Prague is preparing for another busy summer, with around 1.6 million visitors expected to arrive during July and August, according to estimates from Prague City Tourism (PCT). The figure represents an increase of roughly five percent compared with the same period last year, when approximately 1.5 million people visited the Czech capital. The latest outlook suggests that the city’s tourism sector will continue its steady recovery, supported by strong demand from both domestic and international travelers. The forecast is supported by figures from STR, the international hotel market data provider. During the first five months of the year, Prague hotels recorded an average occupancy rate of 71.6 percent, up 5.3 percent from a year earlier. Hotel prices have also continued to climb. The average room rate reached €120.55 per night, an annual increase of 7.7 percent. According to Prague City Tourism, the Czech capital is currently seeing faster growth in hotel performance than neighboring Vienna. Luxury accommodation has experienced even stronger demand. Occupancy in Prague’s high-end hotels increased by around seven percent year-on-year, while the average nightly room rate rose by €11, reaching €209. City officials view the trend as evidence that Prague is increasingly attracting higher-spending visitors. In recent...
Prague’s public transport network will move to its annual summer schedule this Saturday, bringing longer waiting times on metro, tram and bus services. The seasonal timetable will remain in place until August 28, after which regular service frequencies will return across the city. Metro services will continue running throughout the summer but with reduced frequency during weekday rush hours. Passengers on Line A will see trains arriving 60 to 75 seconds less often than during the regular schedule. On Line B, intervals will increase by 40 to 60 seconds, while Line C services will be spaced 20 to 35 seconds further apart, depending on the time of day. At midday, trains on all three metro lines will operate every five minutes. Weekend services will generally run at intervals of seven and a half minutes. Tram passengers will also notice changes. Most routes will operate every ten minutes during weekday peak periods and every 12 minutes around midday. The city’s busiest tram corridors, including lines 9, 17 and 22, will continue running at roughly twice that frequency. Bus services will follow adjusted summer schedules as well, with longer intervals on weekdays and selected weekend routes. School bus services will be suspended...
Cheap last-minute packages to the seaside are still available for Czech travellers, but the range of options is narrowing quickly. As temperatures in Czechia climb above 30 degrees Celsius, many people are deciding whether to wait for last-minute offers or secure their summer trip early. Current market data shows that discounted deals have not disappeared, but they are increasingly limited in scope and availability. Travellers who are open to changing destinations or departure dates can still reach Mediterranean beaches at relatively low cost. Those who insist on a particular resort, hotel standard or exact timing are facing a much smaller selection and higher prices. In the final weeks of June, some of the cheapest week-long packages to Bulgaria, Turkey or Greek islands can still be found at around 9,000 to 11,000 CZK per person. However, travel operators say these offers are no longer typical and are becoming exceptions rather than the rule. More common are all-inclusive stays in well-rated hotels, which during peak season are priced between 18,000 and 26,000 CZK per person. In many cases, the difference between budget offers and standard packages now exceeds 10,000 CZK per traveller. The pressure on household budgets is also shifting travel behaviour....
The latest escalation between the two political opponents has ended up in the country’s constitutional court, which is expected to take up the matter on Wednesday. Czech President Petr Pavel on Tuesday said that he had filed a lawsuit against the government, challenging Prime Minister Andrej Babiš’s decision to not include him in the government delegation attending the NATO summit in Ankara in July. The competency suit, which was lodged with Czechia’s Constitutional Court, asks for clarity on who has the authority to decide whether the head of state may attend the NATO summit. The court is due to take up the matter during its plenary session on Wednesday. In a statement, Pavel argued Babiš was trying to “exclude” him from the summit, and thus “limiting the role granted to him by the Constitution.” The president pointed out that his predecessors had attended all previous NATO summits, and that he had been present at every one of the alliance’s gatherings since he took office in 2023. After months of contention over who would represent Prague in Ankara, Babiš on Monday announced the head of state could not join the official delegation because “this summit will be different from previous ones.”...
Housing and food prices in the Czech Republic are nearing Western European levels, while salaries continue to lag. New data published by Eurostat highlight a growing imbalance in the Czech economy. While average price levels remain below those in much of Western Europe, some of the most important expenses facing households have nearly caught up with richer countries. Overall, prices in the Czech Republic stand at 89.4 percent of the European Union average. That remains lower than Germany, where prices reach 108.3 percent of the EU average, and Austria at 113 percent. However, the broader figure masks substantial differences between sectors that directly affect everyday life. Housing is the clearest example. The cost of housing, energy, and related household services in the Czech Republic has reached 107.1 percent of the EU average. Germany records 113.9 percent and Austria 113.4 percent, leaving only a relatively small gap between Czech households and those in Western Europe. The contrast with neighboring countries to the east is striking. Housing-related costs amount to just 52.2 percent of the EU average in Poland and 80.4 percent in Slovakia. This means Czech residents now face housing expenses that are far closer to German levels than to those...
Less than a year after opening its doors in Prague, Hues Kafe achieved a milestone few young independent cafés can claim. The café was selected as an official catering partner for Miss Universe 2026 in Prague, successfully serving approximately 300 guests, including around 200 adults and 100 children. For founder Sameer Shaikh, the moment felt surreal. “When we received the opportunity, we had only two days to prepare. It was a huge responsibility, but also a proud moment for our entire team.” Located in the heart of Prague, Hues Kafe has quickly built a reputation for its colorful presentation, specialty coffee, and unique Indian-European brunch concept. Unlike many cafés that rely on pre-prepared food, dishes at Hues Kafe are made fresh to order, combining flavors from different cultures while maintaining a focus on lighter, oil-free cooking. One of the café’s distinguishing features is its coffee program. Sameer personally sources and develops unique blends, including combinations of Indian, Brazilian, and Colombian beans. His goal is not only to serve quality coffee but also to introduce more people to Indian coffee, which remains relatively unknown compared to many Latin American varieties. The café itself was built entirely through personal savings accumulated during...
The new Prague tram Škoda 52T has received the Red Dot Award for product design, an international distinction that highlights strong industrial and user-focused design in global manufacturing. The jury evaluated the vehicle’s visual design, functionality and passenger comfort. Škoda Group developed the tram through its internal design team, creating a model tailored specifically for Prague’s public transport system. The aim was to combine a modern visual identity with the practical demands of daily city operation. Particular attention was given to the interior layout, passenger visibility and the distinctive front section of the vehicle, which defines its overall appearance in urban traffic. The design was developed with a focus on usability in dense city conditions. According to the company, the balance between engineering solutions and passenger experience played a key role in the award decision. Tomáš Chludil, head of industrial design at Škoda Group, said the project aimed to merge comfort, safety and visual clarity in a single transport solution, while maintaining a clear identity for the vehicle within the city network. The tram measures nearly 32 metres in length and offers 70 seats. It can carry more than 240 passengers and features a fully low-floor design for easier boarding....
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival will return for its 60th edition from 3 to 11 July 2026, bringing a line-up of major international guests to the Czech spa town. Among the central figures this year are Dustin Hoffman and Juliette Binoche, both of whom will receive the Crystal Globe for outstanding contribution to world cinema. Hoffman, 88, remains one of Hollywood’s most recognisable actors, with seven Academy Award nominations and two wins for Kramer vs. Kramer and Rain Man. Binoche has built a long international career spanning European and English-language cinema, with major collaborations including Krzysztof Kieślowski and Anthony Minghella. Also expected in Karlovy Vary is Harvey Keitel, who returns to the festival for the third time. Known for his work with directors such as Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino and Ridley Scott, Keitel’s career includes films such as Pulp Fiction, Taxi Driver and Thelma & Louise. Another guest will be Jeffrey Wright, who will receive the Festival President’s Award. Wright has built a career across film, television and theatre, with roles in Angels in America, the James Bond series, and The Hunger Games franchise. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karlovy Vary IFF (@kviff)...
The Czech Republic has taken a major step toward joining Europe’s growing artificial intelligence infrastructure network after the government approved support for a bid to host a European AI Gigafactory. At its meeting on Monday, the cabinet authorized the Ministry of Industry and Trade to sign a joint procurement agreement with the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking, opening the door for Czech partners to compete for one of the EU’s flagship AI projects. The planned AI Gigafactories are intended to provide Europe with powerful computing infrastructure capable of developing, training and operating advanced artificial intelligence models. The facilities would serve as large-scale AI data centers, helping reduce Europe’s dependence on technology and computing resources from outside the continent. Under the proposed model, construction of the Czech facility would be financed by private investors. The state would not directly fund the project but would commit to using part of the computing capacity if the Czech bid is selected. According to the government, this would give public institutions and domestic organizations access to advanced computing resources under favorable financial conditions. Officials argue that hosting an AI Gigafactory could bring benefits beyond technology development. The project could attract substantial private investment, create opportunities for research...
One of Prague’s best-known summer events is set to return to Kampa this July, bringing together French food, wine, music and culture in the heart of the city. From July 14 to 19, Kampa will once again host the annual French Market, bringing six days of regional food, wine, music and cultural events to the heart of Malá Strana.. Now in its nineteenth edition, the event will feature producers and vendors from across France, offering regional specialties ranging from seafood and cured meats to baked goods and sparkling wines. Organizers say this year’s program will place a particular focus on guest appearances and live performances. Among the most anticipated guests is Ferran Sentís Barcia, a finalist in the World Oyster Opening Championship. Visitors will have the opportunity not only to sample fresh oysters but also to watch demonstrations from one of the most respected oyster-opening specialists working today. Seafood will be joined by a wide selection of traditional French products. Visitors can expect to find Jambon Noir de Bigorre, a premium ham aged for two years in the foothills of the French Pyrenees. The No Stress Bakery stand will present saucisson brioche, a classic specialty from the Lyon region, while...
Most restaurant guides try to answer the same question: which restaurant is the best? A new Prague-based project called Voutie is taking a different approach. Instead of ranking restaurants as a whole, it focuses on something much more specific: individual dishes. The idea began with a simple conversation at home. One evening, the founder’s wife was craving sushi and asked a familiar question: where can you get really good sushi in Prague? “It made me realize how often I was asking the same thing myself,” the founder says. Whether it is sushi, pizza, kebab, burgers or lasagne, many people are not necessarily looking for the city’s best restaurant overall. They just want to know where to find the best version of the food they feel like eating that day. The concept is straightforward. Each registered user receives one vote per category and can assign it to the restaurant they believe serves the best version of that particular dish. If they later discover a place they like more, they can move their vote. One of the best things about Voutie is that every place on the platform is there because it is someone’s favourite for a specific dish. The goal is...
With two locations now running in Prague, including its newer space in Palmovka, Bohemia Boards & Brews is entering a new phase focused less on expansion and more on building its role as a social hub. This summer, the board game café is placing renewed focus on both venues and the role they play in the city’s social life. We spoke with founder Douglas Kaufman about how the concept has evolved and why it still resonates today. Bohemia Boards & Brews combines a café, bar, and a library of hundreds of board games, built around the idea of a shared “third place” — somewhere outside home and work where people can meet and spend time together. “The concept of the board game café was just catching on in the US and Canada, spearheaded by Snakes & Lattes in Toronto,” Kaufman says. “It offered a place with a cool vibe and friendly atmosphere, serving food and drinks while giving people a space to play games.” Before this model existed in Prague, he recalls, options were limited and often improvised. “If you wanted to play games and didn’t want to go to someone’s house, you either went to a pub with your...
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