Holidays and weekends in the Czech Republic are loved. Here, saints’ days, beer festivals and other joyful events are celebrated with equal pleasure.

On the night of December 25, the whole country celebrates Catholic Christmas. It is customary to decorate the Christmas tree, give gifts and gather with the whole family at the festive table. A must-have dish at Christmas dinner is fried carp with apples and lentils. It is believed that it brings good luck, especially if you keep a couple of scales as a keepsake. Prague also has an old tradition of releasing live carp into the Vltava River, but at present, few people observe it – a rather laborious task.

January 6 in the Czech Republic celebrate the so-called “Three Kings Day”, in memory of the gifts that the Magi brought to the baby Jesus. On this day, a solemn procession usually takes place in cities, but in fact in the modern Czech Republic it is a day of charity. It is customary to carol, collect money for orphanages and shelters, and also make donations yourself.

Every year at the end of January (about the 25th) the Days of European Cinema start in Prague, and then the festival continues in Brno. Dozens of directors bring their novelties here, and it is considered very prestigious to receive this award.

At the beginning of February (approximately on the first Thursday of the month) one of the most fun weeks of the year begins – Maslenitsa. It starts on “Fat Thursday”, and then the belly feast begins: pork with dumplings, cabbage and dumplings, liver sausage, sausages with horseradish, etc. Those who eat little and without appetite will not be lucky. Be sure to arrange carnivals in cities and villages, people dress up as hunters, brides, and one person – as a bear on a chain.
Czech Carnival starts on Fat Thursday – “tucny ctvrtek”. On this day, it is customary to eat a lot, high in calories and from the heart – for good luck! The main dish is fried pork with dumplings and stewed cabbage.

Easter in the Czech Republic is celebrated in much the same way as in Russia, only the symbol of this holiday is a hare. Young people go to folk festivals, and children are given gingerbread in the form of a lamb.

Czechs celebrate Spring and Labor Day on May 1 without much fanaticism, but a week later a much more important holiday for the country comes – the day of the liberation of Europe from fascism (May 8). There is no official day off on this day, but many take vacations or days off and go out of town.

In mid-June (every year the date is different) in Prague hosts the Prague Food Festival. The best chefs from all over the world come to showcase their art. The entrance ticket for this event costs about 350 CZK, of which 250 CZK can be spent on food.

An unusual holiday called “The Five Petal Rose” gathers guests from 18 to 20 June in Český Krumlov. The five-petalled rose is a symbol of the ancient Rožemberk family, who have been in power in this city for more than 300 years. The holiday is dedicated to the history of the Middle Ages in Bohemia. It includes a masquerade and a fair.

In July, a festival of curiosities takes place in Pelhrimov. Participants compete in the strangest, fantasy-filled competitions, and the winners are usually guaranteed a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Czech Republic would not be the Czech Republic if there were no beer festival here. Every year at the end of August, fans of the foamy drink gather in the city of Pilsen for the Pilsner Fest. It traditionally opens with a spill of free beer, and then concerts, costumed performances and other entertainment events begin.

Another important day for Czech history is November 17th. It was then that the “Velvet Revolution” ended with the proclamation of the independence of the Czech Republic.