12 Things to Do in Prague in the summer

Summer in Prague is the peak season, both for international visitors from all over the world and for Czech tourists who move between cities to take advantage of the summer holidays.

As a result, the city becomes a constant festive atmosphere and major activities and events overlap with each other. From festivals, large concerts, exhibitions, cinemas and even open-air shows... There is something for everyone.

Although Prague is known worldwide for its good beers, the truth is that good wine is also drunk in this city. Throughout September, a particular event takes shape every year to commemorate the end of the harvest season: the Vinohrady or wine festivities.

Tradition invites you to celebrate with plenty of burčák, a kind of refreshingly sweet, partially fermented young wine. These events also include concerts, shows, children's activities and all kinds of food stalls with specialities from different regions of the country.

However, if you don't feel like joining in the celebrations, in summer you can also visit the various pubs around the capital and sample the different drinks that Prague has to offer at your own pace.

A tour of the beautiful gardens of the city's stately homes and palaces is definitely one of the best things to do in Prague. This charming city is full of Baroque buildings and Renaissance gardens that are at their most beautiful and splendid in summer and spring.

Where to go

• Wallenstein Gardens: This beautiful baroque garden is open to the public every day from April to October from 07.30 am to 5.30 pm. During the summer, musical performances and theatrical plays take place here. Admission is free, also to the museum.
• Vrtba Garden Prague: Open from April to October from 10 am to 7 pm, it is one of the most richly ornamented Baroque gardens in the whole city. Admission fee: approximately €5 (free for small children).
• Prague Castle Gardens: On your tour of Prague Castle you will come across two garden areas. One of them, the Great Palffy Garden located on a steep slope, offers wonderful views of Mala Strana. Admission included with your Prague Castle entrance ticket.
• Vojanovy Sady Prague: this beautiful garden area is located in the vicinity of many of Prague's must-see attractions, including the Charles Bridge. Admission is free, but you will have to pay if you want to climb the tower or enter the labyrinth.

You can see all these sights on a walking tour, but I recommend taking a bike. Prague is a great city for cycling, as although you will sometimes find some hills, it is generally quite pleasant and easy to get around. Plus, it's a more pleasant way to get to know these places without getting so tired.

The Summer Shakespeare open-air theatre festival has taken place in Prague every year since the 1990s between the end of June and the beginning of September in Prague. The event is worth attending every time you visit the city, as every year the theatre group chooses a different play. Tickets cost an average of €4.7 per person; you can buy tickets on the festival's website

Although the plays are not usually performed in Shakespeare's native language, many of the thousands of foreign tourists who visit the city in summer take the time to attend to enjoy the talents of the committed artists who bring the characters to life.

And if you're in the mood for more spectacle, I recommend the Prague Black Light Theatre, a silent performance that takes place in the dark and where the real stars are the lighting and the play of light and shadow. Children love it too.

Every year a summer performance of Czech opera takes place in Prague's 6th district, usually at the end of August or in the first days of September.

If you happen to be in town at this time, take the opportunity to admire the talent of the Opera V Sárce theatre group. The performance is free and open to the public. Since its inception, the group has performed several classical works, including the Czech classics Rusalka, Jacobin, and the opera Libuše.

However, if you are passionate about classical music and cannot attend this event or want to combine it with a similar activity, there are Mozart concerts in Prague where you can enjoy the composer's works live. An amazing experience, isn't it?

For information and details of the event, such as performance dates and the work of the year, visit the website of the Opera V Sárce theatre group.

Prague is beautiful from its narrow streets and viewpoints, but fewer visitors come to see it from its rivers. The Vltava and Vltava are its two main rivers and the ones that host the cruise activities.

These are very varied, ranging from all-day cruises to daytime and night-time cruises. The good thing is that they also usually include food, so you can make yourself comfortable and enjoy a beautiful tour without hordes of people around you, while you enjoy a delicious meal.

Another good thing about this type of activity is that they usually include a guide, who will tell you interesting facts about the monuments, as well as the history of the city. This will allow you to better understand its past and appreciate its present.

Of course, if you go with adults you can also enjoy the largest water park in Central Europe: Aquapalace. It has a surface area of 9,150 square metres and the little ones will love to have fun while cooling off in the Prague summer.

But Aquapalace not only houses a water park known as WaterWorld, but you will also find SaunaWorld inside, an area with 14 different types of saunas, as well as a Wellness Centre to relax and sign up for one of its treatments.

I recommend this activity above all for people who are going to spend a lot of time in the capital or who are even going to spend many days touring the country. However, if you go with children, I consider it a must because they will love it.

With the arrival of summer at the beginning of June, Prague's open-air cinema season starts and will last until the end of September. If you are visiting Prague at this time of the year and need a good plan for the warm summer evenings, you should not miss this opportunity.

Open-air cinemas are one of the favourite activities of the city's residents and also of the thousands of visitors who come to Prague every summer during the holidays.

Temporary installations are set up all over Prague and screenings are held both in the evening at the end of the day and at night under a blanket of stars. Some are free, others cost around €4.

If you visit Prague with children during the summer season you should visit the city's Botanical Garden and the annual exhibition of exotic butterflies. The attraction takes place from mid-June until almost the end of July.

It's equal parts fun and educational. Inside the space you will encounter an average of 50 species of butterflies and approximately 5000 pupae. Each year the tour presents a central theme, revealing to the public questions such as: why some species have shiny wings, what their mating habits are, how they orientate themselves, stages of the life cycle and many other questions.

The exhibition is usually held in the Fata Morgana greenhouse of the Prague Botanical Garden, located in the Troja area. This greenhouse is a suitable garden environment with exotic vegetation and the humid temperature of the rainforest. The entrance fee is approximately €6.5.

Summer is synonymous with celebrations and many open-air festivals that aim to make the most of as much time as possible before the arrival of winter in Prague. As a result, the city is home to some of the best music festivals not only in Prague, but in Central Europe as a whole. Here are two events you should not miss.

Bohemia Jazz Fest

Inaugurated in 2005, this important festival of the best jazz music tours the most important cities in the Czech Republic, with a calendar of performances that lasts almost the entire month of July.

In the city of Prague, the opening concert of the tour takes place in one of the most important locations in the city: the Old Town Square in Staré Mesto. If you happen to be in town this month, visit the official Bohemia Jazz Fest website for information on the performance schedule and ticket prices.

Rock for the People

Since 1995, one of the most awaited events on the music scene has taken place in the first half of July, the RfP or Rock for the People festival. Since 2005 the festival has been held in the small town of Český Brod, 30 minutes from Prague.

The event lasts for four days and features an impressive schedule of performances by the most prominent local, international and classic rock stars. Since its foundation, artists such as Muse, Arctic Monkeys, Massive Attack, Killers and many more have performed. The calendar of performances, dates and ticket prices are published on the official Rock For People website

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In addition to good beer, the Czechs are known worldwide for their affinity and love of classic cars. The country boasts some of the most amazing collections in the world and they are showcased at multiple events.

Every year in summer, between July and August in Prague, the "1000 miles of Czechoslovakia" race takes place. This race has two characteristics that distinguish it from any other event you might find in other cities: it commemorates the old races that took place in the 1930s and you will find more than 100 teams that make up an extensive collection of cars from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.

The race follows the route from Prague to Bratislava via the mountainous Pezinok region. However, the rally's opening event includes a one-day exhibition of the participating classic cars at the Old Town Square in Staré Mesto. Head there to admire the well-preserved cars, some of which are over 100 years old. For details about the event, visit the official 1000 Miles of Czechoslovakia website

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Traditionally in early summer, in the first days of July, the annual Mystic Sk8 Cup world skate competition takes place in Prague. It is one of the oldest skateboarding events in Europe and a must if you love or admire this complex discipline.

It brings together the top professional skateboarders who attend the tournament with the intention of showcasing their talent and claiming the winning title. The event takes place over three days with an intense programme that includes: skateboarding competition, live music concerts, exhibitions, graffiti spaces, food stalls and much more.

The event takes place in the famous Prague skatepark Mystic Skatepark Štvanice. For details about the exact dates and programme of activities I recommend checking the Skate Mystic Sk8 Cup website before the trip.

Ladronka Fest is the name of the biggest festival of leisure activities in Central Europe. It is a free event aimed at introducing participants to a range of sporting activities and is one of the most anticipated events of the season in Prague.

If you are in Prague on holiday, the Ladronka Fest is worth enjoying because of the diversity of activities it integrates. Various bands perform live music in the open air, you'll find a large number of Czech food stalls and areas dedicated to sports such as golf, rugby, climbing, ski simulators and much more. There are also live performances of various martial arts.

For a detailed itinerary of performances, dates and activities visit the official Ladronka Fest website.

Climate

Prague is a city with a continental climate, which means extremely cold winters and hot, slightly humid summers. The hottest month of the season is July with a historic average of 24 degrees Celsius, although some particularly hot summers have seen temperatures as high as 30 degrees Celsius in this month.

What to wearTraditional, cool and comfortable summer clothing will be ideal for walking the streets of the city. As a general rule, Prague will not be as hot as Spain, unless there is a heatwave, which means that shorts, skirts and cool dresses will suit you just fine. For days when you'll be walking around town, prioritise cool, breathable fabrics made from materials such as linen and cotton. In addition to cushioned shoes for walking the cobblestone streets, don't forget sunscreen, sunglasses and an umbrella for rain.

Although rated among the best times to visit Prague, it must be admitted that in terms of tourist numbers, visiting Prague in these months is synonymous with a large influx of tourists to all parts of the city, mainly due to the traditional holiday period. It corresponds to the high season of the year, but if you have already made your decision, the best month is June, when the flood of tourists is not yet in the city.

Another factor to take into consideration is that some things in Prague during this time can be a little more expensive than usual, so consider stretching your budget for things like accommodation.