One of my favorite galleries in Prague is situated in Školská street, just a few meters above the Cafe Therapy restaurant (check the Café Therapy article). Leica Gallery Prague is run by a non-profitable company of the same name and its objective is not only organization of quality photographic exhibition, but also running workshops for public and other activities.

During the years that LGP was open, I have seen a number of great exhibitions held there. Besides their own showroom, LGP has been using various exhibition spaces (such as the Prague Castle in the past or Mánes). Until 17.6. there is an exhibition of Jan Lukas – The New York city diary – photos from NYC. 

LGP has an added value – the café which is part of the showroom. The coffee there is fine and if you are in the mood for something else, you can for sure to enjoy a glass of wine and browse some of the art books and magazines they have there.

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Leica Gallery | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Festivals & events | Exhibition entry CZK 70
Školská 28 | Praha 1 | +420608963523
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 21:00, Sat – Sun 14:00 – 21:00

Aero, floating on air, relaxing, feeling good among people who seems close to you…and I believe you will also come up with a different description once you have been to Kino Aero.

Kino Aero is one of the few specialized in art films, various festivals and special projections. The cinema itself was built in the years 1930 – 33 in the courtyard of residential house in a purely functionalist style. The last renovation affected the bar that turned from cosy and old-school to pure black, white and green space so corresponding with the function of the bar and giving free space to often held exhibition of film posters.

I have loved visiting Kino Aero since I was small. Although the journey from the other part of the city took hour and a half and I was able to recall the part of Prague we passed much later in my life, I never felt Kino Aero was too far. And when I lived in Prague? I could not resist any more. I believe you will love the bar, love Bernard beer, enjoy the carefully chosen films and welcoming atmosphere.

Interesting fact – as an extended activity of Kino Aero and Kino Svetozor (check the Kino Svetozor article) distribution company Aerofilms was born, focused on valuable feature films and documents.

Why not to end your Zizkov tour with a quality film?

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Kino Aero | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas | Film ticket CZK 100.00
Biskupcova 31 | Praha 3 | +420271771349
16:00 – 00:00 daily

If you want to bring home some real Czech made design, simply piece of well done work, visit the stationery shop Papelote. They call themselves ‘new’ but they truly represent the workmanship of the centuries. Papelote is a shop where you will find things manufactured mostly from paper. It sounds boring, but you would be surprised.

I love the way Papelote was founded, how it works now and what this manufacturer has achieved. And most of all I love the designs and products, which are both usable and beautiful. Papelote was first of all a dissertation of a graphic designer and illustrator Katerina Sachova, and later was developed into a living project and shop. Papelote works with paper and offers many kinds of notebooks, planners, cases and last but not least its famous binders. To have the gift unique, you can wrap it in the original wrapping paper. All products you will bring home are Czech made and from ecological materials.

Just as an interesting fact I wanted to mention that Papelote was awarded as Store of the Year on Czech Grand Design Awards 2011.

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Papírnictví Papelote | Art & culture, Shopping | Pencil Binder CZK 89.00
Vojtěšská 9 | Praha 1 | +420774719113
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 19:00, Sat 12:00 – 18:00

Club cinema Evald represents complete characteristics of a small, classy cinema – is in the very center, has stable program with three movies running each day, mixes extract from mainstream, well at least the movies suitable for small screen, and includes also art movies and tiny festivals The last festival I visited was Days of Norwegian film I think.

Generous front door invites you to more private underground, cozy with the carpets and classy with the cloak room, which is especially handy during winter. Now in summer you will be awarded by cool underground environment.

No drinks offered in this cinema, but you can get started before the film in the local restaurant, which is just at the end of the same corridor, and of course also discuss there later on the impact of the film you have just seen. I really like this cinema, there are not many of this type in Prague these days.

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Kino Evald | Art & culture, Cinemas | Ticket CZK 110
Národní 28 | Praha 1 | +420221105225
One hour before 1st film, daily

I want to recommend a whole walk. You would not probably have a chance to lose your way up to this area although it is around the corner from the touristic attraction, Prague Castle. And Prague Castle is the peak of this walk.

You will walk through the history of urban architecture of Prague. Begin in the Brevnov monastery which can be reached by tram 22 or 25, stop ‚Brevnovsky klaster’. In summer get a local beer outside the monastery tavern, which offers wonderful meals also! Get out of the monastery and take the way left around its walls.

You will pass a pond where ducks are waiting to be fed. Follow any path upright from the monastery. First buildings you will meet are colourful, concrete high-rises, built in the 1970s’. Follow the street Satoriova up to its end and go straight on to street Ve Stresovickach.

You will walk through another high-rise area. These houses were built also during previous regime. Continue to picturesque old Stresovice. Finish the street up to its end. On right you will meet houses built during the first half of 20th century. Move to street Sibeliova. In the second half of the street are detached houses from 1920s’. Check the facades, they are decorated in “made in Czech Republic” style rondo cubism, which is unique and was popular those days.

You almost met your destination. Take tram back to the centre, or follow the main street down and get closer to the Castle.

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Straigt way to castle | Art & culture, Relaxing
Brevnovsky Klaster | Praha 6
24 hours daily

Always, when I am in a mood to see some nice art, but in a small quantity, I choose to go to gallery established in honor of one great Czech photographer, Josef Sudek, in his previous studio. The studio is located between two apartment blocks near Ujezd and Kampa and is not visible from the street at all. Luckily for us the doorbell lets you walk in the courtyard and after you pass three doors you finally see the studio set in the inside garden. Josef Sudek began to work here in 1927 and remained using the studio until the end of his life. More about the importance of his world-known work here.

The small space has limited possibilities, but looking at the overview of past exhibitions and schedule for this year, the curator of the gallery is not limited by the space at all. The exhibitions change every one, two months, and are a blend of new or established authors and the ‘master’ Josef Sudek.

Ujezd is a favorite location for walks and sightseeing, and these two activities usually involve crowds in Prague. Josef Sudek’s studio is always quiet and calming for your mind. After satisfying your mind, choose one of the great bars around, for example artists-concentrating Mlynska Kavarna (check the Mlynska Kavarna article) or to rocking Klub Ujezd (check the Klub Ujezd article).

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Galerie Josefa Sudka | Art & culture | Entrance CZK 10.00
Újezd 30 | Praha 1
Tue – Sun 12:00 – 18:00

Just by the river, near Klárov, there is a place many tourist guides will lead you to. It is a nice small square where there is the famous Franz Kafka museum. I haven’t visited it once, although I am a fan of Kafka’s work. Maybe it actually is worth visiting but I want to draw your attention elsewhere.

What I am talking about is the strange-looking sculpture in the middle of the square. You will find there two copper persons peeing into a strange bowl. Their waists move so that it looks even more life-like. The funniest part which a lot of people don’t realize, though, lays on the ground. Those guys pee into a bowl shaped like the Czech Republic. Once again, this proves David Černý‘s (artist of Entropa i.e.) skills and vision.

We Czechs aren’t a particularly proud nation. We are actually willing to make fun of ourselves quite often, which I find quite appealing. Artist like Černý who would elsewhere be considered very controversial thus have many fans here, me among them. But some others may surely find his work insulting. What is your opinion?

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Miska Republika | Art & culture | Free
Cihelná 2 | Praha 1
24 hours daily

At first, it used to be a school. Children would spend their first two grades of elementary school there. Then, it used to be a boy-scout club. Later, it was decided that the building be torn down and replaced by a motorway. But until it is eventually destroyed, it is going to serve as a stylish and original club place, where loads of events are being held. I am talking about „Klubovna”, a club in Dejvice.

A bunch of guys and girls who have for some years been organizing a summer music festival called Povaleč have decided to establish a club where drinking meets culture. They succeeded surprisingly well. Renting the building from city of Prague, they reconstructed every inch of it with their bare hands. More and more people are coming in every day.

Concerts, festivals or theatre plays take place there quite often. Klubovna offers a wide range of drinks including draught lemonades and a vast number of quality rums. The whole spot is covered in graffiti and wall pictures so it feels a bit like a squatt inside. Come sit at the garden, listen to a concert, play chess or a game of fussball! I might meet you there at 03:00 or 04:00 as Klubovna usually closes only after there are no people left in.

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Klubovna in Dejvice | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Festivals & events | Páter, 0,5L CZK 27
Generála Píky | Praha 6
Mon – Sat 15:00 – open end

Újezd is an area where many of the Prague locals spend their time. There aren’t many tourists, it’s in the centre, there’s a number of nice bars and cafés, the Petřín hill is just across the road…

One of the best-known bars is (surprisingly) called Klub Újezd. Open since 1990, it is a night-life classic. It started as a music club but live music performance were forbidden some ten years ago. It’s no big deal, though – it is a great place to visit anyway.

Currently, Klub Újezd is a three-floor bar. In the basement there is a small bar, a few tables, a DJ’s stage and a table-football. The first floor is more spacious with a large bar. But, if you plan a party, you should definitely make a reservation to the second floor which feels somehow most comfortable of all. It, among others, offers a very nice sight of the street and Petřín hill.

What makes Klub Újezd unique, are the decorations and paintings. For instance, on the walls there are paintings of strange people with disfigured faces – as well as many other, sometimes even more pleasant scenes. Plus, the whole club works also as a free gallery – of photography, usually.

Thanks to its very late closing-hours, Klub Újezd is a very common place for late-evening or early-morning chill-outs. Add very reasonable prices and you’ve got a place you have to visit!

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Klub Újezd | Art & culture, Bars | Budvar 12°, 0.5L CZK 35.00
Újezd 18 | Praha 1 | +420251510873
First floor bar 14:00 – 04:00, the rest 18:00 – 04:00 daily

It is a place you will probably find in all regular city-guides. However, as it is not directly in the center, many people (even the locals) just miss the opportunity to visit it, which is definitely a shame. Vyšehrad is an important place in Czech history, appearing in many national myths and legends (most of which appear in this book).

There are basically two ways to get there. Either you can take the Metro “C” and get out at the stop “Vyšehrad” – it is still a small walk, but that shouldn’t bother you. Or – and I prefer that one – you can take the tram to the stop “Podolská vodárna” and walk up the hill. Up there, there is not only the majestic and huge church and an ancient rotunda, but most importantly a spacious and calm park.

Vyšehrad is not just a summer place. Thanks to all the trees, it is very beautiful in the fall. And when its freezing and the city rests under a pillow of snow, Vyšehrad is a place for a nice silent walk. The great view of the city (from different places at Vyšehrad, you can see different parts of the city and get a complete picture) makes it a relaxing spot.

Up on the hill, there is also a cemetery called “Slavín” at which the Czech heroes and heroins of the past two centuries rest. Surely worth seeing!

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Vyšehrad castle | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
Vyšehrad | Praha 2
Park 24 hours daily