Folk evening in a Prague cellar

The short answer

It is an organised evening, not a pub you wander into. A vehicle collects you from your hotel, takes you through the heart of historic Prague to a wine cellar and brings you back at the end. In the cellar you are served Czech dishes and drinks while four musicians play folk music from three regions on old instruments. After a break, guests are invited to bring music from their own countries and to dance and sing. A short classical concert inspired by folk dances finishes the night. The whole evening lasts about three hours.

The evening, in order

This is the order the booking page gives. Start times are set per date and shown in your confirmation, so rely on that and not on any time written here. Every evening is different according to the mood of the guests, so treat the list as the evening the booking page describes, not as a promise for one night. The pattern is simple: eat, listen, take a break, join in, hear the classical finale and ride home.

• Pickup from your hotel and a ride of about 25 minutes
• Czech dishes, with Becherovka and unlimited wine, beer, soft drinks and coffee
• Traditional music, then Bohemian, Moravian and Slovak folk songs
• A break, then guests bring their own countries' music, dancing and singing
• A short classical set inspired by folk dances
• The ride back to your hotel

What the ticket includes

Included are pickup and drop-off at your hotel, dinner and drinks, and a folklore show with music and dancing. The drinks are Becherovka as an aperitif, unlimited wine, beer, soft drinks and coffee, and a glass of sparkling wine. The activity provider named on the booking page is CA BEST TOUR Praha s.r.o. The host speaks English. If you need anything beyond what the ticket lists, such as a special meal, contact the operator before your date and not at the table. The ticket is for one person, and everyone in your party books their own place on the same date.

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Where it takes place

The operator takes you to its wine cellar, so you never need to find it yourself. The booking page puts the ride at about 25 minutes each way, passing through the heart of historic Prague, and Wikipedia notes that the historic centre has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1992. Because the operator drives, the evening works even if you are unsure of Prague's trams and buses, and it also works if your hotel is not near a convenient stop. The cellar is part of the operator's own evening, so you cannot choose it, but you also never have to look for an address or a door. The hotel van guide explains the pickup and the return step by step.

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The music and the instruments

Four musicians play all evening. The booking page names the hammer dulcimer, the fujara, which is a shepherd's pipe, and the bagpipe among the typical folk instruments. Wikipedia says the fujara originated in central Slovakia and that Moravian traditional music is known for the cimbalom, a hammered dulcimer. The songs come from Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia, and the booking page adds songs from the Romani tradition, which it calls gypsy songs. The instruments guide explains what each one is.

Read next: Dulcimer, fujara and bagpipe

How much you join in

Joining in is part of the evening. After the break, the booking page says guests are invited to bring their own international music to the front and are encouraged to dance and sing. One guest on the booking page says the musicians made sure all the different groups were included in the singing and dancing, and another says they managed to involve the whole audience. Nobody is asked to perform alone: it is a group evening, and the mood of the room decides how it goes. A quiet table can simply listen and clap, while a lively one can lead the singing. The booking page says every evening is different for exactly this reason, so what happens on your date depends on who comes with you.

The dinner and the wine

The dinner is a meal of Czech dishes, simple in style. One guest on the booking page found it good but not really traditional, so go for the music and the company and not for a gastronomic tour. Treat the meal as the base of the evening: it gives you something to eat while the musicians play. The wine is poured from special glass pipes of the kind used in the wine cellars of South Moravia, and Wikipedia says Moravia accounts for around 96 percent of the Czech Republic's vineyards. The wine guide explains the region, the glass pipes and the Becherovka that opens the evening.

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What to wear and bring

The booking page sets no dress code, so ordinary smart-casual clothes suit a cellar evening. Wear shoes you can dance in if you plan to take part, and bring a layer in case the room is cool. Bring an appetite, because the dinner and the drinks are generous, and bring a song or a tune from home: after the break, guests are invited to bring their own countries' music to the front. Your phone should carry the confirmation, since it shows the pickup time and the contact details for the operator.

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Who it suits

It suits groups, couples and first-time visitors who want food, drink, live music and a lift from the hotel in one ticket. Because a vehicle brings you back, you can enjoy the unlimited drinks without planning the way home. It suits mixed parties well, since the singing draws in guests of every nationality. It is a smaller evening than the big dinner shows: four musicians, one cellar, one shared programme, which gives it a closer, more personal feel than a large theatre restaurant.

Who this isn't for

This is the wrong night for a hushed dinner, a seated concert in a hall or a refined tasting menu. It is a busy room with shared music and singing. You would be unhappy if you wanted to choose your own restaurant or stay in your own part of town all night, since the operator decides where you go and the return ride is part of the schedule. If you dislike group singing, or need a strict dietary guarantee without contacting the operator first, look elsewhere.

Choosing a date and booking

Pick an open date on the booking calendar and note its start time. Nothing is charged for cancelling until a day beforehand, and the bill can be settled later. The calendar carries the live amount, in your currency, so no price is printed here. If a classical concert is also on your list, the comparison guide on this site lines the two evenings up before you commit.

Read next: Folk evening or classical?