Náplavka kicks off new season with no booze after midnight and new rules for docked boats

Changes are coming to Prague’s Náplavka waterfront to make it friendlier to the surrounding neighborhoods. People will no longer be able to drink alcohol after midnight on either the right embankment at Podskalí or the left one at Hořejší nábřeží in Smíchov. A cultural program of events is also being launched starting in June.

A change to the regulations on public consumption of alcohol is currently underway in Prague City Hall.

Local residents have long complained about noise from intoxicated people at all hours. Prague City Hall and the city districts are working together to calm the situation.

One of the worst offenders for not only noise but visual pollution was a historical-style pirate-themed ship sponsored by a rum company and docked near the bridge Palackého most. It has already been shut down.

Both embankments are overseen by the municipal firm Trade Centre Praha. Petr Hozman, who is the curator of Náplavka, said the boat has been renamed to Martin from the previous Captain Morgan, and it is being converted into a restaurant with trees on board and a quiet seating area on the top deck.

The appearance of other ships is gradually being modified. "We made a definition of a cultural ship so that we could really declare it cultural," Hozman said. Ships can no longer be brightly colored and carry large advertisements. They should also be uniform in color, preferably white, beige or black.

One boat has already disappeared from Hořejší nábřeží so there can be a better view. “We will see how the situation develops in the future; it is a matter of agreement on how the edge of the embankment will be used," Hozman said.

Hozman added that Trade Centre Praha is currently trying to intervene on other parts of the Prague waterfront to improve the appearance of embankments and the ships that use them.

The rules for events at Náplavka will not change for this year. “They are set, which means that we are going all-acoustical, with a maximum of one event per month. It is also not possible to completely reduce it,” Hozman said.

Amplified music had already been banned due to previous complaints from the city districts, and the number of large events was also previously capped.

The program on the embankments will consist of cultural, social and sports events. There will be a children's day on June 1 and a festival of open workshops in mid-June, where people will be able to try out various crafts. The theater festival Arena, founded by the Forman Brothers Theater, will run June 23 to July 3 with shows on the boat Tajemství as well as on shore.