Seats, dress and booking

How free seating works

The ticket is for free seating in the church. That means no seat number is printed on it, and you choose a place when you arrive. Visitors write that if you want a seat at the front, you should arrive early. There is no way to reserve a place in advance. If you are travelling with a partner or a small group and want to sit together, arriving early is the only tool you have. A group should walk in together, since the benches are not numbered and a gap in a row is easily filled.

What the seats are like

The seats are church benches. Some visitors write that they are hard, and some say the side seats are easier than the central bench. If you want comfort, aim for a side seat, wear layers and be ready to sit for about 70 minutes. The booking page lists no cushions or backs, and the church is a place of worship first, so the seating reflects that. Wikipedia says the Oblates of St Francis de Sales have administered the church since 1906, and it is still a working church whose furnishings date from several centuries.

What to wear

No dress code is set on the booking page. Most visitors will be coming from a day of sightseeing in the old town, so comfortable clothes are fine. The church is heated in the cold months of the year, which matters in winter. Bring a light layer anyway, since stone buildings can feel cool, and something compact enough for your lap or the floor by your feet.

What the ticket includes

The ticket includes free seating in the venue and a free concert programme. It does not include food, drink or transport. The booking page names the string ensemble, the composers and the format, but does not list the pieces, so the programme sheet is the place to find them. The concert runs about 70 minutes, and your confirmation carries the start time.

Booking and cancellation

The booking calendar shows open dates, the price in your currency and the start time on the next screen. The booking page gives a 24-hour cancellation window with a full refund, and lets you secure the date today and pay afterwards. Read the terms for your date on the page, since they are the ones that apply when you book.

Phones, photos and etiquette

The room is small and the music is quiet, so a raised phone is visible to everyone behind you, and a camera click can carry. Visitors have written that filming during the concert spoiled it for them. If in doubt, wait for the other listeners before you applaud, and keep conversation for the walk out.

Who this isn't for

If you need an assigned seat, a padded seat or confirmed wheelchair access, this concert is a gamble on what the booking page does not state. Ask the organiser before you book. If you want a bigger occasion with an orchestra and singers, read the comparison guide for the Golden Hall evening.

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