Prague Christmas Markets 2026: Dates, Hours and Full Guide

Prague’s Christmas markets run from 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, with the two main markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square open daily 10:00–22:00. Entry is free everywhere. This guide covers every market in the city, when each one opens and closes, what to eat, what things cost, and how to see it all without spending the day in a crowd.

Prague Christmas Markets 2026: All Dates and Opening Hours

Market	Dates	Daily hours	Character
Old Town Square	28 Nov 2026 – 6 Jan 2027	10:00–22:00	Largest, the tree, busiest
Wenceslas Square	28 Nov 2026 – 6 Jan 2027	10:00–22:00	Long boulevard, more room
Peace Square (Nám. Míru)	20 Nov – 24 Dec 2026	10:00–20:00	Local favourite, ~60 stalls
Republic Square (Nám. Republiky)	25 Nov – 24 Dec 2026	10:00–19:00	Smaller, more crafts
Prague Castle	Advent period	09:00–18:00/19:00	Small, dramatic setting
Kampa Island / Havel’s Market	Advent period	varies	Tiny, quiet, atmospheric

Tree lighting ceremony: 28 November 2026 at 16:30 on Old Town Square — the official start of the season. Arrive by 15:30 for a decent view.

Holiday exceptions at the two main markets: 24 December 10:00–14:00 · 25–26 December 12:00–22:00 · 31 December 10:00–15:00. The Old Town and Wenceslas Square markets stay open on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day; the neighbourhood markets close on 24 December.

Old Town Square Christmas Market

The main market, and the one everyone means when they say “Prague Christmas market”. Wooden stalls circle the giant spruce between the Church of Our Lady before Týn and the Astronomical Clock, with a stage running carols and choir performances through the evening and a nativity scene with live animals that children refuse to leave.

It is also the most crowded place in Prague between 17:00 and 20:00 in December. Come before 11:00 or after 21:00 and it is a different experience entirely. Full detail in our morning stroll through Old Town Square and the story behind Prague’s giant tree.

Wenceslas Square Christmas Market

Five minutes’ walk from Old Town Square, running the length of the boulevard below the National Museum. Same dates and hours as Old Town, but with considerably more space to stand and slightly lower prices. Good mix of food, gifts and lights, and easy to combine with the shops and museums nearby.

Peace Square (Náměstí Míru) — the Local Market

In Vinohrady, in front of the neo-Gothic St Ludmila Church, around 60 stalls run from 20 November to 24 December 2026, 10:00–20:00. This is where Prague residents go: cheaper, calmer, and far less tourist-packed. It opens a week before the central markets, which makes it the best option for early-season visitors. One metro stop on line A from the centre.

The Smaller Markets Worth Finding

• Prague Castle — on the square in front of St George’s Basilica, inside the Castle complex. Small but the setting is unbeatable, and entry to the market is free. Opens 09:00, closes 18:00–19:00.
• Republic Square (Náměstí Republiky) — beside the Municipal House and Powder Tower, heavier on local crafts. 25 November – 24 December, 10:00–19:00.
• Kampa Island — a handful of stands in one of the quietest corners of the centre, just below Charles Bridge.
• Havel’s Market (Havelské tržiště) — Prague’s oldest street market, cheaper for small souvenirs than the square stalls.
• Jiřího z Poděbrad — deeper into Vinohrady, with a vintage merry-go-round and almost no visitors. See underrated markets beyond the center.

Smaller markets also appear in the residential districts each Advent — Anděl in Smíchov among them — usually running a shorter season and aimed squarely at the people who live there. If you are staying outside the centre, it is worth checking whether your own neighbourhood has one.

What to Eat and Drink

The food is half the reason to come. Savoury: klobása (grilled sausage), langoš (fried flatbread with garlic, cheese and ketchup), bramborák (potato pancake), and spit-roasted Prague ham carved to order. Sweet: trdelník, palačinky (pancakes), perník (gingerbread), medovník (honey cake) and vánočka, the braided Christmas bread.

To drink: svařák (mulled wine), medovina (honey wine), grog (rum with hot water), punč (fruit punch) and horká čokoláda (thick hot chocolate). Czech beers — Pilsner Urquell, Budvar, Staropramen — are on every stall too. For children, ask for dětský punč, the non-alcoholic version.

Deeper guides: where to find the best mulled wine, 5 must-try Czech Christmas foods, Czech Christmas desserts and vegan and vegetarian options.

What Things Cost

Item	Typical price
Mulled wine (svařák)	80–120 CZK + 50–100 CZK refundable mug deposit
Trdelník	80–150 CZK
Grilled sausage (klobása)	100–180 CZK
Langoš / bramborák	90–150 CZK
Hand-painted glass ornament	150–600 CZK
A full day of eating and drinking	400–600 CZK per person

Entry to every market is free. The mug deposit is refunded when you hand the cup back — or keep it, since it is printed with the year and makes a better souvenir than most things on the stalls. See the top 10 Christmas souvenirs worth buying.

How to See It Without the Crowds

• Go before 11:00. The central markets are genuinely walkable in the morning and impassable from late afternoon.
• Avoid 14–20 December in the centre — the peak week of the season.
• Pair one busy market with one quiet one. Old Town in the morning, Peace Square in the evening.
• Dress properly. December in Prague sits near 0°C and the cobbles get slick. Layers, waterproof boots, gloves.
• Carry some cash. Most stalls take cards now, but the small neighbourhood ones may not, and coins speed up mug deposits.
• More tactics in insider tips for avoiding the crowds and hidden Christmas corners only locals know.

Want it all in one day? Our perfect one-day Christmas market walk maps an hour-by-hour route from Old Town at 08:30 to Peace Square at nightfall.

Christmas Lights, Concerts and Events

Christmas lights

The city lighting switches on with the tree on 28 November 2026 and stays up into early January. Pařížská Street is the most striking single stretch, followed by Celetná, Národní třída and Nerudova in Malá Strana. See the best decorated streets in Prague.

Concerts and carols

Free carol stages run at both main markets through Advent. Ticketed church concerts — St Nicholas in Malá Strana, the Týn Church, Bethlehem Chapel and St Vitus Cathedral — typically cost 400–900 CZK. Where to enjoy live carols and choir performances has the full picture, along with classical concerts and operas and The Nutcracker in Prague.

St Nicholas Day, 5 December

On the evening of 5 December, Svatý Mikuláš walks the streets with an angel and a devil, rewarding children who behave and gently warning those who do not. Old Town Square fills with costumed groups and it is one of the most genuinely Czech evenings of the year. More in how Czechs celebrate Saint Nicholas Day.

Nativity scenes

Czech Betlémy are an art form in their own right — the Kutná Hora baroque nativity and the Český Krumlov scene are the best known outside Prague. Czech nativity scenes: small details with big meaning.

Beyond Prague

If you have time for a day trip, Brno runs a large market with an ice rink, and Olomouc’s market is the one Czechs themselves rate most highly for atmosphere. Both are reachable by direct train from Prague in two to three hours.

Photographing the Markets

The best window is the 25 minutes after sunset — roughly 16:15–16:40 in December — when the sky is still deep blue rather than black and the stall lights balance against it. Full darkness makes the contrast much harder to handle. Practical guides: the best time to capture Prague’s winter lights, how to photograph snowy Prague without a tripod and the most photogenic Christmas spots.

All the Christmas photographs on this page were taken in Prague by Kemal Onur Ozman. For a couple or family shoot at the markets, or a Christmas proposal, that is who to talk to.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do the Prague Christmas markets open in 2026?

The main markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square run from 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, daily 10:00–22:00. Peace Square opens earlier, on 20 November, and closes on 24 December.

Is there an entrance fee?

No. Entry is free at every Christmas market in Prague, including the one inside the Prague Castle complex. You pay only for food, drinks and purchases.

Which is the best Christmas market in Prague?

Old Town Square for atmosphere and the tree, Wenceslas Square if you want the same thing with more room, and Peace Square if you would rather be among locals than tour groups. Most visitors are happiest seeing one central market and one neighbourhood market.

Are the markets open on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve?

Yes, the two main markets stay open, but with shorter hours: 24 December 10:00–14:00, 25–26 December 12:00–22:00, and 31 December 10:00–15:00. The neighbourhood markets close for the season on 24 December.

How much money should I budget?

Around 400–600 CZK per person for a full day of street food and drinks. A cup of mulled wine is 80–120 CZK plus a refundable mug deposit; a trdelník is 80–150 CZK.

What can I expect from a Czech Christmas Eve dinner?

A traditional Vánoční večeře centres on fried carp with potato salad, preceded by fish soup. The breaking of the Christmas wafer, oplatek, is a quiet family custom before the meal. More in how Prague families spend Christmas Eve and the story behind Czech Christmas carp.

Where can I attend midnight mass?

Churches across Prague hold mass on 24 December and visitors are welcome regardless of faith. St Vitus Cathedral inside Prague Castle is the grandest; neighbourhood churches are quieter and, for many people, more moving. Arrive early for a seat.

Is it worth visiting with children?

Yes — the live-animal nativity scene on Old Town Square, outdoor ice rinks, carousels and craft workshops all work well for children. Go in the morning, when the squares are still walkable with a pushchair. See family-friendly Christmas spots in Prague.

Are there outdoor activities beyond the markets?

Plenty. Outdoor ice rinks open across the city from late November, and the Czech countryside offers winter walking in the Krkonoše Mountains and day trips to towns like Český Krumlov. See magical rides, lights and ice rinks.

Related Reading

• A Perfect One-Day Christmas Market Walk in Prague
• Prague’s Christmas Tree: From Forest to Old Town Square
• Best Christmas Lights and Decorated Streets in Prague
• Family-Friendly Christmas Spots in Prague