Prague Christmas Market 2025 Guide & Dates

Introduction to Prague Christmas

The Prague Christmas Market 2025 is one of the most iconic holiday traditions in Europe. Each winter, the holiday season transforms the city center of Prague into a magical atmosphere of festive decorations, twinkling lights, Christmas music, and holiday cheer.

Visitors to the Prague Christmas markets can expect the aroma of mulled wine, hot chocolate, roasted chestnuts, and seasonal treats filling the air. Choirs sing Christmas carols, folk groups dressed in traditional costumes perform, and every town square market glows with a large Christmas tree.

Whether you’re at the Old Town Square Christmas Market, the Wenceslas Square Christmas Market, the Prague Castle Christmas Market, or exploring smaller markets like the Peace Square Christmas Market or Republic Square Christmas Market, you’ll find a festive atmosphere that makes Prague one of the best Christmas market destinations in Central Europe.

For practical travel tips, you can check the official Czech Tourism site, or plan your journey with the Prague public transport guide. If you’re flying in, the Václav Havel Airport Prague is just a short ride away from the Christmas festivities. For more seasonal activities and concerts, visit Prague Experience to see what’s happening around the city.

Prague Christmas Market 2025 Dates & Opening Times

The Prague Christmas Markets run from late November 2025 through early January 2026.

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, markets remain open, though with shorter hours. The Old Town Square Christmas tree continues to shine bright, drawing thousands of visitors. The New Year’s Eve celebrations bring fireworks, concerts, and crowds across the city centre.

Markets generally open daily from 10:00 AM until 10:00 PM, with food stalls and hot drink vendors often staying open later. The tree lighting ceremony at the Old Town Square Christmas Market, with the town hall tower and Old Town Hall as a backdrop, is one of the most anticipated events of the festive season.

Main Christmas Markets in Prague

Old Town Square Christmas Market

The Old Town Square hosts the largest and most famous square Christmas market in the city. The Old Town Square Christmas Market is the centerpiece of the festive season, attracting visitors from all over the world.

A large Christmas tree decorated with thousands of lights dominates the market, with the Old Town Hall Tower providing stunning views over the festive decorations. Dozens of market stalls line the square, offering handmade crafts, advent calendars, holiday gifts, and local crafts.

Visitors can enjoy food stalls serving hot mulled wine, roasted chestnuts, sausages, dumplings, and seasonal treats. Choirs perform Christmas carols, and folk groups dressed in traditional costumes create a truly magical atmosphere.

Wenceslas Square Christmas Market

Just a short walk from Old Town, the Wenceslas Square Christmas Market is another of Prague’s main Christmas markets. This busy boulevard glows with festive decorations and twinkling lights illuminating the city center.

The market stalls here are filled with handmade crafts, holiday gifts, and souvenir shops, while food stalls serve hot drinks and seasonal treats. Visitors can enjoy live Christmas music while exploring one of the most vibrant markets of the Christmas season.

Prague Castle Christmas Market

The Prague Castle Christmas Market is set in the courtyards of the famous Prague Castle, making it one of the most scenic markets in Europe.

Here, visitors can visit Prague Castle and shop at local markets selling handmade crafts, festive decorations, and holiday gifts. The festive atmosphere is enhanced by traditional costumes, hot mulled wine, roasted chestnuts, and Christmas music echoing across the castle walls.

Republic Square Christmas Market

The Republic Square Christmas Market offers a more relaxed experience compared to the Old Town Square market. This market is known for local crafts, handmade gifts, and seasonal treats. It’s also close to the Municipal House and City Hall, making it easy to combine sightseeing with holiday shopping.

Peace Square Christmas Market

The Peace Square Christmas Market is a community favorite and one of Prague’s most authentic smaller markets. Stalls here serve hot chocolate, mulled wine, roasted chestnuts, and seasonal treats, while handmade crafts and holiday gifts are sold by local artisans. The atmosphere is cozy, with twinkling lights illuminating the festive decorations and fewer tourists than in the city centre.

Stay Connected at Prague Christmas Markets with Firsty

Exploring the Prague Christmas Markets 2025 means capturing festive decorations, sharing photos of the large Christmas tree in Old Town Square, and navigating the city centre with ease. To make the most of your trip, staying online is essential.

With Firsty, you can skip the hassle of buying local SIMs or worrying about roaming fees. Firsty’s eSIM connects you instantly across Prague and the rest of Central Europe, whether you’re strolling through the Wenceslas Square Christmas Market, enjoying seasonal treats at Republic Square, or watching the tree lighting ceremony at the Old Town Hall Tower.

Travelers can choose from flexible plans:

Firsty Free: Stay online at basic speed by watching ads. Perfect for messaging apps and checking Christmas market opening times.
Comfort+: From just €1 per day, enjoy high speed browsing for maps, social media, and navigation as you explore Prague’s festive streets.
First Class: For €2 per day, unlock extra high speed for video streaming, hotspot use, and uploading holiday photos instantly.

No matter which plan you pick, you can also top up credits for international calling. That means you can call home with your own number while sipping hot mulled wine or wandering through the Peace Square Christmas Market.

With Firsty, you’ll never miss a moment of the holiday cheer at Prague’s Christmas markets, from sharing pictures of roasted chestnuts at the market stalls to navigating your way to Charles Bridge for fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

Food and Drink Highlights

Food is one of the biggest highlights of the Prague Christmas Markets 2025, and the options go far beyond standard street snacks. Every market square is filled with the aroma of festive food, making it a must for any traveler wondering what to eat in Prague during Christmas.

Visitors should not miss Trdelník (chimney cake), a sweet pastry rolled in sugar and cinnamon that has become a Prague street food icon. Roasted chestnuts are a holiday staple, while hot mulled wine and rich hot chocolate are must-have warm drinks for chilly December nights.

At the food stalls, you can also try hearty Czech meals such as grilled sausages, beef goulash, dumplings, and potato pancakes. Sweet seasonal treats like gingerbread, apple strudel, and festive cookies add to the holiday cheer and make the Prague Christmas markets a true food lover’s paradise.

If you want to dive deeper into Prague’s culinary scene beyond the markets, here are some of the best restaurants in Prague to try during your trip:

The Street Restaurant & Cocktail Bar – Famous for gourmet burgers, modern street food, and creative cocktails, perfect for a casual evening after exploring the Christmas markets.
Kantýna – A top choice for meat lovers, offering premium Czech cuts, sausages, and steaks in a canteen-style setting right in the city center.
Jaffa Restaurant – A taste of the Mediterranean in Prague, serving Middle Eastern mezze, grilled meats, and vegetarian-friendly options.
U Kroka – A traditional Czech restaurant near Vyšehrad, known for hearty dishes like svíčková (marinated beef with cream sauce), pork knuckle, and goulash.
Café Imperial – One of Prague’s most iconic restaurants, set in an Art Deco interior, offering Czech specialties such as roast duck, schnitzel, and decadent desserts.

Whether you’re wandering through the Old Town Square Christmas Market, sipping mulled wine at Wenceslas Square, or enjoying the festive cheer at Prague Castle, pairing your trip with authentic Prague restaurants will make your holiday experience unforgettable.

Shopping: Holiday Gifts and Handmade Crafts

The market stalls in Prague are some of the best places to find unique holiday gifts.

Popular purchases include handmade crafts like glass ornaments, wooden toys, and jewelry. Visitors will also find advent calendars, festive decorations, and local crafts that make perfect presents. While many stalls sell authentic goods, keep an eye out for mass produced goods that are less special. For more authentic finds, head to smaller markets like Peace Square and Republic Square.

Festive Atmosphere and Traditions

The festive atmosphere in Prague is what makes these markets unforgettable.

The tree lighting ceremony at the Old Town Square Christmas Market is one of the season’s highlights, attracting crowds who gather around the large Christmas tree and watch the twinkling lights illuminating the town square.

Visitors can enjoy Christmas carols performed by choirs, Christmas music from local bands, and folk groups dressed in traditional costumes. Every town square market radiates holiday cheer and creates a magical atmosphere that defines the Christmas season.

New Year’s Eve Celebrations in Prague

The New Year’s Eve celebrations in Prague are just as festive as Christmas itself. Fireworks light up the Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, and Wenceslas Square, creating unforgettable scenes in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities.

Visitors can party in the city center, enjoy seasonal treats and hot drinks at the market stalls. For those who prefer dining, many restaurants near Old Town Hall offer festive menus. For official holiday information, check the Czech Tourism site to plan your winter trip.

Christmas Decorations and Festive Atmosphere

One of the biggest reasons travelers love the Prague Christmas markets is the festive decorations and Christmas atmosphere spread across the city center. Each town square market is filled with twinkling lights illuminating Gothic towers, Christmas decorations, and festive atmosphere that make Prague a true winter fairytale.

The tree lighting ceremony at the Old Town Square market is the highlight of the festive season. Crowds gather near the town hall tower and Old Town Hall to watch the large Christmas tree sparkle with thousands of lights. The sound of Christmas carols and Christmas music fills the air as folk groups dressed in traditional costumes perform, creating a magical atmosphere of holiday cheer.

Even the smaller markets, like the Peace Square Christmas Market and Republic Square Christmas Market, glow with festive decorations and offer a more local take on the holiday season.

Shopping at Market Stalls and Souvenir Shops

The market stalls at the Prague Christmas Market are perfect for finding holiday gifts. Visitors can browse souvenir shops, local crafts, and handmade crafts that make memorable presents.

Seasonal Events: Christmas Eve to New Year’s Eve

The Prague Christmas season extends beyond the markets themselves. On Christmas Eve, many visitors gather at the Old Town Square market to enjoy the festive decorations and sip hot mulled wine. On Christmas Day, families continue the tradition of visiting the town square market for seasonal treats and holiday cheer.

The celebrations peak during the New Year’s Eve celebrations, when fireworks light up the sky over Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, and Wenceslas Square Christmas Market. Restaurants near the city hall and municipal house offer special menus, and market stalls continue serving hot drinks and roasted chestnuts late into the night.

This combination of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve makes Prague one of the most beautiful cities in Central Europe to celebrate the festive season.

Conclusion

The Prague Christmas Market 2025 is more than just a shopping trip, it’s a celebration of the entire festive season. From the Old Town Square Christmas Market with its large Christmas tree, town hall tower, festive decorations, and tree lighting ceremony, to smaller markets like Peace Square and the Republic Square Christmas Market, Prague offers one of the best Christmas markets experiences in Central Europe.

Stroll past market stalls filled with handmade crafts, holiday gifts, and seasonal treats. Sip hot mulled wine or hot chocolate, listen to Christmas carols, and enjoy the twinkling lights illuminating the Old Town. Whether you visit on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or for New Year’s Eve celebrations, Prague’s Christmas markets promise holiday cheer, festive atmosphere, and a magical winter experience you’ll remember forever.

To make your trip even smoother, stay connected easily across Prague with a Firsty eSIM for the Czech Republic. It’s the simplest way to share festive moments, navigate markets, and call home while enjoying the holiday magic.

If you are already planning a festive trip to Europe, you might also want to discover the top ski resorts in Europe for a winter adventure or check out scenic train rides in Europe for eco friendly journeys on a budget. Both are perfect additions to a holiday season itinerary.

Prague Christmas Market 2025: The Ultimate Guide to Dates, Locations, Food and Festive Tips