The best bars and cafés Czech Republic

The Slavia is an institution. Located on the banks of the Vltava River, it offers a superb view of Prague Castle and has hosted the country's entire intelligentsia. Its walls and Art Nouveau decor are witnesses to the great nationalist debates of the beginning of the last century, as well as to the whispers of the dissidence of the last regime. Artists and poets also used to seek inspiration here. Today, one can still find the muffled atmosphere of these places that made history, a sort of quintessence of the Central European soul.

Get a little high by getting drunk (in moderation!) on Letna Hill. Once dominated by a gigantic statue of Stalin, it now houses a giant metronome, setting the tone for Prague's new personality. The green spaces stretch all the way up the hill and provide an idyllic setting for the most convivial beergarden in the Czech capital. The views of Prague and the Old Town are of course breathtaking.

At the bar, rock music, sandwiches and hot baguettes, potatoes "in costume" and a variety of toppings. In the basement, candlelit live concerts under a vaulted ceiling; predominantly jazz, but Monday reserved for blues. Stan The Man Blues Band, Leimonarion Jam-Session, Naj Ponk Trio and Leona Prokopcova are just some of the international artists who have played here. Populated by young Czechs and expatriates. The owner also rents out two beautiful apartments just above the bar, a good deal given the location and condition of the apartments.

The café of the Imperial Hotel is a mythical place, above all known for its exceptional setting: walls and ceilings covered with coloured mosaics, unique in the world. It's always crowded. Nothing original is drunk here, but the place is so pleasant... Like the hotel it belongs to, this café was opened at the beginning of the century, in the midst of an Art Nouveau architectural boom, but its atmosphere and the waiters' clothes are more reminiscent of the 1950s. The walls covered with earthenware mosaics recall the motifs of ancient Egypt. It's a unique address.

A new favourite place for young Czechs, the Náplavka quays between the Palackého bridge and the stop sign Vytoň have been built since 2012 to the delight of walkers and hedonists. Over a short distance, there are an incredible number of small temporary cafés that serve excellent homemade beers, tiny "holes in the wall" bars, improvising impromptu concerts, boat bars, places of celebration until late... Anyway, you will have understood, it is one of the best places to hang out in Prague during the summer months!

Prague's most popular beer garden in the heart of the magnificent Riegrovy Sady Park, which offers a superb view of the Czech capital. With its dozens of large wooden tables that can accommodate up to 1,400 people, it is a great place to drink beer outdoors in the summer, watch sporting events on the giant screen, snack on a few grilled sausages on the barbecue and mix with the neighbouring tables in a good mood.

A newcomer to Krymská Street, Café V Lese has quickly become one of the most popular temples for Prague's trendy youth. Many concerts and events take place in the vaulted cellar in the basement and the atmosphere alternates here between quiet evenings with a hushed atmosphere and absolutely demonic parties. The quality of the programming ensures a full house every evening and a good variety on stage and in the audience. A beautiful place to mingle with the Czechs and get to know each other in a relaxed atmosphere.

A very warm café, overflowing on the sidewalk of the alleyway, where one slides into sofas and armchairs with particularly comfortable coloured cushions, all in a cheerful bric-a-brac. In the heart of the old town, however, the atmosphere is quite Czech with a pleasant and clever mix of artists, students and expats, musical impulses, and a drink to discover: the boss's nut alcohol! Pleasant in the evening but also to take a little authentic break during the day, and sit down in front of an attractive pastry shop.

Extraordinary wine bar that seems to stretch without end in vaulted cellars under the bowels of the Czech capital, U Sudu cut a legendary reputation from a small café neighbourhood that of bar unmissable. Sit at one of the many tables in the maze of rooms and taste one of the delicious wines of the place. In the evening it becomes particularly busy for night owls, insomniacs and other festive crowd, which will find themselves to the rhythm of the DJ that combine until late at night.

The same owner as the Caffreys, the oldest Irish pub in the city, the place is frequented by the Irish humanitarian in Prague. Side food, chicken wings are exceptional, Irish breakfast at any time of day: a good value for money.

Well established in the Vinohrady district, Blatouch is a small and timeless café, where you can come all day long for a coffee, tea, a glass of wine, an aperitif, a snack or a well-drunk evening. In other words, all the reasons are good to go there. A cosy setting, jazzy or Latin music depending on the time of day... Young Czechs, teachers, intellectuals and a few French expatriates rub shoulders in this discreet and very typical bar-café of an artistic, contemporary and cultured Prague.

Tucked away on a quiet, residential street in the upscale Vinohrady district, Café Kaaba is an authentic haven of peace. Step inside its retro, colorful 1960s interiors, which will appeal to all lovers of design and architecture. The café menu is impressive, while small snacks are available for refreshment. During the day, it's a paradise for local freelancers, who come here to find a restful refuge and a free Wi-Fi connection for working, while in the evening the café comes alive.

This café, which is part of the cubist house, has its own furniture. Note the right angles of the coffee services, the chandeliers, the furniture... The house with the Black Madonna was built in 1912 by the famous architect Josef Gočár when he was only 31 years old. Very good for a quiet break in a Belle Époque style. Note that coffee is also a good option if you want to eat. You can taste cakes, gourmet cakes, the inevitable Czech beers, or simply enjoy a coffee in this historical place.

In the evening, it is young people (some of them come from Club Reduta or Rock Café) who come, attracted by the delicacies we know how to concoct here. On the right is the restaurant with magnificent frescos and the café on the left. The setting is magnificent and the atmosphere calm. The late 19th century room has been restored, the walls and ceilings are covered with stucco and painted in white and pink. Huge mirrors enlarge the already very large space. Black and white portraits on the walls, black leather benches... On the menu: coffees, ice-creams and pancakes.

A beautiful cocktail bar, hidden in the basement of the U Prince Hotel. We come here to taste top-of-the-range cocktails. The Black Angel's Bar was designed in a resolutely 1930s style. We are quickly transported into the world of black and white movies with cocktails with well-chosen names. The staff is very professional, the piano creates a cosy and pleasant atmosphere, and some somewhat forgotten cocktails will take you back to the time of prohibition. Black Angel's is ranked in the Top 50 and Top 10 of the best hotel bars in the world!

A cocktail bar in the Žižkov? This seems to be becoming a habit as this once popular neighbourhood has now become fashionable! The Bukowski, however, is an institution, a little bit of history of the district, one of these subdued, strange and surprising lairs, always full of stories that take place there, to be told or heard. We sit comfortably on the chairs or standing at the counter. The night will be long, hectic and sometimes surreal. Bukowski himself would have approved!

It is the most famous, touristic and expensive hospoda in Prague. It is no longer even a hospoda, as it has become such a crowded tourist attraction with so many German groups that you have to book in advance to be able to return. But it must be said that, despite this unpleasant aspect, you will rarely have the opportunity to eat in a setting as pretty as this one. Be careful, however, with the "welcome" Becherovka, served by a jovial waiter.... who will not hesitate to make you pay the insolent sum of 80 Kč !

An underground bar with an equally underground atmosphere, the Vzorkovna takes you to the heart of Prague's alternative atmosphere in the heart of the old city on National Street! Walk down the steps of this dark cave and lose yourself in the maze of smoky spaces where the wild rhythms of the DJs of a live show resonate. On the program of many concerts, excellent beer (from the brewery Únětické), a young and trendy fauna and a smoky atmosphere in a recycling furniture. A real hot spot among the city's alternative youth.