| |
|
Visitors come from all over to experience
the Christmas markets (vánoční
trhy) in Prague.
Some unique products that are available at the markets are Christmas ornaments and holiday decorations, traditional Czech Christmas cookies, tablecloths, Frankincense or the Czech Christmas potpourri called purpura. Some other items on offer are Czech wooden toys, crafts, clothing accessories, scented
candles or handmade soap.
You
can taste some traditional Czech foods that are
made fresh right in front of you. Hot wine (svařené
víno or svařák),
grog, and warm honey liquor called medovina come in handy in the cold weather. Czech Christmas carols add to the festive atmosphere.
After dark, the markets are lit up beautifully.
The peak time for Prague Christmas markets is December. Almost all markets are open in the three weeks before Christmas, including the main ones at Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. The smaller markets run until Christmas, the one on Old Town Square is usually open at least until January 1, and the one on Wenceslas Square typically stays around through the first week of January.
The largest and most popular markets are
on the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square.
• Old
Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí)
November 30, 2019 - January 6, 2020
10 a.m. - 10 p.m., food stands 10 a.m. - midnight
The Old Town Square Christmas market is the prettiest and busiest in Prague. Little stalls are nestled around the Jan
Hus statue and surrounded by centuries-old Gothic,
Renaissance, and Baroque architecture. The market
is dominated by a Christmas tree, which is adorned
with hundreds of lights and is lit every evening
at dusk, usually around 5 p.m. A stage is erected
every year where Christmas concerts and short plays
are performed in the open air.
• Wenceslas
Square (Václavské náměstí)
November 30, 2019 - January 6, 2020
10 a.m. - 10 p.m., food stands 10 a.m. - midnight
This is another large Christmas market in the
city center. It is located in the lower part of
Wenceslas Square.
Lots of smaller markets are scattered around town. Below are some of them:
• Republic Square (Náměstí
Republiky)
November 30 - December 30,
2019
A Christmas market within
walking distance from the Old Town Square and near the Náměstí Republiky metro station (line B) and tram stop (tram 5, 8, 24, 26).
• Peace Square (Náměstí
Míru)
November 20 - December 24,
2019
10 a.m. - 7 p.m. daily
This is a local Christmas market visited mostly by residents of the surrounding district of Vinohrady. It is held in front of the Church
of St. Ludmila on the pleasant Náměstí Míru in Prague 2 (metro line A or tram 4, 10, 13, 16, 22 to Náměstí Míru). It is traditionally the first Christmas market of the season.
• Holešovice Exhibition
Grounds (Výstaviště Holešovice)
November 29 - December 1, 2019
10 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily
The 'Christmas at the Exhibition
Grounds' market in Prague 7 is usually accompanied by
a weekend entertainment program for both children and adults. The price of admission is 25 CZK. Take tram 12, 17 or 24 (e.g. from the Nádraží Holešovice metro station, line C) to Výstaviště Holešovice.
|
|
 
|
