Most banks and shops open up around 8 or 9am, remaining open til 5 or 6pm during the week. On Saturdays, shops tend to close a bit earlier, say around noon or 1pm. Shops called večerka are open longer, usually until 10pm or midnight, and that’s seven days a week. The non-stop shops are open 24 hours.

If you stay in the city center, you’ll notice that most shops stay open on Sundays – one of the perks of living in an atheistic country. In neighborhoods outside the center, most shops close on Sundays.

Smaller shops outside the city center tend to keep more erratic hours in general. You might find that your neighborhood shop is closed for a day or two for inventory or due to a change of management or if the owners are on vacation, or for no apparent reason at all. Some shops, but not many, close for a couple of hours, Italian-style, for lunch during the day.

Museums and art galleries are closed on Mondays. Some tourist attractions are only open during the high season – generally the summertime.


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