to large 4 bedroom apartments, all centrally located and well-equipped. They are also highly recommended for gay visitors, but again advance reservation is essential. You can also check out apartments offered by a new agency Come2Prague. Updated June 2003 More InfoThis guide has been compiled with the help of DestinationPrague.com who offer special gay tours of Prague and Jean of GayGuide.net a one stop website for everything you need before, during and after your trip to Prague. We've found the best deals on flights can be found online at
THE LITTLE BLACK BOOKArco Guest House, Voronézská, Praha Vinohrady WebsiteCallboys Escort Agency Website Come2Prague Website Friends Website Guest Residence Lofts Website Prague Center Apartments Website Toucan Apartments Website PragueGayCity.com is another useful website. | |
