Prague Christmas markets: a private walk with a local guide
Three hours with a licensed guide from the Old Town Square to Wenceslas Square and a local market, with Czech Christmas food and traditions explained.
- Duration
- 3 h
- Format
- Walking
- Group
- Private, only your party
- Start
- Old Town Square or your hotel
- Walking
- Easy
- Guide languages
- English, Spanish, Turkish
Tour code: PP-T23
Highlights
- The Christmas tree and the market on the Old Town Square
- Czech Christmas traditions: Advent, St Nicholas, the carp and Christmas Eve
- Food and drinks to try, and which ones are Czech and which are for tourists
- Wenceslas Square and the Christmas lights of the Old Town
- A quieter neighbourhood market where locals shop
Route and timing
0:00
Old Town Square
The tree, the stalls and the view of Týn Church, with the story of how Prague celebrates Advent.
0:40Food stop
Tastings in the Old Town
Svařák, the Czech mulled wine, a klobása sausage or honey cake, and a word on trdelník, which is not a Czech tradition at all.
1:20
Wenceslas Square
Through the Old Town lanes to the second big market, at the foot of the square.
2:00
A local market
A short walk to Náměstí Míru in Vinohrady, where many Prague families shop, while it is open before Christmas.
2:45Optional
A concert or dinner
The walk ends close to an Advent concert or a restaurant, if you want us to book one.
See the stops in order on Google Maps. The final route follows your pace and your wishes.
About this tour
For a few weeks every winter, the Old Town Square hosts one of the most photographed Christmas markets in Europe. The tree, the lights and the smell of mulled wine are worth seeing, but there is more to Czech Christmas than the stalls. This walk shows you the markets with a guide who knows the traditions from the inside.
Markets and traditions
Your licensed guide starts on the Old Town Square, explains what Czechs actually eat and drink at Christmas and what is sold mainly to visitors, and leads you through the lanes to Wenceslas Square. The stories come with the stops: St Nicholas walking the streets with an angel and a devil on 5 December, the carp sold from tubs before Christmas Eve, and the traditions that families still keep on the evening of 24 December.
Before Christmas, the walk continues to a neighbourhood market such as Náměstí Míru, where Prague families go and the atmosphere is calmer.
Dates for 2026
The main markets on the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square run from 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, daily from 10:00 to 22:00. Weekday afternoons are calmer than weekend evenings. Our guide to the Prague Christmas markets lists all the dates and markets.
Make it part of a bigger plan
The walk pairs well with an Advent concert, a Christmas dinner we have reserved or a day trip to the Dresden Christmas market. For the whole season, see Christmas and New Year in Prague. Send us your dates and we arrange everything in one itemised quote.
Is this tour right for you?
Walking: Easy
Short walks on mostly level ground, with breaks.
- About 2.5 km on foot
- Few steps
- Partly suitable for wheelchair users: tell us your needs and we check each place.
- Possible with a light stroller, although a baby carrier is easier.
Important to know
- Best time
- Afternoon
- Season
- Late November to early January
- Much of the time is spent outdoors: dress for the weather, with warm layers in winter.
Busy dates (May to September, Christmas and New Year) book up early, so write as soon as you know your dates.
What can be added
Tick what you would like in the form below. We check availability and list each item separately in your quote.
- Concert or opera tickets
- Dinner reservation
- Private car between the stops
Meeting and drop-off
- Your guide or driver meets you in your hotel lobby or at the meeting point, with a sign showing your name.
- It ends where it suits you in the centre, or a car takes you back to your hotel.
- Your confirmation includes the names of your guide and driver and a contact number for the day.
Your guide and driver
A licensed guide with the Czech National Guide Card leads your tour. The guides we work with speak English, Spanish and Turkish, and other languages depending on availability.
Guides, drivers and venues are specialist partners we have worked with for years. You receive their details 24 hours in advance.
Practical information for your tripCombine it with
Frequently asked questions
When are the Prague Christmas markets open in 2026?
The main markets on the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square run from 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, daily from 10:00 to 22:00. Náměstí Míru opens on 20 November and Náměstí Republiky on 25 November, and both close on 24 December.
Is this tour good for children?
Yes. The markets have a lot for children, and the guide keeps the pace easy and the stops frequent.
Can we do the tour after Christmas?
Yes. The two main markets stay open until 6 January, so the walk works between Christmas and New Year too.
Can you book an Advent concert?
Yes. Concerts in the Old Town churches are a lovely way to end the evening, and we book the tickets with the tour.
- Licensed guides only
- Travel agency under Czech law
- Licensed transport partners
- One written, itemised quote
- Reply the same business day
Ask about this tour
Send your preferred date and group size. We confirm availability and send a written quote.
What happens next
- 1
Tell us
Fill in the short form or write an email: dates, group, interests and anything we should know.
- 2
Get your plan
We reply the same business day with a proposed programme and a written, itemised quote.
- 3
Enjoy Prague
Confirm by email and we take care of every booking. You get your driver and guide details 24 hours before.
We reply by email the same business day (Monday to Saturday, 9:00 to 18:00 Prague time).
Asking costs nothing and commits you to nothing. The cancellation terms of each service are written in your quote. Cancellation policy