At a time when international news can feel increasingly unsettling, a calm and thoughtful conversation about music, culture and perspective stood out. In a special episode of Czechast brings listeners an interview with Emmanuel Villaume, chief conductor of the Prague Philharmonia, recorded shortly before the orchestra’s U.S. tour, which included a concert at Carnegie Hall. The conversation offers a rare insight into how a French conductor leading a Czech orchestra thinks about audiences, identity and music beyond borders.

In a new episode of Czechast, the podcast in English about all things Czech, former Czech NATO ambassador Jakub Landovský reflects on Ukraine, NATO and Europe’s hard lessons. Drawing on his own experience inside the Alliance, he speaks openly about disillusionment, strategy and power. He also looks back at 1989 and explains where he still finds hope today.

Malá Strana is one of Prague’s most visited neighbourhoods and very much part of the beaten track. But behind its busy streets lies a network of stairways that lead away from crowds and into calmer, more intimate spacesand take you suddenly off the beaten track.

Political scientist and analyst Tomáš Klvaňa has spent decades moving between academia, journalism, politics and international public affairs. In an interview for Czechast, he reflects on advising Czech presidents, working with the United States, and teaching American students in Prague. Klvaňa also speaks about the decline of traditional media, the rise of populism, and why liberal democracy is facing one of its most difficult periods in decades.

One of the best ways to experience Prague off the Beaten Track is not on foot, but from a tram. Line 22 crosses the city from Bílá Hora to Hostivař, passing castles, squares, and residential districts along the way. Seen from street level and in motion, Prague reveals itself as a lived-in city, not just a collection of sights.

In this episode of Prague off the Beaten Track, we head to Baba, a rocky plateau just north of Hanspaulka. Built in the 1930s as a model housing exhibition, the Baba villa colony combines functionalist architecture with sweeping views over Prague. From here, even the city’s most familiar landmarks appear — just from angles most visitors never see.

Was 2025 a genuine turning point for Czechia, or just a shift in political tone? In Czechast, Seznam Zprávy journalist and opinion editor Kateřina Šafaříková reflects on Czech society, public aggression, and the country’s post-election foreign-policy course. Drawing on years spent in Brussels, she offers a sober assessment of where Czechia now stands in Europe.

Hanspaulka is the focus of a new episode of Prague off the Beaten Track, now part of the podcast Czechast. This quiet Prague 6 neighbourhood is known for its interwar villas, famous artists and intellectuals, and a strong sense of place. Today, it remains one of the city’s most rewarding areas for slow walking and architectural discovery.

In a New Year’s Eve special edition, Czechast returns to a long conversation with Jakub Hrůša, one of today’s leading Czech conductors. Recorded in early 2025, the interview captures a moment just before his career reached new heights. It offers a thoughtful look at music, discipline, and a year that proved decisive for Jakub Hrůša.