Meet Julia and Ioana, the founders behind The Story Society, a new English-language bookstore and community project in Prague. Their idea combines a selection of books with a space for reading, book clubs, events and meeting other people. The project is still in development, with the founders currently looking for a location and working towards opening the bookstore in early 2027. Why a bookstore? For Julia, the idea started from a personal need. “I wanted to create a place where introverted people like myself could spend time comfortably, discover books at their own pace and potentially meet others with similar interests,” she says. But there was also a practical reason behind the idea. According to the founders, finding a wider selection of English-language books in Prague can be difficult, particularly when it comes to special editions. Ordering books from abroad can also mean higher shipping costs, taxes and waiting several weeks for delivery. “I wanted to solve two problems. One is community, and the other one is buying books in English here,” Julia says. The Story Society plans to source books from the UK and offer a selection that the founders feel is currently difficult to find locally. What they...
Most large supermarkets and retail chains in the Czech Republic will close on Wednesday, October 28, as the country marks the Day of the Establishment of an Independent Czechoslovak State. Under Czech law, shops with a sales area exceeding 200 square meters must close on the public holiday. The restriction covers most major supermarkets as well as large retailers selling clothing, electronics, furniture and other goods. Major chains including Lidl, Kaufland, Albert, Billa, Penny Market and Tesco are expected to close their large stores for the day. The restrictions apply nationwide and are based on Act No. 223/2016 Coll., which regulates retail opening hours on selected public holidays. October 28 commemorates the establishment of an independent Czechoslovak state in 1918, following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of World War I. Which shops can remain open Not all retailers are subject to the closure requirement. The law provides several exceptions, allowing certain businesses to operate as usual. These include: Small grocery stores and convenience shops with a sales area of up to 200 square meters Pharmacies Shops at petrol stations Retail outlets at airports Shops located at railway and bus stations Shops within medical facilities Smaller shops...
The opposition Mayors and Independents (STAN) party came first in municipal elections in Prague, with 23 percent of the vote. Led by Prague Deputy Mayor Petr Hlaváček, secured more than 23 percent of the vote, up sharply from 7.8 percent four years ago. The party recorded the largest increase among the main political groups contesting the capital’s city council. The Spolu coalition, comprising the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and TOP 09, finished second with approximately 22 percent. Its result was around three percentage points lower than in the previous election. Praha Sobě, another group led by a serving deputy mayor, also improved its position. Under Adam Scheinherr’s leadership, it won nearly 18 percent of the vote. The ANO movement, the strongest party in the Czech national parliament, finished fourth in Prague after losing support. In 2022, ANO won 19.3 percent of the vote in the capital. This time, it failed to reach 15 percent. The Pirate Party suffered an even steeper decline. After finishing third with 17.7 percent of the vote in 2022, it received just over 9 percent this time, narrowly securing representation on the Prague City Council. The election results set the stage for negotiations over Prague’s next...
A police car plunged into the Vltava River in Prague on Saturday morning after crashing through the guardrails of Hlávkův Bridge. The vehicle’s two occupants and a man who jumped into the water to help them were treated by emergency crews for hypothermia. The accident was reported to police at around 8 a.m. on October 10. A man and a woman, both approximately 30 years old, were inside the car when it went into the river. A witness jumped into the water after the vehicle fell from the bridge and helped the occupants. Emergency services subsequently treated all three people at the scene. Prague Emergency Medical Service dispatched three ambulances, a medical inspector and a rapid response vehicle to the incident. All three were suffering from hypothermia but were not in life-threatening condition, according to emergency responders. “We are very grateful to the rescuer for their help,” Prague Emergency Medical Service said in a statement, confirming that all three people were in its care. Police are investigating the circumstances of the crash, including what caused the vehicle to break through the bridge’s guardrails and fall into the Vltava. Promote your business to thousands of expats in Prague Find out how.
Prague has received higher visitor satisfaction ratings than Vienna and Berlin, according to the latest Global Tourist Perception Index by Data Appeal Mabrian Intelligence. The Czech capital scored 92.7 out of 100, compared with 85.6 for Vienna and 78.4 for Berlin, Prague City Tourism (PCT) announced on Thursday. The results reflect six years of efforts to improve tourism services, visitor experiences and the city’s destination branding, the organization said during International Customer Service Week, held from October 5 to 9. The Global Tourist Perception Index assesses several aspects of the visitor experience, including hotel satisfaction, safety and tourism products. Prague scored highest among the three capitals, according to PCT. Visitor spending rises as tourism shifts upmarket Data from Mastercard transactions indicate that spending by visitors from key foreign markets increased by 18% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, while the number of visitors rose by approximately 1%. Social media analysis also points to Prague’s growing association with culture. More than a third of social media posts shared by visitors about the city focused on art and culture, an increase of around five percentage points year-on-year. Nightlife accounted for just 4.5% of reported reasons...
Prague 7 has transformed several streets around local schools with large-scale colorful paintings created with the help of local schoolchildren. The new artwork can be seen on Rajská, Plynární, Jablonského and Antonínská streets, as well as part of Bubenská Street. The municipality placed the designs mainly near schools and along busy pedestrian routes. On Antonínská Street, students from grades five through eight at Strossmayerovo Square Elementary School helped create the artwork. They produced the original drawings, which artist Jakub Karlík then combined into the final design. Several other educational institutions are located close to the painted streets, including Bratrská Elementary School, the Holešovice Business Academy, the Higher Vocational School of Fashion Design and the Secondary Industrial School of Fashion Design. The new designs have received mostly positive reactions from local residents. Comments on Prague 7’s Facebook page described the streets as more cheerful and said the artwork had made the area more interesting. There has also been criticism, particularly over the cost and the practical impact of painting the asphalt. Some residents questioned whether the project was necessary and raised concerns about the roughness of the surface, pedestrian movement and whether the paint could become slippery. Prague 7 said anti-slip...
Czech beer consumption fell to its lowest level on record in 2025, with the average resident drinking 121 liters during the year, according to data from the Czech Association of Breweries and Malt Houses (ČSPS). Total domestic consumption reached 14.86 million hectoliters, down 3.2% from 2024. The figure is the lowest recorded since nationwide beer consumption statistics began. Overall beer production in the Czech Republic also declined last year. Breweries produced 19.96 million hectoliters of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer, 4.3% less than in 2024. The decline affected nearly every category, with non-alcoholic beer the main exception. Production of non-alcoholic and flavored non-alcoholic beer increased by 4% to 1.68 million hectoliters. Demand for non-alcoholic beer has been rising steadily for more than a decade. Between 2019 and 2024 alone, production increased by around 50%. Pubs lose ground as more Czechs drink at home The shift in drinking habits is particularly visible in restaurants and pubs. Draft beer accounted for 28% of beer sold on the Czech market in 2025, down one percentage point from the previous year. The longer-term decline is more significant. Draft beer represented 35% of sales in 2019 and 51% in 2008. The ČSPS said the figures reflect...
Nearly half of people in the Czech Republic spend more than 30% of their net income on housing, while around one in 10 spends more than half. Housing is generally considered financially burdensome when rent, utilities and other related costs exceed 30–40% of household income. The EU average is around 24%. The findings come from a survey by Česká spořitelna and Evropa v datech, conducted with Ipsos among 1,000 respondents in February. Housing affordability remains particularly difficult for young Czechs. Among people aged 18 to 29, 58% live with their parents at least part of the time, while 29% live with friends or a partner. The survey found that 60% of people under 30 who are dissatisfied with their housing situation have postponed a major life decision because of it. For around one-third, this has happened repeatedly. Starting a family is among the decisions affected by housing conditions. Homeowners were considerably more likely to be very satisfied than renters, with 41% of owners describing themselves as very satisfied compared with 18% of renters. Czechia still has the least affordable housing in the EU The Czech Republic improved by six places in this year’s housing conditions ranking, reaching 17th among the...
Jiráskovo Square in Prague is set for a major redesign that will change one of the city’s best-known photo spots near the Dancing House. The project, estimated to cost around CZK 35 million, will replace part of the damaged lawn with paving, restore a historic fountain and move the monument to writer Alois Jirásek. The Prague 2 district plans to carry out the transformation over the next two years. The redesign is based on a 2022 study prepared by archiF studio. The square’s lawn has long been a problem. Its location directly opposite the Dancing House makes it a popular stopping point for tourists, many of whom step onto the grass to take photographs with the distinctive building in the background. One of the most common poses involves visitors appearing to support the Dancing House with their foot or kick it. The repeated foot traffic has left the grass heavily damaged, despite attempts to restore it. Under the new plans, part of the lawn will be replaced with a paved surface. This will create a more durable area for visitors to take photographs while reducing pressure on the remaining greenery. Historic fountain to return to operation The redesign will also...
The PINKBUS Festival will return to Prague on November 3-14 with several days of theatre, dance, drag, music, visual art and performance. This year’s edition, titled Forward March!, will focus on the need to keep moving forward amid an uncertain social and political climate. Organised by the PINKBUS queer arts platform, the festival aims to create a space for artists and audiences to meet, experiment and share experiences. The programme combines established artists with new projects and will also mark the beginning of a new season for the platform. One of the highlights of this year’s festival will be the premiere of two original works developed through the PINKBUS open call First Ride. Richard Eliáš, an Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague (AVU) student, will present the interdisciplinary drag fantasy I Guess It’s Kind of My Fault, or What?. The second project, by the performative art collective Izbová teplota & Alejandra, is Štúrovci Went to Devín and Had Some Fun, offering a new and unconventional take on the group of Slovak national revival figures known as the Štúrovci. The festival will also feature international guests. French artists Nicolas Poggi and Giselle Hauscarriaga will present SUDOR (Sweat), a Czech...
Roger Waters will bring a new Pink Floyd concert production to Prague next year, with LEGACY – A Pink Floyd Show scheduled for June 8, 2027, at O2 universum. The new production has been created under Waters’ direction and will feature a ten-piece band led by his son, Harry Waters. The Prague show will focus on music from what is widely regarded as Pink Floyd’s most influential period, spanning 1971 to 1979. The setlist will draw from four of the band’s best-known albums: The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Wall. The music will be accompanied by a new visual production featuring high-resolution LED screens and imagery inspired by Pink Floyd’s original artwork and stage concepts. Harry Waters will serve as the show’s musical director, performing on Hammond B3 organ and piano while also contributing vocals. He has a long history with the band’s music and spent more than 15 years performing alongside his father on major tours, including The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall. His connection to Pink Floyd goes back even further. As a child, Harry’s voice appeared on “Goodbye Blue Sky” from The Wall. He also saw the...
Prague’s planned Vltava Philharmonic has offered the first detailed look inside the building, releasing visualizations of its main foyer and the spaces serving its three principal concert halls. The interior design will combine wood, glass and stone, with flowing shapes inspired by the Vltava River and the building’s distinctive sloping roof. The plans also emphasize open public spaces designed to connect the concert halls with the rest of the building. The main foyer will be dominated by a large glass wall extending across several floors. Its curved geometry is intended to echo the movement of the Vltava and will separate the open foyer from other areas of the building. Light-colored solid wood panels will cover the ceilings, following the contours of the roof above. Stone elements will be used in areas connecting the public foyer with the foyer of the main concert hall, including spaces designed for both seating and standing around bar counters. ´ The project has become significantly more expensive The cost of the Vltava Philharmonic has increased sharply since the project was first estimated. In 2021, the projected construction cost was CZK 6.1 billion. After the Danish architecture studio Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) won the international competition...
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