Prague, Czechia: Christmas Market Review

Czech-ing in from stop #2 on our Eastern European Christmas Market: Prague, Czechia! I’m so excited to be back here — my only other visit was in November 2013, and while the Christmas markets weren’t in full swing quite yet, some stalls selling doughy, cinnamon-coated chimney cakes had already started popping up. Just the thought was enough to make me want to come back as we were planning our Christmas market trip!

After a few days visiting the Wroclaw Christmas Market, we made our way to Prague and jumped right in visiting Old Town Square’s Christmas Market, as well as some of the smaller ones around the city.

Here’s what you need to know about the Prague Christmas Markets.

When Does the Prague Christmas Market Start?

Like other big cities in Europe hosting Christmas markets, Prague has several different markets around the city, and the dates vary. The two biggest (Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square) are open from November 30, 2024, until January 6, 2025. The smaller ones will shut down earlier.

One interesting note: the two biggest Prague Christmas Markets will be open on December 24, December 25, and January 1. This means that Prague could be a good place to actually spend Christmas — when we were in Munich and Salzburg for Christmas a few years ago, almost everything was closed on the 24th and 25th.

Where Is the Prague Christmas Market?

There are at least eight or nine different Christmas markets around Prague, and the two biggest are at Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. Old Town Square is a magical setting for the market, because you’ve got the Astronomical Clock Tower on one side and one of Prague’s most famous cathedrals, Church of Our Lady before Týn, on the other side. Wenceslas Square is also surrounded by pretty buildings though a good part of the promenade is currently under construction.

Besides these two main Christmas markets, you’ll also find smaller ones with a handful of stalls scattered throughout the city. While they may not have the same selection as the bigger ones, or be open as many days, they’re still good for grabbing a mulled wine or a chimney cake. You can find the map below or a list at the bottom of this article.

Food To Try at the Prague Christmas Market

While some of the food at Prague’s Christmas market was similar to what we found at the Wroclaw market, we were excited to try some new stuff, too! Here’s what I can remember seeing:

• Halusky: cabbage, potatoes, and ham
• Fire-roasted ham
• Chimney cakes
• Langos: dough with cheese and other toppings
• Churros
• Dumplings
• Chestnuts
• Marzipan
• Oysters and snails
• Grilled cheese
• Sausages
• Waffles
• Pancakes
• Potato swirly fries
• Potato pancakes
• Cotton candy
• Cheese

In Wroclaw, I made it my goal to eat pierogies every day. In Prague, my food of choice was chimney cakes. (I am happy to announce that I achieved my goal.)

On our first night at the Old Town Christmas Market, I ordered a bowl of halusky and Matt ordered a big chunk of ham with some bread. Those two dishes, along with a beer and a mulled wine, somehow cost about $40 USD. The food was good, but it wasn’t worth that. Maybe we needed to be more discerning when it came to prices, but we were still trying to figure out the price conversion from Czech koruna, so it also might have been our own fault.

Trying to find somewhere to sit or stand with our food though, was a bit of a challenge. While Wroclaw had plenty of tables — most of which were covered to protect from wind/rain — Old Town Square had maybe 10 small standing tables for the whole thing, as well as a handful of city benches. Some of the smaller markets were better in this regard.

Drinks & Mugs at the Prague Christmas Market

Mulled wine and other warm drinks were everywhere at the Prague Christmas Market! Unlike in Wroclaw, where there were a few specific stalls to get drinks, everyone seemed to be offering beverages. But very sadly, there were no Prague Christmas Market mugs. 🙁

I was definitely surprised by that — it might be the only Christmas market I’ve ever been to that had mulled wine and no mugs! Now I’m a little bit nervous for Bratislava, but I’m not going to look it up in advance so I guess I’ll just find out when I get there.

As far as the drinks though, there were a lot of options. I saw red and white mulled wine as well as rosé (which of course I had to try), hot honey mead, lots of different fruit teas and warm punch and cider, hot chocolate, and even something called “Hot Pink Ruby Chocolate” which was the color of Pepto Bismol.

At the two main markets, drinks are served in paper cups; at the smaller ones, you’ll get a decorative plastic cup that also needs to be returned to get your deposit back. There’s nothing Prague-related about it, so I didn’t see the appeal in potentially choosing to keep the cup instead of getting our money back.

Prague Christmas Market Activities

Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square, and Marian Square all had stages, and I found a sign with a schedule of events over at Wenceslas Square that listed out all the “cultural events” that would be going on throughout the month. Most seemed to be musical performers, and they were most often scheduled during the weekends.

But there’s also a “tree-lighting” ceremony at Old Town Square, where the tree is re-lit at every hour at the :30 minute mark, starting at 4:30 p.m. While pretty much all of the Christmas markets have a huge Christmas tree, the Old Town Square Christmas tree is famous — it’s chosen from a different region of Czechia each year. This year’s tree is from Krompach, in the Českolipsko region.

At Marian Square, there’s a little shed where kids can write a letter — we thought it was supposed to be for Santa, but it’s for the Baby Jesus, I think the famous “Child of Prague” statue that’s in one of their churches. When you’re done writing your wish, you’re supposed to ring the bell.

And at Wenceslas Square, there was a small ice skating rink! Apparently the rink just opened for the first time in 2023, and it lasts through February instead of closing when the Christmas market closes. We didn’t ice skate, but we found the cutest Prague postcards here!

Other Things to Know About the Christmas Market

Thankfully, every market stall we personally visited at the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square Christmas Markets accepted credit cards, so there was no need to take any cash out of the ATM. This was especially helpful because despite being a member of the EU, Czechia uses its own currency: the Czech koruna. The conversion was about 25 kr = $1 USD (give or take) and some places had the price in euros alongside the price in koruna, which also helped.

At the Old Town and Wenceslas Square markets, it was about 100 koruna for a cup of mulled wine (a bit more than $4 USD), though I saw the same drink for only 65 kr ($2.75) at Marian Square, just a five-minute walk away. You’ll definitely get the most bang for your buck at the smaller markets, though they don’t have as much selection.

However, the small markets are much less likely to take credit cards, so you WILL need cash if you visit the one at Peace Square, for example. Luckily, one of the food stalls accepted euros and took our €10 note when we were craving a potato pancake but didn’t want to take out any cash since it was our last night. So keep in mind that you will definitely need cash/coins for the small markets.

My Review: Prague Christmas Markets

The crowds at Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square became slightly more unbearable each day as it got to the weekend, so I can’t even imagine what it would be like on a Saturday. I think between the crowds, the lack of space to stand/sit with your food at these two main markets, and the inflated food/drink prices, that we definitely preferred the smaller markets around the city.

Having just come from Wroclaw, we knew Prague’s Christmas Markets were going to have a lot to live up to. It was nice that they were open later than the ones in Wroclaw, and it was kind of cool to be able to stumble into a little Christmas market on a random square you weren’t expecting, but it was a major downside that they didn’t have cute themed mugs.

But to be sipping mulled wine while surrounded by some of the most stunning architecture in Europe — like when you’re standing in Old Town Square — it’s hard to be upset with anything.

And if you’re looking for a quieter (and better-priced) Prague Christmas market experience, stick to Marian Square or Peace Square. Just remember to be on your best behavior when you go, as these are more often frequented by locals, so let’s always be respectful of the communities we’re visiting. 🙂

Prague Czechia Christmas Market 2024 Dates & Hours

Location: Old Town Square
Dates: November 30, 2024 – January 6, 2025
Hours: Daily 10:00-22:00

Location: Wenceslas Square
Dates: November 30, 2024 – January 6, 2025
Hours: Daily 10:00-22:00

Location: Republic Square
Dates: November 25 – December 24, 2024
Hours: Daily 10:00-20:00
*Did not visit

Location: Na Kampě Square
Dates: November 29, 2024 – January 1, 2025
Hours: Daily 10:00-20:00

Location: Havel’s Market
Dates: Late November to early January
Hours: Daily 6:00-18:30
(Note: This is a daily market, year-round, which changes to a Christmas market at this time of year)

Location: Marian Square
Dates: November 29, 2024 – January 6, 2025
Hours: Daily 11:00-19:00

Location: Peace Square (Náměstí Míru)
Dates: November 20 – December 24, 2024
Hours: Daily 10:00-20:00

Location: Tylovo Square
Dates: November 26 – December 24, 2024
Hours: Daily 10:00-20:00
*Did not visit

Location: Jiřího z Poděbrad Square
Dates: December 1 – December 22, 2024
Hours: Daily 8:00-18:00
*Did not visit

Plan Your Prague Christmas Market Visit

Book the Best Prague Hotels: Prague Czechia Hotels

Things To Do in Prague: Historic Pubs Walking Tour with Drinks // Medieval Dinner with Unlimited Drinks // From Prague: Bohemian Switzerland National Park Private Tour

Alright, now you know everything about visiting the Prague Christmas Markets! And we’re heading to Bratislava for our final stop on the Christmas market tour.

Have you ever visited the Christmas Markets in Prague, or somewhere else? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!

-Cathy

This site contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.