People attend a celebration of Masopust in Roztoky people wear masks and dress up in costumes to celebrate the start of spring and bid farewell to winter The Museum of Central Bohemia in Roztoky took part in International Archaeology Day for the second time On October 17 there were three guided tours with Mgr David Daněček to nearby archaeological sites A small exhibition in a Visitor Centre was also dedicated to them where the public could find the most intriguing finds from the sites During the day there were guided tours of the exhibition with Mgr from the Archaeological Institute in Prague who was one of the excavation leaders in Roztoky She commented on her excavation experience and told the audience about the Early Slavs the exhibition was visited by more than 90 people and half of them took part in the guided tours to the sites Copyright © 2025, Archaeological Institute of America. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Yelling Mule - Boston Web Design Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Looking to access paid articles across multiple policy topics Interested in policy insights for EU professional organisations Until now, the right-wing PEGIDA group has limited itself just to Germany. But the xenophobic movement wants to widen its reach, with demonstrations planned in 14 different countries for the beginning of February. EURACTIV’s partner Tagesspiegel reports. At the weekend, Lutz Bachmann, the Dresden-based group's founder, spoke in Roztoky, a small Czech town near Prague, alongside one of the movement's leading figures, Tatjana Festerling. On the table in front of them was a copy of TIME magazine in which PEGIDA recently appeared as a feature which was attended by anti-Islam groups from Austria was to coordinate protests against the "Islamisation of Europe" on 6 February Festerling announced that the demonstrations would be carried out in 14 different countries "The fight against the Islamisation of Europe is our common goal," she said >>Read: Merkel’s ‘open door policy’ under serious threat All of the conference participants signed a memorandum which stated that "We will not leave Europe to our enemies." They proclaimed their willingness to defend themselves against political Islam Islamists and their European collaborators and would possibly put their own lives on the line to reach their goal The global elites had only promoted "unemployment Festerling added on her website that "the peoples of Europe" would oppose these policies through "two possibilities: submission or rebellion" The Czech meeting was organised by the xenophobic and anti-European group labelled European refugee policy as "stupid and suicidal" Usvit belongs to the far right of the Czech political spectrum and in 2013 gained 14 seats in the parliamentary election "It [Islam] threatens our values and to introduce the Koran I don't want to see Prague Castle blown up by Muslims." >>Read: Germany accepted twice as many refugees as Visegrad group The fact that PEGIDA has gone to the Czechs is no coincidence President Miloš Zeman flirts ever closer with anti-Islamic speech and statements has committed himself to speak at an event organised by the Alternative For Germany (AFD) party in Stuttgart The majority of Czechs are against the country accepting civil war refugees and a study released last week showed that only 2% of the population would be in favour of them staying permanently in the Central European republic "Their aim of making Dresden and Saxony the starting-point of a pan-European movement be considered a failure," said Hans Vorländer and other political scientists in their book on PEGIDA it seems like the group wants to double their efforts in launching a pan-European network >>Read: New refugee card could add to Germany's bureaucratic woes Bachmann was in the Belgian port of Antwerp at an anti-Islam rally at the invitation of the Flemish right-wing group Vlaams Belang he was the guest of the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) where he received praise from the radical party's leader The FPÖ chief suggested to his guests that PEGIDA and the AFD collaborate a proposal that Bachmann and Festerling immediately leapt upon AFD leader Frauke Petry was a little more reserved in regard to the issue French Front National founder Jean-Marie Le Pen hopes to speak in Basel on 3 February the National Democratic Party's number two man The 87-year old "welcomed" the invitation to speak and hopes that his health will allow him to travel to Switzerland and "give a good performance" It was reported that AFD leader Petry would also be speaking but this was subsequently denied by the party Basel police have in the meantime banned the February rally a decision which PEGIDA has refused to accept >>Read: Development experts rile against threats to cut aid In regard to the Europe-wide PEGIDA protests, journalist Günther Lachmann had published details of the plan in mid-January, in both the Geolitico portal and Die Welt am Sonntag "PEGIDA is no longer just a German phenomenon." According to Lachmann the movement has grown to the stage where "those who no longer feel represented by the established parties" have another outlet or Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the Occident was founded in Dresden in October 2014 and has organised large-scale protests against Muslims politicians and the media.  Demonstrators have regularly vented their frustrations against the media and journalists have been attacked in the past This article was also published by EURACTIV Germany. In nearly a decade of covering the Czech shrovetide celebrations in Prague I’ve come to realize there is really a special artistry to the posters that are issued by each Prague district to announce their annual parade I recently spoke with Zuzana Šrůmová, one of the organizers behind Roztoky masopust, an annual carnival celebration held in a small village outside of Prague that is Now in its 20th year Šrůmová told me that the Rotozky masopust poster is always created around the theme of the Masopust Queen crowned annually at this well-attended pageant this year’s poster was conceived by artist Zuzana Vítková <br/ >Roztoky masopust But while the vibrant colors of the customary masquerade (maškara) a darker meaning belies what Šrůmová describes as the “dark and earthy” Masopust iconography which symbolizes A number of posters incorporate motifs of slaughter giving a somewhat sinister air to a celebration that is widely enjoyed by families and children The posters use an array of graphic styles—from contemporary minimalist to patchwork collage—to eye-popping effect the poster is just one of many reasons her local celebration is considered by Czech folklorists to be “a vivid [work of art] driven by the creativity of a local community.” We’ve selected some of this year’s best from Prague and beyond (click the poster to link to details); in the slide show you’ll see posters from masopust years past that were too good not to share—particularly the ode to A Clockwork Orange See our previous masopust articles for more on how to celebrate the Czech Mardi Gras Your morning coffee deserves a great companion. Why not enjoy it with our daily newsletter? News from Czechia, curated insights, and inspiring stories in English. With Prague property prices on the rise, many Praguers are looking to move to smaller towns outside the city. But choosing a new home base can be challenging especially if you don’t know where to start looking One of the biggest attractions of moving to the outskirts of Prague is more affordable real estate prices and the opportunity to purchase more living space Housing in Prague is sold for an average of more than CZK 100,000 per square meter but this price becomes significantly lower just a few kilometers away from the city The same amount of money will often get you an apartment twice as large once you move your search outside of Prague For those concerned about buying outside the city rest assured that many Czech towns and villages are no longer just abandoned satellites In addition to famous areas such as Říčany the lesser-known localities of Unhošť or Vysoký Újezd are also gaining popularity – destinations that can easily be reached from the center of Prague but that also have their own natural beauty and cultural life to offer Here’s our pick for 12 commuter villages worth a look if you’re considering buying a home outside of Prague The small village of Průhonice has become an unofficial extension of Prague an area to escape to for more greenery and less hustle and bustle Property prices in Průhonice have grown greatly over the past decade with the average house easily selling for 7-10 CZK millions now Nearby towns Cestlice and Dobrejovice offer similar beauty for better prices Distance from Prague: 6km or 15 minutes by local bus from Opatov Metro stop What makes it great: It doesn’t get closer to Prague than Průhonice a 250-hectare UNESCO Heritage natural area that’s home to over 1,600 species of local and exotic plants The sleepy village of Okoř has fewer than 100 permanent residents and very few amenities except for a couple of restaurants But it’s just a short drive away from both Prague and Kladno so you can get everything you need Distance from Prague: Bus 350 from Dejvická (42 mins) What makes it great: Living against the background of the 14th-century Okoř castle ruins doesn’t hurt The village is also a 10-minute drive from Václav Havel Airport Prague A popular resort destination at the turn of the 19th century Roztoky sits on the left bank of the Vltava River Roztoky has become a popular residential area for people who work in Prague but can’t afford to buy property in the city Distance from Prague: You can catch a bus from Dejvická or a train from Praha Masarykovo Nadrazi to get to Roztoky What makes it great: Roztoky offers riverside living at still affordable prices – a great area for nature lovers Roztoky is busier and livelier (as many Prague dwellers have weekend cottages in the area) which means festivals and events for the entire family The nearby villages of Úholičky and Velké Přílepy offer slightly cheaper real estate Kralupy is significantly bigger than other towns in this list at about 18,000 inhabitants The train line that goes towards Dresden stops here making it an important transportation hub and a busy little town Distance from Prague: About half an hour by commuter train from Praha Masarykovo Nadrazi What makes it great: Kralupy is just 15 km from the legendary Říp mountain This means plenty of tourists and as a result nice amenities lots of restaurants and plenty of historical and cultural attractions worth visiting with plenty of trails cutting through town and into the nearby forests Benešov is just over an hour away from Prague by train so commuters might shy away from the location the town of Benešov is just 38 minutes from Prague and a good choice for lower prices and quiet living Distance from Prague: Trains leave from Praha Hlavni Nadrazi every 30 minutes Buses from Prague ÚAN Florenc are also available but take slightly longer What makes it great: Benešov is home to Konopiště castle surrounded by green gardens and nature trails and things to do (including a fun and unique Motorcycle Museum) If you’re not scared of the slightly longer commute you might be able to find some good real estate bargains here Černosice is at the start of the Berounka valley a vast area that extends all the way to Beroun Distance from Prague: Depends on where you’re going Trains depart from Praha Hlavni Nadrazi several times per hour What makes it great: The Berounka Valley is popular with hikers and cyclists and offers plenty of outdoor activities all year long There are also many unique attractions here and lots of horse riding and quad bikes available the village offers both easy access to the city and quiet countryside living Distance from Prague: 35 minutes by bus from Nemocnine Motol stop What makes it great: Lots of unique attractions home to the Museum of the Czech Countryside (showing everyday rural life between the 17th and 20th centuries) Despite being tiny with just under 5000 residents Karlštejn is technically tiny –but because the town is home to the famous medieval castle it also attracts a lot of tourists and day-trippers from Prague there are plenty of dining options in town Distance from Prague: 40 minutes by commuter train from Prague central station What makes it great: At just over half an hour away from Prague Karlštejn makes for a great commuter town but also a great location if you’re into hiking you can hike all the way into Beroun if you follow the trails behind the castle Karlštejn is a great place to live if you like historical properties –and property prices Masarykovo náměstí Říčany photo via Wikipedia Every year, the research firm Obce v datech in cooperation with consultancy Deloitte evaluates the quality of life in towns and cities around the country. They look at a city’s “health and environment, material security and education, and relationships and services.” And for two years in a row, the town of Říčany has come out on top Distance from Prague: 40 minutes by train from Praha Hlavni Nadrazi What makes it great: Aside from its position as the best place to live in the country Říčany enjoys a great location just 20 km south of Prague surrounded by wooded countryside and on the train line to Benešov Dolní Břežany sits right against the southern border of Prague a small village surrounded by open fields where deer and wild pigs roam Distance from Prague: 20 minutes by local bus from Kačerov metro stop Bus service is somewhat limited on weekends What makes it great: Once an area of mostly weekend cottages Dolní Břežany has grown into an extension of residential Prague and several small ponds make the village feel a world away from the city and offer plenty of clean living space the town of Nymburk has an important railway and industrial history Distance from Prague: Just under one hour away from Prague What makes it great: Nymburk is still a bit of a hidden gem which means property prices have not grown as quickly or as much as in other towns Vysoký Újezd offers family-friendly living with easy access to outdoor activities The village lies between Český kras and Křivoklátsko two large protected landscape areas perfect for hiking Distance from Prague: 30 minutes from Prague Zličín bus stop or an easy 20-minute drive from the city What makes it great: Unhošť has many new built-up areas offering low-energy houses with gardens Since the area is still largely off the radar for many expats visitors can try the golf resort Albatross or visit castle Vysoký Újezd To search for your dream property in Prague visit our new-and-improved real estate server.