New Year's Eve in Czechia as festive as ever

Czechs are preparing to celebrate New Year's Eve at home, in the mountains, or in city streets and restaurants. Many will take part in traditional runs, hikes, or cold-water swims. Thousands of people from the Czech Republic and Slovakia will gather at Velká Javořina in the White Carpathians, while others head to Javořice, the highest peak of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. Festivities include concerts, light-hearted theater performances, and church services. Fireworks will light up the night in many cities, though some have opted for videomapping or laser shows. Prague officials remind visitors that fireworks are banned in historic areas.