The Prague Christmas markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square run 28 November to 6 January, 10:00-22:00, and Náměstí Míru opens a week earlier. Here is which square to visit at which hour, and which Prague Christmas market tours are worth booking.
The Prague Christmas markets start on 20 November at Náměstí Míru. The two big ones on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square run 28 November to 6 January, daily 10:00-22:00. Entry is free, since the markets stand on open public squares. Náměstí Míru, Republic Square and Tylovo náměstí close on 24 December.
Key takeaways
All prices are per person and come from each tour's own listing. The platform handles payment and cancellation, and every listing offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. The grid mixes guided market walks, private tours, Advent cruises on the Vltava, Christmas concerts, the Dresden day trips and a Czech cookie baking class. Three listings are new and have no reviews yet.
A small-group walk through Prague's Christmas markets with a local, with Christmas cookies, a hot drink and stories of Czech traditions.
A 2-hour guided walk through Old Town Square and local Christmas markets with two hot drinks and two tastings of Czech winter treats.
A 2-hour Old Town walk with an official licensed guide, a Bridge Tower climb and a finish at the Kampa Christmas market.
A 3-hour guided Christmas walk through Old Town and New Town, with market stops, Czech traditions, a drink and an audioguide for St. James.
A 2-hour guided walk through the Old Town's Christmas spots with a tasting of traditional Czech Christmas foods and sweets.
A private 3-hour Christmas walk for your own group of up to 15, with hotel pickup, Christmas markets, nativity scenes and local treats.
A private walk past five Christmas markets and the main landmarks, with two Czech snacks and two Christmas drinks.
A 2-hour Christmas lunch cruise on the Vltava with a choice of 3-course menu, Christmas music and views of Charles Bridge and the Castle.
A 50-minute Advent cruise past the decorated city center with Christmas carols, a hot drink and traditional Christmas sweets.
A 1-hour Advent cruise on the heated, glass-enclosed Grand Bohemia with mulled wine or tea, gingerbread and Christmas music.
An 8-hour small-group day trip from Prague to Dresden's Christmas markets and Old Town, with hotel pickup, lunch and free market time.
A 10-hour small-group day trip with a Bastei Bridge walk, a guided Dresden Old Town tour, lunch and 3 hours at the Striezelmarkt.
An evening Christmas Gala at the Rudolfinum's Dvořák Hall with the full Symphony No. 9 and Smetana's Moldau, in premium seating.
A 1.5-hour Czech Christmas carols concert at the Hybernia Theatre with a live orchestra, choir, opera soloists and projections.
A 2.5-hour hands-on class baking four Czech Christmas cookies from scratch, with hot chocolate or punch and your cookies to take home.
The prices and inclusions below come from each tour's own listing, per person for the length shown. Market walks cluster around $28 to $112, while the private options and the Dresden trips cost more. Figures current in Q4 2026.
| Tour | Type | Price | Book | Length | Included |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prague Christmas Markets with Locals | Market walk | $96.56 | Details | 2 hours 45 minutes | Cookies + hot drink |
| Prague Christmas Market Tour | Market walk | $73 | Details | 2 hours | 2 drinks + 2 tastings |
| Prague Christmas Walk | Market walk | $28 | Details | 2 hours | Small gift |
| Prague Christmas Story Tour | Market walk | $55 | Details | 3 hours | 1 drink |
| Prague Christmas Street Food Tour | Market walk | $112 | Details | 2 hours | Foods + sweets |
| Private Prague Christmas Tour | Private walk | $111.77 | Details | 3 hours | None stated |
| Private Prague Christmas Markets Tour | Private walk | $178 | Details | 2.5-3.5 hours | 2 snacks + 2 drinks |
| Prague Christmas Lunch Cruise | Advent cruise | $55 | Details | 2 hours | 3-course lunch |
| Prague Advent Boat Cruise | Advent cruise | $25 | Details | 50 minutes | Hot drink + sweets |
| Prague Heated Glass Boat Advent Cruise | Advent cruise | $29 | Details | 1 hour | Mulled wine + gingerbread |
| Dresden Christmas Markets Day Trip | Dresden day trip | $128 | Details | 8 hours | Stollen + lunch |
| Dresden Christmas Market and Bastei Tour | Dresden day trip | $215.83 | Details | 10 hours | Glühwein + lunch |
| Rudolfinum Christmas Gala Concert | Concert | $68 | Details | 2 hours | None stated |
| Czech Christmas Carols Concert | Concert | $25 | Details | 1.5 hours | Refreshments |
| Czech Christmas Cookie Baking Class | Baking class | $87 | Details | 2.5 hours | 4 kinds of cookies |
If You are spending your first evening at the markets and want tastings with a local
Prague Christmas Markets with Locals brings cookies, a hot drink and a small group capped at 15 for $96.56.
If You want a cheap walk run by the city's tourism office
Prague Christmas Walk costs $28, starts at the Old Town Hall and ends at the Kampa market.
If You want a private guide and hotel pickup
Private Prague Christmas Tour runs 3 hours for your group only, or Private Prague Christmas Markets Tour covers five named markets with snacks and drinks.
If You want an hour or less on the river
Prague Advent Boat Cruise sails 50 minutes for $25, or pick the heated Prague Heated Glass Boat Advent Cruise at $29.
If You want Germany's oldest Christmas market
Dresden Christmas Market and Bastei Tour adds the Bastei bridge, or Dresden Christmas Markets Day Trip stays in the city at three markets for $128.
If You want an indoor plan for a rainy afternoon
Czech Christmas Cookie Baking Class bakes four kinds of cookies, or Rudolfinum Christmas Gala Concert fills 2 hours with an orchestra.
Six choices settle any Prague Christmas market trip, from picking a tour to knowing which squares survive past Christmas Eve.
For a guided walk with tastings, Prague Christmas Markets with Locals runs 2 hours 45 minutes for $96.56 with cookies and a hot drink included. If you want the markets to yourself, the private version covers five markets for $178.
TOP WALK: 2 HOURS 45 MINUTES, $96.56
Náměstí Míru opens first on 20 November, a week before anything in the center. The two big squares on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square run 28 November to 6 January, daily 10:00 to 22:00. After 24 December only those two squares carry on.
BIG TWO: 28 NOVEMBER TO 6 JANUARY
Entry is free since the markets stand on open public squares. What you pay for is a guide, a cruise or a concert. The evening Old Town Square walking tour costs $73 for 2 hours and rates 5.
ENTRY: FREE ON EVERY SQUARE
The cheapest add-on is a 50-minute Advent cruise with carols and sweets at $25. A full day trip to the Dresden Christmas Market costs $128 for 8 hours. A private guide runs from $111.77 for 3 hours.
FROM $25 TO $215.83
Families get children's workshops on Old Town Square at weekends, 11:00 to 15:00, plus a heated glass boat cruise on Advent Saturdays and Sundays. Food lovers can take a 2-hour street food walk or a cookie baking class rated 5.
WEEKEND WORKSHOPS: 11:00 TO 15:00
Pair the markets with a Christmas concert. the Rudolfinum Christmas Gala in the Dvorak Hall runs 2 hours for $68, and the Hybernia carols concert costs $25 for 1.5 hours. For a bigger outing, the Dresden Striezelmarkt works as a day trip.
GALA SEAT: $68 FOR 2 HOURS
Old Town Square is the largest and most popular Christmas market in Prague. The tree is chosen each year from a different region of Czechia, and the market offers crafts such as sword making and a carol programme.
Source: CzechTourism
The organiser of the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square markets is Taiko, a. s.
Source: Prague City Tourism
Stalls sell glass and straw ornaments, ceramics, wooden and pine-needle decorations, ceramic and wooden nativity scenes, lace tablecloths, crocheted toys, bells, cookie cutters and wooden rolling pins.
Source: Prague City Tourism
Cultural programme on Old Town Square runs daily 16:00-19:00, with weekend children's workshops Sat-Sun 11:00-15:00. The Wenceslas Square programme runs Thursday to Sunday.
Source: Trhy Praha
The organiser says the markets open every day 10:00-22:00, with no holiday exceptions mentioned.
Source: Trhy Praha
Old Town Square address: Staroměstské náměstí, 110 00 Praha 1, open air.
Source: Prague City Tourism
Wenceslas Square market: wooden huts line the lower part of the square, with traditional crafts and modern cuisine, mulled wine, handmade gifts, music, choirs and family programmes through Three Kings Day.
Source: Prague City Tourism
Peace Square (Náměstí Míru) market is in Vinohrady, in front of St Ludmila's Church. It is described as one of Prague's largest and sells ornaments, ceramic nativity scenes, wooden toys, wool products, jewellery and mulled wine.
Source: Prague City Tourism
Havelské tržiště is the only surviving market in the historic centre of Prague, from 1232. It is open year-round Mon-Sat 7:00-19:00, Sun 8:00-18:30, at Havelská 13, Praha 1, and sells fruit, vegetables and souvenirs.
Source: Prague City Tourism
Most vendors accept cards. Otherwise an ATM is inside the market.
Source: Trhy Praha
PID reduced fares from 1 Jan 2026: 30/90 min and 24 h tickets cost 18/23/70 CZK in the app, or 19/25/75 CZK on paper. No SMS tickets at reduced fare. SMS tickets are not valid on PID trains, line AE, or zones 0 and B.
Source: Prague Integrated Transport
Fried carp with potato salad is the most popular Czech Christmas dish, with fish soup as the first course. Carp reached Czech Christmas tables in the 19th century and is sold in city centres before Christmas, often from large tanks.
Source: CzechTourism
The Prague Christmas markets do not share one calendar. Each square opens and closes on its own dates, and the big two keep the season running into January.
The Kampa market on Malá Strana. Photo: Falk2, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
This is the largest and most popular of the Prague Christmas markets, running 28 November to 6 January, daily 10:00-22:00. Taiko, a. s. is the organiser. The stalls sell glass and straw ornaments, ceramics, wooden and pine-needle decorations, ceramic and wooden nativity scenes, lace tablecloths, crocheted toys, bells and cookie cutters. The Christmas tree is brought in from a different region of Czechia each year. A daily stage program of music and folklore runs 16:00-19:00, with children's workshops on Saturday and Sunday from 11:00-15:00. The Prague Christmas Market Tour starts here.
There is no ticket and no gate. The market stands on an open public square, so you walk in from the street at any hour it is open.
The lower end of Wenceslas Square, open to 22:00 until 6 January. Photo: Karelj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Wooden huts line the lower part of Wenceslas Square, below the National Museum. Dates match Old Town Square, 28 November to 6 January, daily 10:00-22:00, with Taiko, a. s. as organiser. The stalls mix traditional crafts with modern cuisine and mulled wine (svařák), and handmade gifts.
Music and choirs play on stage, with the stage program running Thursday to Sunday, and family events continue through Three Kings Day. The Private Prague Christmas Markets Tour includes this square along with four others.
The nativity scene at Náměstí Míru, the first market to open. Photo: Anaj7, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In Vinohrady, in front of St Ludmila's Church, this is described as one of Prague's largest Christmas markets. It is also the first to open, from 20 November to 24 December, daily 10:00-20:00, a week before the two big squares. The stalls sell ornaments, ceramic nativity scenes, wooden toys, wool products, jewelry and mulled wine.
Because it closes at 20:00, plan it earlier in your day than Old Town Square or Wenceslas Square.
Republic Square (Náměstí Republiky) sits by the Art Nouveau Municipal House. Prague City Tourism lists the market from 25 November to 24 December. LCA s.r.o. runs it, with dozens of stalls facing V Celnici street selling decorations, candles, nativity scenes, toys, sweets and Advent calendars.
No opening hours are published on the city page.
Havel's Market (Havelské tržiště) is the only surviving market in the historic center of Prague, trading since 1232. It is open year-round, Monday to Saturday 7:00-19:00 and Sunday 8:00-18:30, at Havelská 13. Fruit, vegetables and souvenirs are the stock in trade, so it works as a market stop at any time of year, not just in Advent.
The Private Prague Christmas Markets Tour lists the Havelská market among its five market stops.
Tylovo náměstí runs 26 November to 24 December. The Karlín market on Karlínské náměstí is a single day, 6 December from 12:00-20:00. MINT Market Praha Christmas fills the Holešovice Market Hall 28-29 November from 10:00.
The Christmas Lemarket takes over Národní dům na Smíchově 11-13 December, 11:00-19:00. The Kampa market on Malá Strana is where the Prague Old Town Christmas Walk ends.
Sources: Prague City Tourism, Trhy Praha, Prague City Tourism, CzechTourism.
The stalls cover the classics, and Czech kitchens keep older customs alive around them. Here is what to look for and how to pay.
The official listing names mulled wine (svařák), trdelník, hot mead and ham as available at several locations. Prices are posted on each stall and there is no official price list, so read the board before you order. At Republic Square the stalls also sell sweets, and at Náměstí Míru you find wool products and jewelry alongside the drinks.
If you want the food explained as well as tasted, the Prague Christmas Street Food Tour runs a 2-hour walk through Old Town Christmas spots with a selection of traditional Czech Christmas foods and sweets included.
Carp arrives in the city centers before Christmas, often sold live from large tanks, and some families keep theirs in the bathtub. A carp scale in the wallet is said to bring money. Christmas Eve dinner opens with fish soup, followed by fried carp with potato salad, the most popular combination.
Potato salad did not appear in Czech cookbooks until 1924, so the pairing is younger than it feels. Baking season belongs to cukroví, the small Christmas cookies, with vanilla crescents and Linz cookies the favourites, and vánočka, the plaited bread with raisins and almonds, on the table. Tradition holds that fasting on 24 December lets you see the golden pig.
To bake your own, the Czech Christmas Cookie Baking Class ($87, 2.5 hours) teaches four kinds with hot chocolate or mulled punch.
Hot drinks come in cups that go back to collection points rather than in your hand to keep, so return the cup when you finish. Most vendors accept cards, and the organiser says there is an ATM inside the market if you need cash. The currency is the Czech crown (CZK), not the euro, and the Czech National Bank fixes the rate daily.
Keep some crowns for a stall that takes cash only.
Sources: CzechTourism, Trhy Praha, Czech National Bank.
The markets stand on open public squares, so you never buy entry. Budget instead for transport, food and tours.
Prague's integrated transport system, PID, sells short-ride and day tickets valid on metro, trams and buses. The table compares the full adult fares by how you buy the ticket. Note that SMS tickets are not valid on PID trains, line AE and zones 0 and B, and the 30 and 90-minute tickets are not valid on the Petřín funicular.
| Ticket | In the app | Paper | SMS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 minutes | $1.65 (36 CZK) | $1.79 (39 CZK) | $1.92 (42 CZK) |
| 90 minutes | $2.11 (46 CZK) | $2.29 (50 CZK) | $2.52 (55 CZK) |
| 24 hours | $6.41 (140 CZK) | $6.87 (150 CZK) | $6.87 (150 CZK) |
| 72 hours | $15.57 (340 CZK) | $16.03 (350 CZK) | $16.03 (350 CZK) |
The Czech Republic pays in the Czech crown (CZK), not the euro. The Czech National Bank fixing puts 1 USD at 21.834 CZK and 1 EUR at 24.340 CZK. Most vendors accept cards, and the organiser says an ATM sits inside the market if you need cash.
Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square draw the biggest crowds and stay open latest, until 22:00. Náměstí Míru shuts at 20:00, and the neighborhood markets at Náměstí Míru, Republic Square and Tylovo náměstí all end on 24 December. Prague Christmas Markets with Locals uses that rhythm on purpose, starting at two neighborhood markets before moving to the central ones.
Sources: Prague Integrated Transport, Czech National Bank, Trhy Praha.
Pick the base by the market you want at the door. Old Town keeps you on the square that runs latest, to 22:00, and Vinohrady puts Náměstí Míru, open from 20 November, on your street.
Links open a hotel search for that area on Booking.com through Stay22. Prices and availability are shown there.
When your feet need a break from the squares, the Vltava, two concert halls and a Smíchov baking studio pick up the season.
Three Advent cruises leave from piers on Dvořákovo nábřeží and Na Františku in the Old Town, and they differ in length, food and days. The table sets them side by side, with the figures from each listing. The lunch cruise is the one with a full meal, and the heated glass boat runs on weekends only.
| Cruise | Price | Length | Included | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prague Christmas Lunch Cruise | $55 | 2 hours | 3-course menu, vegetarian options | Not stated |
| Prague Advent Boat Cruise | $25 | 50 minutes | Hot drink, Christmas sweets, carols | Daily in Advent, to 10 January |
| Prague Heated Glass Boat Advent Cruise | $29 | 1 hour | Mulled wine or tea, gingerbread | Saturdays and Sundays of Advent, 15:30-16:30 |
The Rudolfinum Christmas Gala Concert puts Smetana, Mozart and Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 on the stage of Prague's largest concert hall for $68, 2 hours with doors at 19:30. The cheaper Czech Christmas Carols Concert performs Ryba's Czech Christmas Mass at the Hybernia Theatre on Republic Square, 1.5 hours for $25 with refreshments included.
On 5 December, Mikuláš, the Czech St Nicholas, walks with an angel and a devil. Last season Kampa marked the evening with a procession at 16:30 and lit the market tree at 17:00. To bake like a local, the Czech Christmas Cookie Baking Class teaches 2.5 hours of vanilla crescents, Linzer cookies and more for $87, with four kinds of cookies to take home.
Sources: Prague 1 District, Prague City Tourism.
The markets do not share one calendar. Náměstí Míru opens first, on 20 November, and the two big squares follow on 28 November.
The tree on Old Town Square, where the market runs to 6 January. Photo: House of Larl, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Prague City Tourism lists most of the city markets, and the organiser Taiko, a. s. publishes the dates and hours for the two big squares. The table below gathers every market and one-day event in one place. Where no hours are published, go in daylight.
The organisers set no holiday exceptions on their pages and state only daily 10:00-22:00, so check the holiday days locally. Havel's Market is a year-round produce market from 1232, not an Advent event, and keeps its own hours.
| Market | Dates | Hours | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Town Square | 28 November - 6 January | 10:00-22:00 | Staroměstské náměstí, Prague 1 |
| Wenceslas Square | 28 November - 6 January | 10:00-22:00 | Václavské náměstí, Prague 1 |
| Náměstí Míru (Peace Square) | 20 November - 24 December | 10:00-20:00 | Vinohrady, in front of St Ludmila's Church |
| Republic Square (Náměstí Republiky) | 25 November - 24 December | Not published | By the Municipal House, Prague 1 |
| Tylovo náměstí | 26 November - 24 December | Not published | Tylovo náměstí, Prague 2 |
| Havel's Market (Havelské tržiště) | Year-round | Mon-Sat 7:00-19:00, Sun 8:00-18:30 | Havelská 13, Prague 1 |
| Karlín Christmas Markets | 6 December | 12:00-20:00 | Karlínské náměstí |
| MINT Market Praha Christmas | 28-29 November | From 10:00 | Holešovice Market Hall |
| Christmas Lemarket | 11-13 December | 11:00-19:00 | Národní dům na Smíchově |
Náměstí Míru opens alone on 20 November, a week before anything in the center. Republic Square follows on 25 November and Tylovo náměstí on 26 November. The two big squares on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square open on 28 November and stay open latest, to 22:00, while Náměstí Míru closes at 20:00.
Arriving between 20 and 27 November, Náměstí Míru is the market to visit.
The Kampa market on Malá Strana ran its own shorter season, 3 December to 4 January, with the tree lit and Mikuláš visiting on 5 December at 17:00. That was the past season's program from the Prague 1 district. This season's Kampa dates are not confirmed, so check what Prague 1 publishes nearer the time.
Sources: Prague City Tourism, Trhy Praha, CzechTourism.
Only Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square keep their stalls standing past 24 December, running daily to 6 January.
Náměstí Míru (Peace Square), Republic Square (Náměstí Republiky) and Tylovo náměstí all end on 24 December. Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square carry on to 6 January, daily 10:00-22:00. The organiser, Taiko a.s., lists those daily hours and publishes no separate holiday hours. Prague City Tourism posts its own holiday details in late November, so check them before a Christmas visit.
The same split shapes Prague Christmas Markets with Locals: before 24 December it visits two neighborhood markets, after that date it switches to two central ones.
24 December is the main family evening in Czech homes. The tradition includes a daytime fast said to bring a vision of the golden pig, carp for dinner and Midnight Mass. Families who bought a live carp earlier in the week may have kept it in the bathtub.
On the same day the Dresden Striezelmarkt closes early, at 14:00.
The Rudolfinum's Dvořák Hall hosts a Christmas gala concert by the Prague Symphony Orchestra on 25 December at 20:00, according to the official city listing. The bookable option is the Rudolfinum Christmas Gala Concert, a 2-hour program with Smetana, Mozart and Dvořák. On the water, the Prague Advent Boat Cruise sails daily to 10 January, with carols, a hot drink and sweets included for $25.
Sources: Trhy Praha, Prague City Tourism, Prague City Tourism, Prague 1 District.
Booking is easy, but these markets and tours have real limits. Here they are before you pay.
The market walk runs through Advent, with the route moving to the central markets after 24 December. Pick an evening and check the calendar.
You'll confirm the exact date and time on the secure booking page.
5.0/5
★★★★★ ★★★★★
71 reviews on Viator for Prague Christmas Markets Tour with a Local Guide
★★★★★ ★★★★★
our guide Mike was fabulous, so full of information and taught as a lot about the food and drink on markets, which countries they came from and a bit of history on Prague. he was great.
Linda · December 2025
Review on GetYourGuide for Prague Christmas Market Tour
★★★★★ ★★★★★
Great guide
GetYourGuide traveler · December 2023
Review on GetYourGuide for Prague Christmas Walk
★★★★★ ★★★★★
Magdalena, our tour guide, gave us an excellent (exciting, authentic, and warm) presentation of Prague, today and throughout its history. It was a pleasure. Thanks a lot.
Philippe · December 2025
Review on GetYourGuide for Prague Christmas Story Tour
★★★★★ ★★★★★
A fantastic guide! Roman was knowledgeable and conveyed information about the historical stops along the way in an engaging and enjoyable way. He was friendly, professional and had a warm sense of humour. The day was wonderful and memorable.
Laila · December 2025
Review on GetYourGuide for Private Prague Christmas Markets Tour
★★★★★ ★★★★★
A very pleasant boat ride, tasty food, and it was quite intimate. A big plus was that, as a solo traveler, I was assigned a separate table + each table had a direct view of the Vltava River.
Monika · June 2026
Review on GetYourGuide for Prague Christmas Lunch Cruise
★★★★★ ★★★★★
Nice hot drinks and cookies. Very nice boat ride to see the city in the evening.
Andrew · December 2025
Review on GetYourGuide for Prague Advent Boat Cruise
★★★★★ ★★★★★
We had the best trip. Roman collected us at our apartment and from the start everything went smoothly! We liked how it is a small group and started off with a little historical tour before the markets.
Shannen · December 2025
Review on GetYourGuide for Dresden Christmas Markets Day Trip
★★★★★ ★★★★★
The orchestra was wonderful. So often Christmas concerts are a small, incomplete portion of the entire orchestra. This was the full group. Very good.
Eatl · December 2024
Review on GetYourGuide for Rudolfinum Christmas Gala Concert
★★★★★ ★★★★★
We loved the small class size. It was well organized. Very clean space. Easy to find. We had great conversation about Christmas traditions in the Czech Republic and Australia. And the treats were yummy
Simone · January 2026
Review on GetYourGuide for Czech Christmas Cookie Baking Class
Reviews, ratings and counts are the platforms' own, shown as published for each listing. They are not reviews of this site.
Three films to watch before you go: a full walk through the city-center markets, a first visit to the squares, and the markets as part of a Christmas market trip.
A continuous walk through the city-center markets after dark.
Video: Prowalk ToursA first visit to the squares, the food and the old town.
Video: Jumping PlacesPrague as the first stop of a Christmas market trip.
Video: The Traveling ZAMThird-party videos, embedded from YouTube. This site did not shoot them and has no relationship with the creators.
The squares are open public spaces, so a tour never buys you entry. It buys the story, the tastings and the company.
You can walk into any market without a ticket. What you pay for with a guide is context and what comes included. Prague Christmas Markets with Locals ($96.56, 2 hours 45 minutes) adds traditional Czech Christmas cookies and a hot drink, with mulled wine named in the description. The Prague Christmas Market Tour ($73, 2 hours) includes two hot drinks, one alcoholic and one not, plus two tastings of Czech winter delicacies such as mulled wine or roasted nuts.
The Private Prague Christmas Markets Tour ($178) covers five named markets with two Czech snacks and two traditional Christmas drinks. For a private pace with hotel pickup, the Private Prague Christmas Tour ($111.77, 3 hours) runs for one group only, though food and drinks are extra.
The clocks matter more than the order. Náměstí Míru closes at 20:00, so start there and be gone by early evening. Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square stay open to 22:00, which gives you the rest of the night.
On Old Town Square the stage program runs daily 16:00-19:00, so arriving before 19:00 catches the music and folklore. After 24 December the neighborhood markets are gone and the two big squares carry the season alone.
The children's workshops on Old Town Square run Saturday and Sunday only, 11:00-15:00, so families should pick a weekend morning for that. The Prague Heated Glass Boat Advent Cruise sails Saturdays and Sundays of Advent 15:30-16:30, a 1-hour circuit on a heated boat with mulled wine or tea. The Karlín market is one Sunday only, 6 December, 12:00-20:00.
On a weekday the stage program still plays daily 16:00-19:00.
Sources: Trhy Praha, Prague City Tourism.
Dresden is close enough for a full day out, and both day trips from Prague include pickup at your accommodation and free cancellation 24 hours before.
The entrance to the Striezelmarkt on Dresden's Altmarkt. Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The 592nd Striezelmarkt fills Dresden's Altmarkt from 25 November to 24 December, according to the City of Dresden. Stalls open daily until 21:00, and on 24 December the market closes early at 14:00. The Bohemia Adventures listing calls it Germany's oldest Christmas market.
Both tours below drive from Prague to Dresden and back in one day, with hotel pickup in the Czech capital and free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. The first stays within Dresden at three markets including the medieval one, while the second adds the Bastei bridge in Saxon Switzerland National Park. Because the route crosses into Germany, bring a passport or ID card.
| Tour | Price | Length | Included | Pickup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dresden Christmas Markets Day Trip | $128 | 8 hours | 2-hour walk, stollen, lunch | Your accommodation |
| Dresden Christmas Market and Bastei Tour | $215.83 | 10 hours | Glühwein, lunch, Bastei walk | Your accommodation, 7:30-8:00 |
Source: City of Dresden.
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The main Prague Christmas markets start at different times. Náměstí Míru opens first on 20 November, Republic Square on 25 November and Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square on 28 November, running to 6 January. See the dates and hours section for the full calendar.
Náměstí Míru leads the season on 20 November, a week before the two big squares. Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square open on 28 November and run daily 10:00-22:00. Details are in the dates and hours table.
Yes, and entry costs nothing, because the markets stand on open public squares with no gate. What you pay for is a guide, tastings or a river view, such as the small-group Prague Christmas Markets with Locals at $96.56 with cookies and a hot drink included.
One evening covers Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, which stay open to 22:00. A second day fits Náměstí Míru before 24 December and a cruise or concert, and a third the Dresden trip, which takes 8-10 hours. Browse the tour comparison to build a plan.
The main markets sit on Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square, Náměstí Míru, Republic Square and Tylovo náměstí, with Havel's Market and Kampa nearby. Old Town Square is the largest and most popular, while Náměstí Míru and Republic Square are neighborhood markets that end on 24 December. The markets section compares them all.
The currency is the Czech crown (CZK), not the euro. The organiser says most vendors accept cards, and an ATM sits inside the market for cash. The money section has the current exchange rates.
Yes, both day trips cover it with hotel pickup and free cancellation. The Dresden Christmas Markets Day Trip takes 8 hours with three markets and stollen, while the 10-hour Dresden Christmas Market and Bastei Tour adds the Bastei bridge. The Striezelmarkt runs to 21:00 daily until 24 December.
Prague Christmas Market Tours
