Czech Easter

Czech Easter

Czech Easter – a religious feast mixed with a lot of pagan traditions. Forget egg hunt in a garden, Easter in Central Europe is a bit different.

If you would like to enjoy the real Czech or Moravian Easter, visit a village in the Czech Republic on Easter Monday. In the morning boys wake up girls with a bucket of cold water and to stay beautiful, young and healthy they whip them with a pomlázka (hodovačka, žíla or tatar) – a willow stick, made from several willow rods and decorated with colorful ribbons (originally every visited girl put a ribbon on the stick). The girls will give them some painted eggs and usually also a shot of slivovice (plum brandy) or other local liquor.

A bit strange custom, isn’t it? But be careful in a leap year (such as in 2016) the roles are changing and the girls are whipping the boys! 🙂

In the towns and cities there are mostly children they are visiting the houses, they symbolically whip the house lady and her daughter/s, say an Easter carol and receive some painted eggs and chocolates.

In many restaurants you can taste an Easter menu: a lamb (jehněčí maso) with easter stuffing (velikonoční nádivka) – bread, eggs, spices and fresh stinging nettles, beránek (a sort of kugelhopf in a form of a little lamb), mazanec / bochánek – a sweet bun with raisins, Jidáše (Judases) – small pastry made from yeast dough.

In the past a typical Czech dish during the fasting time before Easter was pučálka (baked germinated peas) and the Easter lamb was often replaced by goat meat.

EVENTS – EASTER 2016

How the Czechs do celebrate Easter and the arrival of spring? Which are the traditional folk customs in the Czech republic? Enjoy this Easter in the Czech republic. Would you prefer to see a village fest or a royal visit at a castle? 

End of the winter season in Krkonoše mountains – Harrachov – 19 March 2016 – the lord of the mountains Krakonoš is coming to Harrachov with his suite full of dwarfs and fairies but also skiers with the historical equipment from 19th century. You will see a parade of masques, musicians but also a market with traditional food and crafts (glass beads, pottery, …).

Rural Easter: Rožnov pod Radhoštěm – Skansen (Moravia) 26 – 28 March 2016 – Wallachian Easter – Wallachian customs, food and handcrafts

Royal Easter: Křivoklát Castle: Easter market 25 – 28 March: Royal audience at 26 and 27 March 2016 Venceslaus IV visits the castle of Křivoklát and holds the royal audience. Visit the castle, meet the king and enjoy mediaeval music, food and crafts.

Okoř Castle: 27 March 2013 – mediaeval easter market, jousting, music

Easter markets – painted eggs, pomlázky, handcrafts as well as folk dance and singing

Praha / Prague – Staroměstské náměstí: 12 March – 3 April 2016

Praha / Prague – Prague Castle – Jiřské náměstí: 18 March – 10 April 2016

Praha / Prague – Náměstí Míru: 12 – 28 March 2016

Plzeň / Pilsen – náměstí Republiky: 17 – 28 March 2016

Karlovy Vary / Karlsbad – Zeyerova street: 19 – 28 March 2016