Prague Entertainment

Introduction

Prague now offers the visitor a range of entertainment options, with trendy wine bars, cocktail lounges, lively jazz clubs and new casinos sitting alongside the traditional pubs. The Czech capital has always had a strong cultural heritage, and this is reflected in the city's numerous opera houses, theatres and arts festivals. For a weekly events guide, see the listings in the English-language newspaper, the Prague Post (website: www.praguepost.cz). Tickets for concerts and shows can usually be purchased at ticket agencies such as Ticketpro (website: www.ticketpro.cz), and at some of the larger hotels.

Nightlife

Prague is renowned for its beers - Budvar (Budweiser), Gambrinus, Staropramen and Urquell are just some of the well-known brands - and there's no shortage of watering holes where you can sample a glass or two. Traditional pubs, known as 'pivnices', are still common throughout Prague - one of the best-known is The Black Ox in Hradcany, built just after World War II. A much older example is The Little Bears in Stare Mesto, which dates back to the thirteenth century. In recent years the Irish theme pub has become a familiar sight in the Czech capital. The most popular of these is Molly Malone's (website: www.mollymalones.cz), which serves the usual Guinness, Kilkenny and 'traditional' Irish food.

Jazz is popular in Prague and there are several live venues, most notably the Redata Club, where Bill Clinton famously joined Vaclev Havel for an impromptu saxophone session, and the Agharta Club (website: www.agharta.cz) situated just off Wenceslas Square, arguably the best jazz club in the city. If you are looking for dance music, Radost FX (website: www.radostfx.cz) is the pick of the clubs.

Classical Music and Opera

Prague is home to a couple of world-class orchestras; the Czech Philharmonic (website: www.ceskafilharmonie.cz) and the Prague Symphony Orchestra (website: www.fok.cz). There are some impressive music venues throughout Prague, including the National Theatre (website: www.narodni-divadlo.cz), State Opera (website: www.opera.cz) and the Rudolfinum in Stare Mesto, widely regarded as one of Europe's most beautiful concert halls.

Theatre

Prague is famous for its 'black light' shows, which combine dance, music and mime. There are several venues which specialise in this traditional art form, including the Black Light Theatre of Jiri Srnec (tel: 224 933 487).

Cinema

In recent years new multiplexes have been springing up around the city, including Cinema City Flora (website: www.cinemacity.cz), which boasts the latest IMAX screen. Only a fraction of films shown in Prague are in English or with English subtitles. For listings, check out the Prague Post (website: www.praguepost.cz).

Events

The city's most important cultural event is the Prague Spring music festival (website: www.festival.cz), which begins every 12th May and continues for about a month. This popular cultural celebration frequently attracts some of the best musicians and orchestras from around the world. Prague Autumn (website: www.pragueautumn.cz), which takes place in September, is a similar but smaller festival.