Prague’s iconic Charles Bridge is undergoing a long-awaited lighting overhaul, expected to last until the end of November.

The public lighting system operator, THMP, has started a comprehensive restoration of the bridge’s illumination, aiming to repair damage caused by a 2022 storm.

Starting Monday, only the historic gas lamps lining the pedestrian pathway will light the bridge. Meanwhile, the statues and arches will remain dark as extensive repairs take place.

“We are also dismantling and replacing all the original lighting elements, such as outdated discharge lamps, which used to light the bridge’s arches and statues,” said Simona Kopová, a spokesperson for THMP.

The new lighting will use modern LED technology, designed to be more energy-efficient and allow for remote monitoring of any malfunctions.

The restoration, with an estimated cost of nearly CZK six million, is set to be completed by November 30.

The project involves the renewal of 182 lights on the bridge. These include almost 100 lights in the arches, 24 on the icebreakers, and over 60 that illuminate the statues. Due to the sensitive nature of the location, the removal and installation of the lights will require specialised techniques, including rope, boat, and diving work.

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The organizers of the renowned SIGNAL Festival 2024 have unveiled the detailed program for this year’s event, promising to dazzle both Prague’s residents and visitors.

Running over four consecutive evenings—October 10, 11, 12, and 13 (Thursday through Sunday)—the festival offers an immersive experience, blending cutting-edge light installations with the city’s historic architecture.

The main part of the festival will once again take place in the heart of Prague, showcasing spectacular works of art in the city’s streets and squares, all free of charge.

What to Expect: 13 Light Installations and Video Mappings

Attendees can enjoy 13 stunning light installations, as well as two video mappings projected onto iconic buildings: the facade of the Central City Library on Mariánské Square and the Archbishop’s Palace on Hradčany Square.

The video mappings will run daily from 7:00 PM to midnight, with shows repeating every 15 minutes. This provides plenty of opportunities for visitors to catch these mesmerizing displays throughout the evening.

Indoor Installations and Ticket Information

In addition to the outdoor exhibits, seven art installations will be hosted in various indoor locations such as churches and galleries. While these exhibits require a ticket, they are well worth the admission for those who wish to experience the full festival. Tickets are available on the festival’s official website, with two pricing options:

• SIGNAL-Plus (340 CZK): Grants unlimited access to all paid installations throughout the entire festival.
• SIGNAL-VIP (1,690 CZK): Offers priority entry, allowing visitors to skip the long lines and enjoy additional perks.

Prague Castle Debut

For the first time in its 13-year history, the festival will include Prague Castle on one of its two main routes. This new addition marks a significant step for the festival, blending modern art with one of the city’s most historic landmarks.

“There is a place for contemporary art at Prague Castle,” said Veronika Wolf, Director of Culture at the Office of the President of the Republic. “We are continually seeking ways to introduce modern art into this historic setting, and our collaboration with the SIGNAL Festival is a natural evolution of these efforts.”

Two Unique Routes: Hradčany and Centrum

This year’s edition offers two distinct routes—Hradčany and Centrum. Both routes will guide visitors through Prague’s vibrant cityscape, filled with light design, digital art, and immersive experiences. An interactive map and a detailed description of each installation can be accessed via the festival’s official website.

A Fusion of Art, Technology, and Social Issues

“Join us in an ecosystem where light design, visual art, and digital creativity intersect with the city’s historical landscape,” the organizers said. “This year, we touch on important contemporary social themes, using Prague as a canvas to explore the balance between tradition and technology.”

The festival also introduces a new educational platform and will host the Signal Forum conference, focusing on the intersection of technology, art, and society.

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The main opposition party dominated Czech regional elections and was ahead in the first round of voting for Parliament’s upper house, according to results released Saturday.

With almost all the votes counted, the ANO (YES) movement led by former populist Prime Minister Andrej Babis won 10 of the 13 regions contested in the election on Friday and Saturday, the Czech Statistics Office said.

The result reflected a stable support for ANO, which also won 10 regions in 2020 and nine in 2016, and a boost for Babis ahead of next year’s general election.

ANO also has the most candidates advancing to the runoffs for 27 seats in the 81-seat Senate. The top two finishers in each district will face each other in a head-to-head vote next weekend.

With ballots from 99% of stations counted, ANO had 19 candidates advancing to the runoffs.

The Czech Statistics Office said five candidates reached the 50% threshold to win seats outright, leaving 22 seats to be decided in runoffs next week between the top two finishers in each race.

The outright winners included two candidates from ANO, one from the Christian Democrats, a member of the governing five-party coalition, an independent representing the coalition and an opposition Social Democrat.

Only 33% of eligible voters took part in the elections, held just days after the worst floods in decades ravaged parts of eastern Czech Republic.

“The results confirm a longer-term trend and suggest that ANO will likely also win the general elections next year,” political scientist Jakub Lysek from Palacky University Olomouc said on public television.

“Something for the ruling parties to think about.”

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On Thursday afternoon, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, along with the prime ministers of Poland and Slovakia, and the Austrian Chancellor, in Wroclaw, Poland.

The leaders discussed financial aid for European countries hit by devastating floods, with the Czech Republic set to receive €2 billion from EU funds.

The meeting, which aimed to address the severe flood damage across Central Europe, was attended by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, and von der Leyen. The Prime Minister of Romania had also been invited but was forced to decline due to ongoing flood recovery efforts in his country.

Financial Support Agreed in Wroclaw

“In Wroclaw, we agreed that the EU will release €2 billion (CZK 50 billion) from cohesion funds to assist the Czech Republic,” Fiala announced on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). In total, Central European countries will receive €10 billion (CZK 250 billion) to help mitigate the aftermath of the floods.

Ursula von der Leyen highlighted the critical need for financial resources to restore the damaged landscapes and infrastructure. She explained that the European Solidarity Fund would be used primarily for rebuilding motorways, railways, and bridges. However, she warned that the fund alone would not be sufficient.

A Second EU Fund for Additional Support

To fill the gap, the EU will launch another fund, which will provide the affected countries with €10 billion to further support the rebuilding of their ravaged regions. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed that these funds will not only focus on infrastructure repair but will also extend to support countries like Romania, which has also been heavily impacted by the floods.

Devastation in the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic has seen flood-related damages amounting to tens of billions of Czech crowns, and according to Prime Minister Fiala, the total could rise to CZK 100 billion.

Fiala also confirmed that on Wednesday, the affected countries had already reached a joint agreement on how to approach the application for EU financial aid.

This coordinated effort by Central European leaders represents a critical step in securing the necessary resources to rebuild infrastructure and restore normalcy to areas devastated by recent floods.

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Anyone who recently ate at Hideout, an Asian restaurant on Rybná Street in Prague, may be horrified to learn what was going on behind the scenes.

The restaurant was operating under appalling conditions, with cockroaches infesting the kitchen and an overall state of filth.

On September 12, inspectors from the State Agricultural and Food Inspection Authority (SZPI) visited the establishment and were shocked by what they discovered.

The kitchen was not only extremely dirty but also crawling with live cockroaches, leading to an immediate shutdown of the premises.

“Our inspectors found the facility severely neglected in terms of cleanliness, with numerous live cockroaches present,” the SZPI stated.

Given these serious hygiene violations, the authorities imposed a complete ban on the restaurant’s operations.

Many travellers will have stayed in a short-term holiday let at some point, but in many popular European cities, the proliferation of holiday lets can lead to higher rents and less housing for locals.

Across Barcelona, Madrid, Prague and now central areas in Budapest and Athens, local governments are taking action to curb or even ban short-term let licences.

Locals in one Budapest district vote to ban holiday lets from 2026

It looks like the Hungarian capital, Budapest, is also souring on incessant tourism after the publishing of voting results on Monday, September 15th, which showed that residents of the central District VI have narrowly voted to ban short-term rentals with effect from 1 January 2026.

So far, this represents only one small part of the city, however, Terézváros (Theresa city), as District VI is officially known, is also one of the most densely populated ones so the impact of Airbnb-style lets there is felt more acutely.

After the vote was concluded, according to Euronews, Mayor Tamás Soproni from the centrist political party Momentum Movement said: “The next step is to bring the will of the people of Terezváros to the representative body, and we will create a decree on their decision.”

And despite the small size of the district and the fact that support for the ban was only confirmed with a slight majority of 54%, the news is important because it may be the foretelling of things to come across the entire city or country.

Central Athens bans all new licences for holiday lets

The Greek government has announced a ban on new short-term rental licences in three central Athens districts from 1 January 2025 for at least 12 months.

Olga Kefalogianni, the Greek tourism minister, has said that the licensing ban in the three districts, believed to be the first, second and third municipal districts of Athens, could also be extended beyond the initial 12-month period due to “a lot of pressure on society”.

In addition, finance minister Kostis Hatzidakis has confirmed that a daily tax on short-term rentals will rise from €1.50 to €8 between April and October 2025 and from €0.50 to €2 for the winter months. The tax was put in place originally to help Greece manage the impact of climate change-related natural disasters.

The announcements in Athens come amid a string of measures being introduced by the Greek government aimed at addressing the impact of overtourism in certain areas of the country, including a lack of housing and the rising cost of living.

The new plan will involve restrictions that are tailored to specific neighbourhoods, and aims to balance the presence of short-term rentals with long-term leasing options.

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Oscar-winning actor joins Czech swing musician Jan Smigmator on stage for a night of jazz and swing classics.

Over the weekend, visitors at Malostranská Beseda in Prague got an unexpected surprise when Kevin Spacey, the Oscar-winning actor known for American Beauty and The Usual Suspects, joined Czech swing musician Jan Smigmator on stage.

The unplanned concert was reported by Czech music magazine Headliner.

Spacey, who was in Prague on a private visit, had come to Malostranská Beseda for dinner with Smigmator and his wife. Later, to everyone’s surprise, he stepped up to the stage for an impromptu musical performance.

According to Smigmator’s Instagram, the two had dined the night before at Sansho, a restaurant where parts of the movie FUBAR starring Arnold Schwarzenegger had recently been filmed.

Although Spacey is best known for his acting, he actually started his career in musical theatre and has always had a passion for music. He even played singer Bobby Darin in the film Beyond the Sea, which he also directed and co-wrote.

“Kevin is here on a private trip,” Smigmator told the Flash. “Not many people know that he began his career as a singer and still loves music. We have mutual friends among American musicians, and when he told me he loves Prague, we invited him to join a jam session, which he was happy to do.”

 

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A post shared by Jan Smigmator (@jansmigmatorofficial)

Jan Smigmator is a well-known Czech swing singer who performs with his band, the Swinging Quartet. He has played internationally, including at Carnegie Hall in New York. He also hosts the Klub Evergreen radio show and has released several albums like Swing Is Back and Time To Swing.

After dinner at Malostranská Beseda, Spacey and Smigmator casually headed to the stage, surprising the small crowd of about two dozen people.

They were joined by pianist Mikuláš Pokorný and bassist Petr Dvorský. The group played an hour of swing and jazz classics, with Spacey and Smigmator singing Frank Sinatra’s “Strangers in the Night” and “That’s Life”, as well as Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World”.

Although Spacey has kept a low profile in recent years due to multiple accusations of sexual misconduct, which led to his firing from House of Cards and his replacement in Ridley Scott’s All the Money in the World, he was found not guilty in a 2022 New York trial. In 2023, he was also acquitted in a London court.

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On the evening of Thursday, September 19, passersby noticed a new act of vandalism on the Charles Bridge.

A green inscription appeared on the parapet near the Old Town Bridge Tower, catching the attention of those crossing the bridge.

While the exact time of the incident remains unknown, the bridge is under constant surveillance by multiple CCTV cameras. Authorities are confident that identifying the culprit will not take long.

According to the Novinky, as of Thursday evening, no formal report had been made to the police regarding the vandalism.

This is not the first time the historic bridge has been targeted.

In 2021, a pair of lovers left English phrases such as ‘hate you,’ ‘love,’ and ‘sorry’ on the bridge.

They were sentenced to compulsory community service and fined. The couple avoided a harsher punishment, but under Czech law, defacing a cultural monument can lead to up to three years in prison.

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On Saturday, 21 September, the Czech Republic will host the 19th edition of the beloved “Experience the City Differently” (Zažít město jinak) festival, an annual event that encourages locals to reclaim their streets.

This year’s theme, “Slow Down,” is a gentle reminder to pause and savor both city life and community connections.

Organized by the AutoMat association, the event will transform streets, courtyards, parks, alleys, and squares into welcoming public spaces.

“The Experience the City Differently festival is traditionally held on the third Saturday of September, coinciding with European Mobility Week and International Car-Free Day. It invites residents to explore their familiar streets from a fresh perspective,” explains Barbora Hradečná from AutoMat.

The slogan “Slow Down” not only promotes a break from our fast-paced routines but also highlights the importance of traffic calming in urban areas.

The organizers encourage participants to linger over casual conversations with neighbors, enjoy refreshments, and forge new connections within their communities.

“You can show children what it’s like when streets are theirs to enjoy, free from constant traffic,” Hradečná added. “It’s also an opportunity to think about the barriers that elderly people, or those with disabilities, face in public spaces.”

Here you can find the whole program in Prague.

Floods Affect Event Proceedings

Unfortunately, recent floods have led several cities to cancel their scheduled events. Bílovice nad Svitavou and Ostrava are among the locations that have withdrawn, while Broumov has decided to go ahead with the festivities.

Meanwhile, organizers in Kutná Hora and Nový Jičín plan to donate the proceeds from their events to support flood-affected regions. Other cities may adjust their programs depending on local circumstances.

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The fourth annual Spring Wine Festival is set to celebrate the end of the harvest season and the start of a new year for the divine drink—wine.

This year, the festival will feature wines from over 30 wineries, a variety of culinary delights, and lively music and dance entertainment throughout the weekend.

As the grape harvest winds down, it’s the perfect time to raise a glass to the season’s hard work. The Spring Wine Festival invites you to join the festivities with wine, burčák, and a feast of great food.

The event will take place on Saturday and Sunday, September 21 and 22, in the scenic square in front of Písecká brána in Prague 6.

What can you look forward to? A selection of top-quality Czech and international wines, fresh burčák, and plenty of delicious food pairings.

The entertainment lineup promises something for everyone, including live music, dance lessons, and interactive activities. You can even get your hair styled by a French hairdresser on-site.

The musical acts will include the renowned band Chameleon Groove, Tibor Žida, and the folk ensemble Šraml. Dance Perfect school will showcase a special festival performance, and the weekend will culminate with a performance by Xavier Baumaxa on Sunday.

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Sparta Prague enjoyed a fine return to the Champions League on Wednesday, recording a 3-0 win over Salzburg in their first game in Europe’s top club competition in 19 years.

Sparta grabbed an early lead that set the tone for the league-phase opener at the Epet Arena as home fans celebrated their team’s first win in the tournament since 2003.

The hosts opened the scoring just two minutes in when Kaan Kairinen pounced on a loose ball after a great save by Salzburg goalkeeper Janis Blaswich, effortlessly slotting home the rebound.

Victor Olantuji then doubled their lead in the 42nd minute, firing in from a tight angle after taking in a long ball over the top from captain Filip Panak.

Olantuji then turned provider as the hosts killed the game off just before the hour mark, assisting Qazim Laci for a coolly struck finish after a cheap giveaway from Salzburg.

⭐⭐⭐ VÍTĚZSTVÍ

Úspěšný vstup do Ligy mistrů 😍 #acsparta | #UCL pic.twitter.com/Uq1BtHEGZd

— AC Sparta Praha (@ACSparta_CZ) September 18, 2024

Sparta’s victory, their first in the Champions League since beating Lazio 1-0 in December 2003, saw them halt a 14-game winless run in the competition (four draws, 10 losses).

It is also the first time they have ever started a Champions League campaign with a win, on their eighth appearance in the competition proper.

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