Old Town Square Easter Market Guide

Prague’s Easter market fills Old Town Square with painted eggs, birch switches and the smell of grilling sausage for three weeks each spring. It is smaller and gentler than the Christmas version, warmer to walk around, and considerably less crowded. Here is what to expect in 2027.

Prague Easter Markets 2027: Dates & Opening Hours

Market	Dates	Daily hours
Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí)	13 March – 4 April 2027	10:00 – 22:00
Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí)	13 March – 4 April 2027	10:00 – 22:00

Easter Sunday 2027 falls on 28 March, with an international folklore festival on Old Town Square that day. The Old Town market is the larger of the two, with more than 90 wooden huts. Both squares are a five-minute walk apart and entry is free.

What the Market Looks Like

More than 90 wooden huts fill the square beneath the Týn Church and the Astronomical Clock. The centrepiece is the decorated maypole hung with ribbons and thousands of kraslice — hand-painted Easter eggs, some using wax-resist techniques passed down through generations. Stalls sell wooden toys, lace, ceramics, embroidered linens and the pomlázka, the braided willow switch at the centre of the strangest Czech Easter custom.

What to Eat

Mazanec — sweet Easter bread with raisins and almonds, the season’s defining bake.
Beránek — lamb-shaped sponge cake, sold everywhere in the run-up to Easter Sunday.
Trdelník — the cinnamon chimney pastry, as ubiquitous as at Christmas.
Klobása — grilled sausage, still the best-value hot food on the square.
Medovina — warm honey wine, the spring counterpart to mulled wine.

More in Czech Easter food you must try and traditional Czech Easter drinks.

The Pomlázka Tradition

On Easter Monday (29 March 2027), Czech men and boys braid willow switches and lightly whip women’s legs in exchange for a painted egg or a shot of slivovice. It is meant to pass on the willow’s vitality for the year ahead, it is entirely symbolic, and visitors find it either charming or bewildering. It happens in the morning, mostly in residential neighbourhoods rather than on the square. Czech Easter traditions explains the full custom.

Programme and Performances

Craft workshops run daily — egg painting, basket weaving, gingerbread decorating — and there are folk music and dance performances on the stage most afternoons. On Easter Sunday, 28 March 2027, Old Town Square hosts an international folklore festival, the single busiest and most colourful day of the market. See Easter activities and performances.

Old Town vs Wenceslas Square

Both markets run the same dates and hours. Old Town Square is larger, prettier and busier; Wenceslas Square is more spread out with shorter queues and slightly lower prices. They are five minutes apart on foot, so there is no need to choose — our Wenceslas Square guide covers the second one.

When to Visit

Weekday mornings are almost empty and the light on the Týn towers is at its best.
Easter weekend (26–29 March 2027) is the fullest programme and the biggest crowds.
Late March weather in Prague runs roughly 4–13°C — bring a jacket for the evenings.
Practical detail in opening hours and tips for visiting.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Old Town Square Easter market in 2027?
13 March to 4 April 2027, daily 10:00–22:00. Easter Sunday falls on 28 March.

Is there an entry fee?
No. Entry is free at both Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square.

What should I buy here?
Hand-painted kraslice eggs, wooden toys, and a pomlázka if you want the most Czech object in the square. See the best things to buy.

Is it good for children?
Yes — egg-painting workshops, puppet shows and folk performances run throughout, and the square is far less crowded than at Christmas.

How does it compare to the Christmas market?
Smaller, warmer, calmer and shorter. Easter markets vs Christmas markets sets them side by side.

Dates and opening hours were last verified in August 2026. Market organisers occasionally adjust hours for special events — check before a long trip across the city.