Prague Christmas Markets 2026: Dates, Opening Hours, Tree Lightings and Czech Christmas Traditions

Can you imagine a Christmas tree glowing in front of the Gothic towers of the Týn Church, with the smell of mulled wine and roasting ham all around? That's Prague in Advent. We haven't been to Prague at Christmas yet, but it is high on our list, especially since there is now a direct night train from Brussels. So I've checked the official 2026 dates of every big Prague Christmas market, plus the Czech traditions that make Christmas there so special, like the famous carp.

Dates and opening times checked on official sites in November 2026.

Quick answer

• Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square: the two biggest markets run from 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, daily 10 am–10 pm.
• Náměstí Míru: a more local market in front of St Ludmila's Church, from 20 November to 24 December 2026, 10 am–8 pm.
• Prague Castle: the Christmas Stroll at Prague Castle is listed from 28 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Check before you go.
• Tree lighting: the Old Town Square tree lighting date had not been announced when I checked. Prague 1 lights the trees on Malostranské náměstí and Kampa on 5 December 2026.
• Traditions: St Nicholas visits with an angel and a devil on 5 December, and fried carp is the classic Christmas Eve dinner.

Dates at a glance

Sources: Prague City Tourism (prague.eu), the organiser Taiko (trhypraha.cz), CzechTourism (kudyznudy.cz), Prague 1 council and Prague Castle. Christmas Eve hours for the big markets were not published separately when I checked.

The best Christmas markets in Prague

Old Town Square

This is the one you have seen in photos. The market fills the square between the Old Town Hall with its astronomical clock and the Týn Church, with a huge Christmas tree in the middle. It is one of the biggest Christmas events in the Czech Republic, with traditional Czech products, food stalls and a daily programme of music and folklore on the stage. It gets very busy, but it really is magical after dark.

Getting there: metro line A to Staroměstská, or trams 1, 2, 17, 18 and 25 to Staroměstská.

Wenceslas Square

Just a short walk away, the Wenceslas Square market sits on the lower part of the square near Můstek. It has the same dates and hours as Old Town Square. The organisers promise music, choirs and family programmes all the way to Three Kings' Day on 6 January.

Náměstí Míru

If you prefer a more local feel, take the metro (line A) to Náměstí Míru in the Vinohrady district. The market is set up in front of the neo-Gothic St Ludmila's Church. It opens earlier than the big two, on 20 November 2026, and closes on Christmas Eve.

Prague Castle

The Christmas Stroll at Prague Castle spreads Christmas workshops, exhibitions and concerts across the castle grounds. On the Advent Sundays there are concerts by the Band of the Castle Guard and choirs from Prague's art schools. Prague Castle lists it from 28 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, but check its website before you go, as an older page gives a different end date. Walking up through Malá Strana to the castle is a lovely winter walk in itself.

Kampa and Malá Strana

Prague 1 council lights its Christmas trees on Malostranské náměstí at 4:30 pm and on Kampa island at 5 pm, both on Saturday 5 December 2026. I couldn't find an official 2026 market on Kampa, so think of it as a lovely evening stroll rather than a market trip.

More markets

• Náměstí Republiky: next to the Municipal House, from 25 November to 24 December 2026, 10 am–8 pm.
• Anděl: a handy market in Smíchov, from 27 November to 31 December 2026, 8 am–8 pm.
• One-day design and craft markets: the Karlín Christmas Markets on 6 December, and the Pottery Christmas Market at the Prague Exhibition Grounds on 5–6 December 2026.

Programme highlights

• St Martin on Charles Bridge: Wednesday 11 November 2026, 11 am–6 pm. St Martin's Day is when Czechs taste the first young wine of the year.
• Tree lightings in Prague 1: Vojtěšská čtvrť on 26 November (5 pm), Náměstí Republiky on 27 November (5 pm), the park by the Old Town Hall on 30 November (4:30 pm), Petrské náměstí and Kozí plácek on 1 December, Betlémské náměstí and Vodičkova on 2 December, and Malostranské náměstí and Kampa on 5 December 2026.
• Old Town Square tree lighting: not announced yet when I checked. Keep an eye on trhypraha.cz.
• Stage programme: Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square have live music, choirs and dance. The 2026 programme pages were still empty when I checked.
• Three Kings' Day (6 January 2027): the last day of the two big markets.

Czech Christmas traditions

As a Hungarian, I find Czech Christmas traditions really familiar. Like us, Czechs celebrate on Christmas Eve, and fish is on the table. These are the ones to know:

• Mikuláš (5 December): on the evening of 5 December, St Nicholas walks the streets with an angel and a devil. The angel rewards good children and the devil pretends to punish the naughty ones. Of course, every child gets sweets in the end.
• The Christmas carp: fried carp with potato salad is the traditional Christmas Eve dinner. In the days before Christmas, live carp are sold from big tanks on the streets. Some families even keep a carp in the bathtub for a few days and then let it go in a river or pond. Many Czechs keep a carp scale in their wallet for luck and money in the new year.
• Ježíšek: Czech children get their presents from Ježíšek (baby Jesus), not Father Christmas. He comes on Christmas Eve, and a little bell rings when the presents are under the tree.

What to eat, drink and buy

• Svařák (svařené víno): Czech mulled wine.
• Medovina: warm honey wine (mead). It is sweet and strong.
• Pražská šunka: Prague ham, roasted on a spit and sold by weight. Ask for the price per 100 g before they cut it!
• Klobása: a grilled sausage with mustard and bread.
• Trdelník: a sweet pastry rolled around a spit and baked over the fire. It is everywhere in Prague now. It reminds me of our Hungarian kürtőskalács.
• Cukroví and vánočka: cukroví are small Christmas biscuits, and vánočka is a braided sweet Christmas bread.

Mug deposit: the organisers had not published a 2026 deposit amount when I checked. If a stall charges a deposit for a mug, return it to get your money back, or keep it as a souvenir.

What to buy: wooden toys, puppets and marionettes, hand-blown glass ornaments, Bohemian glass, ceramics and straw decorations.

Things to do around the markets

• Winter walks with a view: climb up to Prague Castle through Malá Strana, or walk across Charles Bridge early in the morning before the crowds.
• Bohemian Switzerland: Europe's largest sandstone arch is a classic day trip from Prague, but it's best saved for the warmer months. Read our Pravčická brána hike guide for a summer return trip.
• More Christmas markets: combine Prague with Vienna or Budapest, or see our Christmas market breaks by train from the UK.

Practical tips

Getting there from the UK

By train: as of November 2026, European Sleeper runs a night train from Brussels to Prague on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It leaves Brussels at 18:06 and arrives in Prague at 10:54, with fares from €49. Take the Eurostar from London to Brussels in the afternoon. I love that this train stops at Bad Schandau, the gateway to Saxon and Bohemian Switzerland. Read more in our guide to train travel to Europe from the UK.

By plane: there are direct flights to Prague from London and other UK airports. Public buses link the airport with the metro.

Getting around (as of 2026): a 30-minute ticket costs 39 CZK (36 CZK in the PID Lítačka app), a 90-minute ticket 50 CZK (46 CZK), a 24-hour ticket 150 CZK (140 CZK) and a 72-hour ticket 350 CZK (340 CZK). The 24- and 72-hour tickets are not valid on the Airport Express (AE) bus. Children under 6 travel free with someone over 10, and children aged 6–15 travel free with proof of age.

Best time to visit

Weekends and evenings are the busiest, especially on Old Town Square. For a calmer visit go on a weekday, ideally in the first week of December. Both big markets open at 10 am, so a morning visit is much easier with kids. If you want the market without the Christmas rush, the big two stay open until 6 January 2027.

Money, toilets, pushchairs and dogs

• Money: the Czech Republic uses the koruna (CZK), not the euro. The organiser of the big two markets says most stalls take cards, and there is an ATM inside the market. If a card machine offers to charge you in pounds, choose koruna.
• Toilets: the official practical information doesn't list toilets, so plan breaks in cafés.
• Pushchairs: the cobbles in the old town are bumpy, and the squares are crowded in the evenings. A carrier is easier for small children.
• Dogs: the crowds in the centre can be stressful for dogs, so a quiet weekday morning is best if you bring yours.

Budget for a weekend

The markets are free to enter. Your main costs are travel, two nights' accommodation and food. A 72-hour ticket at 350 CZK (340 CZK in the app) covers all your public transport for a weekend. Market food in the very centre is pricier than in local pubs, so have one market meal and eat the rest in a neighbourhood like Vinohrady.

Entry rules

The Czech Republic is in the Schengen area, so UK visitors now register their fingerprints and photo under the Entry/Exit System. Read our guide to EES and ETIAS for UK travellers.

FAQ

When do the Prague Christmas markets open in 2026?

Náměstí Míru opens first, on 20 November 2026. The big markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square open on 28 November 2026 and run until 6 January 2027.

When is the Old Town Square tree lighting in 2026?

The date had not been announced when I checked in November 2026. Check trhypraha.cz closer to the opening on 28 November.

Are the Prague Christmas markets open after Christmas?

Yes. Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square stay open until 6 January 2027, and Anděl until 31 December 2026. Náměstí Míru and Náměstí Republiky close on 24 December.

Why do Czechs eat carp at Christmas?

Christmas Eve was traditionally a fasting day, and fish didn't count as meat. Fried carp with potato salad is still the classic Christmas Eve dinner.

How do I get to Prague by train from London?

Take the Eurostar to Brussels, then the European Sleeper night train to Prague (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays as of November 2026).

Have you been to Prague at Christmas? Did you try the Prague ham? Let me know in the comments!