Prague Christmas Markets
With magical spires, winding cobbled streets and picture-perfect town squares bathed in the warm glow of thousands of twinkling lights, Prague at Christmas is like something out of a fairytale. Prague's Christmas markets are regarded as some of the best in Europe, and a visit will bring many unforgettable moments of festive wonder.
Here at Holiday Extras, we make sure that those magical memories start as soon as you leave your door. We have over years' experience helping you guys get your holiday off to a flying start, with everything from car hire to airport transfers and insurance, so we've put together a guide to help you get the most magic from your visit to Prague Christmas markets.
If you're planning on spending your Christmas break in the UK this year, then check out our guide to the best Christmas markets to visit and make the most of your festive staycation!
When Do The Christmas Markets In Prague Start?
Prague Christmas markets run, to no great surprise, around Christmas. We know, we know, rather stating the obvious there, but in Prague, Christmas means the month of December. A lot of European cities have been sneaking the dates of their christmas markets back into November, but not Prague. The dates slither around a little year on year, but generally start around 1st December and continue to early January. The markets are open for the whole month, including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
2019 Christmas Markets Dates;
- Old Town Square Market; December 1, 2019 – January 6, 2020
- Wenceslas Square Market; December 1, 2019 – January 6, 2020
- Námestí Republiky Market; November 30, 2019 – December 29, 2019
- Prague Castle Market; November 23, 2019 – January 6, 2020
- Kampa Island Market; December 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019
- Námestí Míru Market; November 20, 2019 – December 24, 2019
Where Are The Best Christmas Markets in Prague?
For a compact city, Prague packs a lot of Christmas markets in. 6, to be exact. The main ones are in the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square-just 5 minutes walk from each other. These are the 'big deals', the alpha markets, if you will, and the main draw for visitors to Prague's Christmas markets. There are also a number of smaller markets dotted around the city centre and on the other side of the Vltava River. If you find yourself at Prague Castle, the market held in the square in front of the basilica has got to be one of the most atmospheric locations for a Christmas market ever.
Old Town Square Market
Where Is It? - Right in the middle of the Old Town Square, with stalls sprawling across the cobbles, around the Astronomical Clock and the Church of Our Lady Before Tyne.
Open From - 10.00am to 12.00am
Good For - All out Christmas spirit. The Old Town market hosts the giant Christmas tree and nativity scene, as well as carolers, concerts and shows, alongside countless stalls selling gifts and hot food.
Wenceslas Square Market
Where Is It? - Just a short walk from the Old Town, in Wenceslas Square, with stalls lining the whole street.
Open From - 10.00am to 12.00am
Good For - Unique local goods - wood and steel gifts are a speciality among vendors at this market.
Námestí Republiky Market
Where Is It? - In front of the Palladium shopping centre
Open From - 10.00am to 10.00pm
Good For - A smaller market with a more traditional feel, a favourite with locals and visitors alike. Great for food and drinks.
Prague Castle Market
Where Is It? - St George's Square behind St Vitus in the castle complex
Open From - 10.00am to 7.00pm
Good For - Atmosphere and stunning city views. This market occupies prime position in Prague's castle district, so in terms of locations, it's hard to beat. With incredible views across the river and over the Old Town, this always magical part of the city is only enhanced by the delicate twinkling Christmas lights.
Kampa Island Market
Where Is It? - At the end of the Charles Bridge
Good For - Homemade and artisan gifts and souvenirs.
Námestí Míru Market
Where Is It? - In front of the Church of St. Ludmila
Open From - 10.00am to 7.00pm
Good For - Usually the first market of the season, with around 60 stalls selling traditional goods.
Getting to Prague
Airport Parking
So, you've settled on Prague for your christmas market adventure. Great choice! Here's where we come in. Did you know that we can take care of all your extras bits and bobs for you trip, starting with your journey to the Czech capital? Whether you're flying out from Gatwick, Heathrow, or a regional airport, we can take care of your car while you're away. Check out our airport parking page for details on our park and ride and meet and greet car parks.
You will fly into Prague's only airport, Vaclav Havel (PRG), which is about 30 minutes drive from the centre of the city. We have a few options for you to get to your hotel, read on below to find out.
Prague Airport Transfers
Our Prague airport transfers are pretty great, even if we say so ourselves. With a fantastic range of shuttles, taxis and luxury options at super cheap prices, we cover every option, whether you're on a solo outing to Prague's christmas markets or on a big group getaway. All of them pick you up at the airport (no wasting your precious shopping time in long taxi queues for you) and drop you off at the door of your Prague hotel-wherever in the city you're staying.
Below is a sample of some of our transfer options and prices from Prague Airport the Old Town Square, just to give you an idea, but for more information and to book an airport transfer, take a look at our Prague Airport transfers page.
Cheap Prague Airport Transfers to the Old Town Square Christmas Market
| Prague Airport Transfers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Transfer Type | Price | |
| Shared Shuttle Bus | £11.50 | |
| Taxi | £19.63 | |
| Luxury Car | £29.12 | |
| Minibus | £27.65 | |
| Private Coach | £103.21 | |
Travel Money
One thing's for sure, a trip to Prague Christmas markets means shopping. Many market stalls only accept cash, so stock up on your Czech Koruna before you leave. Keep an eye on the exchange rates and get the best deal with FairFX to make sure you get the most bang for your buck when it's time to fly. Not only can you get great rates but FairFX offers next day delivery and can even deliver on a Saturday if it suits you, find all the information on our Travel Money page.
Quick Links
Prague Christmas Markets Fact File
- Dates; December 1st to January 3rd (approximately)
- Open everyday, including Christmas day.
- Opening times; 9am to 7pm (weekdays)
- 9am to 8pm (weekends)
- Food stalls open until 9pm
- Average high temperature: 2°
- Average low temperature:-2°
- Temperatures in Prague in December hover around freezing, but can fall much lower. While this vastly increases the chance of seeing a festive Prague covered in a dusting of snow, it also means that packing for very cold spells is essential. Woolly hats, gloves, extra socks, you name it, you'll need it. Still, with plentiful mulled wine and sausage stalls on offer, you'll easily find something to warm you up!
- Currency: Czech Koruna
- Cash or Card?: Cash - many stalls won't accept cards, so make sure you take plenty of small notes and change.
- Conversion rate: £1 to 28.18 CZK
- Do I Have To pay To Enter Prague Christmas Markets?: Nope. The markets are all free to enter, but with a massive choice of festive delights to buy, you're unlikely to escape without making a significant dent in your wallet!
- Transfer time from Prague airport to city centre: 35 minutes (via taxi)
- Where to stay?: For easy access to Prague's Christmas markets, look for a hotel near to the Old Town Square or Wenceslas Square. Hotels are pretty reasonable in Prague, and even for these central locations, you won't need pockets too deep to get a nie hotel. For somewhere a bit quieter, head across the river.
- Getting around the city: Prague's centre is compact and easy to navigate. The Old Town Square is just a few moments from the Charles Bridge, and all the markets are within easy walking distance of each other. If you're weighed down with all your purchases, you could always hop aboard the excellent tram or metro system to get around, or find yourself a taxi. Taxis in Prague run on meters, so agree a price before you get in to save yourself any costly surprises.
- Ahoj - Hello
- Prosim - please
- Dekuji - thank you
- Vanocni trhy - Christmas market
- Chtel bych - I would like....
- Mluvíš anglicky? - Do you speak English?