One of the landmarks of Prague’s Vinohrady district is the beautiful neo-renaissance Water Tower. Prague City Hall has now announced plans to transform the listed technical monument, which no longer serves its purpose, into a state-of-the-art water education centre.

As the summer sun heats up Prague, there's a tranquil oasis waiting to be discovered on an island in the Vltava River: river surfing.

The city of Paris spent huge amounts of money ahead of the Olympics to make the River Seine safe for swimming. Unlike the French capital, Prague already has several public bathing spots along the Vltava. Does that mean that swimming in Prague poses no risk? I discussed the question with Tomáš Hrdinka of the T.G. Masaryk Water Research Institute,

The internationally acclaimed dancer and choreographer Jiří Bubeníček is currently conducting ballet master classes in Český Krumlov as part of an international music festival. These workshops not only culminate in a final concert where the young participants perform, but also provide them with valuable experience from professionals worldwide.

Trees do not only improve air quality by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They can also significantly reduce noise levels by absorbing and refracting sound waves. Scientists from Brno are currently investigating how trees could be used as sound barriers against traffic noise.

A recent analysis by the Czech Statistical Office revealed that children raised in low-income families often remain in the poorer segments of the population as adults. Over a third of individuals who experienced financial hardship during childhood still find themselves among the least wealthy in adulthood.

Summer holidays in Czechia are firmly associated with one of the most favourite Czech pastimes – mushroom picking. And although the weather might not seem like it, conditions for mushroom hunting are quite good at the moment. At least according to a special map predicting mushroom growth around the country.

Prague 1 is fighting a lone battle against nighttime noise pollution. The city council has reintroduced a nighttime ban on vehicles entering certain streets from 10pm till 6 am in order to lower the excessive noise disturbing residents in the city centre. Prague City Hall, which invalidated such a ban last year, has said it will leave it in place for the time being.

Czechia consistently lags behind in terms of English proficiency compared to the majority of its European neighbours. Education Minister Mikuláš Bek thinks the key to improving results is starting to teach English earlier, and is proposing that the compulsory age at which children start learning the world’s most widely-spoken foreign language be decreased.

A Kantar agency survey for Czech Television found that only 17 percent of Czechs were satisfied with the state of Czech politics. Since the survey was published, austerity policies aimed at tackling the public deficit have added to the general dissatisfaction. Czechs are mainly dissatisfied with the government's handling of inflation, rising living costs, energy price regulations, and poor public communication. I asked Klára Votavová, research fellow of the Europeum Institute, why Czechs distrust the government and how Fiala’s government is addressing the issue in light of the upcoming parliamentary elections in 2025.