There are a number of festivals, holidays and other events celebrated in Prague each year. The main ones are listed below.
January 1: New Year's Day (national holiday) January 6: Epiphany (national holiday)The festival celebrates the Day of the Three Kings, when the Magi came to worship Christ, and marks the end of the Christmas season. Church bells ring across Prague and everyone is encouraged to offer gifts to those less advantaged.
January 19: Anniversary of Jan Palach's Death (national holiday)Each year, Czechs of all ages gather in front of the memorial in Wenceslas Square, dedicated to Jan Palach, a 21-year-old student who burned himself to death here on this day in 1969, to protest the Soviet occupation of his country.
May 1: Labour Day (national holiday) Late June–early September: Summer Shakespeare Festival (local event)Founded in 1994, this festival pays tribute to the great English dramatist each summer, by staging some 150 performances (all plays are presented in Czech) at historic open-air venues across Prague.
October: Designblok (local event)The premier design event in Central Europe, this festival showcases design in all its forms. Among the highlights are a fashion show and displays of jewellery, clothing, furniture, home furnishings, lighting, and industrial and utilitarian design from Czech and international designers. Apart from individual creators, exhibitors also include design studios, schools and internationally renowned brands.
October 28: Founding Day (national holiday)Commemorates the founding of the first independent Czechoslovak state, from territories that were previously part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, on this day in 1918. Highlights includes official ceremonies, military parades, concerts and fireworks.
Late November–late December: Christmas Markets (local event)In Prague, each district has its own Christmas market: the most impressive ones are held on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. The Czech capital also organizes many Christmas concerts during this same period.
December 25: Christmas (national holiday)| Month | Min. Average Temperature (°C/F°) | Max. Average Temperature (°C/F°) | Average Rains (MM) | Best Time to Travel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -1/30 | 3/37 | 20/0.8 | Not the best period to go |
| February | -1/30 | 5/41 | 18/0.7 | Not the best period to go |
| March | 2/36 | 9/48 | 28/1.1 | Not the best period to go |
| April | 6/43 | 14/57 | 28/1.1 | Not the best period to go |
| May | 10/50 | 20/68 | 58/2.3 | Not the best period to go |
| June | 13/55 | 23/73 | 66/2.6 | Good period to go
|
| July | 15/59 | 25/77 | 65/2.6 | Good period to go
|
| August | 15/59 | 25/77 | 59/2.3 | Good period to go
|
| September | 11/52 | 20/68 | 36/1.4 | Good period to go
|
| October | 7/45 | 14/57 | 26/1.0 | Not the best period to go |
| November | 3/37 | 7/45 | 29/1.1 | Not the best period to go |
| December | 0/32 | 4/39 | 23/0.9 | Not the best period to go |
Prague's Vaclav Havel International Airport is located about 18 kilometres (11 miles) from the city centre.
Prague is a pleasant city to explore and easy to get around. The Czech capital has an excellent and integrated public transport system with a Metro, buses, trams and night trams.
Prague's Metro is certainly the fastest and most convenient public transport option for getting around the city. It is particularly useful for relatively long distances or when heading from the city centre to peripheral areas. A single ticket costs CZK 32 and remains valid for 90 minutes from first use on the Metro, trams or buses.
Prague's trams are particularly efficient and serve all areas of the city. A single ticket costs CZK 32 and remains valid for 90 minutes from first use on the Metro, trams or buses.
Prague's buses complement the other modes of transport effectively, serving areas not well served by either the Metro or the trams. For the most part, the bus network is limited to central Prague. A single ticket costs CZK 32 and remains valid for 90 minutes from first use on the Metro, trams or buses.
Taking a taxi in Prague is a rather costly option. The initial charge is CZK 40, then CZK 28 per kilometre.
As the centre of Prague is wonderfully compact, discovering the city on foot is a thoroughly enjoyable experience and is unquestionably the best way to get around, unless you are pressed for time.
Upon your arrival in Prague, you can get in touch with local tourism professionals for further information and to help organize your stay.
Prague City TourismOffers practical information and many useful recommendations (accommodation, restaurants, public transport, festivals, cultural events, etc.).
The official website maintained by the Czech Tourism Authority provides a wealth of information on Prague and its region.
See your doctor before you travel.
VaccinationsThere are no vaccination requirements for visitors to the Czech Republic.
For more information, contact Air France's international vaccination centre:
Tap water is safe to drink in Prague.
For a stay of less than three months, travellers from the Schengen area, as well as those from the countries of the European Union not included in the area, need only be in possession of a national identity card or a passport valid for the duration of their stay in order to enter the Czech Republic.
As a general rule, all other travellers are subject to visa requirements, although citizens of some countries may enter the Czech Republic for a short stay of up to 90 days without a visa.
For further information, visit the website of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs: http://www.mzv.cz/jnp/en/information_for_aliens
Here are a few basic Czech phrases that will make your stay in Prague a little easier:
Hello / How do you do?: Dobrý den
Good morning: Dobré ráno
Good evening: Dobrý večer
Goodbye: Nashledanou
Yes: Ano
No: Ne
Thank you very much: Děkuji mnohokrát
No, thank you: Ne, děkuji
Please / You're welcome: Prosím
I don't understand: Nerozumím.
Could you repeat that: Můžete to zopakovat?
We'd like (…): Chceme (…).
I'd like (…): Chci (…).
What time is it: Kolik je hodin?
Excuse me: Promiňte.
Airport: Letiště
Train station: Nádraží
Taxi: Taxi
Hotel: Hotel
Hospital: Nemocnice
Bank: Banka
Telephone: Telefon
I'm (…): Já jsem (…).
I'm looking for (…): Hledám (…).
How much is it: Kolik to stojí?
Do you have (…): Máte (…)?
Where can I find (…): Kde mohu najít (…)?
Where can I buy (…): Kde mohu koupit (…)?
And what about tipping?
Tipping is expected in Prague, as in the rest of the Czech Republic, but the tip should be handed to the server when paying the bill, rather than leaving it on the table. There is no hard-and-fast rule for the amount, but 5 to 10 percent of the bill is usually appropriate. The lowest percentage is entirely acceptable when you are dining in a café or a casual restaurant, whereas higher percentages are suitable at mid-level and upmarket restaurants.
