Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Dance Prague (Tanec Praha)
An established highlight of Prague's cultural calendar, this
international festival of modern dance takes place throughout the city over three weeks in
June.
tanecpraha.cz
.
Bohemia Jazz Fest
Held in mid-July on the city's Old Town Square, this annual jazz bash
has become one of the biggest music events in the country.
bohemiajazzfest.cz
SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER/NOVEMBER
Burčák
At the end of September for a couple of weeks, temporary stalls across the city sell
the year's partially fermented new wine, known as
burčák
, a misty, heady brew.
StringsofAutumn(Strunypodzimu)
Held over more than two months from late Septem-
ber until mid November, this established event includes a mixed bag of music with a pro-
gramme featuring everything from jazz to classical music, early music to world music.
DECEMBER
Christmas markets
Christmas markets selling gifts, food and mulled wine (
svařák
) are set
up at several places around the city in December; the biggest ones are on Wenceslas Square
and the Old Town Square. Temporary ice rinks are also set up at various locations.
Eve of St Nicholas
On the evening of December 5, numerous trios, dressed up as St Nich-
olas (
svatý Mikuláš
), an angel and a devil, tour the streets, the angel handing out sweets and
fruit to children who've been good, while the devil rattles his chains and dishes out coal and
potatoes to those who've been naughty. The Czech St Nicholas has white hair and a beard,
and dresses not in red but in a white priest's outfit, with a bishop's mitre.
Bohuslav Martinů Festival
Annual festival of music in early December celebrating the
least-known of the big four Czech composers.
martinu.cz
.
Christmas Eve (Štědrý večer)
December 24 is traditionally a day of fasting, broken only
whentheeveningstarappears,signallingthebeginningoftheChristmasfeastofcarp,potato
salad, schnitzel and sweetbreads. Only after the meal are the children allowed to open their
presents,whichmiraculouslyappearbeneaththetree,thanksnottoSantaClaus,buttoBaby
Jesus (
Ješíšek
).
TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
Addresses
ThestreetnameisalwayswrittenbeforethenumberinPrague
addresses
.Thewordforstreet
(
ulice
) is either abbreviated to
ul.
or missed out altogether - Celetná ulice, for instance, is
