Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MARCH & APRIL
Easter (Velikonoce)
The age-old ritual of whipping girls' calves with braided birch twigs
tied together with ribbons (
pomlázky
) is still practised outside Prague. To prevent such a
fate, the girls are supposed to offer the boys a coloured Easter egg and pour a bucket of cold
water over them. In the city you'll see
pomlázky
and Easter eggs on sale, but precious little
whipping.
DaysofEuropeanFilm(Dnyevropskéhofilmu)
Held over two weeks in April, this is the
nearest Prague comes to a film festival: a fortnight of arty European films shown at various
screens across the capital.
eurofilmfest.cz
“Burning of the Witches” (pálení čarodějnic)
On April 30 Halloween comes early to the
Czech Republic; bonfires are lit across the country, and old brooms thrown out and burned
as everyone celebrates the end of the long winter.
MAY
InternationalBookFairandLiteraryFestival
Usually held in mid-May at the
Výstaviště
fairgrounds
, and attracting an impressive array of international literary talent. Discussions
and readings are often in English.
svetknihy.cz
PragueSpring(Pražskéjaro)
Established in 1946, this is the biggest annual arts event and
the country's most prestigious international music festival. It begins on or around May 12,
the anniversary of Smetana's death, with a procession from his grave in Vyšehrad to the
Obecní dům where the composer's
Má vlast
(
My Country
) is performed in the presence of
thepresident,andfinishesonJune2witharenditionofBeethoven'sNinthSymphony.Tick-
ets for the festival sell out fast.
festival.cz
Prague International Marathon
Runners from more than fifty countries come to run
through the cobbled streets and over Charles Bridge in mid-May.
runczech.com
World Roma Festival (Khamoro)
International festival of Roma music, dance and film,
plus seminars and workshops, in late May.
khamoro.cz
Czech Beer Festival
The Czechs test their theory that they produce the best beer in the
worldatthistwo-weekeventinlateMay.It'sheldinVýstavištěLetňany,attheendofmetro
line C; admission is free.
ceskypivnifestival.cz
.
JUNE & JULY
Respect Festival
World music weekend held at various venues across the city throughout
June, including Akropolis and the Štvanice island.
respectfestival.cz
