Literary Cafes in Prague

This is a prepared #3 speech delivered during TM meeting.

I had a beautiful weekend. Let me say it again. I had a beautiful weekend because I had to prepare a speech for today. It doesn't make sense, right? Normally it is the other way around. This time my speech invited me to some splendid literary Cafes in Prague and by the end of this speech I aim to give some suggestions where you could spend your next beautiful weekend. This information also could serve handy if a friend is visiting.

I visited two literary Cafes in this city: Café Slavia and Café Louvre. A literary café definition was not to be found in the dictionary. So, I created it. A literary Café is a Café where people engage in intellectual activities (such as reading, writing, “toasts mastering”) besides sipping their cup of tea. As such, Paul Patisserie could also qualify. However, the 2 Cafes I will talk about have something in common: they witnessed history in this country. And sometimes they created it.

Both of these cafes are more than 100 years old, they are located in the historical center on Narodni street.

Café Slavia is facing National theater with its large bay windows. For the price of a coffee you could enjoy this mind-blowing view of Prague.

 But let’s get inside…

There is an old style cloakroom. Beautiful atmosphere… The interior is spacious elegantly decorated. The staffs is wearing old-style tailcoats. And there is a grand piano in the middle. They play piano from 5 pm to 11 pm. They have a very rich menu. And I must say their roasted fish fillet with creamy mushroom risotto was delicious. This place welcomed the actors from the National Theatre, its audience during intermissions, politicians and writers. Unfortunately I cannot name many as the names do not tell much to me, but I know that this was the favorite café of Vaclav Havel, the first president of this country, also a playwright and essayist. Another name well-known name is Franz Kafka. So if you want to experience all this, head to Nardoni Street, opposite from the National Theatre.

The second Café that is located just 5 min away from Slavia, away from the bridge, is Café Louvre. To enter the Café one has to ascend a spacious staircase and then again, a cloakroom. I fell in love with pastel pink décor that apparently didn't change much since the times when Einstein as a visiting professor would pop in for a piece of strudel. This café used to have and still does a game room, especially was it famous for Billiards. All the tables were tailor made American products of the most exciting precision. Also, this café was supportive of women’s emancipation… In the 19^th century the cafes were meant for men where they would conduct business and talk arts, whilst the ladies would have a tea at home. This was radically in the 20^th century when high-society women started visiting the café and were welcome here.

So, if you are looking for inspiration, a relaxing cup of tea, a chat with a friend, or you are just bored and you don’t want be so…now you know where to go.

for more information visit the websites:

http://www.cafeslavia.cz/index.php?id_page=uvod&id_rest=slavia&id_lang=en

http://www.cafelouvre.cz/en/