Prague at Christmas holiday is an opportunity to plunge into a fairy tale. You can wander around the city and among the stalls of the Christmas market decorated with illumination lights. Also to buy Xmas gifts for your family and taste traditional dishes.
Prague is a magical place to visit in December. The atmosphere of celebration and medieval romance pours out of every crack here. And this is exactly what a real Christmas is impossible without.
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Christmas traditions in the Czech Republic
Christmas Eve on December 24 is the most anticipated day of the year (Štědrý den in Czech). For Czechs, New Year’s Eve (St. Sylvester’s Day) is just an excuse to have a good drink and dance. Christmas is a family day, everyone gives each other gifts and spends time with their families. On every street corner on Christmas Eve you can buy traditional fish – carp. It’s the main Christmas dish and symbol of prosperity in the Czech Republic.
By the way, the Czechs have their own vision of why you shouldn’t eat until the first star on Christmas Eve. They have Xmas legend: you don’t eat before stars will star shining, you can see the Zlaté prasátko (golden pig), which will bring happiness and money in the coming year.
Jiříšek (little Jesus) brings gifts to Czech children. He is the main Czech symbol of Christmas. By the way, children write letters to Jiříšek, not St. Nicholas. Jezyshek has to ring the bell, only then can everyone leave the table and start sorting out the gifts under the tree.
Christmas markets in Prague
Vánoční trgy – Christmas markets in Prague traditionally open on Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí) and Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí). The Old Town Market is the largest in the city and the whole country. It is here that the main Christmas tree of Prague is set up and every evening it shines with bright lights. These festive trays are decorated with silver garland with twinkling lights of take people’s breath away.
Hundreds of tourists gather under the Orloj astronomical clock on Old Town Square enjoy a glass of mulled wine to the sound of the bell. During the day, this is a good tradition that complements Christmas walks around the city. But if you plan to celebrate the New Year on Staromysl Square, you’d better think twice.
The fact is that a lot of people gather near Orloj on New Year’s Eve. Standing in a huge crowd is not the best idea: there is practically nowhere to stand, and the fireworks at midnight are not very beautiful. It will be difficult to get out of the square – it will take a lot of time, and the subway is open until one in the morning.
Wenceslas Square also has a Christmas tree and a traditional Christmas nativity scene with real donkeys and lambs in a pen that kids love to feed.
When do Christmas markets start in Prague?
The main Advent markets in the Old Town and Wenceslas Square begin on 30 November 2025. Smaller Christmas markets, such as the one at Náměstí Míru, began in November.
When is the first Sunday of Advent? This year, it will be released on 30 November 2025.
Schedule of Christmas markets in Prague 2025
- The fair on the Old Town Square is the largest in the Czech Republic, where, in addition to a large number of stalls, there will be a large decorated Christmas tree and a stage with an interesting program. 30.11.2025 – 06.01.2026.
- Christmas market on Wenceslas Square – stalls and an illuminated Christmas tree await you here. 30.11.2025 – 06.01.2026.
- The fair on the Republic Square features a traditional holiday assortment, treats, jewelry, wreaths, candles, toys, nativity scenes, confectionery, artwork, and more. 25.11 – 30.12.2025
- Christmas market in Prague Castle – a Christmas tree, food stalls and souvenirs among the historical decorations. 23.11.2025 – 06.01.2026
- Náměstí Míru (Peace Square)– 20.11 – 24.12.2025
- Tylovo náměstí rear square – 26.11 – 24.12.2025
- Fair on Anděl– traditional holiday assortment, treats and more, 24.11 – 24.12.2025
What to taste and buy at Xmas markets in Prague
At the Xmas-market you can taste traditional Czech dishes:
- veprevo kolino – a pork rump cooked on an open fire, ask for it with honey beer.
- Try vánočka – Czech Christmas bread, a delicious braid of sweet yeast dough.
- Grilled sausages with mustard are also traditionally sold here.
- Handmade toys, Christmas tree toys, a candle house made of clay, a toy in the form of a mole – the hero of a cult Czech cartoon.
- The traditional Czech Christmas dish is carp. Please note that in every square before the holidays there are large barrels with live fish, which are sold until the last one, until everyone buys their Christmas fish for the holiday.
Hotels in the center of Prague:
- Clementin – apartments on Old Town Square near the Orloj clock.
- Jalta Boutique Hotel – a cozy boutique hotel near Wenceslas Square – a place for walks and Christmas nativity scenes in Prague.
- Hotel Golden Key Prague Castle – hotel near Prague Castle.
Walking around Prague at Christmas
Prague is quite cold in winter, although the temperature does not often drop below -15℃. But that doesn’t stop you from buying a glass of hot mulled wine and enjoying a stroll through the brightly decorated city. Prague’s evening lights are worth the slightest bit of nose cold when wrapped in warm clothes.
Be sure to visit the swans and ducks and treat the birds to some bread. They spend the winter near the Franz Kafka Museum on Malá Strana, the bank on the side of Prague Castle.
There are also many souvenir shops in Mala Strana where you can buy Christmas decorations for the tree. Or go to mass in one of the churches-despite the fact that most Czechs are atheists, services are held regularly. And on Christmas, it is customary to come to church, if not to pray, then to listen to the organ.
If you’re really cold, take the Prague Christmas tram, which runs through the city every year. In fact, it is an ordinary tram decorated with Christmas garlands and angels. You can buy a ticket with a card inside – get on and ride around the city for half an hour (a half-hour ticket costs 30 CZK, an hour and a half ticket costs 40 CZK).
Take a look at Prague from above. From Jiřího Square in Poděbrady, it takes just 10 minutes to walk to the Žižkov TV Tower. Climb to the top and enjoy a 360° view of the city. And then eat something good in a restaurant that is 66 meters above the ground. It’s an amazing experience.
Atmospheric cafes in Prague – warm up with coffee in a fabulous interior
There are many beautiful cafes in Prague that have preserved the authentic Art Nouveau style that prevailed here a hundred years ago. I like several of them, so I’m happy to recommend them to you.
The cubist Grand Café Orient, located on the second floor of the Black Mother of God House, where they produce their special dessert, the cubic vienechek. The building where the cafe is located houses the Museum of Cubism, and the architecture of the building is a typical example of Cubism in the very center of Prague. Vieneczek is a traditional Czech pastry. This is a bagel made of choux pastry with a delicate cream filling. Vieneczeks are sold everywhere, but they are usually round, and only Orient offers square ones. Because the building where the cafe is located houses the Museum of Cubism, and the architecture of the building is a typical example of Cubism in the very center of Prague.
Prague Café Imperial is worth at least having a cup of coffee here. It was often visited by the writer Franz Kafka and the composer Leoš Janáček. For the past 100 years, it has been the most famous “grand cafe” and restaurant in Prague. Its luxurious interior is decorated with original Art Nouveau ceramic wall cladding and a mosaic ceiling.”
Top art cafes in Prague:
- MÁNES (Masarykovo nábř. 1, Praha 1 ) – A functionalist building houses a restaurant with a beautiful view of Prague Castle and Petřín. There are modern graphics on the walls and frescoes by Emil Filla on the ceiling.
- CAFE BAR RIVIÉRA (Masarykovo nábřeží 30, Praha 1 ) – An Art Nouveau cafe on the Vltava embankment. The interior has paintings, sculptures, and old postcards.
- ANTIK CAFÉ – Dlouhý příběh (Dlouhá 37, Praha 1 ) – A cozy cafe with paintings and antique interior items.
- MLÝNARSKÁ KAVÁRNA (Všehrdova 14, Praha 1) – A cafe in an old mill on the Kampa. Exhibitions are constantly held and a bohemian-artistic atmosphere prevails.
- ART-N-COFFEE (Na Příkopě 24, Praha 1 ) – Cafe and gallery. Here visitors are surrounded by stone sculptures from Africa.
- SMETANAQ (Smetanovo nábř. 4, Praha 1 ) – The eponymous gallery is located in the task, so the cafe always displays paintings from current exhibitions.
- CAFÉ MODI (Myslíkova 32, Praha 2 ) – The interior of the cafe will definitely appeal to Modigliani fans.
Advent cruises
You can feel the festive atmosphere not only on land but also on the water. Take a tour boat and enjoy a festive cruise on the Vltava River. Prague is beautifully lit after dark, creating an exceptional atmosphere. Banquets are also held on board, so there will be no shortage of food either.
A warning to those planning New Year’s holidays in Prague
- It’s not a good idea to celebrate New Year’s Eve in the center of Prague. The streets and Old Town Square are too crowded. The locals usually stay away from the crowds and stay at home at this time, mostly young people and tourists come.
- You shouldn’t even try to get to Charles Bridge before midnight on December 31 – there are so many people on it that, firstly, you can’t see anything properly, and secondly, thousands of people trying to walk like penguins in a crowd and pressing against each other is not the most pleasant thing to do on a holiday. It’s best to come to Charles Bridge at dawn, when there are practically no people here, only early joggers and photographers capturing the first rays of the sun over the towers.
- You can watch a real fireworks display in Prague on January 1 at 18:00 by going to one of the bridges on the Vltava River. A pyrotechnic show is organized on the Letna hills. The New Year’s Eve fireworks over Prague are a symbol of the end of the Christmas holidays. However, you shouldn’t do this in the fog either – it’s easy to freeze, and you won’t be able to see anything.
- Three days – December 24, 25 and 26 – are non-working days in the Czech Republic. Since 2016, according to the law, shops with an area of more than 200 square meters are prohibited from opening on holidays. m. That is, on December 25 and 26, shops and supermarkets are closed. And on December 24 and New Year’s Eve, they can work only in the first half of the day. Therefore, large supermarket chains publish their work schedule on Christmas Eve – the last purchases can be made until 11-12 o’clock in the afternoon.
And yet Prague at Christmas is a fairy tale. And you have to believe in fairy tales – this is the only way miracles happen and our dreams come true.
Useful articles and links:
Booking of hotels and apartments – Booking.com
Car rental – I am looking for inexpensive options on Rentalcars.com
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