Ahoj, Monday! 5 things you need to know this week in Czechia

Residents and tourists should take heed of the upcoming mass disruption to Prague’s tram network in the city center. Several reroutes lasting two months will occur. From the morning of Monday, April 29, the Prague Public Transport Company (DPP) will reconstruct a central part of the tram network, affecting over 20 public transport lines, including trams and buses. See here for more information and a list of affected lines.

The Central European folk custom of Witches’ (or Walpurgis) Night takes place annually in Czechia on the night of April 30. Known as Čarodějnice in Czech, several locations in Prague and nationwide will host special, if not spooky, events that see the open-air burning of witches’ effigies and some sausage roasting over an open fire. Traditionally, this event symbolizes the end of winter weather.

May 1 is a Labor Day, a public holiday in the Czech Republic; office workers get the day off but large shops are not required to close. Also called May Day, local tradition says that couples are supposed to kiss under a blossoming tree on May 1. Prague’s Petřín hill is a popular spot, but sometimes there are lines of people waiting to get a selfie under particularly attractive trees. Locals also drop off flowers in front of the statue of poet Karel Hynek Mácha, who wrote the classic Czech poem “Máj” (May).

The United Islands of Prague music festival returns to the Czech capital from May 1 to 4, featuring 100+ European artists across 23 stages and 10 clubs. From indie-pop to hyperkpunk, enjoy diverse genres and engaging activities like workshops and live podcasts. Don't miss this free celebration of music and community in Prague's historical center. For more details and a full lineup of bands and accompanying events, visit the official United Islands of Prague website.

While the deadline for submitting a paper income tax return in Czechia was earlier this month, the deadline for filing an electronic tax return is Thursday, May 2, 2024. Over the past seven years, the number of people submitting electronic tax returns has drastically increased, according to Czechia's Financial Administration. In 2017, 72 percent of people filed paper returns and 28 percent submitted electronically; this year, an estimated 27 percent submitted paper returns and 73 percent went digital.