Prague Christmas Market ToursHome › Guides › Visiting Prague Christmas Markets: Getting There, Timing and Tips
Visiting Prague Christmas Markets: Getting There, Timing and Tips
When do Christmas markets in Prague start? The biggest ones, at Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, open in late November and trade daily until early January, with Peace Square opening first, on 20 November. The markets fill open public squares, so you only pay for what you eat, drink and buy.
Quick answer Start dates, free entry and the fastest way to see the markets
Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square run 28 November to 6 January, daily 10:00 to 22:00. Peace Square opens first, on 20 November, and Republic Square follows on 25 November. Both end on 24 December. All of them fill open public squares, so there is nothing to pay to walk in.
Key takeaways
- Check the full dates table for every market on the prague christmas markets homepage.
- Compare guided walks such as the Prague Christmas Market Tour With Locals.
- Combine markets with the river on a Prague Heated Glass Boat Cruise: Advent on the Grand Bohemia.
- Turn food into the plan with a Prague Christmas Food Tour: Street Food Walk.
When do the Christmas markets in Prague start?
Peace Square opens first, on 20 November, then Republic Square on 25 November, Tylovo náměstí on 26 November and the two big squares on 28 November.
There is no single start date. Each square sets its own calendar, so plan around the table below rather than one headline date.
Start and end dates for every market
The two headline markets, at Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, run daily 10:00 to 22:00 through the whole season and past New Year. Peace Square, open 10:00 to 20:00, is the early opener, so if your trip sits in the first weeks of the season it is the market to aim for. Havel's Market at Havelská 13 is a street market that trades all year, Monday to Saturday 07:00 to 19:00 and Sunday 08:00 to 18:30.
| Market | Runs | Daily hours |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square | late November to 6 January | 10:00 to 22:00 |
| Peace Square (Náměstí Míru) | 20 November to 24 December | From 10:00 |
| Wenceslas Square, below the National Museum | late November to 6 January | From 10:00 |
| MINT Market Praha Christmas, Holešovice Market Hall | 28 to 29 November | From 10:00 |
| Old Town Square music and folklore programme | late November to 6 January | Daily 16:00 to 19:00 |
| Republic Square (Náměstí Republiky) | 25 November to 24 December | Hours not published |
Which market to pick for your dates
Arriving before 28 November, your choices are Peace Square, Republic Square from 25 November, Tylovo náměstí from 26 November and Havel's Market. Travelling between Christmas and New Year, Peace, Republic and Tylovo Squares have closed, but Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square are still trading.
Sources: Prague City Tourism, Trhy Praha, Trhy Praha, CzechTourism, Prague City Tourism.
The Powder Tower stands over the Republic Square market. Photo: Tiia Monto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
When do the markets end in January?
Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square trade until 6 January, while Peace Square, Republic Square and Tylovo náměstí end on 24 December.
If you want markets with your New Year trip, check this before you book flights.
Markets open after Christmas
Two markets survive into January: Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, both until 6 January, Three Kings Day. Havel's Market keeps trading all year as a regular street market.
What happens over Christmas itself
The organiser lists the two big markets as open every day 10:00 to 22:00 and names no holiday exceptions, while Peace, Republic and Tylovo Squares end on 24 December. Prague City Tourism publishes its holiday information in late November, so check it before you plan Christmas Eve.
Sources: Prague City Tourism, Prague City Tourism, Prague City Tourism, Trhy Praha, Trhy Praha, Prague City Tourism.
Where are the Prague Christmas market locations on a map?
The two biggest, Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, are both in Prague 1 and close enough to walk between, Republic Square is nearby, and Peace Square and Tylovo náměstí are in Prague 2.
You do not need transport between the markets. Walking covers almost all of them in one loop.
Square by square
Old Town Square is the largest and most popular market, with the big tree and the heaviest crowds. Wenceslas Square runs up to the National Museum, a short walk south. Republic Square sits by the Municipal House, with stalls facing V Celnici street.
Peace Square is in Vinohrady in front of St Ludmila's Church, and Tylovo náměstí is also in Prague 2. Havel's Market is at Havelská 13, in the streets between Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square.
A loop that works
Start at Republic Square, walk down through Old Town Square, detour to Havel's Market, continue to Wenceslas Square, then go on to Peace Square in Vinohrady before it closes at 20:00. That is five markets in one afternoon.
Sources: Prague City Tourism, Prague City Tourism, Prague City Tourism, Prague City Tourism, CzechTourism.
Do Prague Christmas market tickets exist or is entry free?
The markets fill open public squares in the city centre, so there is no ticket to buy and you pay only at the stalls.
There is no gate, no turnstile and no booking. You only pay for what you consume.
What you pay for
Food, mulled wine and handicrafts are paid at the stalls. If you join a guided tour, concert or cruise, that is a separate paid product with its own booking, but the markets themselves cost nothing. Most vendors accept cards, and an ATM stands inside the market for the few that do not.
Sources: Prague City Tourism, Trhy Praha.
Are Prague Christmas Markets worth it, and when should you go to avoid crowds?
Yes, but the big markets get very crowded, so go early in the morning or late in the evening and mix in the smaller local squares.
The central squares are the largest and most popular, so timing decides how much you enjoy them.
Best time of day
Old Town Square opens at 10:00 and closes at 22:00, so you have a long window. The hour after opening and the last hour before closing are the quietest. The stage programme runs daily 16:00 to 19:00: come for it, or come after it ends.
If you want the lit-up tree without the crowd, come after the evening meal hours.
Best weeks
The days before 28 November, when only Peace Square, Republic Square, Tylovo náměstí and Havel's Market are open, are calm. After 24 December only the two big squares are left, so they carry everyone. Advent weekends are busy everywhere.
Reviews in short
Old Town Square is the largest and most popular market, so elbow room is the price of its setting. Peace Square in Vinohrady, one of Prague's largest markets, sits in a residential quarter away from the Old Town.
Sources: Prague City Tourism, Trhy Praha, Prague City Tourism, Prague City Tourism.
The nativity scene at Náměstí Míru, the first market to open. Photo: Anaj7, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What to beware of in Prague at the markets?
Watch for pickpockets in the packed main squares, check prices before you order, and pay in koruna rather than accepting bad exchange rates.
Prague is safe, but the markets concentrate crowds and cash in small areas, which is exactly where petty problems happen.
Practical cautions
Keep bags zipped and in front of you at Old Town and Wenceslas Squares, the largest and most popular markets. Ask the price of mulled wine and food before it is poured or plated, because stall prices vary. Most vendors take cards.
Pay in Czech crowns and decline offers to charge you in your home currency, which usually hides a poor rate. Ice and uneven cobbles are a bigger risk than crime, so wear shoes with grip.
Sources: Prague City Tourism, Prague City Tourism, Prague City Tourism, Trhy Praha, Trhy Praha, Prague City Tourism.
What food and drink should you try at the markets?
Try the ham, trdelník, cukroví cookies and vánočka bread, with mulled wine or hot mead.
The stalls are a meal in themselves if you graze rather than sit down.
The dishes that matter
Stalls at several markets sell mulled wine, trdelník, hot mead and ham. Fish soup and fried carp with potato salad are the Czech Christmas Eve dinner, and carp is sold from large tanks in the city centre before Christmas. On the sweet side, vanilla crescents and Linz cookies are the most popular of the cukroví baked through Advent, and vánočka is the plaited bread studded with raisins and almonds.
Cukroví are sold at the markets through Advent.
Sources: CzechTourism, CzechTourism, CzechTourism.
Tours That Fit
A guided walk packs the main squares, the stories and the food into a couple of hours.
Prague Christmas Markets Tour with a Local Guide
A small-group walk through Prague's Christmas markets with a local, with Christmas cookies, a hot drink and stories of Czech traditions.
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Prague City Adventures
Prague Christmas Street Food Walking Tour
A 2-hour guided walk through the Old Town's Christmas spots with a tasting of traditional Czech Christmas foods and sweets.
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Curiosities Czechia
Prague Old Town Christmas Walk
A 2-hour Old Town walk with an official licensed guide, a Bridge Tower climb and a finish at the Kampa Christmas market.
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Prague City Tourism a.s.
How do you get to Prague and get around the markets?
From Václav Havel Airport, bus 59 and metro line A reach the city centre in about 35 minutes, and once you are central the big markets are within walking distance of each other.
Prague is an easy rail and air destination, and the market zone itself needs no transport at all.
Arriving by plane or train
From the airport, bus 59 to Nádraží Veleslavín and metro line A take about 35 minutes to the centre on a 90-minute ticket, 46 CZK in the PID app or 50 CZK on paper. Direct railjet trains link Vienna to Prague in 3 hours 57 minutes. Dresden's Striezelmarkt runs 25 November to 24 December, close enough for a day trip.
On the ground
Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square, Republic Square and Havel's Market all sit in Prague 1 and are walkable. Peace Square and Tylovo náměstí are in Prague 2, where a 30-minute ticket, 36 CZK in the PID app, covers the ride.
Sources: Prague Integrated Transport, City of Dresden.
How many days do you need for the Prague Christmas markets?
Three nights covers the big squares, the neighbourhood markets and an evening concert or cruise.
You can see the main squares in one day, but a longer stay lets you add the local markets and the rest of the Christmas programme.
A sample four-day shape
Day one, Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square at opening hour and again after dark. Day two, Republic Square and Havel's Market. Day three, Peace Square and Tylovo náměstí for the local feel, until they end on 24 December, plus a concert or a river cruise in the evening.
Day four, a day trip or the sights. After 24 December only Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square are left, so see the neighbourhood squares first.
Sources: Prague City Tourism, Trhy Praha.
Prague Christmas Markets: Frequently Asked Questions
What date do the Prague Christmas markets start?
Peace Square opens first on 20 November, and the main markets at Old Town and Wenceslas Squares open on 28 November and run to 6 January. See the full dates on the prague christmas markets page.
Are the Prague Christmas markets worth it?
Yes, if you time them. Go early or late at the big squares and add the neighbourhood markets at Peace Square and Tylovo náměstí. A Prague Christmas Market Tour With Locals covers the highlights efficiently.
Is entry to the markets free?
Yes. The markets fill open public squares, so there is nothing to pay to walk in. You pay only for food, drink and goods at the stalls.
What is the Peace Square Christmas market?
It is the market in front of St Ludmila's Church in Vinohrady, one of Prague's largest, open 20 November to 24 December from 10:00 until 20:00, with ornaments, ceramic nativity scenes, wooden toys and wool products.
How many days do I need?
Three or four nights is enough for the main squares, two or three neighbourhood markets and a concert or cruise such as the Prague Advent Cruise With Carols And Sweets.
Are the markets open on Christmas Day?
The organiser lists Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square as open daily 10:00 to 22:00 with no holiday exceptions. Peace, Republic and Tylovo Squares end on 24 December.
Can I add a concert or a cruise to a market trip?
Yes. Options include the Rudolfinum Christmas Concert: A Christmas Gala in the Dvořák Hall and the Prague Christmas Lunch Cruise: 3-Course Menu on the Vltava.
Can I visit another country's markets from Prague?
Dresden's Striezelmarkt runs 25 November to 24 December, and the 8-hour Dresden Christmas Market Day Trip From Prague picks you up at your hotel.
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