Prague’s Václav Havel Airport has taken a step toward enhancing the cultural experience for its visitors with the opening of a new photography gallery on April 3, 2025. In collaboration with the Czech Photo organization, the airport now offers a free exhibition that invites passengers and the public to embark on a visual journey through the landscapes of the Czech Republic. The inaugural exhibition highlights the best images from the Czech Nature Photo competition, showcasing breathtaking views of the country’s diverse natural beauty. The gallery is located on the ground floor of Terminal 2, near the connecting building to Terminal 1, ensuring easy access for those passing through or visiting the airport. The displayed photographs are selected from the “Award for the Best Photograph of Czech Nature” category of past Czech Nature Photo competitions. The exhibition spans eight years of the competition’s history, showcasing stunning depictions of Czech flora and fauna, captured by photographers such as Petr Bambousek, Vladimír Čech Jr., and Vít Lukáš. These photographs offer a glimpse into the natural world that defines the Czech Republic, underscoring the connection between humans and the environment. This initiative is part of a growing trend among airports worldwide to incorporate cultural and...
Prague 1 has officially called for a complete ban on shared electric scooters in parts of the city center, citing growing safety concerns and ongoing misuse of public spaces. The district council made the request this week, urging the capital to issue a decree that would allow individual districts to define no-go zones for both riding and parking of e-scooters. The proposed ban would be enforced through a combination of physical signage and geofencing technology, and Prague 1 is demanding joint enforcement by municipal and state police. “We deal with chaotic scooter parking and illegal riding on sidewalks every single day,” said Vojtěch Ryvola, Prague 1’s transport councilor. “This poses a direct threat to pedestrians. The situation has become unbearable. We are ready to defend public space and the safety of our residents.” Ryvola compared the e-scooter issue to the city’s 2016 Segway ban, which required a national law change and cost around CZK 4 million to implement, including the installation of more than 600 signs. In his view, scooters represent a similarly disruptive force in Prague’s historic core. Under current Czech legislation, electric scooters are classified as bicycles, meaning they’re prohibited from sidewalks but allowed on roads. However, Ryvola...
Airbnb listings in Prague are bouncing back as travel restrictions ease, approaching levels not seen since before the pandemic. But the resurgence has brought a new shift: the rise of professional property managers, raising fresh concerns about the impact of short-term lets on the city’s already strained housing market. According to new figures from Prague’s Institute for Planning and Development (IPR), the number of active Airbnb listings has increased more than fivefold since hitting a low in 2021. While the platform hasn’t yet returned to pre-Covid levels, growth is steady. As of summer 2024, around 9,000 apartments were listed across the city. From Spare Rooms to Full-Time Business IPR data shows that around 3,000 Airbnb hosts operate in Prague. Yet two-thirds of them – so-called “single hosts” – control just 20% of the listings. The bulk of Airbnb properties are now in the hands of hosts with multiple listings. In fact, hosts managing five or more units now account for more than half of all short-term rentals in the city. “Airbnb has become increasingly commercial, and in Prague the trend is especially stark,” says Jan Sýkora, a housing analyst at IPR. “Back in 2019, the average host managed two properties....
The National Gallery in Prague has opened two spring exhibitions that examine the evolving relationship between humans and the natural world. The first, titled Silent Spring: Art and Nature 1930–1970, is on view until August 31 on the first floor of the east wing at Veletržní Palace. Through more than 100 works, the exhibition challenges the idea of nature as a passive backdrop to human life — instead urging visitors to rethink our impact on the environment. “This exhibition raises a crucial question: Are human culture and the natural world inherently at odds?” says curator Eva Skopalová. The show draws exclusively from the gallery’s own collections and brings together both historical and modern perspectives. Visitors will encounter works by established 20th-century artists such as Josef Šíma, Toyen, Jindřich Štyrský, and František Muzika, alongside contemporary artists including Anna Hulačová, Eliška Konečná, and Marie Tučková. The exhibition builds on the legacy of the 1962 environmental science book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, which sparked a global environmental movement. Running in parallel is a second show with a striking title: The Heart of a Giraffe in Captivity is Twelve Kilos Lighter. This original project by acclaimed Czech artist Eva Koťátková is hosted in...
One of the most renowned stories associated with Prague’s Charles Bridge will be brought to life. The Vajíčkobraní, a medieval costumed parade of peasants handing over a cartload of boiled eggs from the municipality of Velvara to the Prague mayor, will take place there on April 13 at 13:00. According to tradition, the bridge’s architects chose to use eggs, milk, and wine in the mortar to increase the strength of the bridge (just like raw egg is added to meatballs to make them firmer). Since there were not enough eggs in Prague, all towns in Bohemia and Moravia had to contribute. The instructions gave rise to misunderstandings: some cities sent cheese and cottage cheese. The residents of Velvary sent the eggs hard-boiled, to ensure that the fragile cargo didn’t break on the way to Prague, thus earning a place in history for the shame and ridicule they had to endure from Prague residents. A recent carried out in the laboratory of the Institute of Biochemistry and Microbiology at the University of Chemical Technology showed that the legend about eggs being added to the Charles Bridge mortar was based on reality. Štepánka Kučková from the University of Chemistry and Technology said...
A major new residential district is set to rise in Letňany, Prague, with the potential to deliver up to 50,000 apartments. The project, announced on Tuesday by Deputy Mayor Alexandra Udženija (ODS), is positioned as a key part of the city’s strategy to address its growing housing crisis. City officials insist that the city—not private developers—must take charge of the development. Prague faces a severe housing shortage, and according to Udženija, at least 9,000 new apartments should be constructed annually to meet demand. Yet progress remains slow, hampered by bureaucratic delays and a city administration still dependent on national government approval for housing initiatives. “We are trying to act as quickly as possible,” said Adam Zábranský (Pirates), the city’s housing councilor. He indicated that ongoing talks with the state could result in a conditional land transfer, with the expectation that a portion of the housing stock would be reserved for affordable and social rentals. Most of the land in Letňany targeted for this development is state-owned, but key private stakeholders, including major landholders like PPF and Kaprain, also control substantial plots. A deal between the city and the state is therefore critical to move the project forward. Deputy Mayor for...
Prague’s city centre is among the hottest areas in the Czech Republic. Dense urban development, concrete pavements and asphalt surfaces have turned the capital into a heat island, where ground temperatures during summer can soar above 50°C—several dozen degrees higher than in areas where the soil can breathe and retain moisture. These extreme conditions, intensified by climate change, underline the need for urgent, long-term solutions. In response, the city has adopted the Strategy for Adaptation of the Capital City of Prague to Climate Change, a broad plan aimed at cooling the urban environment and strengthening resilience. As part of its public outreach, Prague will host a Climate Walk on Thursday, April 10, highlighting specific projects already in place. The event is free and open to the public. The programme begins at 1 p.m. at the European House (Národní 10), with an opening address followed by presentations from Prague City Hall officials. They will outline the goals of the Prague Climate Plan, provide updates on current initiatives, and share progress to date. The first stop on the walk is Smetanovo nábřeží, a recently redesigned riverside street transformed with climate adaptation in mind. The project focused on improving pedestrian comfort with a...
The city of Prague is set to modernize and expand its flood defense system along key embankments in the historic city center. The planned improvements will affect the Masaryk, Smetana, Alšov, and Dvořák embankments, all of which lie along the Vltava River and are vital parts of the capital’s flood management infrastructure. City councilors have awarded the project to Environmental Building, which won the public tender with a bid of CZK 47.7 million (excluding VAT). According to Michal Hroza (TOP 09), the city’s councilor for infrastructure, construction is expected to begin later this year and will take approximately 12 months to complete. The goal is to raise flood protection by 30 cm above the 2002 flood levels. That devastating flood remains the benchmark for all current water management systems in the capital. Some of the older defenses, including temporary sandbag barriers, will be replaced by mobile flood barriers, which offer more flexibility and stronger protection. The modernization effort follows concerns raised during last year’s elevated water levels, which exposed gaps in the current flood infrastructure. “Flood protection in the center works well, but we must not get complacent. We’re replacing older systems with more advanced components, and completing areas that...
PPF Real Estate, part of Renáta Kellnerová’s PPF Group, is acquiring the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel in Prague. Located on Veleslavínova Street in the Old Town, the hotel is one of the capital’s most exclusive addresses. The transaction is currently being reviewed by the Czech Office for the Protection of Competition, which disclosed the acquisition on its website. “The proposed merger primarily concerns hotel accommodation services. A final decision has not yet been issued,” the office stated. PPF Real Estate is purchasing FSHP, the company that operates the hotel. According to earlier reporting by Hospodářské noviny, the purchase price is expected to be close to CZK 3 billion. The Five-Star Hotel, which began operations in 2001, is a blend of Renaissance, Baroque, and Classicist buildings, with a modern addition. It offers 157 rooms, including 19 suites, and features 600 square meters of banquet space for both business and private events. Over the years, the hotel has hosted numerous high-profile guests, including Madonna, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sophia Loren, and Liverpool FC players. In its 2023 annual report, FSHP stated that the Prague Four Seasons had the highest average revenue per occupied room in the market. Despite that, the hotel posted...
Drivers working for Bolt and Uber have launched a new strike in the Czech capital, repeating a protest held just a week ago. On that occasion, hundreds of drivers refused to accept rides, causing longer wait times and leaving many users without available cars. This Monday, the protest has grown in scale and coordination, with two separate driver groups participating in different ways. The first group, organized by the Lucky Taxi Association, began their strike at 4:00 a.m., planning to end it at 12:00 noon. Their specific demands have been made available through their official channels. Meanwhile, a second group of drivers has launched a full 24-hour strike, starting at 6:00 a.m. Monday and running until 6:00 a.m. Tuesday. This protest includes a public demonstration officially registered with Prague City Hall. Organizers expect between 500 and 1,000 vehicles to gather in the parking lot outside the Tesco hypermarket in Letňany between 10:00 and 11:30 a.m. At 12:00 p.m., the group plans to drive in a slow-moving convoy through the city center, ending in Čestlice, a suburb southeast of Prague. Drivers Demand Fairer Conditions “We, taxi drivers in Prague, are dissatisfied with the current working conditions and demand immediate changes,” the...
Czech residents are about to enjoy the first long weekend of 2025, thanks to the upcoming Easter holidays. With Good Friday and Easter Monday both designated as official non-working days, people will have a four-day break, from April 18 to 21. But what about shopping? Here’s what you need to know: on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (April 18, 19, and 20), stores will operate as usual. However, on Monday, April 21, large supermarkets will be closed. Since October 2016, a law has been in place in the Czech Republic prohibiting stores larger than 200 square meters from opening on certain public holidays. This rule applies to all big shops, not just grocery stores. The law was introduced to allow supermarket employees, like others, to spend time with their families during these holidays. Good Friday, falling on April 18 in 2025, is not covered by this restriction, so all stores will be open as normal. However, Easter Monday is one of the holidays when the law mandates closures, meaning that on April 21, all large supermarkets must remain closed. Here’s a Quick Overview: Public holidays when stores remain open: Good Friday (April 18, 2025) Labor Day (May 1) Day of Slavic...
The META Modřany Housing project is in the construction phase of the first stage, which is a sensitive renovation of the original Chirana factory building and brings a completely new concept of compact urban housing. Under the name META Lofts Housing, 133 functional smart lofts in 1+kk and 2+kk layouts with high ceilings of up to 4.3 m will be created, supplemented by 50 standard 2+kk and 3+kk units on the last two floors of the building. The smallest lofts have a usable area of 26.6 m², which can be expanded to 39 m² thanks to the intermediate floor. The originality of the larger 2+kk lofts is underlined by the “L”-shaped floor plan. The project is being developed by COOPERA Development, a joint venture of experienced developers KKCG Real Estate Group and Alma Development. The general contractor for the construction is NOVECON, which is part of the KKCG group. The renowned QARTA Architektura studio is behind the architectural design. The completion of the first stage is planned for the end of 2026. Currently, more than 60% of the units from the first stage have been sold. Would you like us to write about your business? Find out more
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