We’ve broken this article down into Restaurants, Clubs and Bars, with a little advice at the end on where to go if you plan on partying in the streets.

Restaurants

Hard Rock Cafe
From 871Kc to 2000Kc depending on when and how long you have a table reservation for. See the New Year in, Hard Rock style, close to the action on Old Town Square.

Kampa Group
The high-end restaurant group Kampa is as usual putting on some up-scale party menus at their three restaurants in Mala Strana. Top-end Kampa Park, situated almost under Charles Bridge, has a Black Tie party with live music, a DJ and a disco after midnight and a fine dining menu for between 4,500kc and 5,500kc. The more approachable Hergetova Cihelna’s Black & White party with either a sit-down menu or a buffet of tasty treats, both at 3,900Kc, with the same kind of entertainment line-up. Cihelna’s location, with a terrace right on the river, should be excellent for watching the midnight fireworks.

Cowboys, on the hill up to the castle, with a rooftop terrace to watch the fireworks from, gives you a similar choice of sit-down or buffet style menu, for 3,500Kc or 3,600Kc respectively. Cowboys entertainment offering differs in that there’s no live music but there is a magician.

Ambiente Group
Many of Ambiente’s places are sticking with their standard a la carte menu or offering a new years menu but not having a specific party event, so if you want good food at regular prices and don’t plan on staying all night (say if you want to go outside for the fireworks, then home) this is a good option. Only Brasileiro on U Radnice is putting on a special party event. Tickets will set you back 2495kc each and gets you the normal all-you-can-eat salad, sushi and meat buffer, a caipirinha, live music from the Tam-Tam orchestra, samba school and midnight champagne.

La Casa Argentina
Argentinian steak house La Casa has a couple of fixed price menus to choose from (at 1,890Kc and 2350Kc). Whichever one you go for you’ll have Latin-American rhythms to dance the night away to and fireworks at midnight.

La Bodeguita Del Medio
A Havana style NYE party awaits at this Cuban joint close to Old Town Square and even closer to the Rudolfinum. Here your options are an 800Kc Tapas-at-bar-tables menu, a couple of 4-course menus at 1,680Kc or 1,900Kc, or a vegetarian menu at 1,680Kc.

Hilton Prague
If you really want to push the boat out for New Years then head to the Hilton. The hotel’s restaurants and the cocktail bar on the 9th floor have New Years parties scheduled. A choice of venues and menus: from 4,400kc for the Atrium Gala Dinner to 7,900Kc for the Starlit SkyBar Gala Dinner in Cloud 9 cocktail bar. All of the options include drinks, with the more expensive options (6,400Kc plus) including unlimited champagne. If you want the Hilton party experience on the (relative) cheap then their Musicology After Party, with tickets for 1,790Kc, gets you into the atrium or Cloud 9 from 11pm and includes a bottle of Taittinger.

Celeste
With one of the best views of the Prague-by-night, from atop the Dancing House (also called the Fred & Ginger Building), Celeste have an exclusive and exquisite meni on offer for 3900Kc per person (drinks extra).

La Gare
This French brasserie  a short walk from Namesti Republiky is seeing in the New Year, Moulin Rouge style. The fixed price menu at 1590Kc gets you five courses and can-can dancers.

Clubbing it

Sasazu
This Prague super-club offers a choice of regular and VIP tickets for their NYE Party, Ride On Time, which features a heavyweight DJ lineup who will take you on a musical ride through the years, from the 1920s and into the future. Advance tickets start at 550Kc for the first 400, after which 990kc, then 1390kc on the door. A limited number of VIP tickets are 2800Kc in advance after which it’ll set you back 4,000Kc. VIP entry gets you access to the gallery level and an unlimited open bar.

Industrial Palace
The main hall of the Industrial Palace, usually an exhibition/trade show venue, will be transformed into one big party. A star-studded DJ line-up and their mission of providing a kick-ass party to people tired of paying through the nose just because it’s New Years should add up to a good night for all. Tickets from 899Kc (it was as low as 399Kc for people so together as to have booked before the 15th of September).

Lucerna
It’s always the 80s (and 90s) in Lucerna and NYE is no different. Tickets are 450Kc in advance at the club box office with no booking fee, or can be bought from ticket websites, where booking fee is payable. Situated just off Wenceslas Square this would be a good venue for anyone planning to see the fireworks there at midnight.

Karlovy Lazne
The ‘Biggest Music Club in Central Europe’ always puts on a big bash for New Years. No details confirmed at the time of writing but expect 5 floors of differing musical styles and a whole load of locals and tourists in the 18-25 age range.

Theatro Music Club
A stone’s throw from the edge of Prague 1, this music club in the basement of the Karlin Musical Theatre is putting on a beach party. The price is pretty low at 300Kc including a welcome drink and nibbles, as well as free shots served by ‘sexy gogo dancing waitresses’ (no prizes for political correctness at this party it seems).

Retro Music Hall
This year Retro’s theme for their New Years Eve Party is Comic Books. The DJs will be dressed like characters from comics and you can join in to – go as Spiderman or Cat Woman if you like! Costumes aren’t obligatory however and their policy on presales is this: party starts at 9, presold tickets (250Kc) get you in before 11, then it’s general admission (300Kc) – last year lots of people with tickets didn’t turn up till 2am, leaving loads of people queueing up outside in the cold, due to the venue’s limited capacity. On that basis it could be a good option for a last minute party spot. Retro is located very close to Namesti Miru metro station and tram stops, just outside the very centre.

Bars

Cloud 9
As mentioned in the restaurants section, this cocktail bar atop the Hilton is either very expensive if you go for the whole evening or somewhat more reasonable (1,790Kc, including a bottle of champagne) if you get there after 11.

Bugsy’s Bar
This Old Town favourite is holding a French Countryside themed NYE party with cocktails, champagne, traditional French drinks and food. Tickets are available at the bar.

Papa’s Bar/Lounge
Party in the style of 60s Rock’n'Roll from 8pm to 7am and choose from an open bar (1,999Kc) or open bar with a 3 course menu (2,899Kc). On Bethlehem Square, a short walk from Old Town Square.

Staying Outdoors

Keeping costs down or just prefer to enjoy New Year’s Eve outdoors? Prague’s streets are generally safe, but beware of the usual hazards such as pickpockets in crowds as well as the unforeseen dangers of crazy people packing their own bangers and fireworks. Charles Bridge, Wenceslas Square and Old Town Square are the top locations. My favourite less-crowded but very central vantage point to watch the various private and DIY fireworks displays you’ll see is in front of the Rudolfinum concert hall, right by the river. Other popular viewpoints are Vitkov Hill in Zizkov, by the Czech National Monument and statue of George of Podebrady or Riegrovy Sady in Vinohrady.

More parties will be added as details are announced. If you represent an establishment in Prague and would like your NYE Party listed here, please leave us a comment.

Fireworks Display

In many previous years (up until 2009) the City of Prague has put on a fireworks display around dusk on the 1st of January. Last year there was no display, citing lack of funds. This year the city has decided to have a display, but at midnight. So if you’re able to get a decent view (the fireworks are being set off from a pontoon between Strelecky Ostrov and Charles Bridge) then you’re in for a treat as 1.5m CZK of explosives will be set off over 15 minutes. The city recommends Smetanovo Nabrezi (Smetana Embankment), Most Legii (Legionaires Bridge), Manesuv Most (Manes Bridge) and Cechuv Most (Cech Bridge) as offering the best viewing locations. If you’ve stumped up the cash for dinner at Celeste, then you’ve got a prime position. The display will also be broadcast on TV nationwide. For further info, read Google Translate’s attempt at the article on the Prague City website.

Related posts:

1. New Years Eve in Prague 2010-2011
2. Halloween Parties in Prague
3. New Years in Prague

El Festival 23 & 24 September

The grounds of the Obcanska Plovarna restaurant and music club complex, on the left bank of the Vltava, between Manesuv and Cechuv bridges, will be buzzing on the 23rd and 24th of September as 7 of Prague’s top Spanish and Latin American restaurants serve up signature dishes and distributors of regional beers and spirits offer tastings of their brands.

Tuck into classic Spanish tapas and paella, discover Peruvian cuisine, enjoy Argentinian steaks or try classic Mexican dishes. Five renowned chefs from Spain, in Prague for the first time, will cook a variety of Spanish delicacies. Visitors will be able to try wines from South America, coffee from Ecuador and rum from the Caribbean.

Besides the eating and drinking the organisers promise cooking lessons and entertainment in the form of dancing shows and live music.

If you’re going to be in the city on these days, then it’s worth building up an appetite for a trip to El Festival, perhaps on a walking tour of Prague. Entry is just 95Kc in advance and remaining tickets will be sold on the door for 120Kc.

Semanas Gastronomicas 25 September to 5 October

If you miss out on the two days of Festival Gastronomico you can still enjoy the flavours of Spain and Latin America with special tasting menus on offer at several restaurants throughout the city. More details on the Alakarte site.

Related posts:

1. Prague Food Festival, 27th to 29th May
2. Prague Spring Festival 2011
3. Dubrovnik Summer Festival is underway

The group buying phenomenon hit Prague, as it did many cities, in 2010. Since then there have been literally hundreds of startups jostling for market share. Prague doesn’t have a Groupon or Living Social (yet) and most of the sites are available only in Czech. There are three that stand out as being in English (making a purchase a touch easier to complete!)

Slevomat – the biggest of the Czech Republic’s group buying sites, covering many cities throughout the country and usually offering 3 or 4 deals a day in Prague.

MyDeals – second fiddle to Slevomat in popularity. The main site template is available in English but some offers aren’t always translated.

Lime & Tonic – much more English-language capable, this is more along the lines of Gilt – higher ticket deals for fancier places than the other two.

If you’re buying a deal to use when you are on vacation in Prague here are a few things to bear in mind:

1. Pay close attention to the start and expiry dates of the deal’s validity.
2. Check any exclusions or exceptions such as hours or days when you can’t use a deal.
3. Be sure to follow the instructions for booking ahead.

For bonus karma points

When using a deal at a place where you are expected to tip, as a courtesy to the staff, tip relative to the full value of the deal, not just the price you paid (assuming the service merits a tip!)

Operators of group buying sites tell merchants that one of the reasons to run a deal is to get new customers who may come back at full price, which obviously isn’t going to happen if you’re on vacation. To make up for this write a review on TripAdvisor, AllPraha.com, Expats.cz, Prague.tv or the establishment’s Google Places page.

Related posts:

1. Prague Fringe
2. Looking for advice on where to eat in Prague?

Goulash, bread dumplings and potato pancakes

An introduction to Czech food

Prague’s status as a cosmopolitan capital city means that there’s plenty of variety when it comes to cuisines (and we’ll tell you about some of our favourite places in an upcoming blog post) but it would be a shame to visit Prague and not try any classic Czech dishes. Here’s our guide to some things you’ll find on the menu at most restaurants specialising in local food.

What to expect

Czech food is probably best summed up as ‘hearty’. There’s no prize-winning artistry amongst these dishes, and they’re best on a cold day and a hungry stomach, and washed down with a half-liter of beer.

Soups

Most Czechs start their meal with a soup. Cesnecka (garlic soup) is tastier than it sounds and very popular (though not with your fellow travellers if they didn’t partake too), onion soup, potato soup, chicken broth and beef broth also usually make an appearance in the soup section of the menu.

Knedliky

Many dishes are served with a side of dumplings. These aren’t quite like what you might be used to from your own cuisine or Chinese dumplings. There are two basic types, bread dumplings and potato dumplings. Bread dumplings are usually light and fluffy, potato dumplings are quite heavy by comparison. There are variants on the theme such as spekove knedliky contain small bits of bacon and fat and are quite a bit richer.

Bramboračky

These potato (and usually onion and garlic) pancakes are close cousins of latkes.

Svickova na smetane

Literally translated it means ‘tenderloin on cream’. It’s usually made with somewhat tougher beef than tenderloin however (unless you’re paying in excess of 250Kc for the dish, don’t expect fillet beef). You may see it translated on menus as ‘beef in candle-sauce’. The sauce is not, fortunately, made from candles, but a mixture of pureed vegetables and sour cream. Usually served with bread dumplings and a dollop of cranberry sauce.

Guláš

Goulash is traditionally a hungarian dish and there are lots of variations on offer. Goulash soup is a thinner, less meaty version, very similar to what you’d get in Hungary. As a main course, goulash tends to be thicker. The meat in a gulas is usually beef, but you may also find ‘Segedinsky Gulas’ which contains pork and cabbage, or venison goulash.

Pečená kachna

Roast duck, served with pickled cabbage and dumplings is a grander dish than the first two. Often you’ll get a half duck to deal with. The meat is usually still on the bone. Great with a cold beer to cut through the fattiness of the duck.

Vepřo-knedlo-zelo

Roast pork, dumplings and cabbage, this dish is so commonplace its name has been abbreviated to make ordering it quicker.

Smazeny Syr

Fried cheese isn’t just the preserve of mozzarella sticks you know! Vegetarian sections of Czech menus will often feature this option. In some places the cheese is just Eidam, a local take on Edam but if you’re lucky you’ll find a place with a variety of cheeses including hermelin (somewhat like camembert) or Niva, a blue cheese. The cheese is battered and bread-crumbed then fried. Definitely not for the health-conscious and quite the guilty pleasure. Often served with fries and a big spoonful of tartare sauce.

Vepřové/Kuřeci Řizek

Pork or chicken schnitzels are a cultural leftover of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The meat is usually hammered thin, battered and breadcrumbed then fried. Some places will serve it with fries, others will accompany it with a potato salad – take that option if offered. Tartare sauce is a frequent addition.

Looking for something fancier?

These are very much the basics of Czech cuisine and you will probably have spotted a distinct lack of vegetables. There is a movement that is gathering steam amongst restaurants here to rediscover some of the more adventurous recipes of Czech cuisine from the half century before Communism (and particularly the First Republic era of President Masaryk) and update them with modern flair and it is worth seeking those places out.

Where to go?

For the Czech Classics, we’re fans of Kolkovna, near Old Town Square, or either branch of Ambiente’s take on the Czech pub, Lokal, but you’ll find most of the dishes listed above on menus all around the city. If you’re looking to experience some of the First Republic spirit or some modern Czech cuisine, then Malostranska Beseda, on Malostranske Namesti, Krystal Bistro, a couple of tram stops out of the centre from Florenc, or Perpetuum which specialises in duck dishes, almost to the point of a fixation!

image credit: Kolkovna Restaurant Group

Related posts:

1. Prague Food Festival, 27th to 29th May
2. New Czech Smoking Laws, 4 months on
3. Thinking Small with Czech Beers

Susharna

It might seem odd to go for for sushi in Prague, the capital of a landlocked country, but that doesn’t stop Prague residents tucking into the stuff in an increasing array of sushi venues.

There has been massive growth in the variety of sushi spots in the city over the past few years, at all kinds of price points and quality levels. If you’re yearning for some raw fish on your Prague vacation, here’s a quick briefing.

Top Notch

If you want to push the boat out, Sushi Bar, one of Prague’s longest established sushi places (since 1999), owned by the same group as the similarly obviously-named Seafood Shop, is your port of call for the absolute freshest sushi in the city. Strictly for high rollers, with a piece of salmon nigiri setting you back nearly $6.

They’re Everywhere!

Well, not quite, though it might seem that way at first glance: Sushi Point has sushi bars in several locations around Prague. Prices are a little more reasonable than Sushi Bar, though not by much. The same company has a restaurant on Wenceslas Square called Kobe, with similar prices and a much plusher setting than the Sushi Point places. Our tip: try the Kobe burger if one of your party is looking for a meaty alternative.

The up & comer

Susharna (a cute play on words for Czechs, sušarna, pronounced the same way, means drying room and explains the paper fish on a washing line that decorates the restaurant) is a Czech take on up-scale sushi. The menu is quirky and interesting and on my couple of visits there I really enjoyed the sushi.

Sushi and (much) more besides

Although the sushi offerings are limited to fairly basic salmon and butterfish nigiri and simple maki rolls, the all-you-can-eat salad & sushi buffet at Ambiente Brasileiro means you can keep a tight control on the outlay. Useful for groups of mixed tastes as the salad bar and optional all-you-can-eat rodizio grilled meat provides plenty of variety.

Keep it coming

A relatively new phenomenon is the all-you-can-eat conveyor belt of sushi offered by the Makakiko Running Sushi outlets in a couple of large shopping malls (298Kc/$18 daytime, 398Kc/$24 evenings) and at Baifu Running Sushi at Belehradska 75 near I.P. Pavlova (no website, but this review by ex-Prague food blogger, Knedlikova, should fill in the details) the outlay is 199Kc/$12 daytime and 259Kc/$15 evenings. At both of these the sushi isn’t the best you’ll ever have but if you’re a quantity over quality kind of person then you can go crazy.

Get it to go

Opened in late summer 2011, Slovak-owned Sushi Time is a delivery, take-away located just out of the centre, in Karlin, Prague 8. They’ll deliver for just 20Kc providing you spend more than 130Kc (their cheapest sushi set is 130Kc). Or you can pick up. As of December 2011 their sushi bar isn’t open for business.

Other places

There are many other places, too numerous to mention, so if you think we’ve missed out somewhere that should be on this list, do let us know in the comments.

Update

Reader and fellow blogger Eat Drink Prague suggests numerous other places in the comments. You can read EDP’s sushi bar reviews here.

It’s 27th to 29th of May and it takes place in the Royal Gardens of Prague Castle. I went last year and will be getting my tickets as soon as they go on sale. If you’re lucky enough to be on vacation in Prague then (or live here) and are remotely interested in food, I wholeheartedly recommend going.

The important details:

You pay an entrance fee and at the same time buy your first 250Kc worth of ‘grands’, the festival’s currency (so that there’s no exchanging of money when you buy food). That package will cost you 400Kc. To sweeten the deal, your entrance fee also gets you into a porcelain exhibition at the castle.

What to expect:

The best and brightest of Prague’s dining scene and a fair few bars too put in an appearance at the festival, serving up tasting-sized signature dishes and cocktails.

When to go:

If the weather is anything like it was last year (glorious) then it will be a wonderful way to spend a mid to late afternoon. Friday will be a lot more free-moving than the weekend though. Numbers let in to the festival are limited so buy a ticket in advance rather than on the day (tickets on sale from 1st April) to make your life easier. Nothing is quite as torturous as queueing up outside watching satiated festival-goers leaving, I know this from experience!

Bon appetit!

Related posts:

1. Festival Gastronomico, Prague 23rd September – 5th October 2011
2. Food with a view in Prague
3. Czech Food Primer

Back in 2001 many restaurants had a section on the menu labelled as ‘meatless food’ in Czech and as ‘Vegetarian’ in English that contained ham. When questioned a waiter responded ‘well there isn’t much ham in it’.

Nowadays many restaurants have vegetarian sections on the menu and there are several vegetarian and vegan eateries.

Czech pubs

These are pretty old-school. You’ll find some salads but in the warm food category your choice is usually fried cheese (either an edam type cheese or hermelin, the local camembert), baked potato or an omelette. Very little for vegans here.

Upscale restaurants

Many of Prague’s better restaurants have expanded their vegetarian options over the years so you should have a choice of a number of dishes in many places.

Vegetarian restaurants

One of the dining rooms at Lehka Hlava

There are some truly excellent places, popular with meat-eaters too. Radost FX the well-known cafe/lounge bar/club has an extensive menu. The Popeye burger is a stand-out favourite of mine. Lehka Hlava has a massive following and reservations are recommended for this cute near-Charles-Bridge spot. The Big Clear Head gets me every time and the goat’s cheese salad is my go-to starter. If you’re in town on the first Sunday of the month, their brunch is well worth a visit. It has a sister restaurant, Maitrea, near Old Town Square too. Not far from Florenc you’ll find the recently opened Mlsna Kavka.

Vegan options

Radost, Lehka Hlava and Maitrea all have vegan-friendly dishes on their menu but if you’re looking for full-Vegan then you can head to one of Country Life‘s three branches , two in the centre and one at Dejvicka, one of the four canteen-style Beas Dhabas in town or either if the two branches of Loving Hut.

Other good stand-bys

Prague is awash with pizzerias, some great, some good, some just OK, but all have numerous vegetarian options on the menu. Vegans are a little less well catered for. In the past couple of years there has been an explosion in the number of Indian restaurants in Prague and these frequently have several vegetarian and vegan dishes on the menu.

Share your tips

Anywhere outstanding that we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments?

Related posts:

1. New Year’s Eve Parties in Prague 2011/2012

Czech Please
You can follow Brewsta on Twitter, check out his blog, or read his reviews for Expats.cz (which are usually re-posted to his blog some time later).

Prague Post Restaurant Reviews
The Night & Day section of the Prague Post, Prague’s English language newspaper (yes, they still print it! in 2011!) is arguably the most useful part of it. The PP’s food writers also blog.

Eat Drink Prague
Is good for less wordy, more bite-sized reviews.

Dobrou Chut’ (Czech for bon appetit)
At the beginning of 2010, Ms Knedlikova announced that she was leaving Prague and going back to the UK. The plentiful reviews on her blog remain useful though.

Image: the main cellar dining area at Ambiente Pasta Fresca

Related posts:

1. Prague Fringe
2. Food with a view in Prague

UPDATED 20th December – more info added.

If you’re looking for a city to visit and see in the New Year, Prague is definitely deserving of a place on the shortlist.

Where to party

Club, bar or restaurant is your choice here. Many restaurants have special New Year’s Eve menus, often with music and entertainment. One of the biggest restaurant parties is at Hergetova Cihelna, right by Charles Bridge, but the whole Kampa Group of restaurants have something going on. Some bars sell tickets for their New Years parties, so if you find a place you like in the days before NYE, buy tickets. If clubbing is more your thing, there’s plenty of choice, in both location and musical style. Larger venues will often have their own fireworks display too. We’ll be keeping this page updated as and when more venues make their events public.

Restaurants

Most restaurant parties are likely to set you back 2,000Kc plus per person, much more than you’d usually pay for a meal at any of these places. But New Years only comes round once a year (thankfully!). Better deals are to be had outside the very centre.

Ambiente Brasileiro, U Radnice – “Samba Rhythms” 2,495kc per person – something of a premium on the usual all-you-can-eat price of under 600Kc, and the site is short on details of what’s included, as of this writing. Handy for the river (a short walk from the Rudolfinum, where you’ll have a decent view of the midnight fireworks). Don’t try the other branch – it’s closed for a private party.

La Casa Argentina, Dlouha – “Spirit of Latin America”, 1,800Kc or 2150Kc depending on choice of menu. Drinks extra. A short walk from Old Town Square. Live music and dancing, fireworks at midnight.

La Bodeguita Del Medio, Kaprova – “Cuban Style”, 800Kc (Tapas menu), 1,650Kc or 1,800Kc. Drinks extra. LaBdelM is the sister restaurant of La Casa Argentina.

Grosseto Marina, Alsovo Nabrezi – “River Party” is making the most of its floating location right by Manesuv Most (Manes Bridge, one bridge north of Charles Bridge) and the Rudolfinum. The food is an all you can eat buffet and there will be live music. Tickets can be purchased directly from the restaurant for 3,500Kc. The partying continues to 4am.

Kampa Group‘s restaurants in Mala Strana (Hergetova Cihelna, Kampa Park and Cowboys) are all putting on a party, with prices starting from 3,500Kc it’s not for the light of wallet but the views from the restaurants’ terraces for the midnight fireworks are exceptional

Mozaika, Nitranska – is bound to be popular with the locals. It’s a little out of the centre (right near Jiriho z Podebrad metro, 4 stops from Staromestska (near the aforementioned Rudolfinum). Their very reasonably priced New Year’s menu at 549Kc for 3 courses plus 2 amuses bouches looks tremendous and would be a good solution if you prefer to keep your eating low key and party elsewhere, or just follow the eating with watching the fireworks.

Hilton Prague‘s (Pobrezni, near Florenc) restaurants and bars have a variety of party options too.

Bars

Papa’s, Bethlemske Namesti – “Hair”, More bar than restaurant, you can go for the open bar only at 1,875Kc including beer, wine, cocktails from the extensive menu and branded spirits, or add food for another 1,000kc. 70s.80s/90s music all night long, a fire show, bottle of bubbly at midnight, and a 5,000Kc gift voucher prize for the best dressed guest (in fancy dress in the style of 70s movie Hair).

Bugsy’s, Parizska – Prague’s pre-eminent cocktail bar can be relied on to mix great drinks. A smallish venue, but handy for Old Town Square.

Clubs

If you’re more interested than dancing than eating, Prague’s clubs are on hand. From the plush to the down-and-dirty.

Lucerna Music Bar, Vodickova “80s & 90s Video Party”. If it ain’t broke… Lucerna’s 80s and 90s music video nights have been keeping Prague dancing for nearly two decades now. Handily located just off Wenceslas Square. Tickets are 495Kc and can be bought directly at the venue or from the TicketPro or TicketStream websites. If you’re peckish, Hospoda v Lucerne is part of the same complex. Futurum, Lucerna’s sister club over on the other side of the river has a similar night planned, for 200Kc less.

Karlovy Lazne, near Charles Bridge – self-described biggest music club in Central Europe, this old tourist favourite can be relied on for a fun night out. Don’t wear your fancy clothes though.

SaSaZu, Holesovice – “3D Disco SaSaZoo Journey to 2111″ – a varied evening in Prague’s shiniest club. Out of the center but not so far that you won’t see the fireworks if you’re outside at midnight. Tickets from 1,299Kc, VIP all inclusive tickets are 5,000Kc. There’s a well-rated restaurant onsite too.

Music Club Ocko, Vysehrad – “Party Ride Live”. More popular with locals, Ocko used to be Club Velvet, then Hany Bany. More of the same really, in this subterranean dance club. DJs and Ibiza dancers are amongst the entertainment provided.

Obcanska Plovarna, a sizeable restaurant & club complex right on the river between Malostranska and Cechuv Most is throwing an 80s and 90s party too. Food is a buffet affair and is included in the 2010Kc ticket price, as is a half-bottle of Czech bubbly.

Retro Music Hall, Namesti Miru – no details as yet, just ‘Resident DJs’ playing. Street level is a restaurant, so your food and dancing needs are all taken care of in one building.

In case there’s any we’ve missed, this TicketStream link should list all the events they’re selling tickets for.

If you want to carry on partying till halfway through New Year’s Day, Studio 54, on Hybernska, just re-opened and a short walk from Namesti Republiky, is your destination.

Night on the town

If you don’t fancy paying to party, Prague’s streets are relatively safe, but take care especially in Wenceslas Square or Charles Bridge – people often bring their own fireworks and bangers and they’re not afraid to let them off right in front of you. Not for the faint of heart. Wrap up warm too! There will be a stage in Old Town Square with shows for children during the day then various acts, including a Beatles revival band and a drag show keeping you entertained till midnight. Expect many of the food and drink stands in the square to stay open late to keep you fed and watered, and warm with mulled wine.

At midnight

You’re going to want to be outside, with a clear view of the skyline for this. If you’re partying somewhere near the river you should be able to see most of the fireworks. One of the best spots is in front of the Rudolfinum concert hall, right by the river, but not too crowded. If you’ve bought tickets for a party remember to get your hand stamped or comply with however it is the venue wants to handle re-entry.

The aftermath

If you celebrate a little too exuberantly you’re probably going to need something solid to eat. Our choice for hangover food is Bohemia Bagel, with three locations in Prague you’re bound to be near one of them.

No fireworks display on the 1st

The City of Prague usually puts on a big Firework display in late afternoon on New Year’s Day, last year it was from a barge floating in the Vltava between Cechuv and Stefanikuv Bridges. this year due to budget constraints (last years cost 1.5 million crowns), sadly there won’t be a display. Here’s a video from 2010′s show.

If you haven’t got accommodation booked yet, there’s still time for us to find you a hotel or apartment in Prague.

Related posts:

1. New Year’s Eve Parties in Prague 2011/2012
2. New Years in Prague
3. Festival Gastronomico, Prague 23rd September – 5th October 2011

In pleasant weather take a seat on the terrace deck, but if it’s raining there are plenty of tables on the indoors lower deck.

What makes it different to many other places along the embankment is that Grosseto Marina’s prices are in line with their other less centrally located branches. You’re not paying a premium for the vistas, with most pizzas and pastas comfortably under 200Kc. It’s not quite the best Italian in the city, but it’s pretty damn good and the location and prices combine to put it firmly near the top of our list of places in the centre to recommend to all our guests.

Read a full review of the food from the Prague Post.

Related posts:

1. Prague Food Festival, 27th to 29th May
2. Czech Food Primer
3. Eating Vegetarian in Prague