Prague Gay Travel
wolfyy’s Prague gay guide to hotels, neighborhoods, gay bars, clubs, restaurants, & things to do.
The Gay Travel Experience: Prague, Czech Republic
Gay-friendly Prague will thrill you with adorable architecture and cozy local bars. In one of the most liberal Central European countries, Prague has a vibrant gay culture you cannot miss.
On my first visit to Prague, I visited my good friend Matej. He’s a Prague gay local who I met years ago when we were neighbors in New York.
Matej showed me around the city and took me to his favorite local restaurants and the classic gay bars in Prague. I’ll tell you all about them below, along with hotel recommendations and things to do in Prague!
My second trip to Prague was to meet my friend Hassan, who showed me where many of the gay locals can be found.
After both trips to this wonderful city, I have to say Prague is a fantastic destination for single gay travelers!
Is Prague Gay Travel Safe?
Prague is absolutely safe for all travelers. It’s actually one of the most gay-friendly places in Europe. The city also tops the list of gay-friendly places in Eastern Europe.
Citizens of Prague statistically are not socially conservative, so there is no religious bias preventing people from being uncomfortable with homosexuality. Prague in general is also a safe city!
Gay Prague: Hotels & Where to Stay
First-time gay travelers in Prague should book a hotel within the Prague 1 district. Prague 1 is the city’s overarching center and includes popular neighborhoods like the Prague Old Town and Malá Strana.
Hotels outside of Prague 1 in neighboring districts can provide a bit more of a local feel. If you’re the type of traveler who want’s to feel a city’s local vibe, consider one of the hotels I recommend below that are outside of Prague’s center.
Here’s a boundary map of Prague neighborhoods to help get acquainted with the city. Each district is assigned a number.
Prague Old Town Hotels
Prague Old Town hotels are generally the most convenient since they’re close to lots of bars, shops, restaurants, and attractions.
Pytloun Boutique Hotel
I stayed at Pytloun Boutique Hotel, which is fantastic for gay travelers in Prague. Rooms in this modern hotel have fun design elements, like all-glass bathrooms with auto-closing shades, LED lights with color selection, and bidet attachments on the toilets.
Their breakfast is also fantastic and available through the late morning, which is perfect if you’re a late-sleeper or were up late the night before.
Here are some of my other favorite hotels in Prague’s Old Town.
Malá Strana Hotels
The Malá Strana neighborhood is another dense area of the Prague 1 district located just across the river. I adore this part of town since it has those picture-perfect cobblestone streets.
Alchymist Grand Hotel & Spa
Alchymist Grand Hotel & Spa is one of the best Malá Strana hotels for an old-world, yet luxury experience. It’s perfect if a bourgeoise-style hotel fits your vibe. Their interior design is quite unique.
Here are a few more incredibly gorgeous and highly rated Malá Strana hotels I recommend.
Hotels Outside Prague 1
Many travelers choose to stay outside the city center as well. Some look for areas the aren’t so busy, and others simply seek more authentic travel experiences.
Le Palais Art Hotel Prague
Le Palais Art Hotel Prague is another option with a great location on the outskirts of the historic center. If a modern hotel with some traditional flair suits you, check this one out. I personally love their chic cocktail lounge on the lower level.
Orea Hotel Pyramida
Orea Hotel Pyramida in Prague 6 is a hotel outside the center that might just make you drool! It’s modern, highly rated, and definitely Instagram-worthy.
Apartment Rentals in Prague
I stayed in the Dejvice neighborhood during my first visit to Prague to see my local friend Matej. This area is primarily residential but has a decent number of restaurants.
Renting a VRBO apartment in Prague 6 is a fantastic way to get a truly authentic experience.
Staying in some of these residential areas isn’t inconvenient either. Various tram stations get you to the Old Town pretty quickly. Cabs are also very affordable, so they’re always an option for when traveling later at night.
Overall, I recommend staying anywhere within a 15 to 20-minute walking distance from the Old Town. Above-ground trams make traveling to major attractions easy, and getting a local experience just outside the city center is always preferable in my opinion.
Prefer hostels? I recommend checking out Hostelworld’s picks for the 11 best hostels in Prague.
Prague Gay Travel Experiences
The Prague Metronome
The Prague Metronome has the absolute best views of the city. Adjacent to the metronome is Letna Park, which has plenty of green space and walking paths. During summer, lots of events are held here.
Anytime the weather is warm enough, locals hang out on the terrace just in front of the metronome, filling up on local beer. Beer stands set up outside, making it super convenient to stop by and grab a drink.
With plenty of local gay guys spending time here, I’d definitely include these gatherings at the Metronome part of the Prague gay scene.
The Dancing House (Tančící Dům)
The famous Dancing House is an architectural staple of Prague. It was designed by architect Frank Gehry. One of the city’s most famous buildings, you have to see it at least from the outside.
Inside the Dancing House is a popular art gallery that houses changing exhibitions. There’s also a rooftop restaurant where you can see picturesque views of the city.
Emmaus Monastery
The Emmaus Monastery dates back to the Medieval era, yet shows off a modern new roof. The building was severely damaged during an air raid bombing during World War II and has since been beautifully reconstructed.
Historical facts and photos are placed around the monastery’s interior halls. You can spend a little under an hour here learning more about the monks who were part of the monastery and walking around the church.
The echoes along the monastery’s hallways are incredibly long! If it’s quiet enough inside, whistle a little tune and hear the magical reverberation.
Žižkov Television Tower Observatory
The Žižkov TV Tower Observatory is one of the best places to see the city. From the indoor viewing rooms, you can get a 360-degree view of Prague’s colorful city blocks and other landmarks in the distance. Tickets cost 500 Kr, cash only.
Tower Park Praha has a number of other attractions as well, including several restaurants. Bistro 66 is on the third level of the tower, which also has grand views 66 meters above the city.
Prague Old Castle
Prague’s Old Castle is also quite touristic, but nevertheless beautiful. When you visit the Old Castle, be sure to walk through the beautiful nearby parks trails which have great views of the city.
Charles Bridge & Lennon Wall
Whenever you find yourself walking toward the Old Town from the west, cross over the Charles Bridge for some romantic views. Here you will mostly find tourists taking selfies, but it’s worth a stroll through on your way to town.
Pass by the Lennon Wall on the west end of the Charles Bridge. Even though tourists know and love this graffiti-covered wall, it’s still worth a quick stop.
Prague Botanical Gardens
The Botanical Gardens at Charles University has something to see any time of year. From spring through early autumn, you’ll get a glimpse of beautiful flowers and fauna along the winding paths.
If you’re visiting during the cooler months, you’ll at least be able to see the awesome cactus greenhouses!
The gardens at Charles University are great for a quicker nature activity that’s close to the center of Prague.
If you want to see something bigger and even more beautiful, visit the City of Prague Botanical Gardens. It takes about 15 minutes to get here by car from the city center.
A Uniquely Beautiful Starbucks
Even though it’s a chain establishment, the Starbucks in Hradčany is the most architecturally adorable Starbucks I’ve ever seen.
With views of the entire city from its elevated location, spiral staircases, and a roof deck, I don’t think you’ll regret it. Plus, as you walk around the area there are superb spots to take pictures.
Prague Restaurants
Head to Lokál in Malá Strana for some truly authentic Czech food. My local friend Matej and I both love this restaurant. We’ve been quite a few times!
With cheap, delicious food and great beer, you can’t go wrong. I had several Pilsner Urguells.
Café Neustadt is the perfect local café/lunch spot. I love this place for the quiet atmosphere away from the busy main stretches of the city. The food is much more inexpensive. They have beer, espresso, lunch food, and more.
Restaurace U Pinkasů has delicious, filling, and authentic Czech food. The restaurant has a tavern-like local feel. I loved the meat-filled puff pastry and sausages in dark beer broth.
Want a local to guide you through Prague’s food scene as Matej did for me?
Consider booking a half-day Prague food tour. You’ll get to hop around to different local spots for tastings.
Prague Gay Bars
Termix & Termax
They played great music and the people were lively. I also really love the funky design behind the bar.
Q Cafe
Q Cafe is a cozy Prague gay bar in the old town. Tourists and locals join in a dimly lit and slightly romantic setting. I had some nice specialty drinks here, taking a break from all the beer! Another great lounge option is Dandy. The cocktails here were the best I had in Prague!
Bar v Krymský: A Gay-Friendly Speakeasy
One of the most extraordinary experiences I had while visiting Prague was finding this speakeasy-like cash-only bar that’s pretty off the beaten path. It’s called Bar v Krymský and their cocktails are perfect.
The bar is hidden from view on the street, and it may appear empty from the façade. You just have to listen for the music, open the large door and go through the curtain!
Patra
Patra is one last gay friendly establishment you have to check out. They’re both an espresso bar as well as a fun cocktail lounge in the evening.
A fun and cozy spot, Patra is perfect for a couple of friends or groups. I had a great time here sharing beer with my local gay buddies.
Prague Travel Tips
Local Currency
Even though the Czech Republic is part of the European Union, they don’t use the Euro. The Czech Koruna is the local currency, also known as the Czech Crown.
It’s likely that you’ll need to pay with this local currency in cash from time to time, so it’s best to take make a small ATM withdrawal before you start exploring. Some places though will accept Euros and give you change in Czech Crowns.
Buses at Prague's Central Station
Navigating to and from the bus stop at the Prague Central Station is a little confusing, though. Firstly, Uber and other taxi applications cannot pick you up here. You must use the elevators along the curb at the bus stop to cross the highway and enter the train station.
From here, you head to the pickup point by taking an escalator up to the platform level, which is where the roadway connects.
I’ve always traveled to Prague via FlixBus, which is much more convenient than trains if you’re traveling from any of Prague’s neighboring countries.
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Czech Republic Gay Rights
Two-thirds of Czech citizens support homosexuality, according to a 2019 poll by Median Agency. This is especially fantastic for the Central/Eastern European part of the world.
The Czech Republic grants many rights to LGBT citizens. Same-sex sexual activity in the Czech Republic has been decriminalized since 1962.
In 2006, registered partnerships were legalized in the country. Today, there are many protections for LGBT people, including anti-discrimination for gender identity.
LGBT people can also serve openly in the military. In 2011, the first Prague gay pride was successfully organized.
Many critics say that acceptance of the LGBT community in the Czech Republic is actually a pervasive indifference. Over the past two decades, Catholicism has sharply declined, resulting in a country that is less religious than its neighbors.
The general argument is that the people’s indifference is misconstrued as acceptance, whereas it is actually ignorance. This ignorance roughly translates to a lack of support.
Nevertheless, this argument mainly applies to regions outside dense centers like Prague and Brno.
The Fight for Marriage Equality in the Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is in the midst of a same-sex marriage debate. At the beginning of 2019, many members of the Czech government supported a bill to legalize same sex marriage.
At this point in time, the current Czech president Miloš Zeman opposes the bill and has stated his intention to veto anything that passes parliament.
In April 2021, lower houses of the Czech parliament passed a bill that could lead to legalizing same-sex marriage. While the final outcome is uncertain, the process signals the nation’s ongoing struggle to pass a marriage equality law.
Let us remain hopeful that the Czech Republic can become one of the first post-soviet countries to legalize same-sex marriage, and work from there to better the country for the LGBT people. Stay tuned to the local debates as they unfold.
For additional resources, visit the official Prague tourist information site.
See wolfyy’s complete collection of gay travel guides for more gay destination ideas around the world.
