In this guide
💡 The Short Version: The Christmas markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square run from Saturday 28 November 2026 to Wednesday 6 January 2027, every day from 10:00 to 22:00, and the Old Town Square tree is lit on 28 November. Náměstí Míru opens first, on 20 November, and Náměstí Republiky on 25 November; both close on 24 December. The organiser has not published the 2026 programme or the Christmas Eve hours. The sun sets at 16:00 on 15 December. Or book a tour: the Christmas markets walkad visits three markets from £72.42 (GetYourGuide).
⚠️ Dates to check. Some listings give 20 November as the start of the Old Town Square market. That is the date the market on Náměstí Míru opens; the organiser’s dates for Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square are 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 (trhypraha.cz).
The markets, by square
| Market | Dates in 2026/27 | Stalls open |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town Square | 28 Nov to 6 Jan | 10:00 to 22:00 |
| Wenceslas Square | 28 Nov to 6 Jan | 10:00 to 22:00 |
| Náměstí Míru, Vinohrady | 20 Nov to 24 Dec | 10:00 to 20:00 |
| Náměstí Republiky | 25 Nov to 24 Dec | 10:00 to 20:00 |
| Tylovo náměstí | 26 Nov to 24 Dec | 10:00 to 19:00 |
Taiko, the organiser, runs the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square markets and gives the hours and dates (trhypraha.cz). Prague City Tourism and CzechTourism’s portal Kudy z nudy give the others (prague.eu, Kudy z nudy); the Kudy z nudy overview gives 19:00 as the closing time at Míru and Tylovo náměstí, and its own page for Míru gives 20:00. Anděl, the Kampa market and the farmers’ markets on Náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad are listed without dates.
Old Town Square, where the Astronomical Clock stands, is by Staroměstská metro station on line A, and Wenceslas Square by Můstek on line A (trhypraha.cz).
Stalls on Old Town Square, with the Týn Church behind. Photo: Anaj7, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square
Prague City Tourism describes the Old Town Square market as one of the largest Christmas events in the Czech Republic, with a daily cultural programme, and the Wenceslas Square market as wooden huts along the lower part of the square, with crafts, mulled wine and a daily programme through Three Kings Day (prague.eu, Wenceslas Square). Kudy z nudy says artists from across the country perform on a stage built on Old Town Square. The tree on Old Town Square is lit on 28 November; the organiser’s timetable gives no time. CzechTourism’s portal lists sausages from Czech meat, trdelník, Czech cookies, oysters and snails among the food on the Old Town Square market (Kudy z nudy). The organiser says the 2026 cultural programme is being prepared.
Market huts in the snow at Můstek, the lower end of Wenceslas Square. Photo: Karelj, Wikimedia Commons.
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year
The organiser has not published the 2026 hours. In 2024 the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square markets were open on 24 December from 10:00 to 14:00, with selected food stalls to 22:00, on 25 and 26 December from 12:00 to 22:00, on 31 December from 10:00 to 15:00 with food stalls to midnight, and on 1 January from 12:00 to 22:00 (Taiko, 18 December 2024).
In 2025 the mayor’s team served fish soup on Old Town Square on Christmas Eve from 11:00 until it ran out, 2,000 portions made with carp, and the Czech Christmas Mass “Hej mistře” was performed on the stage at 21:00 (Taiko, 18 December 2025).
Shops of more than 200 m² cannot sell on 25 and 26 December or from 12:00 on 24 December; smaller shops, pharmacies and shops at airports and stations are exempt (zakonyprolidi.cz). 24, 25 and 26 December 2026 fall on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Restaurants and cafés are not covered, but many shorten their hours, so book; where to eat in Prague says which take reservations. New Year’s Eve is in best time to visit Prague.
Other dates in the season
- St Martin, 11 November 2026. A procession with St Martin on a white horse, geese and Roman soldiers sets off at 11:11 from the 11th pier of Charles Bridge to Křižovnické náměstí, where there is a medieval market and tastings of St Martin’s wine; the festival runs from 11:00 to 18:00 (Prague City Tourism).
- St Nicholas, 5 December. On the evening of 5 December Old Town Square has held a party with St Nicholas, devils and angels, on Thursday 5 December 2024 and Friday 5 December 2025. 5 December 2026 is a Saturday, and the plan is not published.
- Three Kings, Wednesday 6 January 2027. A procession with camels leaves Malostranské náměstí at 15:30, crosses Charles Bridge to Old Town Square, and ends with a concert at 16:45 of the Czech Christmas Mass, “Hej mistře” (Prague City Tourism).
Tours and cruises
Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” prices for one adult. Prague’s Christmas tours are small and thinly reviewed, and the biggest sellers in winter are the year-round evenings.
Christmas markets walk
From £72.42 · 4.9 stars from 34 reviews · 2½ hours
Prague: 2-3h Magical Christmas Markets Tour with Inclusionsad, by Prague City Adventures, starts at Franz Kafka Square and visits three markets that locals use, with mulled wine, hot mead and Christmas cookies. Two of the markets are neighbourhood markets that stay open until 24 December; after that the guide takes you to two markets in the historic centre. The guide explains Czech Christmas customs.
Private Christmas markets tour
From £136.32 · 5.0 stars from 2 reviews · 2½ to 3½ hours
Prague: Private Christmas Markets and Landmarks Tourad, by Prague Segway Tours, is a private walk from the John Lennon Wall past Kampa, Little Venice and the Jewish Quarter, visiting five markets, with two Czech snacks and two Christmas drinks.
Advent cruise
From £19.33 · 4.0 stars from 46 reviews · 50 minutes
Advent Boat Cruise through Prague with Sweets and Hot Drinksad, by River Boats Prague, sails the centre on the historic boat Maria Croon with Christmas carols, Christmas sweets and a mulled wine or hot chocolate. It runs daily only in the Advent season, from 26 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, and does not sail at 20:00 on 24 and 31 December. Vltava river cruises compared covers the other boats.
Christmas cookie baking class
From £66.18 · 5.0 stars from 7 reviews · 2½ hours
Prague: Traditional Czech Christmas Cookie Baking Classad, by Kuličkário, teaches four cookies, including vosí hnízda (“wasp nests”), vanilla crescents and Linzer cookies, with hot chocolate or Czech punch. It runs on weekday mornings from 10:00 for at least two people.
Evenings that run all winter
The medieval dinner with unlimited drinksad (4.5 stars from 22,454 reviews, from £54.53) and the Mirror Chapel concertad (4.7 stars from 6,328 reviews, from £26.13, 1 hour) have far more reviews than any Christmas product, and neither depends on the season.
Where to stay
The two big markets are served by Staroměstská and Můstek on metro line A, so a room near either station is close to the stalls, and Prague public transport has the fares. Where to stay in Prague compares the areas and hotels near Old Town Square lists the hotels beside the market. Tourist tax is 50 CZK a person for each night, children under 18 exempt.
For the weather and what else is on, see best time to visit Prague. For a plan once you have the dates, see 3 days in Prague and Prague in one day; for the way in, airport to city; and for the sights that need tickets, what to book before you go to Prague. A day trip to Dresden’s Christmas markets is on the Dresden day trip page, and day trips from Prague compares the others.
Common questions
When do the Prague Christmas markets start in 2026?
The markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square start on Saturday 28 November 2026, with the Old Town Square tree lit that day, and run to Wednesday 6 January 2027, every day from 10:00 to 22:00. Náměstí Míru in Vinohrady opens first, on 20 November, and Náměstí Republiky opens on 25 November; both close on 24 December.
Where are the Christmas markets in Prague?
The two large ones are on Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) and Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí), run by the organiser Taiko. Smaller markets are at Náměstí Míru in Vinohrady, Náměstí Republiky, Tylovo náměstí, Anděl and on Kampa, and there are farmers' markets on Náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad.
Are the Prague Christmas markets open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?
In 2024 the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square markets opened on 24 December from 10:00 to 14:00, with selected food stalls to 22:00, and from 12:00 to 22:00 on 25 and 26 December. The hours for 2026 are not published. Náměstí Míru and Náměstí Republiky close on 24 December.
Is there a fish soup on Christmas Eve on Old Town Square?
Yes, in 2025 the mayor's team served carp fish soup on Old Town Square from 11:00 until it ran out, 2,000 portions, and the Czech Christmas Mass 'Hej mistře' was performed at 21:00. The 2026 programme is not published.
When is the Three Kings procession in 2027?
On Wednesday 6 January 2027. The procession, with camels, leaves Malostranské náměstí at 15:30, crosses Charles Bridge to Old Town Square, and a concert of the Czech Christmas Mass follows at 16:45.
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