A Night at the Biggest Party in Europe

PRAGUE - If you can picture yourself in Europe’s largest nightclub with people from all over the world and more languages spoken in one building than choices of alcohol on the menu, then Prague, Czech Republic is the place you are partying. Located right next to the famous Charles Bridge, Karlovy Lazne is considered the largest nightclub in Europe with five dance floors to ensure a once-in-a-lifetime experience to bring home and brag about to your friends.

The club’s historic building was built back in the 14th century as a once was bath house. The mosaic tiles preserve its originality and classic European feeling. It was also a café at one time and a publishing facility for Czech Journalist Karel Havlicek Borovsky’s newspaper. The late 1990’s brought reconstruction to the neglected building, introducing it as a popular tourist hot-spot in 1999.

So, I said Nazdar (hello) to Karlovy Larzne and have never set my leather patent heel back into another American nightclub since visiting Prague. I’ve had my fair share of nightclub experiences, mostly in the city of Philadelphia, to which I was not very impressed by to go back to again. My hopes for those night clubs in Philly have been shot to hell. Once you’ve been to the best, it’s considerably difficult to take a step down. Even if nightclubs consider themselves to be “the best in the tri-state area,” I would still have to reject.

Unlike in nightclubs in the U.S.,the European lifestyle is a little more lax, easing the underage minds of my roommates and I while waiting in line. Just how laid back are they at Karlovy? Well, let’s just say they didn’t even ask me for identification. When visiting Prague, it’s easiest to take a Tram or a taxi, which is what I did to get to and from the nightclub from my hotel. Upon entrance to the nightclub is a quick general security check which was a nice break compared to the one I dragged through at the airport. The cover is dirt cheap, equivalent to a few U.S. dollars taken in Euro dollars only. A convenient coat check upon entrance is also available at a low cost for those who prefer to double-fist their drinks instead of holding on to their belongings. The dress code in Karlovy was casual, and in the dead of winter when I went back in January, the idea of wearing a typical clubbing getup in 12-degree weather was the last thought on my mind when deciding what to wear for the night.

Each floor is different in style and music but all of them have exhilarating colored strobe lights and lasers. The first floor, which was my favorite, is the most crowded and plays today’s popular hits and some of the past decades—all American music and artists. Even in stores and restaurants throughout Prague you will hear American pop artists like Madonna and Michael Jackson by which the European culture is widely influenced by—especially ‘80’s pop music. There is also a computer café for free internet access on the ground floor.

Make your way up to the second floor and you’ll start to hear the pumping sounds of techno and trans music, followed by house music and pop/rock sounds. The encounter my roommates and I had on the final fifth floor seemed to be geared toward a specific orientation, with only men dancing with each other. It was not until the absinthe wore off that we were able to think clearly and understand why we were second best.

The club is not full of Czech residents, but if you’re looking to meet people from every part of the world, then this is definitely the place to converse. After having quite a few conversations with people at Karlovy, I was blown away that all of them knew English. I met people from all over the world: Italy, Poland, Australia, Greece, Brazil, Greenland, Canada and more than I can remember in the four hours spent there. Being twenty years old at the time in Prague, the age range in Karlovy varied some but not by a great stretch; I met someone who was still in high school, a man who was in his late twenties and some college students. As some would say though, it’s not the age but the state of mind.

A tip to remember, fellas…dancing with European ladies is a no-no to some of them. As a Czech bartender told me during my 10 day stay in Prague, European women do not follow the dance-grind styles that young Americans do. Instead, they prefer dancing solo or with their group of friends. This stereotype may not be true to all European women but if you get dirty looks on the dance floor, just remember, it’s not you, it’s them.

Perhaps the reason I loved Karlovy Lazne so much was because I met so many people from all over the world and knew it would be a once in a lifetime experience…or maybe because I was in the biggest nightclub in Europe. I knew in just a few hours, the best party of my life would eventually come to an end, just like yours will when you visit this mega dance house. Don’t get too sad though, because when your time is over at Karlovy Lazne, you can stop by the hot-dog hut attached right next to the club to satisfy your late night cravings from all that dancing. And keep in mind, the fun may not end for you until four in the morning but the public transportation ends at midnight.

Cost: 50CZK/$2.92(USD) before 9pm or 120CZK/$7.01(USD)
Address:Smetanovo nábřeží  198, Praha 1, 110 00 Tele: +420 222 220 502  Web: www.karlovylazne.cz