7 Best Bars in Mala Strana (Lesser Quarter), Prague

A hot spot from the 1930s returned to its former glory provides a somewhat romanticized but enjoyable take on a Czech pub. Part of the Kolkovna chain that has locations around the city, Olympia appeals to visitors and locals alike who like the special unpasteurized Pilsner Urquell. There's also a great menu of Czech classics to help soak up all that delicious beer. Try the schnitzel or the steak tartare.

Despite its location just off the main drag up from the Charles Bridge, the Bluelight Bar manages to remain a laid-back, grungy haunt for some dedicated late-night drinking. The rock walls of the cavelike space are covered in graffiti, and the clientele is a mixed bag, but somehow it works. This is the perfect destination for a nightcap—just don't blame us if you're still ensconced hours later.

From morning until it closes at midnight, this relaxed, hip café-bar serves up decent drinks and cakes, but what it really trades on is its creative and cultural atmosphere. Open mic nights and an archway entrance, plus chill courtyard seating when the weather allows, complete the picture.

An atmospheric haunt that calls itself an "alchemical pub" (probably thanks to its location in the same building as the Museum of Alchemists), this bar likely hasn't worked out how to turn base metals into gold or discovered the elixir of life yet, but it's a pretty fun gimmick nonetheless. Try the cocktails (complete with dry ice) and enjoy the drinks in flasks, pipes on the ceilings (allegedly full of said elixir), and drawings and diagrams on the walls.

Once the town hall, then a mecca for writers and artists, it's now a three-story music and theater club. Every level of this attractive building has something different going on—there's an art gallery under the roof, a "video café," a live music bar, a restaurant, a café, and a basement beer pub.

The live acts are mostly popular Czech bands.

Every branch of this mini-chain of wine bars in the Czech capital has its own charm, but the Malá Strana location is among the best, not least because it has a distinct lack of competition in the immediate area. It's easily the best place in this district for a crisp glass of white in the courtyard in summer, or a reviving red in the cozy interior in the colder months. 

Commonly known as "Little Glen," patrons are willing to cram in to hear solid house jazz and blues bands, as well as a few visiting acts. Get there early to stake out a seat near the stage; the tunnel-shape vault can be crowded but that only adds to the atmosphere. Upstairs they serve food until midnight.