Prague – A Never-Ending Happening

Vršovice, Vinohrady, and Náplavka: Setting the trends of contemporary Prague

Where should you go for authenticity when trying to avoid tourist clichés? Go to the Prague districts of Vršovice and Vinohrady. Neighbourhood festivals, markets, and street concerts will let you discover Prague through the eyes of locals. Explore Czech and foreign cuisines in the nearby park of Grébovka, which regularly hosts food and grape-harvest festivals. If you would like to slow down a bit, take your friends to a park. The selection of Prague parks where you can have a picnic is really broad. If you go to Riegrovy sady or Vítkov, you can even get a pint of beer. If you are a lover of nightlife, then you should head to Náplavka near the Dancing House. At night, this romantic area along the Vltava River transforms into a vibrant place full of people, entertainment, and live music.

Letenské sady: A huge pendulum and a beautiful view

Letná is home to the second-largest park in Prague, as well as several interesting sights within the park itself. It is the largest undeveloped green area in the capital, and thanks to its location – sitting atop a riverside hill – it offers the unique opportunity to take beautiful photos of the Vltava and the city of Prague. Letenské sady conceals several historical rarities. For example, there is a carousel that is over 100 years old, as well as a 25-metre-tall swinging metronome. The plaza around the metronome has also become an excellent place to watch skateboarders, who practise there and often show some pretty dangerous tricks.

DOX: Modern art in the heart of Holešovice

Would you like to escape from the busy centre of Prague for a bit? Go to Holešovice. Near the Nádraží Holešovice metro station, there is the DOX Centre for Contemporary Art. This space, with an area of 6,000 m², offers the most interesting artworks by Czech and foreign artists in all disciplines. If you are interested in architecture and design, this is the place for you. DOX is a lively cultural platform that also organises a lot of seminars, performances, and educational programmes in addition to regular exhibitions. Even the building itself is extraordinary. The stylish café offers both windows with beautiful views and a terrace. Visitors don’t just come to DOX for the enlightening programme of exhibitions and events, but also for the elegant wooden ‘GULLIVER’ airship that sits on the roof of this former factory and provides a space for cultural events.

Jatka78: The new circus where you cannot help but be astonished

The alcoves of the secretive Prague Market conceal a theatrical jewel. Jatka78 can be found in Halls 7 and 8, which have been transformed into a beautiful industrial space with a gallery and café. There is also a theatre where new circus and art performances take place. Young artists as well as experienced professionals from Cirk La Putyka perform fascinating and touching shows that you will not see anywhere else. Before stepping into the theatre, when the sun is still up, take a stroll to the nearby Stromovka. This park’s greenery, fountains, and ponds are worth a visit, and makes Stromovka a perfect place for a picnic with friends.

The National Gallery: Mucha, Monet, and Čapek

Let’s stay in Holešovice a bit longer. If you would like to see art of the 19th century or modern art or even contemporary art, the Trade Fair Palace has all of the above. The home of the National Gallery in Prague offers dozens of exhibitions and art collections of the most distinguished Czech and foreign artists from the 19th century to the present. On the ground floor is Café Jedna, a pleasant café with a fine selection of coffee, a children’s playground, and refreshments.

Alternative culture: Vnitroblock, La Fabrika, and Bio Oko

Excellent coffee, shopping for stylish clothes, and a cinema – these all can be found in Vnitroblock. The former factory near Jatka78 is now a multipurpose space with a rich programme. Under a single roof you can find a café, a fashionable shop, a basement cinema, and an exhibition space. A similar space can be found in La Fabrika, only 10 minutes by foot from the Prague Market. This is a place for all lovers of theatre, dance, film, and visual art. The fabulous interior with a long bar and improvisational actors will put you in a great mood before whichever show you’d like to see. Then, taking a stroll towards Letná, you can go back in time a bit with a visit to Bio Oko, the last cinema to have preserved its classic picture palace atmosphere. You can enjoy a film in the original seats, in a beach chair, or even in a retro car.