STUDY ABROAD IN at CEVRO Institute Academic Year 2019/2020

This guide provides useful information and advice regarding study at CEVRO Institute and living in Prague for all incoming students.

BEFORE YOU COME

ACCOMMODATION

It quite easy to find accommodation in Prague, and the whole process could be very quick. In general, it could take just few days. However, we recommend you to ask our exchange program coordinator to help you with this, because it is always better to consult your choice with someone who knows what the standards in Prague are. There are more opportunities to find accommodation in Prague. Basically you can either stay in student´s dormitories or you can try to find a room in an apartment. The dorms The advantage of staying at dorms is that it is cheaper and there are loads of other students to hang out with. If you want to experience real student´s life in The this is the best way. But you should be ready for less privacy – people in dorms usually live in double bedrooms with a shared kitchen and bathroom. Most of the dorms provide internet, at some of them you can find also gym, music rooms and rooms for studying. And be aware of frauds – never send money before you come and see a room!

1 | 14 Renting a flat/room If you decide to live on your own or with few other people in a rented apartment or room the easiest way is to search for it via Internet. The obvious advantage is that staying in a flat is usually more comfortable, you can have your own room or you can share it with your friend. On the other hand, you pay more than for dorms. You can try to find your place to stay via links below. http://erasmusu.com/en/erasmus-prague/student-housing; http://www.student- room-flat.com/contact-us; http://sleepingrooms.weebly.com/; http://www.prague- apartments-janalex.com/index.html; http://www.praguenet.com/roommate.html; http://www.flat-mate.cz/; http://www.atlas-reality.cz/en/

Few things to remember while choosing a flat 1) Think about the location of the flat. You probably do not want to spend hours on your way to school and back. Ask if there is a public transportation nearby and how long does it take to get to the centre, where the school is located (stations Muzeum, Můstek, Vodičkova, Lazarská or Národní Třída). 2) Ask if the flat is furnished and what appliances and services are available. It´s always better to know if there is Internet, microwave, oven, cooker, wash machine, TV or any other things you may need. 3) Be careful about the prices – sometimes they are given in Czech crowns, sometimes in euros. Also, the price could be made of two components - the price of accommodation itself plus the price of energies – it is better to ask about this. 4) It is always better if there are some photographs of the flat or room.

VISA INFORMATION

Due to the Czech Republic is a member of the European Union and Schengen Area, citizens coming from EU countries or Schengen Area countries do not need any visa to stay in the Czech Republic. The only thing you need is a valid national ID or passport. Check the expiration dates of your documents before you go! As non EU citizen you will need a visa. The best way how to get up-to-date information about the requirements is to contact the Czech embassy in your own country. You can also check the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, the link follows below. http://www.mzv.cz/jnp/en/information_for_aliens/index.html

After your arrival to the Czech Republic, you need to register with the Foreign Police. All foreigners, whether from outside the EU or EU citizens, are legally obliged to register their place of accommodation with the Foreign Police. Usually you do not have to do it when you are staying in a dormitory. Just ask the staff if they did the registration for you.

ARRIVAL

GETTING TO PRAGUE

2 | 14 When finding your way to get to Prague these are the key spots: Plane: Airport Prague – Václav Havel Airport http://www.prg.aero/en/; http://www.prg.aero/en/parking-transport/transport/public-transit/ Train: Prague Train Station (Hlavní nádraží Praha) http://czech-transport.com/index.php?id=419 Bus: Central Bus Station Florenc (Autobusové nádraží Florenc) http://czech-transport.com/index.php?id=2103 Remember, arriving into foreign country could be a bit stressful and confusing, so we are ready to help you. Another important thing is to pick the date of your arrival. It´s usually better to come few days before the semester starts just to get a bit more familiar with the city. The Fall semester begins usually in October and the Spring semester in February. For more details check the school website.

Before getting on the bus/tram you need to buy a ticket for the public transport. You can buy a basic ticket for 24 CZK or for 32 CZK right at the bus/tram stop (from a ticket machine - Czech coins needed). The ticket is valid for 30 or 90 minutes and you must stamp it in a yellow validator once you get on the bus/tram. For more information about public transport visit: http://www.dpp.cz/en/ . By taxi You can also take a taxi, but be careful! Czech taxi drivers sometimes cheat on foreign tourists, so make sure, they switch on a taxi meter.

WHEN YOU ARE HERE

FIRST DAY OF CLASSES

For the first day of classes, we prepared an Information meeting. You will have an opportunity to meet representatives of CEVRO Institute and hear some useful advice regarding study at CEVRO Institute and living in Prague.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Getting around Prague is quite simple, safe and comfortable. Prague has a high quality public transportation. You can use trams, subway (called metro) or buses. The good thing is that the trams and buses go all night, so you can get home anytime you need. Besides, there are websites that will help you to find how to get from one station to another. e.g. http://spojeni.dpp.cz/ConnForm.aspx?tt=PID&cl=E5

We highly recommend buying a student Prague integrated transport (PIT) card together with paper coupons (“Pre-paid time tickets for 1 person“) with an optional commencement date of their validity. You just need your photograph (passport format, 35 x 45 mm) and filled application (we will provide you with it at the info meeting). Then you visit an information office, pay 30-CZK fee for its issuing and get the card on spot.

3 | 14 It will save you a lot of money and you do not have to care about buying a single ticket every time you want to use the public transport. Be careful about using the public transport without the ticket – you can commonly run into a transit inspector and the fines are pretty high! It is not worth the risk.

For any other information about the public transportation and tariffs use these links: http://www.dpp.cz/en/; http://www.dpp.cz/en/fares-in-prague/; List of Info centres: http://www.dpp.cz/en/list-of-info-centres/

Tram etiquette Czech people do not notice this that much but some foreigners may find this remarkable. The thing is that people are used to give up their seats to elders or disabled people - not talking just about the reserved seats assigned to them. It also happens quite often is that, even with no disabled in sight, on a full tram, most would hesitate to sit on a free seat, failing to realize that it might even save everybody some space. Be careful! Trams must be given priority by both drivers and pedestrians.

Taking a taxi Thanks to the good system of public transportation, it is not really necessary to use taxis. People from Prague usually use them at night, when they don´t want to wait for a tram or bus. If you decide to use a taxi, it is better if there are more people, so you can split the check. You can also use Uber or Liftago in Prague (http://www.praguego.com/transport/uber/; https://www.liftago.com/).

CONTACTS & EMERGENCY NUMBERS

Study Abroad Coordinator: Mgr. Jiří Š. Cieslar mobile phone: +420 774 427 403 e-mail: [email protected]

In case of any emergency call 112 (International Ambulance, Fire and Police services number). Hopefully, this is only a formality and you will not need to use the number!

USEFUL LINKS

 Information system of CEVRO Institute / Google Classroom - Here we will put all important documents, schedules, study materials and other relevant folders. This way, professors can communicate with you and vice versa or you can submit your essays and homework here. You will obtain your login and password at the information meeting the very first day of classes.

 Facebook Group - We will update events in Prague as well as what is going on at school and share other useful information here. Make sure you join the Group, ask questions, add comments and share your feelings and opinions.

4 | 14  More information about Prague and The Czech Republic:

http://www.czechtourism.com/home/ http://www.pragueexperience.com/information/tourism.asp http://www.myczechrepublic.com/ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ez.html

SCHOOL & STUDY

About CEVRO Institute CEVRO Institute is a dynamically developing and constantly innovating private university founded in 2005. It is located in the very centre of Prague. CEVRO Institute offers a wide range of majors in social sciences on both BA and MA levels and several professional post-graduate programs taught in Czech and English. As the first university in the Czech Republic and in co-operation with leading US and European professors, CEVRO Institute offers a master's program in PPE (Philosophy, Politics, ) taught in English. CEVRO Institute is known for its numerous international projects and its cooperation with dozens of universities around the world and major international institutions. Major international conferences, such as the Prague Conference on Political Economy, are organized annually. Within its Academic Press CEVRO Institute publishes great books and a peer-reviewed semi-annual bilingual interdisciplinary journal New Perspectives on Political Economy. CEVRO Institute offers teaching by top academics and professionals, successful business people, judges, attorneys, politicians, journalists and other professionals. CEVRO Institute seeks to be extraordinary. We are proud that our university is private and have created an academic community where students get individual attention from professors. We deliver a quality education to our students. An emphasis on freedom, markets, and rule of law is a part of our education. CEVRO Institute has a rich student life and provides a unique family environment of a small dedicated school with individual approach to students, which makes CEVRO Institute a leading institution on the Czech educational market.

Can be useful:

WIFI “vsci” password: cevrowifi

In the building water dispensers and a coffee machine (coins needed) are available.

Studying Here we will try to give you some less formal tips to go through the study smoothly. 1) Do not be afraid to ask if anything is not clear. All students can communicate in English and all of them are happy to help you. 2) The CEVRO Institute is small private school – you may even be surprised how small it is when you come. Take this as an advantage – professors are always available and the studying groups are usually small, so there is enough time for discussion in every lecture.

5 | 14 3) You will be attending courses in English which were originally made for foreign students, but even Czech students can sign up for these courses – so do not be surprised and enjoy their company as much as they will enjoy yours. Not only that you can get some information about the school, country or whatever, but they will also know where to go after the lecture. 4) The CEVRO Institute is renowned for numerous international academic conferences, seminars and workshops focused on diverse issues related to politics, economics, law, philosophy and other academic disciplines. You can meet really great professors and experts on different fields. Do not miss the opportunity to meet these inspiring people. 5) Our college is not only perfect place to study, but also to have fun. For example the Costume Party is organized every year – it is a perfect opportunity to have an informal chat or even a beer with your professors. A charitable Christmas concert is another lovely tradition.

Libraries and places to study Most of the professors will provide you literature they require, but sometimes you may need to use public library. The best one is the National Library (http://www.en.nkp.cz/) or Municipal Library of Prague (https://www.mlp.cz/en/) – not only that you can find the literature there, but there are also reading rooms, where you can study without being disturbed by roommates. Some students also stay at CEVRO Institute to study or write papers. For those really hardworking the school is opened even on Saturdays. Many students work on their projects in places like Starbucks or any other calm tea room or café. Communication It is very useful to have a Czech telephone number. You avoid problems with roaming and the cost of calls and text messages without doing so is ridiculously high. There are three providers of mobile services in the Czech Republic – O2, Vodafone and T- Mobile. To be honest it does not matter which one you choose – just buy a Prepaid card (it can be recharged if you need). You may find out that the reception is not working in the metro and in some clubs as many of them are underground. It could be a bit uncomfortable, so count with that especially when you are going out to a place you have not been before. Talking about the Internet connection, you can find it almost every café, pub, or any public place, but sometimes you have to ask for the password. As for the school building the internet is working after you put in the password: cevrowifi. In case you need to communicate with anybody from school it is good to know, that every student or member of the CEVRO Institute staff has its email address: [email protected]. You can find all important contacts on the school English website.

ABOUT THE CZECH REPUBLIC

The Czech Republic is located in the very heart of Europe. It has a long and rich history going back to the 6th century. Most Czech people are proud especially about The First Republic – short period after the country was founded in 1918. The at that time was a modern democracy and cultural and economic centre of Central Europe. After the horrors of WWII the Communists took the power in the Czechoslovakia. The totalitarian regime lasted until the Velvet revolution in 1989. Shortly after the 6 | 14 fall of communism, in 1993 Czechoslovakia split into two independent states - the Czech and the Slovak Republic. Since then, the Czech Republic gradually integrates back to the international community of democratic states. In 1999, it became a member of NATO, and in 2004 member of the European Union. There are plenty of things to discover in the Czech Republic. First of all you will definitely enjoy the genuine atmosphere of our capital Prague. Prague was the ancient capital of Charles IV's Bohemian Kingdom. Its history has produced a vibrant city of stunning buildings and lovely old squares, with the result that today Prague is one of the world's most beautiful cities. With a population of over 1.3 million, Prague is the largest city in the Czech Republic.

CLIMATE

The Czech Republic has a temperate continental climate with warm summers and cold, snowy winters. July is the warmest month of the year, followed by August and June. On average, temperatures in summer are between 20 °C (68 °F) and 30 °C (86 °F). During summer, rains and storms are common but in recent years the summer months were hot and without rain. Basically, if you´re going to Prague in October, do not forget to bring some clothes for winter - including warm jacket or coat and winter shoes. The temperatures can go pretty down below the zero and if you want enjoy Christmas atmosphere in the city you will definitely appreciate the comfort of warm clothes. On the other hand, autumn could be quite warm, especially at its beginning, with temperatures going up to 20°C and higher. The spring term starts in February, which is still in winter, so expect a bit of snow, occasionally it can be still freezing. The same weather continues even in March, but of course it gets warmer. April is the month of changing weather. It´s finally getting warm (around 20-25°C) but you can experience snow, rain and sun at the very same day. Sometimes, even tropical days occur (over 30°C) in May and June. These hot days usually end up with a storm. On the other hand, it already happened that there was snow in May. In case our unpredictable weather surprises you, a pharmacy is just few meters from school in “Palackého” Street. (https://goo.gl/maps/df952PgLJCv)

LANGUAGE

We do have our own Czech language. It is one of the Slavic languages like Slovak, Polish or Russian. Czech is very similar to Slovak – we can understand each other very well. It is said it is quite hard to learn Czech language, especially some consonants are quite tricky for example “Ř”, foreigners just can´t pronounce this consonant properly. Czech language is the only official one, but most people can speak other languages – mainly English and German. French, Italian or Spanish are not that common. Especially when you are in Prague you do not have to worry about talking in English, almost everybody will understand you. Even the menu´s in the pubs and restaurants are often in both – Czech and English. But it´s always useful to know at least some phrases, so here you go:

Good morning! Dobrý den! [do-bree den] Hello! Ahoj [a-hoy]

7 | 14 Good bye! Na shledanou! [na skle-da-noh] How are you? Jak se máš? [yak se mash] Cheers! Na zdraví! [na zdra-vee] What is your name? Jak se jmenuješ? [yak se yme-noo-yesh] My name is… Jmenuji se. [yme-noo-yee se] I don´t speak Czech. Nemluvím česky. [ne-mloo-veem ches ky] Thank you! Děkuji! [dye-kuu-yee] Please. Prosím. [pro-seem]

RELIGION

Czech people are not very religious. According to many sociological surveys, we don´t go to church that much, most of the people are not affiliated to any church. It´s said that weak support for traditional church religion is partly a legacy of Czech nationalism of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century and its interpretation of the country's religious history. Catholicism, which was the major religion at that time, was seen as an Austrian import that forcibly replaced the "true" religion of the Czech nation – Protestantism. The persecution of religious people and anti-clerical propaganda during communism could be another reason. On the other hand, many people say they do believe in God or some other supernatural power. According to the 2011 census, 34.2% of the population stated they had no religion, 10.3% was Roman Catholic and 10.2% followed other forms of religion both denominational or not. 45.2% of the population did not answer the question about religion.

CZECH MENTALITY

Czech people may not look very friendly. They are not very enthusiastic about meeting new people and it takes some time before we open our hearts to you. It may seem that we don´t smile that much and we´re not very outgoing and communicative. But soon or later you will realize that this is just because people are a little bit shy and not very self-confident. In fact, we love to have fun, we love to gather at “just one beer” and discuss everything from sports to politics. Czech humour lies in a sense of ironic absurdity and may seem a bit too sarcastic. Some people considered even surprisingly dark or even offensive. Good example of Czech tendency to absurdity was a public opinion poll seeking for “The Greatest Czech” in the history. There were many politicians, sportsmen, artists or scientists on the top positions, but you would not guess who the winner was. Most Czechs voted for Jára Cimrman - a fake character made up by group of artist. According to this group Cimrman is the forgotten genius – brilliant in all fields of human interest.

COST OF LIVING

8 | 14 As Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic, the prices in here are a bit above the average comparing to the rest of the country. Remember when you are downtown you usually pay „tourist prices“ especially for food and drinks which may seem ridiculously expensive.

Look at the following overview of the chosen basic items to have an idea about the prices:

RESTAURANTS CZK Lunch for one in a pub 130 Dinner for two in a mid-range restaurant 550 Lunch for one in a sandwich bar 80 Combo meal at KFC or McDonald's 105 Coffee and Cake in Central Cafe 110 Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught) 35 Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) 50 Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle) 35 TWHaEt SeUr P(0E.R33M lAitReKr EbTottle) CZK 25 Milk (1 liter) 18 Loaf of Fresh Bread (Šumavský) 21 French Baguette (Large) 20 Eggs (10) 28 Cheese (100g) - Eidam 20 Whole Chicken 80 1kg Apples (Granny Smith) 30 Water (1.5 liter bottle) 13 Bottle of Czech Wine 75 Domestic Beer (0.5 liter can) 15 SHOPPING

Prague is full of different supermarkets where you can buy all common goods like food, household items, stationery, cosmetics, clothes etc. For regular shopping (food) you can use one of the supermarkets called TESCO, Billa, Albert, Lidl. There are also few big shopping centres where you can get your favourite brand clothes, shoes, electronics, books etc. These are:

 My and Quadrio are the closest to our school, you will find it at Národní třída station  Palladium and Kotva at Náměstí Republiky station(15 min from CEVRO Institute)  Arkády at station Pankrác  Palác Flora at Flora station Most major shopping centres open at 9 a.m. and close at 9 p.m.

When you walk around Prague, you will also find plenty of little stores owned by Vietnamese people. These shops are kind of groceries, but they also offer cigarettes, alcohol and some other necessities like toilet paper, shower gels and stuff like this. The advantage of these shops is long opening hours.

The historical centre of Prague is full of little shops with different kinds of souvenirs like funny T-shirts and caps or so called “traditional Czech goods“. Most of these things are overpriced.

CURRENCY

9 | 14 The Czech Republic has its own currency the Czech Crown (CZK, Kč – koruna in Czech). The banknotes come in denomination of 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 Crowns. Coins come in denomination of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50. Most of the shops and restaurant also accept credit cards, but it is better to ask in advance whether your type of card is accepted. Some shops accept also Euros, Dollars and other currency, but it is usually with unfavourable exchange rate so it is better to use Czech money. You can exchange your money at the airport, in a bank or in one of the exchange offices. You can also use ATM (this depends on your bank’s terms and conditions).

TIPS IN RESTAURANTS

This is probably not surprising, but just to make it clear. If you are in a fancy restaurant or you really liked the service you can leave the tip from 10 – 20%. When you are having “just one beer” with our friends we usually just round the price up to the nearest 5 or 0 (so when the check is for 43 Crowns you pay 45 or 50 Crowns).

CUISINE

Traditional Czech cuisine is not very healthy but there are attempts to adapt it to modern food trends. Typical Czech dish consist of pork or beef meat with sauce and a side dish, potatoes are among the most popular ingredients. Czech people also eat soups a lot, especially for lunch. If you want to try something really traditional go for these:

 Svíčková – probably the most popular dish, beef with creamy sauce and dumplings  Vepřo-knedlo-zelo – pork with dumplings and sauerkraut  Guláš – although it is actually Hungarian, it is very popular among Czech people  Bramboračka – potato soup with vegetable and mushrooms  Česnečka – garlic soup with potatoes, cheese and croutons  Bramboráky – pancakes made of grated potatoes  Obložené chlebíčky – open sandwiches, usually with potato salad or some other spread  Nakládaný hermelín – marinated cheese, popular pub snack  Ovocné knedlíky – dumplings filled with fruit served with either fresh cheese or poppy seeds and melted butter

SAFETY

Prague is a safe and enjoyable city with very little violent crime, but still it is good to be cautious. First of all beware of pickpockets. They are usually in highly crowded tourist areas, which means in the city centre or means of transport as in trams. For this reason it is better not to have big amount of cash with you. You may see beggars especially downtown asking for money, playing musical instruments or just sitting

10 | 14 and drinking cheap wine. Usually they are not dangerous. When you plan to go out later in the evening you are advised to go as a group. It is not unusual to see police patrols during the day and night. They are present to take care of the citizen´s safety.

TRAVEL TIPS

Besides Prague the Czech Republic has very much what to offer. Here are few tips where to take a trip during your days off:

Karlovy Vary Karlovy Vary is noted for its alkaline thermal springs. Film fans may know this town for its International film festival that takes place in July. It is also hometown of the traditional Czech liqueur Becherovka. Karlštejn th Castle Karlštejn was built in 14 century by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia. The castle served as a place for safekeeping the Czech crown jewels and other royal treasures. It is one of the most famous and most frequently visited castles in the Czech Republic. Kutná hora This city situated in the central Bohemian region is a part of UNESCO Herritage Site. It was one of the most important royal towns with silver mines in the middle ages and competed with Prague economically, politically and culturally. Mělník The town of Mělník lies on a high ridge overlooking the junction of Bohemia’s two greatest rivers, the Labe and the Vltava. The most striking building is the imposing clifftop church of Sts Peter and Paul, but a visit to the adjacent chateau, chapel of human bones and a wander through the streets of the historic old town as well as a visit to the wine cellars, cafes and restaurant are musts. ZOO (Prague) The history of Prague ZOO goes all the way back to the year 1881 and was voted as a 4th best zoo in the world. These days the ZOO is proud of their new born gorilla, elephant and giant anteater.

ENJOYING PRAGUE

As was mentioned, Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic. It is also the largest and most populated Czech city (1.3 million people). When you walk around the historical centre you simply feel the genuine atmosphere that inspired so many people including the world famous artists like Mozart or Kafka. Prague offers you everything you can imagine – it´s a great mixture of breath-taking historical architecture, vivid music clubs, lazy cafés, amazing cultural activities, great beer and friendly people. We are sure that after few days here you will understand why Prague is often called “The City of Hundred Spires”, “The Heart of Europe” or even “The mother of Cities”.

11 | 14 Restaurants and cafés

Prague is famous for its cafés with most well-known historical ones located around Národní Street. You can also choose one of the now popular bistros or traditional restaurants. In case you have a sweet tooth, ice cream is a great option.  Café Louvre http://www.cafelouvre.cz/en/ – traditional Czech café that offers also breakfast and lunch  Café Colore http://www.cafecolore.cz/en/ – modern café just across from CEVRO Institute  Kavárna Mlýnská – located on beautiful Kampa and usually overcrowded with young people  Sisters – offers modern version of typical Czech “chlebíček” (open sandwich)  Las Adelitas – chain of Mexican restaurants opened by Mexicans living in the Czech Republic, in case you get homesick  Angelato http://angelato.eu/ – one of the best ice creams and sorbets in Prague  Cukrárna Saint Tropez – patisserie with amazing French-inspired cakes and desserts

Pubs, bars and nightlife

Prague is well known for its nightlife. The city is full of pubs and great clubs, where you can dance all night. Just one important thing – metro is not in operation during the night, the last train goes around midnight. But you can use night trams and buses. Pubs are usually open from lunchtime, bars and clubs open generally in the late afternoon.  The Pub http://www.thepub.cz/?lng=en – chain of pubs, you can tap your beer by yourself  U Balbínů http://ubalbinu.cz/ – typical Czech pub just across the street from CEVRO Institute  Chapeau Rouge http://www.chapeaurouge.cz/en/ – dance club popular among international students  Karlovy Lázně http://www.karlovylazne.cz/en/ – 5 floors with different music styles  Sasazu https://www.sasazu.com/en – music club with award-winning restaurant  Hemingway Bar http://www.hemingwaybar.cz/bar-prague/ – old-fashioned cocktail bar

Theatres and Stage art

Prague offers great variety of theatres from classical to contemporary art. While most drama performances are in Czech language, you can still enjoy opera, ballet or dance performances.  National Theatre http://www.narodni-divadlo.cz/en – several stages, both classical and contemporary titles  Meet Factory http://www.meetfactory.cz/en/ – centre of contemporary art, interesting industrial space, features also gallery, live concerts  Divadlo Ponec http://www.divadloponec.cz/ – focused on contemporary dance

Movie Theatres

There are plenty of different movie theatres in Prague. You can enjoy international blockbusters in one of Prague’s modern multiplexes or less mainstream movies in one of the small independent cinemas. Most of the films are in English, but some are with English subtitles. You can usually find “English friendly” films indicated in the program.

12 | 14  Kino Světozor http://www.kinosvetozor.cz/en/  Bio Oko http://www.biooko.net/en/  Cinema City Slovanský dům http://www.cinemacity.cz/en/SlovanskyDum#

Music clubs

If you are into live music and concerts Prague is perfect city for you. It is full of music clubs where you can enjoy live concerts of any music style you like.  Palác Akropolis http://www.palacakropolis.com/  Rock Cafe http://www.rockcafe.cz/en/  Hard Rock Cafe http://www.hardrock.com/cafes/prague/  Jazzdock http://www.jazzdock.cz/en/

Other tips

Prague is one of the cultural centres of Europe and is therefore a city full of history. Sightseeing is part of your organized program during the summer school so you will get many more tips where to go in your free time. You can find numerous museums and galleries specialized in all possible topics. Prague Zoo (https://www.zoopraha.cz/en) was listed among world best zoos several times. Prague has nice parks and public gardens where you can meet your friends in summer. Embankments along Vltava River are also becoming popular among young people.

Here are some websites offering tips how to spend your free time: https://goout.cz/en/prague/; https://www.expats.cz/entertainment/; https://www.pragueeventscalendar.com/en-gb/

FEAST AND HOLIDAYS New Year´s Eve (Silvestr) New Year´s Eve (called Silvestr in The Czech Republic) is very popular. As all around the world, people gather to spend last night of the year by celebrating. There are no special traditions – some people go to club, others stay at home with friends or go to mountains to enjoy snow. As midnight approaches people are opening bottles of champagne and wishing each other Happy New Year.

Easter (Velikonoce) There is one really special Easter tradition in The Czech Republic. On Monday in the morning boys and men go from door to door with a rod made of willow branches. They sing Easter song and spank girls and women with the rod. It may seem weird, but the tradition says that this ritual helps girls to stay healthy and beautiful. As a reward guys get coloured eggs, ribbon or some sweets. Adults usually have a shot of some alcohol.

1st May (První Máj) The Day of Lovers! Although the St. Valentine´s Day is celebrated in the Czech Republic, 1st May is considered to be the real feast of love. You will probably meet couples kissing under the blooming trees. Especially the Petřín Hill would be full of lovers. It´s said that the 1st May-kiss helps the girl to stay pretty.

13 | 14 St. Nicholas´ Day (Mikuláš) St. Nicholas´ Day is celebrated on 5th December. Don´t be surprised if you meet groups of people dressed like St. Nicholas, Angel and Devil. They are going from door to door and ask parents if their kids behaved well or if they were naughty in the past year. Kids are usually scared because of the Devil, who can take them to hell. They have to overcome their fear and sing a song or recite a poem and promise to behave well next year. The Angel than gives them a little gift – some sweets and fruits. Naughty kids get just coal or potatoes from the Devil.

Christmas (Vánoce) There are plenty of lovely traditions connected to Christmas. Let´s point at those that might be slightly different from what you know from your country. First of all, we do not have Santa Claus – Baby Jesus (Ježíšek) is the one who bring presents. But it´s true that Santa is somehow getting into Czech Christmas too. We do have our special Christmas dish – potato salad and carp. It´s also common that mums bake Christmas sweets and cakes during the time of Advent. Each family has its own favourite type the most popular are gingerbreads or vanilla rolls. If you want to enjoy a bit of Christmas atmosphere in Prague try the Christmas markets around the city. You should taste roasted chestnuts or “Trdelník” with a cup of hot mulled wine or punch. And If you want to see real Christmas madness try to squeeze to the Old Town Square on the day of lighting the big Prague´s Christmas tree.

List of national holidays (meaning days off) 1st January - New Year; ??? - Easter Monday (moving holiday); 1st May - (“Lover´s day”) and Labour Day; 8th May - Liberation Day; 5th July - St Cyril and St Methodius Day; 6th July - Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Jan Hus; 28th September - Statehood Day; 28th October - Independence Day (Founding of Czechoslovakia); 17th November - Freedom and Democracy Day; 24th December - Christmas Eve; 25th December - Christmas Day; 26th December - Second Christmas Day

See you in Prague!

14 | 14