Prague is gearing up for the twelfth edition of the Prague Coffee Festival, set to take place over the weekend of October 12th and 13th, 2024. The event promises a rich experience for coffee lovers, offering a chance to sample more than one hundred varieties of coffee from around the globe. This year, the festival will be held at Holešovická Market (Holešovická tržnice, Bubenské nábřeží 306/13), with doors open from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on both days. Visitors can expect a diverse selection of coffees from 50 Czech and international roasters. The festival will feature dozens of coffee types, brewed using both traditional espresso methods and alternative techniques such as siphon, French press, pour-over, and Aeropress, all in one location. In addition to tasting sessions, the festival will offer a packed schedule of events including lectures on coffee roasting and preparation, hands-on master classes, live musical performances, and more. Tickets are already on sale. A single-day pass costs 449 CZK, while a two-day pass is available for 619 CZK. With your ticket, you’ll enjoy unlimited tastings of the coffee varieties on offer and gain access to all festival activities. To purchase tickets, follow this link. Would you like us...
The Czech Republic will use some of the interest earned on Russian assets frozen in the European Union to buy hundreds of thousands more artillery shells for Ukraine. Western countries blocked about $300 billion worth of sovereign Russian assets after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. EU countries are taking the interest earned on the assets -which include bonds and other securities bought by the Russian central bank – and putting it into an EU fund to aid Ukraine as it fights the Russian invasion. EU governments agreed in June to use 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in profits generated by the assets to buy arms and pay for other kinds of support to Ukraine. The Czech Defence Ministry said some of that money would be used for an effort it has been leading to buy artillery ammunition for Ukraine around the world, funded by Western partners. “Thanks to proceeds from frozen Russian finances, released by the European Union, we will be able to supply several hundreds of thousands of large-calibre ammunition rounds to Ukraine,” minister Jana Cernochova said. The ministry did not give further details but said deliveries would be made “in the coming months”,...
The advertising rickshaws promoting Thai massage parlors will soon disappear from the streets of Prague. The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MIT) has upheld a decision by the city’s Department of Trades and Consumer Legislation, which ruled that these rickshaws must be removed as they constitute illegal advertising within a conservation area. This decision is final and cannot be appealed. For several years, the city has been fighting to remove these red and green rickshaws, which are equipped with LED lights, from key locations. Rickshaws Removed from Historic Locations The removal order specifically targets rickshaws located in high-traffic areas, including Wenceslas Square, Old Town Square, Celetná and Karlova streets. The municipality argues that these rickshaws not only represent unauthorized advertising but also create obstacles for pedestrians. The operator countered that the rickshaws are not advertisements but rather a means of transport for employees. However, the city imposed a fine on the operator for both the rickshaws and the use of tarpaulins on Karlova Street. Complaint Rejected The decision states, “The Ministry concludes that the contested decision was issued in accordance with the law and that the appeal should be dismissed as unfounded.” None of the operator’s arguments against the municipality’s...
Public transport in Žižkov will face significant disruptions over the next eight days due to a major water main failure. Starting tonight, eight tram lines that normally run through Seifertova Street will be diverted, with normal service expected to resume on Thursday, August 29. The issue arose from a water main breakdown at Sladkovského náměstí, affecting water supply to Vlkova and Seifertova streets. As a result, tram services on these streets will be suspended from 8 PM tonight to allow for necessary pipe repairs. The affected lines include 15, 24, 26, 29, 34, 35, 90, and 95. Here’s how the routes will be altered: Line 15: Will be rerouted from Náměstí Republiky, passing through Karlín, Palmovka, and Biskupcova, before reaching Želivského and Olšanské hřbitovy. Line 29: Will bypass its usual stops to head directly from Krejcárek to Palmovka and Kobylisy. Line 34: Will take a detour from Libeňský most to Bílá labuť, then proceed to Masaryk Railway Station and Viktoria Žižkov. Line 35: Will operate on a modified route passing through Václavské náměstí, Jindřišská, Masaryk Railway Station, and Bílá labuť. To help ease the disruption, the transport company is providing replacement bus services labeled X9, X15, and X95. Passengers are...
The journey of “The Fellowship of the Ring” is over, the decisive battle for Middle Earth begins! Enjoy the dramatic conclusion to the trilogy in a unique cinematic performance with live music by Oscar-winning composer Howard Shore, performed by a 230-piece symphony orchestra, choirs, and international soloists. The concert with a spectacular film screening will take place twice, on the 8th and 9th of November, 2024, in the modern concert hall O2 Universum Prague. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, based on the book by J. R. R. Tolkien, premiered in the Czech Republic on 15 January 2004. Its attendance reached three-quarters of a million spectators. Although more than 20 years have passed since its release, this groundbreaking work has lost none of its popularity. On the contrary, more and more new generations admire its excellence. Howard Shore, who won two Oscars for The Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of the King, composed the beautiful music for the trilogy. The third Oscar was awarded to the final song of the saga, Into the West, sung by the famous Annie Lennox. “The large scale of the music requires a symphony orchestra, a mixed choir, a...
The Signal Festival is set to return to Prague this October, offering a captivating blend of digital art and creative culture. This year, two of the city’s historic landmarks—the Archbishop’s Palace on Hradčanské Square and the City Library on Mariánské Square—will be transformed by mesmerizing video mappings. Internationally acclaimed digital artist Filip Hodas will breathe new life into the Archbishop’s Palace with his installation, Eternal Recurrence. Hodas, known for blurring the line between fiction and reality, will use video mapping to highlight the palace’s architectural details, weaving a digital narrative that spans the history and evolution of life forms. The palace, a late Baroque gem with a Rococo facade, has stood in Hradčany since the 16th century, and this new artwork will add a fresh dimension to its storied past. Meanwhile, the City Library on Mariánské Square will be the canvas for The Rhythm of the Ocean, a video mapping installation by the Spanish-Danish visual group Desilence. The creative duo behind Desilence, Tatiana Halbach and Søren Christensen, will transform the library’s neoclassical facade into a dynamic and powerful visual experience. Accompanied by the evocative soundscapes of Suzanne Ciani, a pioneer in electronic and synthetic music, the installation will plunge viewers...
Czech President Petr Pavel believes that Ukraine’s NATO accession should not depend on regaining full control over all its territory. “If there is a demarcation, even of some administrative border, then we will be able to recognize this administrative border as a temporary state border and allow Ukraine to join NATO with the territory it will control at that moment,” he explained. Pavel mentioned an example of Germany which joined the Alliance in 1955, even though a part of its territory was occupied by the Soviet Union until 1990. “So I think that there is both a technical and a legal decision which will allow Ukraine to join NATO without dragging it into the conflict with the Russian Federation,” Pavel said, adding that it would only be possible after the start of negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. He stressed that democratic countries should treat Russia-occupied territories of Ukraine only as temporarily occupied. The July NATO summit in Washington ended with the launch of the Ukraine Compact, a security framework signed by 32 allies. The countries affirmed Kyiv’s “irreversible” path toward membership, though Ukraine did not receive any definitive news about its future accession. President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has repeatedly called...
If maintaining healthy, radiant skin has been an uphill battle for you – then you might be interested in a cozy skin clinic just a few streets away from Jiřího z Poděbrad. Established in 2022, Face Place is a subsidiary of the wildly popular Hollywood facial clinic which bears the same name. Face Place was opened by Ladana Edwards, who’s been a Prague resident for over 20 years. Dealing with acne, both her own and her son’s, led her down a unique journey, specialising in skin health. “My son battled acne from an early age, just like I did. We’d take him for a facial here in town and it didn’t help at all. They’d torture him with painful extractions, resulting in infections and scarring and his acne would be even worse.” Ladana got the idea to dip into her own past for a solution, “When I had my own troubles with acne, as a young woman, the one treatment that really worked was a galvanic facial offered in my home town. It worked so well, in fact, that I’ve continued to use it for another 30 years, long after my acne had cleared up.” This galvanic facial technique, now...
Soviet tanks led the way as more than 200,000 Warsaw Pact troops marched into the Czechoslovak capital during the night of August 20, 1968, ending the Prague Spring at the behest of the rulers in Moscow. The number of occupying troops would total more than 500,000, and the invasion would put an end to the dream of a European socialism based on freedom — above all freedom of expression. When he took office as the first secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia at the beginning of 1968, Alexander Dubcek began allowing journalists to ignore the official censorship orders. He supported free and democratic socialism in the hope that Soviet leaders in Moscow would allow the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (CSSR) to forge its own way in the Kremlin-dominated Eastern bloc. But, ultimately, there was a greater fear that more freedom in the CSSR could lead to upheaval in neighboring Soviet-aligned countries. “Operation Danube” was the largest military mobilisation in Europe since the end of World War II. Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev’s official reason for the 1968 invasion was to protect Czechoslovakia from corrupt Western influences attempting to interfere with socialism by “creating a counterrevolution.” The Soviets claimed that Czechoslovak politicians...
An emergency button installed at every Prague metro station can stop an oncoming train immediately if someone falls onto the tracks. However, many passengers are unaware of its existence, leading to tragic incidents. Last week, a blind man tragically lost his life at Křižíkova station when he fell onto the tracks and the train could not be stopped in time. The police are now urging the public to familiarize themselves with these emergency buttons, which are a crucial safety feature. Eva Kropáčová, a spokesperson for the police, emphasized the importance of knowing about them: “Right now, our goal is to raise awareness about the emergency button so that in case of an accident, people can act quickly and prevent a tragedy.” The emergency buttons are located on the platform near the tracks and are usually positioned at both ends of the platform, either mounted on walls or poles. They are protected by glass that needs to be broken to activate the system. When pressed, the button sends a signal to the train’s safety system, either stopping the train or preventing it from starting. In the recent Křižíkova incident, bystanders noticed the man falling but did not realize there was a...
The Czech Health Ministry is drafting an amendment to a decree that could significantly impact the e-cigarette industry. The proposed changes would prohibit all flavours except tobacco, as well as sweeteners and other additives commonly used in e-cigarette liquids. These regulations would apply solely to vaping products, leaving traditional cigarettes and other nicotine alternatives unaffected. Industry representatives have responded with alarm, warning that this move could lead to the collapse of the entire sector. “We are stunned. Without any prior consultation, the ministry is essentially planning to ban e-cigarettes in the Czech Republic,” said Robert Hrdlička, chairman of the Chamber of Electronic Vaping (KEVAP). He argued that without the now-banned ingredients, tobacco-flavoured e-liquids would be unsellable. “The ministry is imposing an amateurish and uninformed view on what tobacco should taste like,” Hrdlička added. In addition, a new excise tax on e-cigarettes is set to take effect in September, with further increases planned in the coming years. “The government’s approach is entirely illogical. First, they encourage e-cigarettes as a tool to reduce smoking, and now they’re essentially banning them,” Hrdlička criticized. Experts in the e-cigarette field warn that such a ban could push users back to conventional cigarettes or encourage smuggling...
More than half of Prague’s 1,189 buses and just 127 out of 771 trams currently have air conditioning. Ongoing fleet upgrades and new purchases are gradually increasing these numbers, according to the latest updates from the Prague Public Transit Company (DPP). Prague Integrated Transport (PID) guidelines require air conditioning to be activated when outdoor temperatures reach 22 degrees Celsius. At present, around 60% of the city’s buses are equipped with air conditioning. DPP purchases 100 to 120 new buses annually, which steadily increases the proportion of climate-controlled vehicles. Among trams, only some of the Škoda 15T ForCity models are air-conditioned. Although a previous city council approved the installation of air conditioning in the remaining 124 trams of this type, the plan was later scrapped due to technical and legal hurdles. Instead, DPP signed a framework agreement for 200 Škoda ForCity Plus 52T trams, valued at CZK 16.6 billion. These new trams will come equipped with air conditioning, but so far, DPP has committed to purchasing just 40 of them. How to Identify Air-Conditioned Trams in Prague All Škoda 15T4 trams come with onboard climate control. These trams are easily recognized by the yellow plastic inserts in the front section. Another...
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