Alcohol/smoking

The Czech Republic is known for its beer and other alcohol. Although there is still a big deal of benevolence concerning drinking alcohol in public places, there are legislative changes planned in short time.

I do not recommend drinking alcohol in public places in city centres – it is not a big problem if you open one beer can there, but getting drunk in the centre of Prague can cause you one.

 There is no time limit of buying alcohol in shops. You can get beer, wine or spirits in almost every food shop. Though I would recommend visiting some nice pub better than sippnig the drink somewhere on a bench in a park.
One regular beer (0.5 litre) costs about 20 - 35 CZK in a „regular“pub. The pubs in the centre of Prague are of course much more expensive.

The usual Czech beer is a pilsner type, so it is bitter with a taste of hop extract. The wine from the CZ has a special taste, especially the white wine is not so sweet and „desert“ as white wines from south of Europe, it is more sour and aromatic (in general).

The age limit for legally consuming alcohol is 18 years.

Smoking tobacco is allowed from the age of 18.

In the Czech Republic there is not allowed to smoke in public transport stations and stops (train, bus, tram etc). In every restaurant there must be a separated place for non-smokers during the lunch time (11:00 – 15:00).  It is very rare to find a no-smoking restaurant, in some restaurants there are separated rooms for smokers and non-smokers.

(NICM, 11/2008)