Prague Christmas Markets 2026

Our verdict

How we choose and check our guides

At a glance

2026 dates

28 November 2026–6 January 2027

Opening hours

Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square: daily 10am–10pm.

Entry

No admission ticket is listed for the public squares; food, drinks, tours and attractions are extra.

Rail / nearest useful station

Praha hlavní nádraží; Staroměstská for Old Town Square

Best time to go

Daylight first, then return for the lights (our planning suggestion)

Setting

Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square

The market

Give Old Town Square your first evening. Arrive with enough daylight to get your bearings, then watch the Christmas tree and the surrounding buildings become the centre of attention. Prague’s two main organiser-run markets, here and on Wenceslas Square, are confirmed for 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, daily from 10am to 10pm. You can make a lovely visit out of one square; staying overnight means the second need not be squeezed in before your train.

Part of the pleasure is the setting. Old Town Square’s marketplace story reaches back to medieval trade routes, while the town hall, Týn church and richly varied façades make a splendid frame for your visit. Look beyond the nearest stall roof and you will keep finding another detail. This long history belongs to the square itself; let it add another layer to your evening among today’s Christmas stalls.

Give the smaller gifts a little attention. Czech farming, small food producers and seasonal handicrafts sit at the heart of the organiser’s Christmas brief. Browse for ornaments, nativity scenes, candles and gingerbread, then ask the person behind the counter about what catches your eye: who made it, where, and how should you pack it for the journey home? Choosing one small object with a story can be more satisfying than filling a bag in a hurry.

Warm spices are part of the appeal. Mulled wine, hot mead, sausages, roasted nuts, ham and sweet trdelník all appear in the official guide to Prague’s Christmas-market treats. Choose what appeals, check the price and portion before ordering, and give your hands a warm indoor break between circuits. Save the walk to Wenceslas Square for another part of your day, allowing time to enjoy the streets between rather than hurrying from one photo to the next.

More about the market ↗ · More about the market ↗ · More about the market ↗ · More about the market ↗

The Old Town tree

Let the illuminated tree and Týn church set the scene for the evening.

The Old Town tree — trhypraha.cz

Two squares, two visits

Spread Old Town and Wenceslas Square across the weekend.

Two squares, two visits — trhypraha.cz

Czech seasonal craft

Look for ornaments, candles, gingerbread and nativity work; ask about the maker.

Czech seasonal craft — trhypraha.cz

A warm spice stop

Roasted nuts and a warming drink are a happy excuse to slow down.

A warm spice stop — trhypraha.cz

Eat and drink

Official Christmas food category

Mulled wine

A warming classic for a slow evening circuit.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗

Hot mead

Official Christmas food category

Hot mead

A honey-based warming drink; check the alcohol content.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗

Roasted nuts

Official Christmas food category

Roasted nuts

Sugar-coated nuts for a little snack between stalls.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗

Sausages

Official Christmas food category

Sausages

Read the menu and ask about ingredients before ordering.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗

Roast ham

Official Christmas food category

Roast ham

The national tourism board lists ham among Prague’s market treats.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗

Trdelník

Official Christmas food category

Trdelník

A sweet pastry to enjoy warm; check portions and toppings.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗

Gingerbread

Official Christmas food category

Gingerbread

Look for seasonal gingerbread among the organiser’s Czech Christmas categories.

Official food categoryOrganiser food guide ↗

Where we’d stay

Old Town

The easiest setting for returning to the tree after dinner; expect central Christmas prices.

Náměstí Republiky

Useful for shops, tram and metro connections with a pleasant walk into Old Town.

New Town

A practical base for Wenceslas Square and main-station arrivals; compare the actual hotel route.

Our pick

Hotel Rott

Stay on Malé náměstí, just beside the Old Town Square market setting.

4-minute mapped walk to Old Town Square · Hotel information

Check prices

Also good

Hotel U Prince by BHG

An historic, antique-furnished hotel directly on Old Town Square.

3-minute mapped walk to Old Town Square · Hotel information

Check prices

Best value

ibis Praha Old Town

A straightforward chain-hotel option on the Náměstí Republiky side of Old Town.

12-minute mapped walk to Old Town Square · Hotel information

Check prices

Splurge

Grand Hotel Bohemia

A grand Old Town address with a tradition dating to 1927, near the Powder Tower.

7-minute mapped walk to Old Town Square · Hotel information

Check prices

Also good

Hotel Paris Prague

The 1904 Art Nouveau hotel is a characterful choice near the Municipal House.

8-minute mapped walk to Old Town Square · Hotel information

Check prices

See all stays in Prague ↗

We may earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Book early for weekends. The walking times are measured routes to Old Town Square; give yourself a little longer for a relaxed stroll through the market.

Map

Find the market streets, arrival points, parking and places to stay. The map loads as you approach this section; mouse-wheel scrolling stays with the page.

Choose Explore the map to pan and pinch to zoom; choose Finish exploring or press Escape to return to page scrolling. Pins show places, not the precise position of individual stalls.

Open in Google Maps ↗

Coordinates: OpenStreetMap contributors. Organiser toilet and access information. Temporary toilet locations use the named street/site as a navigation point; ask staff for the exact unit.

Make it a weekend

Day one · Old Town after dark

1. Late morning

   Arrive in Old Town

   Settle in and find the streets around Old Town Square before they become your evening route.

2. Lunch

   Choose your first market taste

   Read prices and portion sizes, then choose something warm from the stalls.

3. Afternoon

   The square’s old stories

   Look up at the town hall and Týn church, with a café pause when you need it. Tours and towers have their own tickets.

4. Evening

   The tree and the lights

   Give Old Town Square the evening’s main visit; leave time to browse without rushing.

Day two · Bridge views and Wenceslas Square

1. Morning

   A daylight walk towards the river

   Take a gentle walk towards Charles Bridge before your second market visit.

2. Midday

   Make time for Wenceslas Square

   Explore the other main market, confirmed for the same 28 November–6 January season.

3. Afternoon

   A final small gift

   Choose a last treat or an ornament, then collect your bags with time in hand.

4. Departure

   Leave room for the transfer

   Check the dated PID or Airport Express journey and your airline’s own arrival guidance.

What a Brit needs to know

Travelling on a full British citizen passport? For these Schengen trips, check that it was issued less than ten years before arrival and expires at least three months after you leave. Tourist visits across the Schengen area count towards a combined 90 days in any 180-day period.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) is in use. First registration can involve a photograph and fingerprints, so leave extra time at the border. There is no advance EES application or charge; for Eurostar from London, border checks take place before departure.

For a December 2026 trip, recheck ETIAS before you travel. At our 24 October 2026 check, official guidance had not announced a confirmed launch date and said no application was needed yet. A future requirement cannot be settled by your market booking date.

GOV.UK passport and Schengen rules · Official EES guidance · Official ETIAS updates

Take suitable travel insurance for the whole trip and a valid UK GHIC or eligible EHIC. The card covers medically necessary state healthcare on the same terms as local residents; it does not replace insurance or cover private treatment and getting you home.

NHS healthcare cover and insurance guidance

Money and December essentials

Plan your spending in Czech koruna (CZK). Cards are widely accepted in Czechia, but check each stall before ordering and keep a little local cash. Ask how much any reusable-mug deposit is and where you should return the mug. December is CET, one hour ahead of the UK; pack an adaptor suitable for European round two-pin sockets.

ČHMÚ’s 1991–2020 December temperature normal for Prague and Central Bohemia is 0.4°C. This regional monthly mean is useful background, rather than a prediction for your weekend. Layers, waterproof shoes with grip and regular indoor pauses make sense; check the forecast for your dates.

Getting there from the UK

Getting here from the UK

Prague Airport’s winter 2026/27 announcement confirms 15 UK destinations and the continuation of easyJet’s Newcastle route into winter. Jet2’s December 2026 calendars list routes linking Prague with Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow International, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool, London Stansted, Manchester and Newcastle. Choose the exact dates for your weekend: these flights need not operate every day.

Whole-journey planning estimate: roughly 6–8 hours from a London home to an Old Town hotel, assuming 1 hour to the airport, 2 hours before flying, around 2 hours in the air and 1–2 hours for arrivals and onward transport. Substitute your own airport access and dated flight; this is an editorial budget of time.

On Instagram

Practical information

Official links

• Official market information
• Prague Christmas Markets 2026 — trhypraha.cz
• Prague Christmas Markets 2026 — prague.eu
• Prague Christmas Markets 2026 — visitczechia.com
• Prague Airport · routes and public transport
• Jet2 · published routes
• Prague Airport · routes and public transport
• Prague Airport · routes and public transport
• Prague market organiser · practical information
• Czech Hydrometeorological Institute · climate normals
• CzechTourism · money and practical information
• CzechTourism · money and practical information
• Jet2 · published routes