“We’ll have 4 beers… every!” cackled the boys sitting throughout from me. It was 3 pm and we had been technically nonetheless within the UK – albeit greater than 10,000 metres within the air – however the stag weekend was already nicely underway.
It was hardly a shock. For a lot of, Czechia is synonymous with rowdy pub crawls, pints cheaper than bottled water, and an Amsterdam-esque degree of ‘alco tourism’. But, with cut price flights (€60 return? Thanks, Ryanair) and an simple itch to tick one other nation from my bucket record, I discovered myself touching down in Prague.
I had simply 72 hours in Europe’s stag do capital and was decided to have enjoyable with out touching a drop of alcohol. I made a decision to remain in Anděl, a busy neighbourhood within the central district of Smíchov.
It is under no circumstances a hidden gem, house to a slew of accommodations, eating places, and a helpful tramline straight into the centre of town – however it’s barely too removed from the previous city to draw droves of party-goers in fancy gown.
Tips on how to spot Prague’s TikTok-famous nutria
My first day began early, with a morning stroll alongside the waterfront. I snapped a obligatory shot of the Dancing Home – an architectural surprise that now doubles as a restaurant and restaurant – earlier than stopping for a caffeine hit at (A)void cafe, an insatiably standard espresso store embedded in a vault-like embankment.
The cafe’s round glass door presents beautiful views of the water, however it all feels barely gimmicky.
Nevertheless, I would not come right down to the water for an honest flat white and pastry: I used to be really on a mission to identify the equally TikTok-famous nutria. These large rodents have been inflicting considerably of a commotion in current months, with many vacationers mistaking them for beavers.
Also called Copyu, these wild animals appear to be a distant cousin of the capybara and had been initially imported to Europe for his or her fur and meat. Nevertheless, makes an attempt to place nutria burgers on the menu did not go down nicely, that means the species was mainly eradicated.
Some have discovered solace on the Vltava River, mixing in with swans, Egyptian geese, and pigeons which are all fed by locals and vacationers. After all, you are not imagined to feed or contact the nutria (they’ll get fairly aggressive and have been identified to chunk canines and people), however they’re fairly cute if seen from a distance.
I headed early to keep away from the crowds and noticed one content material nutria nibbling away in a brown puddle. Should you head to ‘Nutria Lake’ on Google Maps, you will have a great likelihood of recognizing them, however they have an inclination to swim off by noon.
Inside Prague’s vibrant artwork scene
After filling my cellphone’s photograph gallery with candid photographs of a nutria I had determined to call Nutty, I braved the slender streets of the Outdated City, full of ethereal Gothic structure, quaint cobbled alleys, and countless rows of memento outlets. Swarms of vacationers had been gathering across the astronomical clock, eagerly ready for its hourly show (spoiler alert: it is fairly anti-climactic).
Beneath the Church of Our Woman earlier than Týn – one in every of Prague’s well-known buildings with its jet black spikes – is the Central Gallery. This three-story museum options exhibitions from Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali and Alfons Mucha. I opted for the Dali ground, and spent a great hour delving into the thoughts of the surrealist painter earlier than choosing up a memento from the present store. The artist’s iconic lips couch is right here, which was the principle spotlight for me. Sadly, it isn’t up on the market.
Subsequent on my itinerary was a retrospective exhibition showcasing the ‘candid and dynamic’ work of Libuše Jarcovjáková. This 72-year-old photographer was just lately featured in Vogue’s 2025 ‘Most Influential Girls’ record. The exhibition – which targeted on being queer in communist Prague, Libuše’s travels to Japan, and the combination of Cuban immigrants within the Czechia, was really breathtaking and tugged at my heartstrings.
As somebody who does not profess to know a lot about artwork, seeing many years of Libuše’s extraordinary life specified by black-and-white pictures actually did contact me. The exhibition ended with a collage of pictures depicting her mum’s final years on Earth, following a stroke which left Libuše to tackle the position of her carer.
Barely teary-eyed, I ended the evening with an Artaud efficiency on the New Stage theatre, based mostly on the works of Edgar Allen Poe. It felt like the right homage to Prague’s gothic atmosphere, made me scream in horror a number of occasions, and was absolute bliss to observe. For any ballet lovers, this can be a should.
La Degustation: Prague’s first Michelin-starred restaurant
Following a number of days of snacking on gingerbread, a correct meal was wanted. I made a decision to deal with myself to a tasting menu at La Degustation, Prague’s first Michelin-starred restaurant, which aptly provided a non-alcoholic drink pairing.
Unexpectedly having your complete place to myself, this expertise totally blew me away.
Each dish – from salsify with egg to roasted beetroot with edible flowers – was pristinely offered, tasted wonderful, and was washed down with a bunch of selfmade juices and fermented drinks. The grape soda, which got here out in an old style carbonator, was to die for, and I have been attempting to duplicate it ever since.
Is Prague ditching its boozy popularity?
Regardless of my preliminary expertise earlier than I had even landed in Prague, I did not encounter the swathes of unruly bachelor events that I assumed I’d. Final yr, the nation banned organised bar crawls from 10pm to 6am to draw extra ‘cultured’ vacationers.
Whereas the transfer will not go down nicely with disorderly Brits desirous to throw up in a bin after a day of consuming, attitudes in the direction of alcohol are swiftly altering. Ditching its boozy popularity might assist Prague entice a youthful crowd.
Described because the ‘sober curious’ era, UK adults aged 18-24 are consuming lower than ever earlier than.
2024 knowledge collected from CGA by NIQ discovered that Gen Z are drastically slashing their booze consumption. In reality, the survey discovered that 30 per cent of 18-24 Brits are consuming lower than final yr, whereas 13 per cent have given up alcohol altogether.
So in the event you ever end up in Prague, simply keep in mind: there’s way more to do than get merry.
*Libuše Jarcovjáková’s exhibition on the Nationwide Gallery ran from 27 September – 31 March. Poe is again on the New Stage Theatre from 5 June.