Prague Christmas
• Christmas
Markets
• Christmas
& New Year's Event Calendar
• Opening
Times
• December Weather
November 20, 2012 - January 13, 2013
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 dates during which Prague Christmas markets are open are usually different from year to year. In general, you'll find at least some markets running from the last week of November into the first week of January. Almost all Prague's Christmas 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 Wenceslas Square market 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)
Dec. 1, 2012 - Jan. 1, 2013
10 a.m. - 10 p.m., food stands 10 a.m. - midnight
The Old Town Square Christmas market is the prettiest and busiest one 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)
Dec. 1, 2012 - Jan. 13, 2013
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 and is usually dominated by an
artificial Christmas tree.
Lots of smaller markets are scattered around town. Below are some of them:
• Havel Market
(Havelské tržiště)
Dec. 20 - Dec. 23,
2012
This market is held in one of Prague's oldest marketplaces, established in 1232.
The Havel Market is on the way from the Old Town Square to Wenceslas Square.
• Republic Square (Náměstí
Republiky)
Nov. 25 - Dec. 24,
2012
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)
Nov. 20 - Dec. 24,
2012
10 a.m. - 7 p.m. daily
This is a local Christmas market visited mostly by the 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, 16, 22 to Náměstí Míru). It is traditionally the first Christmas market of the season.
• Jiřího z Poděbrad Square (Náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad)
Nov. 23 - Dec. 24, 2012
Another local market can be found in front of the beautiful Church
of the Most Sacred Heart of our Lord on the Jiřího z Poděbrad Square in Vinohrady. Take metro line A or tram 11 to Jiřího z Poděbrad.
• Holešovice Exhibition
Grounds (Výstaviště Holešovice)
Dec. 7 - 16, 2012
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. This year, a pottery and handicrafts fair will run on Dec. 7 - 9. Take tram 12, 17 or 24 (e.g. from the Nádraží Holešovice metro station, line C) to Výstaviště Holešovice. |
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