We want you to really enjoy your stay in Prague. Visiting concert or theatre is supposed to be beautiful and unforgettable experience. Prague offers great events and magnificent concert places which will captivate you with their beauty. Therefore let us give you few local tips:
There is no dress code required for most of the classical music concerts in Prague, but especially for National Theatre, Estates Theatre and State Opera or big symphonic concerts in main concert halls such as Municipal House, Rudolfinum it´s appropriate to wear smart casual. In the major concert halls and theatres there is a dressing room.
In the summer time we recommend to wear long trousers (no mini skirts or shorts) and advise you to cover your shoulders if dressed in sleeveless tops primarily when attending a church concert or visiting synagogues.
There are no restrictions when visiting black light theatres or jazz clubs. So feel free and express yourself! Prague is modern and artistic city and we appreciate fashion creativity!
Come 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the event for open seating option category in order to choose the best seats without any hassle as the seats are not numbered.
For category seating option we also advise to arrive 30 minutes earlier. In this category you can freely choose your seat after you get to the venue. Just select your seat within several rows, i.e from 1st to 5th row.
For numbered seating category, 15 minutes before event are sufficient, however if you are visiting a larger venue, it is necessary to count with some delay before entering the hall, therefore please come 30 minutes before. With numbered seating option you are allocated a particular row and seat.
Sitting in the first row need not always be the best option. Often the seats in the center of the venue offer the best accoustic experience. This is especially true for big symphonic and organ concerts and ballet performances. Even at Black Light Theatre where a greater distance offers better experience and overview.
On the other hand, at chamber and jazz concerts small distance and seats in the front rows promise more intensive experience.
If you are sure that your child will manage to sit still for the whole concert / performance without disturbing the audience with loud comments (the length of the concert can always be found in the event description), go for it! You can find the discount prices for children in the "Tickets" section while purchasing the tickets.
Otherwise, if your child is very young or you suspect that he wouldn´t enjoy the performance and would start fidgeting/making noise, wait until your offspring grows and better appreciates classical music. Or jazz. Or both!
In general it is not allowed to eat or drink during the event. This excludes jazz clubs and concerts including dinner where you will be served delicious meals. It is also considered to be untactful if you loudly blow your nose or loudly cough. As a rule for classical concerts and theatre it´s not appropriate to disturb other visitors with talking or even whispering. Conversations including sharing your feelings from the spectacular moment keep for later. Bear in mind the music is a beautiful experience, listen to it and get carried away...
Before the event, don´t forget to switch off your mobile phone. Generally it is not possible to take photos during event. However if you want to take a selfie from the beautiful concert halls, churches etc. before or after the event, you needn´t worry. If you would like to capture the great jazz atmosphere in the club, you are free to do so, just don´t use flash on the camera.
We unambigously recommend to clap at the end of the event, in some cases i.e in classical concerts you can clap at the beginning as well when the conductor comes on the stage. If you are really enthused, don´t be shy to express your feelings with proper clapping and call out the international famous word "Bravo". As a tradition, if the event is good, the artists are repeatedly being applauded back on the stage or setting. We advise not to applaud between movements of a symphony or concerto. The reason for this is to allow space for the impact of the music to recorded by the brain – once you’re into a symphony, you really are in your own world. If you are visting an opera, it is common to clap after arias.
Some performances end late at night, i.e. jazz concerts finish well after midnight. Please rest assured that you needn’t worry for your safety as Prague is one of the safest tourist destinations. As a common sense, keep your belongings with you. Beware of pickpockets and taxi drivers without license. We recommend you to order a taxi through the jazz club waiting staff, however it is also safe to take a night public transport or walk through the centre.