If you’ve been to all the usual spots with your family and are looking for something new, the Czech Republic may be the holiday vacation you didn’t know you needed. Prague, the capital of the city in Europe, has a mix of busy and quaint with narrow streets, small taverns and restaurants galore. Known as “the city of a hundred spires” and on UNESCO’s “World Heritage List” since 1992, the Prague Christmas Market is a perfect backdrop for your Christmas pics.
Bar Hopping, Christmas Shopping and Plenty of Prague Eats
From November 30 to January 6, 2025, and including all of the major festive days (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day), the Christmas markets will be open at the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. These two hangouts are a five-minute walk from each other with free entry. Although Peace Square and Tyl Square are geared toward Czech people, everyone is supposed to be welcome. Havel’s Market is also open to everyone.
Expect to see brightly decorated wooden huts; arts and crafts such as ceramics and jewelry; Christmas-themed products for sale such as candles, ornaments and nativity scenes; and plenty of food freebies to sample. Usually cooked in front of its visitors, travelers can snack on barbecue sausages, smoked meat dumplings, fish soup and roasted ham. Vegetarian travelers aren’t left out either, with the option to try garlic flatbread, pancakes and crepes, roasted chestnuts, spicy gingerbread, and Trdelnik chimney cake (rolled dough baked on an open fire with sugar and walnuts). If you’re interested in getting a little tipsy, drinks are aplenty. Try Czech beers such as Pilsner Urquell, Budvar and Staropramen (brewed in Prague), along with mulled wine. Keeping it light? Enjoy grog (hot water, rum, lemon, sugar), hot chocolate, hot apple or punch.
Products sold here have mostly been made or grown in Czechia or the surrounding Central European countries, including the handmade items. Refreshments are sourced in Czechia: Czech rivers and lakes, and the vegetables are grown on local farms. Even the red wine in the svařák is made from Moravian grapes.
When you’re finished shopping and eating, enjoy the sight of the Old Town Square Christmas tree dressed with giant Christmas stars and red and gold baubles, along with 110,000 LED lights. The wooden huts have red or white roofs, and the Observation Bridge is filled with giant wired angels and forest animals. This year, in 2024, the markets will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the renowned Czech composer Bedřich Smetana, which will include a light show and music from Vltava, a piece from Smetana’s famous symphonic cycle Má vlast (My Country).
What Clothes To Pack for a Prague Christmas Market Trip
If you’re from a warm-weather climate, the 30 degree Fahrenheit days are going to take some getting used to. While some days are bright and sunny, and can go up to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, don’t be surprised when temperatures drop to 5-25 degrees during the day (and night). If you’re from a city where you’re used to snow and icy weather, the Czech Republic will probably feel like any other winter with boots, a heavy coat, scarf and a (Christmas) hat. Because it’s such a walkable town, make sure you wear comfortable shoes that are broken in already so you can take advantage of as many sights as possible.
Traveling Through Prague Works for Walkers, Train Riders and Bus Takers
If you’re used to public transportation, Prague should be in your comfort zone. There are three, color-coded underground trains, which all operate from 5 a.m. to midnight. Tourist attractions are mainly on the Metro Line A, so get familiar with that one first. Tickets are approximately $1.40 each (or 32 korun), but tourists can also get a 24-hour pass for $4.90 (or 110 korun) or a three-day pass for $13.75 (310 korun). This isn’t a credit-card-happy town though; have coins instead of paper notes. Also, make sure to get your tickets validated because there aren’t the usual barriers in the U.S. like a turnstile or gate. If you don’t want to take the train or bus, try the “tourist trams”: No. 22 or No. 23. Trams operate between 4:30 a.m. and midnight, and the same train tickets can be used here too. If you take your chances with not validating your tickets on either, you could end up with a fine.
Buses are also an option, but they’re reportedly “of little help during your stay” since they mainly cover the outskirts. If you would prefer to control your commute with a rental car, get your international driver’s license before you leave the U.S. Taxis are a fourth option, but they are rumored to notoriously hustle tourists. If you see a car with “TAXI” only on one side of the car, skip it. Let your hotel choose a reputable company, so you don’t end up in someone’s car who is not tourist-friendly.
Czech Republic for Black Tourists: Safe Or Not?
As with any city or country where Black people are uncommonly seen, several Black tourists on comment boards pointed out plenty of staring. One local pointed out that “nobody will understand if you start talking about so called microagression [sic].” There are quite a few locals who discuss disdain for “g*psies” (a derogatory term for the Roma population) instead of skin complexion though. This small minority makes up about 250,000 to 300,000 of Romani citizens (less than 3%) and have lived there since the 16th century. Poverty and deprivation are common among the Roma, apparently linked to the “transition to democracy and free-market capitalism.”
The Czech Republic may slowly be getting used to seeing Black people though, specifically considering some Black students chose to make the Czech Republic their permanent home, marrying locals and starting families. This marked the birth of the first generation of Afro-Czechs. (Kanye West is one of the most popular artists to collaborate with Afro-Czechs.) While still a minority, curious tourists may also want to check out how Afro-Czechs are contributing to the arts, media and literature while they’re there for the holidays.
