PRAGUE GUIDE

What is the gay and lesbian scene like in Prague?

It's not very large or very upfront. The majority of Czechs don't like, or are not accustomed to seeing, same-sex affection in public. Recently the Government approved same-sex marriage but it is still recommended keeping relations discreet. Prague has a lively, varied gay scene; you will find gay bars and dance clubs for a specific audience (like leather bars, rent boy bars, older audience, and a younger crowd). There has been no Gay Pride in Prague until now. For more info about Prague's gay and lesbian scene check www.amigo.cz (bi-monthly magazine) or www.gaynet.com. There are also printed publications for lesbians called Alia and Promluv. Note that the age of consent is 15 whatever your sexual orientation. 

Guy and lesbian locations in Prague: Mostly Vinohrady and neighbouring Zizkov.

Gays do like Prague

The magical and majestic ‘golden city' of Prague, in the newly recreated Czech Republic has come of age as a world-class gay hotspot. The uninhibited Czechs legalized homosexuality way back in 1961 and today there's a thriving gay scene, with easily approachable young men. With its spectacular sights and inspiring combination of old and new, this tolerant city situated on the Vltava river offers a mesmerizing mix of splendid architecture, from the medieval era to the centuries when Prague was the seat of the Holy Roman Empire, to the baroque excess of the Hapsburgs and the gilded age of the 19th century, when Prague gloried in its wealth and culture. Mercifully, the city escaped destruction during World War II, and though the Communist era was an architectural low point, the financial constraints of the Soviet-era revisionists prevented wholesale damage to the wonderful old structures that sat waiting to be renovated when the Czech and Slovak peoples finally broke free in 1989. Since those heady days of the Velvet Revolution, Prague has been at the centre of a cultural and financial facelift that promises a better future for this still somewhat edgy society of over 10 million people. Despite low wages and difficult adjustments to a market economy, the city's shop-lined streets and crowded restaurants bustle with activity.

Other Resources

www.gay.cz - additional information for gay & lesbian travellers and about gay scene in other towns in the Czech Republic.

www.czechgayguide.org - Czech gay guide with listing of events.

prague.gayguide.net - gay friendly restaurants and bars in Prague.