Dresden or Český Krumlov? Day trips from Prague at Christmas
Prague's markets look their best after dark, which leaves the short December daylight free for a trip out of the city. Dresden has one of Germany's oldest Christmas markets about two hours away, and Český Krumlov sits under its castle in South Bohemia. This guide weighs each outing against the clock and names the catch of every tour, then ends with a packing list for a long, cold day.
A 4 pm sunset shapes the day
In December the sun comes up around 7:55 am and goes down around 4 pm, so a day out of Prague has roughly eight hours of light to spend. On the longer trips a good share of that goes on the road, and the drive home happens in darkness. That costs less than it sounds. A town with a Christmas market of its own switches on its lights just as the views fade, so the last hours away still give you something to look at.
Choose the day with some care. Friday and Saturday evenings bring the biggest crowds to Prague's own squares, which makes Saturday the natural day to be somewhere else. Christmas Eve and the two days after it are public holidays, and on the 24th shops close around noon. Both here and in Germany the markets confirm their dates and times only a few weeks ahead, so look at each market's own page before you set off. Our Prague market dates and opening hours cover the city end of the plan.
Five trips side by side
| Trip | How | Travel time | In December |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dresden with the Bastei | Small-group tour with hotel pickup | About 2 hours each way, 9 to 10 hours in all | Three hours at the Striezelmarkt after the sandstone viewpoint |
| Dresden on your own | Train | About 2 hours each way | The Striezelmarkt, first recorded in 1434 |
| Český Krumlov | Van tour with pickup, or bus | About 2 hours by van, 2.5 to 3 hours by bus | A castle town with a small Advent market on its square |
| Kutná Hora | Train, alone or with a guide | About 1 hour each way | The Sedlec Ossuary and St. Barbara's Church |
| Karlštejn | Train | About 40 minutes each way | A Gothic castle with limited winter openings |
Dresden's Striezelmarkt and the Bastei
Dresden lies across the German border, about two hours from Prague by car or by train, so carry a passport or ID card. Its Striezelmarkt was first recorded in 1434 and counts among the oldest Christmas markets in Germany. On the way you pass the sandstone towers of Saxon Switzerland, which a tour can fold into the same day.
Bohemia Adventures' Dresden and Bastei day, from ~$217, joins the two in one outing. A modern people carrier with Wi-Fi picks you up at your hotel, and the group never tops eight. The first stop is the national park, where you cross the Bastei Bridge high above the Elbe canyon and wander through what remains of Neurathen, a medieval castle hewn into the sandstone. A local guide then takes you round Dresden's old center, lunch is ordered from the menu with a main course and a drink paid for, and next come about three hours at the Striezelmarkt with one Glühwein on the house. Snacks and water travel with you, and the van carries walking poles plus spare raincoats and gloves.
Viator reviewers give it 4.8 from 109 reviews, and on GetYourGuide it holds 4.9 from 27 at about $219. The catch is a 9 to 10 hour day with darkness by about 4 pm, at a price that pays for a small group rather than a coach seat. It does not suit babies under 1 or anyone with heart problems, and everyone signs an outdoor declaration on the day. The sandstone can be frosted in December, but snow up there is never guaranteed.
A Saturday in Saxony
Hotel pickup and the Bastei Bridge in the morning. In Dresden a guided walk with lunch comes first, then three free hours at the Striezelmarkt, from ~$217. Bring a passport for the 9 to 10 hour day.
Dresden on your own by train
Trains from Prague reach Dresden in about two hours, which makes a slower, cheaper day at your own pace. Take an early departure, see the old town while it is still light, and give the market the hours after 4 pm, once its stalls glow. The Bastei is a separate journey into the hills, so on this plan you trade the viewpoint for control over timing and budget. Pack your passport or ID card, and carry euros, since Germany does not use the koruna.
If you come back the same evening, a Prague market is still within reach. The stalls on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square stay open until 10 pm through the main run, so a late svařák under the big tree can close the day. The Old Town Square guide covers what is on there after dark.
Český Krumlov by van
Český Krumlov is a UNESCO-listed town in South Bohemia, its castle set high above a bend of the Vltava, with a small Advent market on the main square. The bus takes 2.5 to 3 hours each way, a van about two. South Bohemia runs colder than Prague and turns white more often, although snow is never a promise there either.
Bohemian Walks' Český Krumlov day with pickup, from ~$126, collects you from accommodation in the city center in an air-conditioned van, with no more than 15 in the group. A guide leads you through the castle courtyards. You pay for your own lunch, usually in a medieval-style tavern on the riverbank, and the rest of the time is free in the Old Town. Count on about 9 hours from door to door. Reviewers rate it 4.6 from 1,100+ on Viator and 4.8 from 656 on GetYourGuide, where it costs about $134, and guides such as Filip collect warm words. The catch, in plenty of reviews, is too little free time. Food costs extra, and the tour does not suit wheelchair users. Our December weather guide looks at its odds of snow.
Kutná Hora and the bone chapel
Kutná Hora is a UNESCO-listed town about an hour from Prague by train, home to St. Barbara's Church. Most visitors come for the Sedlec Ossuary, a chapel decorated with human bones, a strange sight in Advent or in any other month.
Sandemans' Kutná Hora tour with the bone chapel, from ~$81, meets at Prague's main station on Wilsonova street and covers the round-trip train with seat reservations, the local bus and the entrance tickets. The visit takes in the ossuary, which holds the bones of around 40,000 people, and St. Barbara's Church, with a stop at the Italian Court. It scores 4.6 from 2,587 reviews and is sold on GetYourGuide only. Its catch is about six hours with a lot of walking and a change from train to local bus each way. That length is also its strength, because it often leaves the evening free for a market back in Prague.
Karlštejn, the short option
Karlštejn is the Gothic castle of Charles IV, about 40 minutes from Prague by train. It suits a half day, with time to be back in Prague before the market lights come on. In winter the castle opens on a limited calendar, so check its days before you buy a ticket. With small children it is the gentlest trip on this page, and Prague at Christmas with kids has more ideas close to the hotel.
Packing for a long cold day
- A passport or ID card. Dresden and the Bastei are in Germany;
- Layers you can peel off. Vans and trains are heated, viewpoints and castle courtyards are not;
- Boots with grip. Stone steps and cobbles get icy, in Saxony as much as in Prague;
- Two currencies. Koruna in coins for small stalls at home, and euros for the Striezelmarkt;
- A charged phone and a power bank. Cold drains batteries, and half your photos will be taken after dark.
Back in town, our guide to svařák, trdelník and Christmas food says what to order at the stalls, and the neighborhood markets stay quieter for a late wander.