It only takes a few minutes to see why people love Prague so much. You just need to step on Charles Bridge, get a view of the castle, or walk half a block in Old Town—the city’s beauty and history are apparent in no time. When my husband and I decided to visit the Prague Christmas markets, we knew the city’s magical appeal because we’ve visited before. Our expectations were high. Unfortunately, our experience didn’t measure up.
What you need to know about us is that we have a thing for Christmas markets. From Cologne’s markets in the shadow of its incredible cathedral to the chalets around Colmar, we’ve been to dozens of major and smaller cities across 11 countries at Christmas, sipping all the mulled wine and enjoying the lights along the way. Without fail, we visit several markets every year.
Our favorite Christmas markets have a combination of things that make them stand out. They offer great food and drinks, preferably with a range of choices, and there are lots of local vendors selling products from the region or country. Top markets also have an inviting setting—among historic buildings, with lots of lights and decorations, or in an otherwise cozy environment that makes you want to spend time there.
Yes, Prague is gorgeous and full of history, culture, and great beer, but its Christmas markets aren’t among the best in Europe. Let me tell you why.
The main markets are open from November 30, 2024 through January 6, 2025. Smaller ones have different dates, such as Namesti Miru from November 20-December 24 and Jiriho z Podebrad from December 1-22.
Most of the merchandise is mass produced
One of the things we love most about markets is the chance to find local artisans making unique or useful things. Whether it’s producers making local jams, spirits, and cheeses you can only find in that country or knitters making cool socks and metalworkers crafting jewelry, we love to look for those products that make a place different from every souvenir store you can find in the tourist area. We came up mostly empty in Prague.
In general, the vendors had a lot of mass-produced goods. We found hot chocolate mix in souvenir tins, (tacky) Christmas linens, machine-made scarves and slippers, soaps, and manufactured ornaments. The award for least inspiring item was a tie between a bouquet of fake flowers and a basket of compact mirrors with different images of the city emblazoned on their outside covers.
One market that had completely different offerings was the small charity market at Marianske Square where the sales benefit non-profit organizations and you can write a letter to baby Jesus. They had ornaments, jewelry, and handmade candles, among other things at about eight stands.
As we ventured out from the center, there were a few more options like handmade candle holders and locally cured sausage. But, overall, the merchandise was generic, uninteresting, and overpriced.
The markets feel the same
We visited nine different Christmas markets across Prague in hopes of seeing different themes, items to buy, or food. We mostly struck out. From market to market, nearly everything is the same other than the setting.
The stalls themselves and most of the signage is the same across the locations, and the markets overall don’t have many decorations. There is also very little variation in the items for sale or in the food. Fortunately, while it may be overpriced (true of almost every Christmas market everywhere), we liked the food.
In the center of Prague, the markets at Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square have a wide range of dishes. We enjoyed Old Prague ham, which is cooked on spits right in the market, and halusky—potato dumplings with bacon. There is also lots of sausage, garlicky potato pancakes, and langos (Hungarian fried bread). Trdelnik, the sugar-coated cylindrical pastry cooked over coals, is a must-try.
(Pro tip: the ham is deceptively priced–the price you see is for 100 grams (3.5 oz). For a meal, you’ll probably want at least 200 grams, so you should ask for the amount you want or you’ll likely be given much more with a high price tag to match.)
There is also no lack of things to drink. Mulled wine (svarene vino or svarak) and a similar non-alcoholic version (punc) are likely the most popular drinks. There is also hot chocolate, hot apple cider (horky most), and hot mead (horka medovina)—a Czech specialty. Unfortunately, in the central markets, drinks are served in disposable paper cups, so fans of the cute ceramic mugs available at many German markets will be disappointed. We did find plastic cups available (for a deposit) at a smaller market.
Beyond the two main markets, there are just as many drinks and almost as many food choices (minus the ham) with essentially no variation. One exception is the Jiriho z Podebrad Christmas market, which takes place alongside a regular farmers’ market, so you can buy different products there. We also stopped at the Kampa market at the base of the Charles Bridge—there are no gifts for sale here, but a couple of food stands sell sausages, grilled vegetables, smoked chicken, and chicken skewers served out of massive cast iron skillets.
It’s crowded
Crowds and markets go hand-in-hand just about everywhere, and Prague is no exception when it comes to the Old Town Square market. Just steps from the famous Astronomical Clock, it is close to the main tourist attractions and every tourist visiting in December probably walks through multiple times. Nights and weekends are the busiest times, so we recommend visiting in the afternoon.
Locals avoid the historic center like the plague around Christmas. If they go to any markets at all, it is likely the one at Namesti Miru (Peace Square). This market is centrally located and has a nice setting in the shadow of the Church of St. Ludmila. Other than featuring a few small Christmas trees decorated by local children, it has the same things as the other market locations but very few tourists.
Should you skip Prague at Christmas?
Despite finding the Christmas markets similar and underwhelming, I still think Prague is worth visiting at Christmas. The city is gorgeous and full of Christmas spirit.
How should you visit the Prague markets? Plan to visit the Old Town Square market on a weekday. If you go around 4:30pm, you’ll be there when all the lights come on and the square is at its prettiest. Walk up the viewing platform to take in the ambiance or—better yet—go up to the top of the Old Town Hall Tower for an incredible view (tickets required). Make your own happy hour with a drink and a snack before it gets too crowded and then move on with your evening.
If you’d like to skate or do some people watching, take the short walk over to Wenceslas Square, which is less crowded. Because the other markets are so similar, I wouldn’t recommend visiting them unless your sightseeing plans take you nearby.
What are other seasonal things to do in the city? Making the Christmas markets the focus of your visit will probably lead to disappointment, but there are lots of other fun things to do to make your trip great. See the grandeur of Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral and walk across the Charles Bridge (catch the nightly lamplighter at 4pm). Check out the nativity exhibit at Bethlehem Chapel and head to Lumina Park for all the Christmas lights you can imagine.
Are there other nearby markets worth visiting? Our visit to Prague was part of a larger trip that included some fantastic markets. We spent a night in the charming town of Brno (2.5 hours away), visiting its market and exploring the town.
With more time, heading to Vienna is absolutely worth it. About 4 hours away by train, Vienna has some of the most incredible markets we’ve ever been to. Each one has its own personality and stunning backdrop against churches and palaces.
Where we went
If you still want to check them out for yourself, here are all the Christmas markets we visited in Prague.
Laura Longwell is an award-winning travel blogger and photographer. Since founding Travel Addicts in 2008, she has written hundreds of articles that help over 3 million people a year get the most out of their travel. In that time, she has visited nearly 60 countries on 5 continents, often returning to favorite destinations over and over again. She has a deep love of history, uncovering unexpected attractions, and trying all the good food a place has to offer.
In addition to Travel Addicts, Laura runs a site about her hometown of Philadelphia—Guide to Philly—which chronicles unique things to do and places to see around southeastern Pennsylvania. Her travel tips and advice appear across the web.