The main Christmas markets
The markets most visitors come for, with the dates and opening hours published by the organisers. The full list, with filters, is on the markets page.
| Market | Area | Dates 2026/27 | Opening hours | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Náměstí Míru Christmas Market náměstí Míru, in front of the Church of St Ludmila | Vinohrady & Žižkov | 20.11.2026 – 24.12.2026 | daily 10:00-20:00 | Free entry |
| Náměstí Republiky Christmas Market náměstí Republiky, area facing V Celnici | New Town | 25.11.2026 – 24.12.2026 | — | Free entry |
| Old Town Square Christmas Market Staroměstské náměstí | Old Town | 28.11.2026 – 06.01.2027 | daily 10:00-22:00 | Free entry |
| Wenceslas Square Christmas Market Václavské náměstí (lower part) | New Town | 28.11.2026 – 06.01.2027 | daily 10:00-22:00 | Free entry |
| Christmas Lemarket Národní dům na Smíchově, náměstí 14. října 16 | Outer districts | 11.12.2026 – 13.12.2026 | 11:00-19:00 | not stated |
| Heřmaňák Farmers' Market Řezáčovo náměstí | Outer districts | Advent Saturdays 28.11., 5.12., 12.12. and 19.12.2026 | Saturdays 9:00–13:00 in December (8:30–13:30 earlier in the season) | Free entry |
All markets, dates and opening hours →
Countdown to the Old Town Square tree
The Christmas tree on Old Town Square is switched on 28 November 2026.
Source: the organiser's official page. The ceremony usually starts in the late afternoon; the exact time is announced in November.
Practical information
Transport, opening and closing days, food and drink, money and the usual tourist traps — written for someone who has never been to Prague in winter.
Getting around Prague at Christmas
Prague's trams, metro and buses are cheap and go everywhere the markets are, but the ticket system catches visitors out. Here is what a ticket costs, how to buy one, and how services change over the holidays.
When to go, and what is closed at Christmas
Prague in December is busiest exactly when most people plan to come. This page sets out what is open on 24, 25 and 26 December, when the squares are least crowded, and what the weather actually does.
Czech Christmas food and drink, explained
What is actually sold at a Prague Christmas market, what it cost in the 2025 season, and which of it is a genuine Czech tradition and which is a tourist product.
Money, taxis and the traps in the centre
Most of the ways a visitor loses money in Prague are the same three every year: the exchange window, the ATM screen and the taxi. All three are avoidable, and the law is on your side in one of them.
Story of Lights Prague — Charles IV
A ticketed walk-through light park on the Vltava riverside at Žluté lázně. The 2026/27 route follows the Royal Route from Prague Castle towards Karlštejn and tells the story of Charles IV in light sculptures: Charles Bridge, Karlštejn Castle and the crown jewels.
Dates 2026/27: Opens 16 October 2026, runs into January 2027 · Entry: from 180 CZK in the presale · Getting there: Tram 3, 17 or 21 to Dvorce, then about 5 minutes on foot; metro Pražského povstání (C) plus a walk
Transparency note: Story of Lights is the light-park brand of DECOLED s.r.o., the Czech company that publishes this guide. It is the only attraction on this site that we have a commercial interest in. Every other market and attraction listed here belongs to someone else, is listed for information only, and is neither rated nor promoted.
Guides
Longer reads: what to expect at the markets, what to do with children, how to fit Prague into three days, and what Czech families actually do at Christmas.
Prague Christmas markets 2026 dates, hours and food
Confirmed 2026 dates and published hours for Prague Christmas markets, plus stall food and approximate 2025 prices. Unconfirmed 2026 dates and holiday hours are marked as unpublished.
Christmas in Prague with children
Hours, child fares and cobbles for Prague's 2026/27 Christmas markets, with 2025 stall prices and how Czech families spend 24 December. Darkness after 16:00, indoor places in the rain, and the published Ježíšek letter box in Karlín are included.
Three days in Prague at Christmas
A day-by-day route for a short Christmas stay: Old Town Square and the tree, the castle side with a neighbourhood market, then the riverside and a market away from the centre. Confirmed 2026 dates, PID fares and 24–26 December closures are used where published; unpublished hours are marked as such.
What Czechs actually do at Christmas
Czech Christmas is organised around the evening of 24 December: Ježíšek brings the presents, carp is the meal, and gifts are opened after a bell, not on the morning of the 25th. This guide sets out those household customs and what they mean for visitors when shops close and the city goes quiet.
Not sure how to fit it all in?
Tell the planner how many days you have, whether you are travelling with children and what you want to spend, and it puts together a day-by-day route from the markets on this site.
Build my itineraryEverything on this page was checked on 21 September 2026. Found a mistake? One line to [email protected] is enough.