Prague is a major European capital and as such the nightlife scene is worthy of its fame but it can change rapidly as allegiances and popularity are shifting. The range of bars and clubs in Prague are wide-ranging and exciting and mostly affordable. It's probably best to stick to places that are already established and there for the long haul. Here are a few of Prague's top nightlife locations.

Music Bar

Zborovská 7, Praha 5, Tel: +420 257 328 571, E-mail: futurum@musicbar.cz, Website: www.musicbar.cz, Tram: 6, 9, 12, Bus: 176, Open: 8pm-3am daily.
A sufficiently spacious and funky venue with DJs spinning a rather eclectic mix of music from the 80s and 90s (ranging from Erasure to Bon Jovi) as well as more contemporary sets. Good selection of reasonably priced drinks such as Gambrinus, Guinness and Heineken, while non-beer drinkers have a choice of wines and spirits to slake their thirst.

Lucerna  Bar

Vodičkova 36, Praha 1, Tel: +420 224 217 108, E-mail: lmb@musicbar.cz, Website: www.musicbar.cz, Metro: Můstek, Open: 8pm-3am daily.
From the same stable as the Futurum Music Bar and again concentrating in music from the 80s and 90s. The bar is conveniently located just off Wenceslas Square.

FX

Bĕlehradská 120, Praha 2, Tel: +420 224 254 776, E-mail: radostfx@terminal.cz, Website: www.radostfx.cz, Metro I.P Pavlova, Open: 10pm-5am,
Probably Prague's most popular club at the present time, and one that has done much to shape the scene in the capital. Indeed, the club has been a permanent fixture here for almost a decade. Playing host to leading DJs from the UK and Europe it also showcases local talent, as well as incorporating a popular restaurant/café and a small but trendy art gallery. The club's interior is distinctive to say the least but we still reckon it's a great place to party! 

Rock Café

Národní 20, Praha 1, Tel: +420 224 933 947, Fax: +420 224 910 320, Website: www.rockcafe.cz, E-mail: svoboda@rockcafe.cz, Metro: Národní třída, Popular club and music venue offering a good range of entertainment including live gigs, DJs and films. Check out the monthly programme on their website for details.

XT3

Pod plynojemem 1274, Praha 8, Tel: +420 284 825 826, E-mail: barxt3@hotmail.com, Website: www.xt3.cz, Metro: Palmovka Popular club playing a bit of everything, but majoring in drum 'n' bass. If you want to take a rest from the dancing, indulge in a game of fussball or take up residency at one of the in-house pinball machines.

Roxy

Dlouhá 33, Praha 1, Tel: +420 224 826 296, Fax: +420 224 826 363, E-mail: roxy@roxy.cz, Website: www.roxy.cz, Tram: 14, 26, The Roxy is looking to establish itself as one of the best clubs in Prague, whilst simultaneously building its reputation abroad too. Has attracted big name DJs such as DJ Grooverider and Luke Slater, along with bands such as Faithless and the Sneaker Pimps. Head here if you're looking to live it large to the best drum 'n' bass and jungle.

Akropolis

Kubelíkova 27, Praha 3, Tel: +420 296 330 911, Fax: +420 296 330 912, E-mail: info@palacakropolis.cz, Website: www.palacakropolis.cz, Metro: Jiřího z Poděbrad Respected club and concert venue offering sessions from some of the best local talent as well as foreign DJs playing a wide mix of musical genres.

CZ Beat

Balbínova 26, Praha 2, Tel: 0602/96 93 74, E-mail: sidipraha@atlas.cz, Website: www.beat.cz, Metro: Muzeum, Large cellar venue that's popular with locals keen to soak up the house beats. The venue also includes a pretty decent and inexpensive restaurant.

Mecca

U průhonu 3, Praha 7, Tel: +420 283 870 522, +420 283 871 520, Fax: +420 283 871 521, E-mail: mecca@mecca.cz, Website: www.mecca.cz, Metro: Vltavská Popular club, restaurant and café playing good quality dance music and attracting decent DJs from Europe and the US. The restaurant/café offers a good selection of cheap eats.

Duplex

Václavské nám 21, Praha 1, Tel: +420 257 535 050, E-mail: info@duplexduplex.cz, Website: www.duplexduplex.cz, Metro: Můstek Another venue offering a combination of club, café and restaurant. Duplex tends to stick to resident DJs, although occasionally the wheels of steel are spun by overseas talent. The outdoor terrace offers a lovely view looking out across Wenceslas Square.

Malostranská  beseda

Malostranské nám. 21, Praha 1, Tel: +420 257 532 092, Fax: +420 257 532 092, Website: http://mb.muzikus.cz, Metro: Malostranská, Offers up a veritable plethora of musical styles with performances ranging from jazz to country, rock to blues.

Lucerna - Velký sál

Štěpánská 61, Praha 1, Tel: +420 224 225 585, E-mail: info@lucpra.com, Website: www.lucpra.com, Metro: Mustek This rather grand venue plays host to both home-grown and foreign bands.

Marquis de Sade

Templova 8, Prague 1

Whether you're looking for a little bit of solo down time or a whole lot of action, Marquis delivers. Housed in what used to be a bordello in the time of the First Republic, the bar's atmosphere doesn't quite match the notoriety of its namesake, though some of the paintings that hang on its walls contribute an aura of disturbed and distorted sensuality.

During the day and early evening it is a rather laid-back place where you can hunker down at the bar, or take a seat at one of its many dark wooden tables and enjoy a few happy hour beers (CZK 22 from 16:00 to 18:00, and wine is only CZK 25, along with CZK 35 shots of Becherovka, Fernet and peach vodka).

The volume picks up at night and can get quite raucous, but the staff is always friendly and fast and has excellent taste in music. If you're in town on a Sunday, stop by Marquis to catch Stan the Man, one of Prague's premier bluesmen.

Roxy

Dlouha 33, Prague 1

Arguably Prague's number one club (some might say that Radost holds that title, but I disagree), this massive converted theatre has featured some of the world's top DJ's. While Prague's house music scene has gone rather limpid, Roxy still packs them in not only with disc-spinners, but with live music as well.

In addition to live shows and resident nights such as Zen (Goa trance), Bush (jungle/drum ‘n' bass), and Climax (house), the club also offers a Free Mondays night, which is usually a live act followed by a DJ. For a big club experience in Prague, Roxy's the perfect venue.

To check upcoming events, go to www.roxy.cz.

Fraktal

Smeralova 1, Prague 7

Dogs and spliffs abound amid the cool and friendly mix of expats and Czechs that frequents this bar. Despite its ample space it fills up quite quickly, so be sure to get there early (around 7 pm) to get a good seat.

It is a good-looking place with three separate spaces – a cosy front area with bar and elevated tables and benches, a back room with foosball table and couches, and a room off to the left of the front area with a slick contemporary look (the only flaw in its design being the ridiculously low lights that force you to crouch or stretch to talk with the person sitting across from you). An excellent and eclectic assortment of music flows from the speakers and many claim that Fraktal serve up the best burgers in Prague.

Radost FX

Belehradska 120, Prague 2

Also a very worthy contender for Prague's best club, Radost (Czech for “Joy”) consists of a cafe, a restaurant and a lounge. Upstairs, past the cafe and through the thick velvet curtains, the restaurant is a feast for the senses, particularly in terms of visuals and food. Enjoy some of the best vegetarian food in Prague in a space that is as aesthetically daring as it is beautiful.

Be warned, however, that service can be quite slow and rude at times, and a service charge is automatically added to your bill when dining here – a practice that is far from standard in Prague. Downstairs you can dance til sunrise as DJ's, some of them top international spinners, throw down the latest booty-shakin beats.

The club's official web site is at www.radostfx.cz.

Palac Akropolis

Kubelikova 27, Prague 3

This extremely popular Zizkov complex houses a restaurant, cafe, a large concert space, and two bars. As a whole, the restaurant's interior is a work of art containing artefacts and works from EXPO 92 in Seville. The food is hit-and-miss – Akropolis has served me some fantastic meals, but it has also been the site of some of my worst dining experiences in Prague.

Downstairs, the main concert space has an 850-person capacity (standing) and has hosted an impressive roster of international singers and bands, including The Fall, Apollo 440, Henry Rollins, Heather Nova, Sigur Ros, The Strokes, and Stereolab, among many others.

The two smaller spaces – the Small Stage (Mala scena) and Theatre Bar (Divadelni bar) – usually feature DJ's and tend to be quite lively, with expats and Czechs drinking, smoking and revelling until the wee hours.