Cultural and Social Events
Our team has prepared for you a number of different social and cultural activities which are designed to accompany and enhance the academic program. They’ll give you the chance to explore the beauty and charm of Prague beyond the tourist highlights and fully enjoy everything this city has to offer. You can join us and participate in all of the activities or you can choose just the ones you like best!
All following events are included in the total price of the course. You don’t have to pay anything extra!
Guided tour of Prague
A professional guided tour is one of the best ways to learn about Prague. We will take a walking tour through the historic centre. You will admire the delights of Prague’s Old Town (Staré město), above all the Old Town Square with Prague’s famous Astronomical Clock. After crossing the Charles Bridge over the Vltava River, we will make our way through the Lesser Town (Malá Strana). (prague.eu)
Ice breaker activities
Ice breaker activities are an entertaining way to get to know other students on the study programme and at the same time to discover some less famous, though not less beautiful and interesting, places in Prague. We’ll do our best to prepare activities that will be fun for you.
Fieldwork: uncovering cultural heterogeneity in Prague
Despite the fact that only a relatively small number of foreigners live in the Czech Republic, you can still find a great deal of cultural heterogenity in Prague. We have prepared a special guided tour focused on cultural traces, particularly those that you might not expect would exist in our country. The tour will include an interactive element in which you will need to solve tasks and seek out answers to intriguing questions directly in the streets of the city.
Czech language workshop: common words & phrases
Do you want to learn the most common Czech words and some useful basic phrases? Do you wonder how to correctly pronounce Czech words using diacritics like “děkuji” [thank you]? Do you wish to be able to order in a restaurant without any difficulties, even if the waiter does not speak English very well? If so, please join us for the survival Czech language workshop. We believe it will make your stay in the Czech Republic more comfortable and hopefully also a little bit more immersive.
The Prague Castle district
Prague Castle, an ancient symbol of the Czech lands, is the most significant Czech monument and the seat of the head of the state. Most likely it was founded in the 9th century. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the Prague Castle is the largest coherent castle complex in the world, with an area of almost 70,000 m2. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is comprised of palaces, ecclesiastical buildings (the best-known is the St Vitus Cathedral), defence towers and other buildings of various architectural styles. You will have the chance to walk through the castle compound with a professional guide in the late evening, when there are fewer tourists and you can enjoy a relaxing walk while listening to myths and facts about the Prague Castle and its surroundings. (hrad.cz)
All-day trip
In the area surrounding Prague there are many beautiful castles and historical towns. We will visit one of the much-frequented monuments of Czech history:
Pardubice
Pardubice is one of the most beautiful cities in East Bohemia. It lies at the confluence of the Elbe and Chrudimka rivers. The University of Pardubice is located here, the East Bohemian Museum, the East Bohemian Gallery, the Chamber Philharmonic and the East Bohemian Theater. Pardubice is associated with horse racing, especially the Velká pardubická (Great Pardubice Steeplechase), which has been regularly run here since 1874. The City of Pardubice and its beautiful surroundings are definitely worth visiting.
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Kutná Hora
Kutná Hora is a small town in Central Bohemia, about 70 km east of Prague. It may be a small town today, but centuries ago it competed for importance with the Golden City. Looking at Prague today, it may not be easy to imagine, but it is nevertheless true.
Kutná Hora owed its position and wealth to the silver mines that had been established there in the Middle Ages. At the end of the 13th century, roughly one third of all silver produced in Europe came from this region. Nowadays, the town has a population of only approximately 20,000 people but it is a very attractive tourist destination and a great place for a day trip from Prague.
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Tábor
The birth of the town in spring 1420 took place under exceptional circumstances. It is linked not only to Jan Žižka, but also to Jan Hus, the great reformer of the Catholic church. Hus himself resided in the fortress of Kozí Hrádek Castle and in Sezimovo Ústí near the future location of Tábor in 1413 and 1414. This is where a group of Hus’ disciples and followers decided to make their ideals and dreams of a fair society come true. Their effort is also reflected in the biblical name, i.e. Mount Tabor in Palestine, which they chose to be the name of their new settlement. However, the town soon became mainly the center of the power of the Hussite movement. Within the framework of the Czech state, this town represented an autonomous political unit with its own economy, armed forces and even foreign policy…
Excursion & discussion: visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or to the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic
Let’s experience politics in practice. We will take you on an excursion to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic (mzv.cz) or the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic (vlada.cz). What is more, for you we will organize a discussion with a high state executive officer. It is too early to prepare such an excursion in detail, so for now it must remain a surprise where we will visit and who we will meet.
Excursion & discussion: Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty or an NGO
The U.S. corporation Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (www.rferl.org) is based in Prague. On July 4, 1950, RFE went on the air for the first time with a broadcast to communist Czechoslovakia from a studio in New York City. Nowadays, RFE/RL journalists report the news in 20 countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established. They provide what many people cannot get locally: uncensored news, responsible discussion, and open debate. They broadcast to 20 countries in 25 languages, including Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, and the former Soviet republics of Central Asia. These journalists are on the front lines in the fight for media freedom in their countries and often put themselves at great risk to do their jobs.
Many humanitarian non-governmental organizations are based in the Czech Republic, . The People in Need organization (clovekvtisni.cz/en) was established in 1992 by a group of Czech war correspondents who were no longer satisfied with merely relaying information about ongoing conflicts and began sending out aid. It gradually became established as a professional humanitarian organization striving to provide aid in troubled regions and support adherence to human rights around the world. Throughout the 25 years of its existence, People in Need has become one of the biggest non-profit organizations in Central Europe. In addition to humanitarian aid and human rights, it now also targets education and helps people living in social exclusion.
Bowling
Let’s bowl! Bowling is “a sport activity” for everybody. Both experienced players and people who are trying it for the first time in their life, can enjoy it together. That is what Czech people like about it and we believe that you will like it as well. We will reserve places in a very nice bowling club, where you can also play billiards, air hockey, table soccer and darts. (bowlingdejvice.cz).
Optional extension of your stay in Prague
Optionally, you can extend your stay in Prague until Sunday (September 14th) to enjoy a weekend in Prague as you want. Students in our previous courses have recommended using this opportunity to visit historical sites, museums and galleries or to take a day trip to see one of the many sights in the region surrounding Prague.