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Smetana´s Litomysl 15.06.2023 - 02.07.2023

Venue: Litomyšl

Litomyšl is located in Eastern Bohemia, 170 km from Prague. The main attraction of the city is the Litomysl Renaissance chateau, declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1999. Be sure to visit the historical houses around Smetana square. Of particular interest is the House of Knights, which has been lovingly restored to it’s original glory. The monastery gardens and the Portmonuem museum are also well worth a visit.

About the Festival

More for six decades, since 1949, a great music festival has been organized almost each year between the end of June and the beginning of July in Litomyšl, an old East-Bohemian town where Bedrich Smetana – the founder of Czech national music – was born. It mainly presents opera performances and concert versions of operas, but gala concerts, oratorios, cantatas and song evenings are also included – i.e. all those forms in which vocal artistry is dominating. Symphonic, instrumental or chamber music is not put aside either; ballet and cathedral or promenade concerts find their space here as well. Performers include important guests from abroad, foremost Czech soloists, ensembles and renowned conductors. The festival’s main center is right on the premises of the magnificent Litomyšl State Castle, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage in 1999. Main events normally take place in the Courtyard that seats an audience of up to 1300 people, with excellent acoustics and unique retractable roofing. Other venues include different Castle halls, Litomysl churches and cathedrals, the Smetana’s House, and one other selected city of the Pardubice region. Your trip to Smetana’s Litomysl is sure to be a brilliant experience – apart from a truly interesting repertoire and top performances at the festival itself, Litomysl offers an opportunity to stay out of the metropolitan hustle and bustle, yet in town with an extraordinary genius loci.

Programme

Programme 2023 will be published on-line here.

Tickets

Tickets can be purchased on festival website.

Official Website

 

Travel and additional services

Flights, transfers, car hire

If you require any of these services, we can provide them. Flight tickets, airport transfers to and from hotels and car hire from reputable rental agencies.

Accommodation

Litomysl offers a lot of smaller hotels and guesthouses which are fully equiped for your comfortable stay in the town. If you have any ideas or requests concerning your accommodation needs, do not hesitate to let us know. We will do our best to find you a hotel that is perfectly suited for your needs.

You can also book online here.

Additional programmes/tourist attractions

We can assist you in putting together some tailor-made activities – don’t hesitate to let us know.

Guided City Tour

The city tour, including the castle grounds which is   on the UNESCO list, usually begins on Smetana Square at the Plague Column.

Visitors will learn about the history of the city as well as the present day. The tour then heads to the Town Hall Tower, House of Knights and other municipal buildings of interest up to the monastery garden. The tour usually concludes on the castle hill where you will bid farewell to your guide. You can then continue visiting the doll and toy museums and other places of interest. The guided walk takes approximately 1 hour.

  • Price is dependent on the number of people in the group, requested tour language and the chosen route.
Smetana's Creative Litomysl Unique gallery of creative arts

vytvarnaThe cycle of art exhibitions called Smetana’s Creative Litomyšl accompanies the Smetana’s Litomyšl International Opera Festival every year. Originally a mere complement to the festival, it has gained its own repute and has become an independent cultural event enriching the Czech creative arts season. It is held in the Litomyšl galleries as well as places that become exhibition venues only during the event. In this way it discloses new places and amazing secluded spots for the visitors to this picturesque town.

https://www.vytvarnalitomysl.cz/en/

What to see
  • UNESCO listed Chateau grounds, the monastery garden of the former Piatrist monastery
  • Town square with historic buildings
  • Portmoneum – The former home of art lover Josef Portmon is the best example of the wealth of work produced by notable graphic artist, Josef Váchal. In the 1920s he created his masterpiece – the Portmoneum – where you will see wall frescos, which Váchal used to decorate two rooms, two carved bookcases and other weird and wonderful furniture. He adorned the walls and ceiling with various ornamentation as well as demons, ghosts, imps and other creatures, biblical scenes and signs of the zodiac.
  • Doll and toy museums
  • New Castle at Skutce, a Chateau, often referred to as the Czech Versailles or Little Schonbrunn. The Chateau blends into the picturesque countryside on the edge of a natural park. Entry to the castle grounds is through a majestic gate. It is here that the first Czech museum of cycling is situated.

 

If you should require any of our services offered, please fill in the contact form below. If you have any additional requests, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Requests are not binding. We will contact you with specific prices and conditions.

 

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