From today, Prague’s historic centre transforms into a festive Advent panorama. The largest Christmas markets in the Czech Republic open their doors at the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square.
From today, Saturday, 29 November, the historic centre of the Czech capital turns into a grand Advent spectacle. The largest Christmas markets in the Czech Republic begin today and will remain open until 6 January 2026. Visitors can expect a festively decorated market area, centred around a gold-adorned Christmas tree – complete with a specially staged light show, performed several times daily. This year, the tree shines to an instrumental version of Ewa Farna’s Vánoce na míru, arranged especially for this year’s programme.
The Christmas markets place a strong emphasis on traditional crafts and local products. At dozens of stalls, the offering ranges from handmade Christmas decorations and wooden and ceramic items to Czech sweets. Culinary highlights include mulled wine from Moravian grapes, mead, strudel, grilled cheese, and international delicacies.
“Vánoce na přání” – Christmas by Request
This year, the theme “Christmas by Request” takes centre stage. At large message boards on the Old Town Square, visitors can write down their messages and festive wishes – a concept that was very popular at Easter and is now set to bring festive spirit to the city centre once again. The organisers aim to make the markets a place of pause, joy, and shared experiences.
The popular light animation of the Christmas tree runs daily on the half-hour between 4.30 pm and 9.30 pm. For the opening on Saturday, a children’s choir accompanies the official start with a live performance. At Wenceslas Square, another eye-catcher is a 15-metre-high Christmas tree from the Pardubice region.
The two Christmas markets are open daily from 10 am to 10 pm. On 24 December, the stalls close at 2 pm, and on 25 and 26 December they open from 12 noon. The visitor bridge at the Old Town Square will be closed on New Year’s Eve between 10 pm and 9 am.
International Recognition
The Prague Christmas markets have long been counted among the most beautiful in the world. US media such as USA Today, the travel channel CNN Travel, and The Times regularly feature them in their rankings. This year, they are once again mentioned in numerous international recommendations.
