Things to Do in Prague in December

What you get in exchange for the cold

The whole centre is decorated, markets fill the squares, and concert halls and churches run Christmas programmes. Prague City Tourism publishes its Christmas listings of markets and events in late November, so check them once you have dates.

The main downside is light. Sunrise comes close to 8:00 and the sun sets around 16:00, so sightseeing days feel compressed. Plan outdoor sights for the morning and markets, concerts or cruises for the evening.

Market dates and closing times

Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square run 28 November to 6 January, daily 10:00-22:00, and the organiser names no holiday exceptions, so confirm 24 to 26 December locally. Náměstí Míru opens first, on 20 November, closes at 20:00 and ends on 24 December. Republic Square runs 25 November to 24 December and Tylovo náměstí 26 November to 24 December, with no hours published, so plan those for daytime.

Which market should you choose

Old Town Square is the showpiece and the busiest. Peace Square in front of St Ludmila's Church in Vinohrady is one of the largest, with ornaments, ceramic nativity scenes, wooden toys and mulled wine. If you only have one evening, join the Prague Christmas Market Walking Tour: Old Town Square in the Evening so a guide strings the squares together for you.

For a slow, local feel, the Prague Christmas Walk: Old Town to Kampa ends on Kampa island.

A working 3-day plan

Day one covers Old Town and the Jewish Quarter. The Jewish Museum's synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery close on Saturdays and open 9:00-16:30 in December (to 14:00 on 24 December), so slot them on any other day. Day two crosses Charles Bridge and climbs to the Castle, then drops back to the markets after dark. Day three is a WWII walking tour and the Vinohrady district, which sits away from the tourist crush and fills the afternoon before the light goes.

Add one bookable evening experience each night. A market tour the first night, a concert the second, and a cruise or food walk the third spreads the cost and keeps you warm.

Tours that cover several things at once

A guided option saves you planning in the dark. The Christmas in Prague Walking Tour: Stories of the Old Town mixes history and market stops. The Private Prague Christmas Markets and Landmarks Tour and the Private Prague Christmas Tour with a Personal Guide let you set the pace and the route.

For a full day away, the Dresden Christmas Market and Bastei Bridge Tour from Prague and the Dresden Christmas Market Day Trip From Prague combine a cross-border trip with a German market.

Packing list for December

Bring a warm waterproof coat, hat, gloves and a scarf, plus shoes with grip for cobbles that can be wet or icy. Layers matter more than one heavy jumper, because you move between cold streets and hot indoor halls. Hand warmers help on market evenings.

Sunset around 16:00 changes how you sightsee. Do castle views and bridge photos in the morning light, then let the Christmas lights take over after dark.

Five things to try

Trdelník is the sweet staple and ham the savoury one, with mulled wine and hot mead as the hand-warmers, all sold at several of the markets. Cukroví, the small cookies Czech families bake through Advent, turn up on market stalls too, with vanilla crescents and Linz cookies the favourites, and vánočka is the plaited Christmas bread with raisins and almonds.

If you want the story behind the stalls, the Prague Christmas Food Tour: Street Food Walk does the tasting for you with a guide. Peace Square, in front of St Ludmila's Church, pours mulled wine away from the Old Town.

Concerts, cruises and skating

Christmas concerts run in proper concert halls. The Rudolfinum Christmas Concert: A Christmas Gala in the Dvořák Hall plays in the Dvořák Hall, and the Czech Christmas Carols Concert Prague at the Hybernia Theatre puts carols centre stage. Both get you warm for a couple of hours.

On the water, the Prague Heated Glass Boat Cruise: Advent on the Grand Bohemia keeps the cold out. For a meal afloat, the Prague Christmas Lunch Cruise: 3-Course Menu on the Vltava turns lunch into an activity. The Na Františku Sports Centre in the Old Town opens its 40 by 20 metre rink to the public from November to March, and baking counts too, as the Czech Christmas Cookie Baking Class Prague sends you home with a Czech skill.

Christmas week itself

The Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square markets run on past Christmas to 6 January, listed daily 10:00-22:00 with no holiday exceptions named, while the smaller squares close for the season on 24 December. Czech families traditionally fast on 24 December and sit down that evening to fish soup and fried carp with potato salad, and Midnight Mass follows.

A family-friendly December day

Start at Old Town Square in daylight to see the tree, or join a weekend workshop between 11:00 and 15:00. Warm up with hot chocolate, then pick one booked activity for the afternoon. The Prague Advent Cruise With Carols And Sweets keeps children entertained with carols and treats, and the Czech Christmas Cookie Baking Class Prague is a hands-on indoor option for cold days.

The public rink at the Na Františku Sports Centre is another easy win if the family skates.

How to beat the crowds

Go to the markets right at the 10:00 opening or in the late morning, then save evenings for concerts or cruises. For breathing room, the neighbourhood markets on Tylovo náměstí and Náměstí Republiky are smaller than the Old Town one.

To see the lights before the big markets open, come in the last week of November: Náměstí Míru opens on 20 November and Republic Square on 25 November.

Practical transport notes

PID tickets come in 30-minute (36 CZK, about $1.65), 90-minute (46 CZK, about $2.11) and 24-hour (140 CZK, about $6.41) versions at app prices, a few koruna more on paper. From the airport, trolleybus 59 runs to Nádraží Veleslavín for metro line A, and the AE Airport Express bus runs to the main station. In ice or snow, trams beat walking on the steep streets around the Castle.

If you plan a Dresden day trip, both the Dresden Christmas Market and Bastei Bridge Tour from Prague and the Dresden Christmas Market Day Trip From Prague handle the transport for you.

What to watch out for

Keep bags zipped and in front of you in the market crowds at Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square and on busy trams. Check closing times before you plan an evening around a market: Náměstí Míru closes at 20:00 and ends on 24 December, while Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square run to 22:00. The Jewish Museum's sites close on Saturdays, so do not save them for a Saturday.

Book concerts and cruises before you travel.

When to add a day

Add a fourth day if you want to leave the country. The Dresden Christmas markets are 2 h 26 min away by direct EuroCity, and either the small group Bastei Bridge tour or the straightforward market day trip fills a full winter day. Add a fifth if you want slow mornings, more concerts and time on both advent cruises.