I will be in central Europe on business in November and have the opportunity to visit Prague. Unfortunately the best overall schedule for my business obligations puts my "free" day in Prague on November 17 which I understand is a public holiday. Can someone advise whether the major museums, attractions (e.g. the Castle) and shops/restaurants will be open or closed on November 17? If many of the sights of interest to a first-time visitor are going to be closed, I will consider rescheduling my trip. Thanks!
JPSmith, the majority of these 114 views are from non-members which (I believe) are not able to reply albeit they may have wanted to. As for your question, it is difficult to ascertain a single answer as to the closure of public attractions & restaurants on public holidays, due to the fact they do not coincide with one another. Unfortunately, the vast majority of businesses (incl. restaurants) are closed on public holidays. It is to the best of my knowledge that Prague Castle is open on this day (although there is a shorter opening period), but many sections may be closed due on part with this day and seasonal implications.
Generally the state (national) castles, museums, galleries, monuments, etc. are open daily including holidays, but except mondays. Some are closed in winter. E.g. Prague castle: Mart - Oct. 9-17 Nov - Mart 9-16 open daily including mondays, closed only on Dec 24 I doubt that all restaurants will be closed.
Hi JPSmith, I'm sorry you had to wait for a response. I don't think the people who viewed your topic and didn't answer were being unhelpful. If you look around these boards, you'll notice that people here are a pretty helpful bunch. Public holidays in the Czech Republic are generally treated as Sundays. The only exceptions are December 24 and January 1, which can be compared to December 25 or Thanksgiving in the U.S. when life seems to stop. On other holidays, including Nov. 17, you should expect offices and institutions such as banks, post offices, etc. to be closed. Small and specialized stores such as bakeries, veggie stores, etc. will most likely be closed (depends on the store) whereas large supermarkets, department stores and souvenir shops in the center should be open. Museums and sights will generally be open (Czechs themselves visit sights on weekends and holidays). Restaurants should be open as well. Prague gets thousands of visitors throughout the year and proprietors and the city would lose a lot of money if they shut down on public holidays. To look up the hours of Prague museum and galleries, visit Prague Museums and Prague Galleries. The Prague Castle hours are listed on the Prague Castle page. Enjoy your time in Prague! Dana
