Heading to Prague for Advent?

Prague Christmas Markets & Things To Do

A first December in Prague raises the same few questions every time. Which squares have the markets, when does the big tree light up, how cold do the cobbles get after dark, and is any tour more than a guide with an umbrella? We answer each one in a sentence below and point you to the long answer, so you can stop reading forums and start choosing your evenings.

A long weekend in the city? Two evenings and a day out

  1. Evening one · free, or from ~$95 with locals Walk from square to square

    Begin at Republic Square beside the Art Nouveau Municipal House, then follow our free route to Old Town Square in time for a light show on the tree. Carry on down to Wenceslas Square and its rink, and finish across Charles Bridge on Kampa, with a mug of svařák at most stops.

    Would you rather let a resident lead? Prague City Adventures walks up to 11 guests to the markets people in Prague actually use, with homemade Christmas cookies and hot mead along the way.

    Seven markets on a mapThe neighborhood markets
  2. Day two · from ~$58 The castle by daylight, dinner by tasting

    Prague Castle holds no Christmas market, and its paid interiors shut around 4 pm in winter, so climb the hill in the morning. Fun in Prague's guided visit includes the entry ticket for ~$58. Spend the afternoon on Taste of Prague's food tour, which most guests treat as dinner, or keep the evening for the Christmas gala at the Rudolfinum from ~$68.

    The castle in winterChristmas concerts
  3. One day out · from ~$217 Cross a border, or head south

    Dresden sits about two hours north, and its Striezelmarkt is one of the oldest Christmas markets in Germany. Bohemia Adventures adds a morning on the sandstone cliffs of the Bastei before it. Staying in the country? Český Krumlov puts a castle above a river bend, with a small Advent market on its square.

    Day trips from PragueWeather and what to wear

The season at a glance

  • WhenPeace Square opens first, on 20 November. Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square follow on 28 November and stay open until 6 January. Dates and hours
  • ColdAround 36 °F (2 °C) by day and 27 °F (-3 °C) at night, damp and often grey. Snow comes and goes. What to wear
  • CrowdsOld Town Square fills up on weekend evenings and on St. Nicholas Eve, 5 December. Weekday afternoons are calmer. Best times to go
  • MoneyEvery market is free to enter. Pay in Czech koruna, not euros, and carry a few coins for small stalls. Tours on this page start at ~$30. All prices
  • KidsAn ice rink on Wenceslas Square and weekend craft workshops on Old Town Square. With children
  • BookingMarkets need none. The Taste of Prague food tour is usually booked weeks ahead, so reserve that one first. Our picks

Or browse Christmas in Prague by topic

Plan an evening on foot See our three picks Choose a market

The markets, river to Vinohrady

Seven Prague Christmas markets, square by square

Two big markets anchor the center, and a ring of smaller ones serves the people who live here. We picked the seven we would send a friend to, from the tree on Old Town Square to the residents' stalls in Vinohrady. Four of them lie on one evening walk, and the three in Vinohrady are a short metro ride out. Tap a number on the map to jump to a market.

Prague's markets split into two families. The big pair on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square run for six weeks with stages and giant trees, and they draw most visitors. The neighborhood markets open earlier and close by Christmas Eve, and they feel like a weeknight out for the people who live around each square. A good trip mixes both.

01The Christmas market on Old Town Square

  • Outdoors
  • Metro Staroměstská or Můstek
  • Tree light shows
  • Open to 6 Jan

The main market fills Staroměstské náměstí between the twin towers of the Týn Church and the Old Town Hall, where the apostles of the Astronomical Clock, built in 1410, appear on the hour. The tree in the middle stands about 26 m (85 ft) tall with some 95,000 LEDs. It is switched on in the late afternoon of opening day, and from then on it plays a short light show every evening on the half hour, from 4:30 to 9:30 pm.

A stage hosts choirs and folk bands from about 4 to 7 pm, with plenty of carols. There is a nativity scene, and a raised platform lets you look down over the roofs of the huts. On weekends children get craft workshops from 11 am to 3 pm. On 24 December the square holds an open-air Mass at 9 pm.

Watch the clock, then the treeArrive a few minutes before the hour for the apostles, then stay for the light show at half past. Weekday afternoons, right after the lights come on, are the calmest time to walk the lanes.

28 November to 6 January, daily 10 am to 10 pm; 24 December 10 am to 2 pm; 25 and 26 December noon to 10 pm

The Old Town Square market in detail

The two Gothic spires of the Týn Church in Prague's Old Town rising against a clear blue sky
The Týn Church towers above the main market

02Wenceslas Square and its ice rink

  • Outdoors
  • Metro Můstek or Muzeum
  • Ice rink
  • Open to 6 Jan

Václavské náměstí is less a square than a long, sloping boulevard, with the statue of St. Wenceslas on horseback in front of the National Museum at the top. The market gathers at the lower end, by Můstek, about seven minutes on foot from Old Town Square through Melantrichova or Na Můstku. Its tree is smaller, about 15 m (50 ft), and a stage runs from 4 to 6 pm Thursday to Sunday. Blacksmiths give demonstrations between the stalls, and there is a nativity of its own.

Bring the skates moodThe open-air rink on the square runs from 28 November into mid-February, 9 am to 9 pm, with skate hire on site and no booking. Skate first, then warm up at the stalls.

Same dates and hours as Old Town Square, including the shorter Christmas days; ice rink 9 am to 9 pm

Wenceslas Square and the rink

03Peace Square, the locals' favorite

  • Outdoors
  • Metro A Náměstí Míru
  • Crafts
  • Opens first

In Vinohrady, in front of the Church of St. Ludmila, Náměstí Míru holds the market that many residents count as their favorite. It leans toward crafts and organic food rather than souvenirs, and it is the first in the city to open, on 20 November. The metro station right under the square is not step-free, which matters with a stroller.

Go for the craftsThis is the place to buy a present made in the Czech Republic and to drink your svařák beside people on their way home from work. Come in the early evening on a weekday.

20 November to 24 December, daily 10 am to 8 pm

Peace Square and the other neighborhood markets

Walk the big squares once for the tree and the clock. Then spend your second evening where the people of Prague buy their svařák.

04Republic Square, by the Municipal House

  • Outdoors
  • Metro B Náměstí Republiky
  • Handmade goods
  • Palladium part to 6 Jan

Náměstí Republiky sits beside the Municipal House, the Art Nouveau concert hall and café opened in 1912. The stalls here sell mostly handmade goods. A second section in front of the Palladium shopping center keeps trading after Christmas, until 6 January, which makes it one of the few places away from the big two with stalls in the week after the holidays.

Start the walk hereLook up at the Municipal House facade as its lights come on, then buy a first cup and head toward the Old Town. The shopping street Na Příkopě leads the other way, down to Wenceslas Square.

Daily 10 am to 8 pm, 25 November to 24 December; the Palladium section until 6 January

Wenceslas Square under snow seen from behind the St. Wenceslas statue, with market huts down the middle of the boulevard
Wenceslas Square on one of the city's rare white days

05Kampa, below Charles Bridge

  • Outdoors
  • Lesser Town, left bank
  • River views
  • Into early January

Kampa is the island on the Lesser Town side of the river, just below Charles Bridge. Its market, Na Kampě, is mostly about food and drink, with the Vltava and the bridge lit beside you. It opens later than the rest, in early December, and carries on into early January.

End the evening hereCross Charles Bridge, begun in 1357 and lined with baroque statues, and take the steps down to the island. A hot drink by the river after the crowds of the Old Town is the right way to close a market night.

Early December to early January, daily 10 am to 8 pm

Kampa and the calmer markets

06Jiřího z Poděbrad, known as Jiřák

  • Outdoors
  • Metro A Jiřího z Poděbrad
  • Gifts
  • Until 23 Dec

Further into Vinohrady, the square locals call Jiřák is built around the Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Our Lord. The square already hosts a weekly farmers' market, and the Christmas version keeps that feel, with more gifts than food and plenty of residents doing their shopping. It runs from 29 November and closes a day before most others, on 23 December.

Shop, then sit downBrowse the gift stalls in daylight, then warm up in one of the cafés and pubs around the square, where Vinohrady spends its evenings.

29 November to 23 December; daily hours vary, so check the organizer's page

07Tyl Square, the residents' corner

  • Outdoors
  • Metro C I. P. Pavlova
  • Local prices
  • Until 24 Dec

Tylovo náměstí sits where the New Town meets Vinohrady, a few steps from the I. P. Pavlova metro station, which is step-free. This is a small market for the neighborhood, where food and drink cost noticeably less than in the Old Town and most of the customers live within a few streets. It opens on 26 November and runs to Christmas Eve.

Eat like a residentPair it with Peace Square nearby for an evening of neighborhood markets with hardly a tour group in sight.

26 November to 24 December; daily hours vary, so check the organizer's page

A Vinohrady market route

20 NovFirst opening, Peace Square

26 mTree on Old Town Square

95,000LEDs on that tree

6 JanLast day on the big squares

These dates and hours follow the organizers' plans for the coming Advent. Organizers publish the final dates and hours shortly before each season, so check a market's own page before you travel. All dates and hours in one table.

Also on the calendar. Havel's Market (Havelské tržiště), a lane of stalls between Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, has traded since 1232 and opens all year, Monday to Saturday 7 am to 7 pm and Sunday 8 am to 6:30 pm, with seasonal stalls added in Advent. Prague Castle, on the other hand, has held no Christmas market in recent years. Its grounds and St. Vitus Cathedral stay open and a big tree stands in the courtyard, so go up by day for the sights. Prague Castle in December and the full market calendar have the details.

How the season runs

Planning Advent in Prague, week by week

Two choices shape most trips. Do you want every evening in town, or one full day across the border or in South Bohemia? And which week suits you? The markets open one after another from 20 November, and the crowds have a rhythm of their own.

Style · afternoons and evenings in town

Market lights after dark, music under a gilded ceiling

Markets with locals · food tour · Old Town and castle walk · castle with entry · Rudolfinum gala

2–10 pmdark from about 4 pm; the big two squares stay open until 10 pm

Sunset comes around 4 pm, so the markets are lit for most of the afternoon and the whole evening. Walk them on your own the first night. After that, spend one evening with a guide or in a concert seat, because standing still on cold cobbles loses its appeal by the third night.

Style · a day out

A German market town, or a castle in South Bohemia

Dresden and the Bastei · Český Krumlov

9–10 hboth tours collect you from your hotel or apartment

Daylight is short, so a day out means an early start and a return after dark. Both drives take about two hours each way. The hills of Saxon Switzerland and South Bohemia are colder than Prague and white more often, though snow is never a promise.

From the first stall to Three Kings

  • How busy the evenings get
  1. 20 Nov1market on our mapPeace Square

    Vinohrady gets its market a week before the center

  2. 25–27 Nov3markets on our map+ Republic, Tyl Square

    Two more neighborhood markets open, still quiet

  3. Opening weekend6markets on our mapTree lit 28 Nov

    The big two and the rink open, Jiřák follows a day later

  4. Early Dec7markets on our map+ Kampa

    St. Nicholas Eve on 5 December packs Old Town Square

  5. Mid-Dec7markets on our mapBusiest weekends

    Carp tubs appear on the streets just before Christmas

  6. After the 24th3plus the Palladium stallsBig two to 6 Jan

    Neighborhood markets are over; the big two squares and Kampa carry on

The bars give a rough sense of how full the market lanes get after dark. We would aim for the two highlighted stretches, the opening weekend and early December. Almost everything is open by then, and weekday evenings are easier than in mid-December. Opening dates for every market.

Daily hours, market by market

  • Open every day
  • Tree light shows

Weekday hours as announced by the organizers. On 25 and 26 December the two big squares open at noon. Jiřího z Poděbrad and Tyl Square confirm their daily hours late, so they stay off the chart.

  1. Go on a weekday afternoonThe best hour is just after the lights come on, around 4 pm, on a Monday to Thursday, before the after-work crowd arrives.
  2. Give Saturday to DresdenFriday and Saturday evenings on Old Town Square are the busiest of the week. Spend the Saturday out of town and come back for a late svařák.
  3. Mind Christmas EveOn 24 December shops close around noon and even Old Town Square shuts at 2 pm. By then the neighborhood markets have already packed up.
  4. Reserve the food tour firstTaste of Prague takes small groups and is usually booked weeks ahead. Concerts and the castle can wait. Our picks.

Prague in December covers the cold, the fog off the Vltava and the icy cobbles, and what to wear for an evening outdoors.

A free evening route

From Republic Square to Kampa, on foot

Roughly 1.5 miles (2.5 km) and under an hour of walking without stops, closer to three hours with them. The route links five markets and crosses Charles Bridge, and it costs nothing except what you drink.

Wooden Christmas market huts on Old Town Square in daylight, with crowds of visitors walking between the stalls
Old Town Square, the second stop on the walk

Right bank, from about 4 pm

  • Republic SquareHandmade goods beside the Municipal House. Your first svařák of the night.
  • Old Town SquareThe Astronomical Clock on the hour, the tree's light show on the half hour.
  • Havel's MarketA lane of stalls that has traded since 1232, a few steps south.
  • Wenceslas SquareBlacksmiths at work beside the rink, with St. Wenceslas on horseback at the top.

Back through the Old Town lanes to Charles Bridge

  • Charles BridgeBaroque statues and the castle lit on the hill across the water.
  • KampaFood stalls on the island below the bridge, with the Vltava beside you (from early December).

Prefer to follow a local?

Prague City Adventures runs a 2.5-hour evening walk to three markets that residents use, starting in front of Kafka's birthplace by Old Town Square. Until 24 December two of them are neighborhood markets; after that the walk switches to two others in the historic center. Public transport tickets are included, and so are homemade Christmas cookies with mulled wine and hot mead. Groups stay at 11 or fewer. Reviews are still few, 71 on Viator at 5.0 and 34 on GetYourGuide at 4.9. Walk our route on your first night, then book this one for the second.

Viator GetYourGuide

Our picks

One evening, one afternoon and one day out we would book

You can walk every market for free. Two of these add what a stall cannot give you, an evening in the markets residents use and a long afternoon of Czech food with a guide. The third is a day at a German Christmas market, for when Prague has filled your evenings.

A small group of friends holding warm mugs together under a big lit Christmas tree in Prague For the evening

Christmas markets walk with locals

Prague City Adventures · up to 11 guests, or private up to 15

5.0 on Viator (71) · 4.9 on GetYourGuide (34)

Your guide meets the group on tiny Franz Kafka Square and leads you, with public transport tickets included, to three markets that Prague people use themselves. On the way you taste homemade Czech Christmas cookies with mulled wine and hot mead, and you hear how Christmas works in one of Europe's least religious countries, and how it changed under Communism. Every stall you visit is Czech-owned, and the guide points out the ones run by charities.

Price
from ~$95 on GetYourGuide, about $97 on Viator
Duration
2.5 hours
Start
Franz Kafka Square, by Old Town Square
Catch
Few reviews yet, outdoors in the cold
Viator GetYourGuide

Full details and who should skip it

A Taste of Prague tour group gathered around a tasting table in a Prague restaurant For the afternoon

Eat, Sip and Make Friends food tour

Taste of Prague · small group

5.0 on Viator (3,800+)

About four hours on foot and by metro, with tastings in several restaurants that add up to a big meal, so most guests cancel dinner. Each stop pours one local drink, with non-alcoholic options, and coffee comes along the way. You pass Charles Bridge and Wenceslas Square on the way, and learning the metro helps for the rest of the trip.

Price
from ~$169 per person
Duration
About 4 hours
Start
Haštalská 18, across from St. Haštal church
Catch
Priciest here, not for vegans
Viator

Full details and who should skip it

The sandstone rock towers of the Bastei in Saxon Switzerland dusted with snow above a wooded valley For a day out

Dresden Christmas market and the Bastei

Bohemia Adventures · up to 8 guests, or private

4.8 on Viator (109) · 4.9 on GetYourGuide (27)

A people carrier with Wi-Fi collects you from your hotel and crosses into Germany. The morning belongs to Saxon Switzerland National Park, where you walk over the Bastei Bridge above the Elbe and through the ruins of a 12th-century rock castle. In Dresden a local guide leads you round the historic center before an à la carte lunch, then you get three hours at the Striezelmarkt with a Glühwein on the house.

Price
from ~$217 on Viator, about $219 on GetYourGuide
Duration
9 to 10 hours
Start
Pickup at your Prague hotel
Catch
A long day for the price, dark by 4 pm
Viator GetYourGuide

Full details and who should skip it

Live availability for the Christmas markets walk on GetYourGuide

Powered by GetYourGuide

The 7 tours

Seven festive things to do in Prague, catch and all

We went through the winter listings for Prague on GetYourGuide and Viator and kept seven we would pay for ourselves. Five fill an afternoon or an evening in the city, and two take a whole day outside it. Every card names the operator and the price, then the rating and the catch, with a button for each site that sells the tour.

Which tour fits your trip?

Our three picks cover most first visits. A short stopover needs something else, though, and so does a family week. Pick the line closest to yours and jump to the card.

What we left out. Many listings with Christmas in the title are new and carry a handful of reviews or none. The Christmas river cruises score lower with reviewers, and the Nutcracker ballet listing we found sits under four stars. Church concerts and Ryba's Christmas Mass appear in our concerts guide, and the train trip to Kutná Hora in day trips from Prague.

One evening only
Walk the free route from Republic Square, then end the night at the Rudolfinum gala, a short walk from Old Town Square.
A weekend
The free walk on Friday and Dresden with the Bastei on Saturday. Keep Sunday evening for the markets with a local.
Four or five days
Start with the Old Town and castle walk on your first morning. Keep the food tour for a grey afternoon later in the week.
A rainy day
The castle tour spends much of its time inside St. Vitus and the Old Royal Palace, and the food tour moves between restaurants.
Bringing children
The markets walk welcomes all ages and prepares alcohol-free drinks on request. The gala does not admit children under 5, and the Dresden day is not for babies under 1.
On a tight budget
The markets cost nothing to enter. Two tours cost least, the three-hour walk at ~$30 and the castle with entry at ~$58.

In town Markets, food, the castle and a gala

Hands holding homemade Czech Christmas cookies and small pastries on a Prague market walk Our evening pick

Christmas Markets Tour with Locals, Prague City Adventures

For travelers who have seen the big tree and now want the markets Prague keeps for itself.

The guide meets you in front of the house where Franz Kafka was born, on a tiny square beside Old Town Square. From there you visit three markets loved by residents. Up to 24 December the route takes in two neighborhood markets, which it later trades for two others in the historic center. Homemade Czech Christmas cookies come with mulled wine and hot mead, and the stories range from the odder Czech customs to Christmas before and after Communism.

  • Duration2.5 hours
  • OperatorPrague City Adventures
  • RatingViator 5.0 (71) · GetYourGuide 4.9 (34)
  • StartFranz Kafka Square, in front of Amorino Gelato
  • StrengthsCzech-owned stalls only, guides such as Nikola or Johanka
  • Ideal forA second evening, families

Good to know: Reviews are few next to the year-round tours, and the whole evening is spent outdoors in the cold. The meeting point is easy to miss, so look for the Prague City Adventures sign. Standard groups take up to 11 and a private option up to 15. Alcohol-free and diabetic alternatives are available on request. It ends near Wenceslas Square. About $97 on Viator. The neighborhood markets.

~$95per person
Viator GetYourGuide
Two Taste of Prague guides holding trays of Czech open-faced sandwiches ready for tasting Our afternoon pick

Eat, Sip and Make Friends Food Tour, Taste of Prague

Book it early in your stay, and you will know where to eat for the rest of it.

The group meets in front of La Degustation on Haštalská in the Old Town, across from the church of St. Haštal. Over about four hours you move on foot and by metro between several restaurants, tasting enough along the way to make a large meal. One local drink comes with each stop, with non-alcoholic choices, and there is coffee too. Between stops the guide adds culture and history, past Charles Bridge and Wenceslas Square.

  • DurationAbout 4 hours
  • OperatorTaste of Prague
  • RatingViator 5.0 (3,800+)
  • StartLa Degustation, Haštalská 18, Old Town
  • StrengthsA dinner's worth of tastings, guides such as Jan or Karolina
  • Ideal forCurious eaters on a cold grey afternoon

Good to know: It is the most expensive tour on this page, and four hours on your feet in December is a long stretch. It does not suit vegans, so mention any allergy when booking. Wheelchair users and strollers can join. Guests book it about seven weeks ahead on average, so plan early. Sold on Viator only. What to eat and drink at Christmas.

~$169per person
Viator
A Get Prague Guide walking tour guide raising a blue and white umbrella so the group can follow Lowest price

3-Hour Walking Tour of Old Town and Prague Castle, Get Prague Guide

The first-morning orientation that makes every later evening easier.

You start at the Get Prague Guide office on Maiselova, four minutes from the Astronomical Clock. The walk covers Old Town Square and the legends of the clock, then crosses Charles Bridge statue by statue. A tram, with the ticket included, saves you the climb to Hradčany square, and the tour ends among the castle buildings with the city spread out below.

  • Duration3 hours
  • OperatorGet Prague Guide
  • RatingGetYourGuide 4.8 (7,200+)
  • StartMaiselova 5, Old Town
  • StrengthsThe lowest price here, a tram up the hill
  • Ideal forFirst-timers, a morning before the markets

Good to know: The castle part stays outside, and some reviewers wanted clearer information on visiting the interiors afterwards. Groups can be large. It runs in any weather and does not suit strollers or wheelchairs. Sold on GetYourGuide only. Prague Castle in winter.

~$30per person
GetYourGuide
The colorful Alfons Mucha stained-glass window inside St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle Most reviewed

Prague Castle Tour with Local Guide and Entry Ticket, Fun in Prague

The castle from the inside, by daylight, before the markets come alive.

The meeting point is a drinking fountain by Malostranská metro and tram stop. The tram ticket and the castle admission are covered, and with headsets on, the group walks past the ticket line into St. Vitus Cathedral, with its window by Alfons Mucha. The visit goes on through the Old Royal Palace and the Vladislav Hall, then St. George's Basilica, and ends among the tiny houses of Golden Lane.

  • Duration2.5 hours
  • OperatorFun in Prague
  • RatingGetYourGuide 4.7 (12,000+)
  • StartDrinking fountain at Malostranská
  • StrengthsEntry included, no ticket queue
  • Ideal forHistory lovers on a rainy morning

Good to know: Skipping the ticket queue does not skip security, though that line is usually short. Expect a lot of standing on stone floors. In winter the interiors close around 4 pm, so book a morning slot. Sold on GetYourGuide only. The castle in December.

~$58per person
GetYourGuide
The neo-Renaissance facade of the Rudolfinum concert hall on the Vltava embankment in Prague A night of music

Classical Christmas Gala Concert at the Rudolfinum

Two hours in a gold and white hall, a short walk from Old Town Square.

The Rudolfinum opened in 1885 and is home to the Czech Philharmonic. The gala fills its Dvořák Hall with a symphony orchestra plus mezzo-soprano and flute soloists. The first half moves from Smetana's Moldau to Rossini and a Mozart flute Andante, ending with a fantasy on Bizet's Carmen. After the interval comes the whole of Dvořák's New World Symphony. Seats are premium floor or premium balcony, with seat numbers sent after you book.

  • DurationAbout 2 hours, 8 pm to about 10 pm
  • VenueDvořák Hall, Rudolfinum
  • RatingGetYourGuide 5.0 (21)
  • StartAlšovo nábřeží 12; bar opens 7 pm, doors 7:30 pm
  • StrengthsA great hall and a whole symphony
  • Ideal forMusic lovers, a dressy evening

Good to know: This is a classical gala with a Christmas name, not an evening of carols. Children under 5 are not admitted, and no drinks or transfers are included. With 21 reviews it is newer than the other tours here. Sold on GetYourGuide only. How to pick a Christmas concert.

~$68per person
GetYourGuide

Out of town A Saxon Christmas market, a Bohemian castle town

A lit carousel in front of the arcades of the Dresden Christmas market at night Our day-out pick

Dresden Christmas Market and Saxon Switzerland Tour, Bohemia Adventures

For anyone who wants a German Christmas market and a landscape on the same day.

Pickup is at your hotel, and the drive takes about two hours each way. The first stop is Saxon Switzerland National Park. There you cross the Bastei Bridge above the Elbe canyon and walk among the remains of Neurathen, a rock castle from the 12th century. In Dresden a local guide shows you the historic center before an à la carte lunch with a main course and a drink. Three free hours follow at the Striezelmarkt, first recorded in 1434, with one Glühwein included.

  • Duration9 to 10 hours
  • OperatorBohemia Adventures
  • RatingViator 4.8 (109) · GetYourGuide 4.9 (27)
  • StartHotel pickup and drop-off in Prague
  • StrengthsUp to 8 guests, with lunch and entrance fees included
  • Ideal forMarket lovers with a free Saturday

Good to know: Bring your passport, since you cross into Germany. It is a long day and it gets dark around 4 pm, so the second half happens under streetlights. The price is high for a day trip. It does not suit babies under 1 or people with heart conditions, and everyone signs an outdoor declaration on the day. About $219 on GetYourGuide. Christmas day trips from Prague.

~$217per person
Viator GetYourGuide
Aerial view of Český Krumlov with its red roofs and castle tower inside a tight bend of the Vltava South Bohemia

Český Krumlov Full-Day Tour with Pickup, Bohemian Walks

A UNESCO town above a river bend, with its own small Advent market.

An air-conditioned van picks you up at your accommodation in the center, and the drive south takes about two hours. Your guide, often Filip according to reviewers, leads a walk through the castle courtyards high above the Vltava. Lunch follows at a medieval restaurant by the river, paid on the spot, and then the Old Town is yours for shopping and a stroll round the square before the drive home.

  • DurationAbout 9 hours
  • OperatorBohemian Walks
  • RatingGetYourGuide 4.8 (650+) · Viator 4.6 (1,100+)
  • StartPickup at your Prague accommodation
  • StrengthsDoor-to-door transport, groups of 15 at most
  • Ideal forPhotographers, anyone hoping for frost

Good to know: Reviewers often wish for more free time in town. Food is not included, and the tour does not suit wheelchair users. South Bohemia runs colder than the capital and sees snow more often, but nothing guarantees it. About $134 on GetYourGuide. Prague weather in December.

~$126per person
GetYourGuide Viator

More winter activities in Prague on GetYourGuide

How we are paid. The buttons lead to GetYourGuide and Viator through affiliate links, which earn us a small commission when you book. Your price does not change, and neither does the order of the tours or the catch we print beside each one.

Before you go

Eight things about Christmas in Prague nobody prints on the stall sign

None of these appears at the top of a booking page or a market poster. Each one can spare you a cold wait or a few hundred koruna.

What to know before the first svařák

  1. Pay in koruna, not euros. The Czech Republic uses the koruna (CZK). Cards are widely accepted, but small stalls and public toilets like coins and small notes. When a card terminal or cash machine offers to charge you in your home currency, choose koruna, because the conversion it offers is poor. Skip exchange booths that advertise zero commission.
  2. Ask the weight before the ham is cut. Prague ham roasted on a spit is priced per 100 g, and slices quickly add up. Ask how much the piece weighs and what the total will be before the knife comes down. What to order at the stalls.
  3. Your cup carries a deposit. Hot drinks come in returnable or recycled cups with a small deposit added. Hand the cup back at the return huts to get it refunded, or keep it as a souvenir.
  4. Old Town Square has quiet hours. Weekday afternoons, right after the lights come on, are calm. Weekend evenings are not, and St. Nicholas Eve on 5 December is one of the busiest nights. The main market hour by hour.
  5. Christmas Eve ends early. On 24 December shops close around noon, and Old Town Square closes at 2 pm, while most neighborhood markets have ended. Czech families eat their Christmas dinner that evening. What is open over the holidays.
  6. The castle has no market. Prague Castle has a big tree but no Christmas stalls, and its paid interiors close around 4 pm in winter. Go up in the morning and come down to Kampa or the Lesser Town for the evening. Planning the castle.
  7. Buy concert tickets from the venue. Near Charles Bridge, street sellers hand out flyers for concerts. Some are fine, but you cannot compare seats or prices on the pavement, so choose the hall and the programme first. Choosing a concert.
  8. Cobbles and strollers do not mix. Cobblestones turn slippery when damp, and crowds make pushing a stroller hard. The metro stations at Můstek and Muzeum, by the big squares, are step-free, while Staroměstská and Náměstí Míru are not. Prague with children.

Side by side

Seven festive tours, with the catch beside each

The same seven tours in one table, with each one's strength next to its drawback.

Swipe the table sideways to see all columns →

Tour Ideal for Price How long Where it starts Operator and rating Strength and catch Book
Christmas markets walk with locals (our evening pick) A second evening ~$95 2.5 h, evening Franz Kafka Square Prague City Adventures
Viator 5.0 (71)
GetYourGuide 4.9 (34)		 Markets residents use, cookies and hot mead. Few reviews, all outdoors.
ViatorGetYourGuide
Taste of Prague food tour (our afternoon pick) Eating instead of dinner ~$169 About 4 h Haštalská 18, Old Town Taste of Prague
Viator 5.0 (3,800+)		 A meal's worth of tastings. Priciest here, not for vegans.
Viator
Dresden market and the Bastei (our day-out pick) A German market and cliffs ~$217 9 to 10 h Hotel pickup Bohemia Adventures
Viator 4.8 (109)
GetYourGuide 4.9 (27)		 Bastei bridge, then three hours at the Striezelmarkt. Long day, passport needed.
ViatorGetYourGuide
Old Town and castle walk A first morning ~$30 3 h, by day Maiselova 5, Old Town Get Prague Guide
GetYourGuide 4.8 (7,200+)		 Old Town, bridge, then a tram up the hill. Castle outside only, big groups.
GetYourGuide
Prague Castle with entry The interiors, a rainy day ~$58 2.5 h, morning best Malostranská fountain Fun in Prague
GetYourGuide 4.7 (12,000+)		 Admission and headsets included. Security line, lots of standing.
GetYourGuide
Rudolfinum Christmas gala A dressy night out ~$68 About 2 h, from 8 pm Rudolfinum, Dvořák Hall Christmas gala
GetYourGuide 5.0 (21)		 The whole New World Symphony. Classics, not carols; no under-5s.
GetYourGuide
Český Krumlov day trip A castle town in winter ~$126 About 9 h Pickup in Prague Bohemian Walks
GetYourGuide 4.8 (650+)
Viator 4.6 (1,100+)		 Door-to-door van, guided castle walk. Short free time, lunch extra.
GetYourGuideViator

Reading the numbers. Prices are per-person starting rates in US dollars, taking the lower figure when a tour sells on both sites. Ratings are what each site displayed when we compared them. Travel dates and group size shift the price a little, so open both listings. The booking page always has the final figure.

Who went

What travelers said after a Prague December

Fourteen travelers, some with frost underfoot and some under a drizzle off the Vltava, on what they loved and what they would change next time.

★★★★★Christmas markets with locals

We had stood under the big tree on Old Town Square the night before, shoulder to shoulder with half of Europe, so we booked this to see the other side. Our guide met us by the Kafka house, put us on a tram and took us to two neighborhood markets where the people buying svařák were clearly on their way home from work. Homemade cookies, hot mead, a story about carp in the bathtub that I am still telling. Eleven of us, and it felt like a night out with a friend.

HWHannah W. · Manchester, EnglandGrey and drizzly
★★★★★Christmas markets with locals

Three markets, hot mead, and a Czech carol we sang in the street. Cold toes, happy heart.

KSKenji S. · Yokohama, JapanCrisp and clear
★★★★★Taste of Prague food tour

Do not eat lunch first, and do not book dinner afterwards. We had open-faced sandwiches, a beef dish in a canteen full of locals, Czech beer poured three different ways and a cake I cannot spell. Karolina explained the food through the history, from the old empire to the Communist years, and showed us how the metro works on the way. It is the most expensive tour we did all week, and the only one I would book again without thinking.

LBLaura B. · Melbourne, AustraliaGrey and drizzly
★★★★☆Taste of Prague food tour

Excellent food and a great guide. Four hours on your feet in December is long; wear warm boots.

MRMarc R. · Montreal, CanadaCrisp and clear
★★★★★Dresden market + Bastei day

The Bastei bridge at nine in the morning with frost on the rocks and nobody else there, then three hours at the Striezelmarkt in Dresden with a Glühwein our guide paid for. Eight of us in a warm van and lunch in a proper restaurant. Take your passport: you cross into Germany.

SGSabine G. · Zwolle, NetherlandsCrisp and clear
★★★★★Dresden market + Bastei day

Frosty sandstone in the morning, the oldest Christmas market in Germany by dark. Small van, big day.

DPDavid P. · Austin, TexasCrisp and clear
★★★★★Old Town + Castle walk

We did this on our first morning and it set up the whole week. Old Town Square before the stalls were busy, the Astronomical Clock with its legends, Charles Bridge statue by statue, then a tram up the hill so nobody had to climb. The castle part is outside only, which the guide said clearly at the start, so we came back two days later for the cathedral. For the price of two svařák it gave us our bearings and a list of places to eat.

ICIsabel C. · Seville, SpainGrey and drizzly
★★★★☆Old Town + Castle walk

Fun guide and a lot of history for the money, but the group was big and it was hard to hear on the bridge. Ask for a headset if they have one, or stand close.

TNTom N. · Glasgow, ScotlandGrey and drizzly
★★★★★Prague Castle with a guide

Skipping the ticket line at the castle in December is a gift. Our guide had the tickets ready at the tram stop, gave us headsets and walked us straight into St. Vitus while the queue at the ticket office stretched across the courtyard. Mucha's window, the Vladislav Hall, the tiny houses of Golden Lane. Two and a half hours that felt like one.

AKAgnieszka K. · Wrocław, PolandCrisp and clear
★★★★★Prague Castle with a guide

Headsets, skip-the-line tickets and a guide who made the Defenestrations funny. Go in the morning.

JHJames H. · Boston, MassachusettsGrey and drizzly
★★★★★Rudolfinum Christmas gala

We booked it for the hall and stayed for the music. The Dvořák Hall is all gold and red velvet, the orchestra opened with the Moldau, and after the interval they played the whole New World Symphony. It is a classical gala with a Christmas name rather than an evening of carols, which suited us perfectly. Seats on the balcony were fine and the bar at the interval was quick. A lovely way to end a cold evening at the markets, ten minutes away on foot.

FMFrancesca M. · Turin, ItalyCrisp and clear
★★★★☆Rudolfinum Christmas gala

Wonderful orchestra and a beautiful hall. We expected Christmas songs and got Smetana and Dvořák instead, which was still very good. Read the programme before you book.

OBOliver B. · Hamburg, GermanyGrey and drizzly
★★★★★Český Krumlov day trip

Český Krumlov in December is a different town from the summer photos: frost on the roofs, smoke from the chimneys, a small Christmas market on the square and hardly anyone in the castle courtyards. Our guide Filip told the stories of the castle as we walked up, then left us free in the Old Town. The drive is about two hours each way in a warm van with pickup from our hotel. We ate in a medieval tavern by the river, which was the right call. I would have liked another hour there.

NJNadia J. · Copenhagen, DenmarkCrisp and clear
★★★★★Český Krumlov day trip

Pickup at the hotel door, a guide who knew every courtyard of the castle, and enough free time for hot wine and gingerbread on the square before the light went. The easiest day out we had in the Czech Republic.

RVRahul V. · Pune, IndiaGrey and drizzly

Been already?

Tell the next traveler how it went

Share your market evening, your concert or your day out of town. We read every review before it goes up, and we publish the critical ones too.

Your rating
The weather on the day

At least 40 characters, 40 to go

Gloves on

Book an evening, an afternoon and a day out

The big squares cost nothing, and the walk above covers them well on your own. Spend the money on a second evening among the stalls locals visit and on a long afternoon of Czech food that stands in for dinner. Then give one day to the Striezelmarkt, with the Bastei on the way.

Many GetYourGuide listings can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours ahead, and some let you reserve now and pay later; the box on each listing says which. Viator sets its own terms per tour. Advent weekends fill first, so if your dates are fixed, book those days before anything else.

  • ✓ Check the cancellation box on each listing before you pay
  • ✓ Prices in US dollars, the lower of the two sites

Good to know

How Czechs keep Christmas, and what you will see on the streets

A few minutes of background, and the devils on 5 December will make sense, along with the fish in the street tubs.

Prague is the capital of a country where few people go to church, yet its Christmas keeps a long list of old customs, and guides love to explain how they changed under Communism. You will meet some of them between the market huts and the rest at any Czech dinner table on 24 December.

01St. Nicholas walks with a devil

On the evening of 5 December, Mikuláš walks the streets with two companions, an angel and a devil (čert). Children recite a poem or sing a song and get sweets, with a lump of coal or a potato as a joke for the naughty ones. Old Town Square gets very busy that evening. St. Nicholas Eve with children.

02Carp in a tub, carp in the bath

In the days before Christmas, sellers set up big tubs of live carp on the pavements. Many families buy the fish alive, and some keep it swimming in the bathtub until the 24th. It becomes the centerpiece of Christmas Eve dinner, fried and served with potato salad after a bowl of fish soup. Christmas food in Prague.

03Ježíšek brings the presents

Czech children do not wait for Santa. Presents arrive on the evening of 24 December, brought by Ježíšek, the baby Jesus, once the Christmas Eve dinner is over. Nobody in a red suit is involved. The Czech customs are collected under Christmas in the Czech Republic.

The moment to wait for is the half hour on Old Town Square, when the tree starts its light show under the Týn towers and you are holding a hot mug of medovina.

04Fortunes from an apple and a shoe

Christmas Eve is also for small rituals of luck. Cut an apple crosswise, and a star in the core promises a healthy year. Float walnut shells holding candles in a bowl of water to see whose life sails smoothly, or, if you are a single woman, throw a shoe over your shoulder at the door. Anyone who fasts all day is said to see the golden piglet by evening.

05A Mass that every Czech can hum

Jakub Jan Ryba wrote his Czech Christmas Mass in 1796, opening with the words Hej mistře. Churches across the city sing it through December, and many Czechs know it as well as any carol. The open-air Mass on Old Town Square at 9 pm on 24 December is a different service but draws a similar crowd. Christmas concerts in Prague.

06Cookies by the dozen kinds

During Advent, Czech kitchens produce cukroví, trays of small Christmas cookies in many varieties, with vanilla crescents (vanilkové rohlíčky) the classic. A braided sweet loaf, vánočka, appears beside them. Market stalls sell decorated gingerbread, perník, which makes an easy present to carry home. Homes mark the four Advent Sundays with a wreath. Old Town Square at Advent.

5 DecMikuláš, angel and devil

1232Havel's Market first held

1796Ryba's Christmas Mass written

24 DecCarp dinner, then presents

Want a frosty castle town or a German market for a day? Christmas day trips from Prague compares the options, from Dresden to Český Krumlov.

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions about the Prague Christmas markets

The fourteen questions readers send us most, each answered in full.

When are the Prague Christmas markets open?

They open in stages. Peace Square starts on 20 November. Republic Square follows on the 25th, Tyl Square a day later. Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square open together on 28 November, with Jiřího z Poděbrad a day later. Kampa follows in early December. The neighborhood markets close by 24 December, while the two big squares run until 6 January.

What are the opening hours of the Prague Christmas markets?

Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square are open daily from 10 am to 10 pm. Peace Square and Republic Square run from 10 am to 8 pm, as does Kampa. On 24 December the big squares close at 2 pm, and on 25 and 26 December they open at noon.

Which Christmas market in Prague is the best?

It depends on what you want from the evening. Old Town Square has the giant tree with its light shows, right beside the Astronomical Clock. Wenceslas Square adds an ice rink. Peace Square is the favorite of many residents for crafts, and Kampa puts food stalls beside the river under Charles Bridge. Most visitors enjoy one big square and one neighborhood market.

Are the markets free, and what money do I need?

Every market is free to enter. You pay for what you eat, drink and buy, plus a small deposit on the cup for hot drinks. The currency is the Czech koruna, not the euro. Cards are widely accepted, but bring some coins and small notes, and always choose to pay in koruna when a machine offers your home currency.

Is there a Christmas market at Prague Castle?

No, not in recent years. The castle grounds still have a big Christmas tree, and St. Vitus Cathedral and the other sights stay open, but no market stalls go up. The paid interiors close around 4 pm in winter, so visit in the morning and spend the evening at the markets in town.

Which markets are open on Christmas Eve and after Christmas?

On 24 December Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square open from 10 am to 2 pm, and most neighborhood markets have their last day. On 25 and 26 December the big two reopen at noon. After Christmas both big squares keep going until 6 January, and so do the Palladium stalls by Republic Square. Kampa runs into early January.

What is svařák, and what else should I drink?

Svařák is Czech mulled wine, red or white. Medovina is hot mead, sweeter and honeyed. Grog is rum with hot water and lemon, and punč is a hot punch. Children and drivers can choose hot chocolate or alcohol-free punch. Drinks come in returnable or recycled cups.

Where can I go ice skating in Prague at Christmas?

On Wenceslas Square. The open-air rink runs from 28 November into mid-February, from 9 am to 9 pm, with skates for hire on site and no booking needed. It sits right beside the market, so parents can watch with a hot drink.

Should I book a guided Christmas market tour in Prague?

Not for the big squares, which are easy to walk alone. A guide makes sense on a second evening, when you want the markets residents use and the stories behind the customs. The walk we list with Prague City Adventures (from ~$95) takes 2.5 hours and includes cookies, mulled wine, hot mead and transport tickets.

Which Christmas concert in Prague should I book?

For a grand evening, the Christmas gala in the Dvořák Hall of the Rudolfinum (from ~$68), which ends with Dvořák's New World Symphony. It is classical rather than carols. For Czech Christmas music, look for Ryba's Czech Christmas Mass in a church. Buy from the venue or a known listing rather than a flyer seller on the street.

Which day trips from Prague are good at Christmas?

Dresden, about two hours away, has the Striezelmarkt, first recorded in 1434. Český Krumlov, a UNESCO town with a castle above the Vltava, has a small Advent market on its square. Kutná Hora with its bone chapel is about an hour by train, and Karlštejn Castle about 40 minutes, though it has limited winter openings.

Will it snow in Prague at Christmas?

Possibly, but do not count on it. Daytime highs are around 36 °F (2 °C), nights around 27 °F (-3 °C), and December is often grey and damp, sometimes foggy. Snow comes and goes and rarely stays long in the city. South Bohemia and the Saxon hills are colder and white more often, though never guaranteed.

Is Prague at Christmas good for kids?

Yes. Children love the ice rink on Wenceslas Square and the weekend craft workshops on Old Town Square from 11 am to 3 pm. St. Nicholas Eve on 5 December is a highlight, though the devils can frighten small ones. Hot chocolate or alcohol-free punch keeps them warm between stalls. Strollers are hard work on cobbles, so use the step-free metro stations.

Can I cancel the tours for free?

It depends on the listing. Many GetYourGuide tours allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start, and some let you reserve now and pay later. Viator sets terms per tour. Check the cancellation line on the booking page before you pay, especially for the long day trips with pickup.

Read before you travel

Guides to Christmas in Prague

Ten questions travelers keep asking, each with the full answer rather than a line.