Prague vs Budapest Christmas Markets

Prague vs Budapest at a glance

Prague's season centres on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, with Peace Square, Republic Square and Tylovo náměstí trading until 24 December. Budapest's two main markets are on Vörösmarty Square and in front of St Stephen's Basilica. A direct train links Prague and Budapest in 6 hours 51 minutes, so a two-city trip gives one day to the journey.

The markets to cover

Start at Old Town Square, the largest and most popular market in the city. Add Wenceslas Square below the National Museum and Republic Square by the Municipal House. Finish at Peace Square in Vinohrady, in front of St Ludmila's Church, which opens first, on 20 November.

Dates and hours

The Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square markets run from 28 November to 6 January, daily from 10:00 to 22:00. The organiser names no holiday exceptions, and Prague City Tourism publishes its holiday information in late November, so check it before you plan an evening on 24 to 26 December.

Food and drink in Prague

Stalls at several markets sell mulled wine, trdelník, hot mead and ham, and vánočka plaited bread is the Christmas loaf. Czech families serve fish soup and fried carp with potato salad on Christmas Eve, Štědrý den. Cukroví Christmas cookies are baked through Advent and sold at the markets, with vanilla crescents and Linz cookies the most popular.

Markets, food and the bath break

Vörösmarty Square opens from 13 November, 11:00 to 21:00 Sunday to Thursday and 11:00 to 22:00 on Friday and Saturday. Its craft stalls close on 28 December, when the square is handed over to New Year's Eve. The Basilica market on Szent István tér runs 13 November to 1 January, 11:00 to 22:00 Sunday to Thursday and 11:00 to 23:00 on Friday and Saturday.

On 24 December Vörösmarty Square closes at 14:00 and the Basilica at 15:00. A thermal bath is the warmest break from a cold evening.

How to dodge the worst of it

In Prague, visit Old Town Square at or just after the 10:00 opening, then spend an evening at Peace Square in Vinohrady before it closes at 20:00. A guide helps you move between squares efficiently, and evening walks like the Prague Christmas Market Walking Tour: Old Town Square in the Evening show you the square after dark. In Budapest, both main markets open at 11:00, so a weekday visit soon after opening is the calm slot.

Where the locals go

In Prague, head to Peace Square (Náměstí Míru) and, on 6 December only, to the Karlín Christmas Markets on Karlínské náměstí, 12:00 to 20:00, with carols, a wooden nativity scene and Santa's mailbox. In Budapest, the Basilica market gathers nearly a hundred Hungarian artisans. Czech families serve fried carp with potato salad on Štědrý den, Christmas Eve, which tells you how deep the domestic traditions run even when the main squares fill with visitors.

Sample timings

For a two-city trip, give Prague three nights so you can cover its markets at a relaxed pace, then take the direct train to Budapest, 6 hours 51 minutes, for another two or three. If you add Vienna, the direct railjet from Prague takes 3 hours 57 minutes.

The verdict by traveller

First-timers and photographers should pick Prague for Old Town Square and its tree, chosen from a different Czech region each year. Food travellers should pick Budapest, where the Vörösmarty Square kitchen cooks full Hungarian dishes, and so should anyone travelling in mid-November, when Prague's big squares have not opened yet. Families like Prague for its compact walking distances and the weekend children's workshops on Old Town Square, Saturday and Sunday 11:00 to 15:00.

Tours that fit the Prague half

If Prague wins, a guided walk takes the guesswork out of the crowds. The Prague Christmas Markets Tour with a Local Guide runs 2 hours 45 minutes for $96.56 per person and holds a 5 rating from 71 reviews. The Prague Christmas Market Tour is a 2-hour option at $73 per person.

The Prague Christmas Street Food Walking Tour answers the food question at $112 per person, and the Private Christmas Tour of Prague with a Personal Guide gives you three private hours for $111.77 per person. On a tighter budget, the Prague Old Town Christmas Walk costs $28 per person and the Christmas in Prague Walking Tour runs 3 hours for $55 per person. Round the trip out with a Prague Heated Glass Boat Cruise: Advent on the Grand Bohemia or a Rudolfinum Christmas Concert: A Christmas Gala in the Dvořák Hall.