Christmas In Prague: A Weekend In Europe’s Most Festive City

I’m not ashamed to say I truly love Christmas. I cram every moment of December with festive outings, am obsessively drawn to sequinned clothing and my children claim I have a spreadsheet of Christmas films we must watch in the run-up to the big day. (They’re only half joking.) 

This year, I decided to go one better and fulfil a bucket list dream – to kick off the celebrations somewhere that really marks the season properly. Few other places in Europe do that quite like Prague. With its snow-dusted spires, glowing lamps and cobbled streets, the Czech capital already looks as if it has been lifted from a Christmas card. And from the first weekend of Advent, Prague adds extra seasonal sparkle with cosy markets, ice rinks and citywide twinkling lights – plus all kinds of special events, from carolling to themed walking tours and dedicated wintry menus in snug candlelit restaurants. Here’s how to do it best.

The C&TH Guide To Christmas In Prague

Where To Stay

Location really counts when it’s below-zero outside. Four Seasons Hotel Prague has the best spot in the city, overlooking the Vltava River and Prague Castle, moments from the enchanting Old Town. 

An elegant mix of classic luxury and bold modern touches, the hotel is all Bohemian crystal chandeliers, weighty brocade fabrics and wood panelling – but is also home to striking sculptures by local artists, a glossy marble lobby and a swish contemporary bar with glass-walled wine cabinets. Come Christmas, find lavish gold-decorated Christmas trees everywhere, including a central Christian Dior-themed one just inside the front door. The bar menu meanwhile features special seasonal drinks including mulled wine and hot chocolate showered in gold dust. And a pop-up boutique has a curated collection of gifts by Czech designers – including handmade glass vases and jewellery – for one-stop Christmas shopping. 

Best of all, the hotel is perfectly placed to pop back and warm up between sightseeing. After touring Christmas markets, I defrosted with an hour in the smart spa, floating between the sauna, steam room and fireside vitality pool. Or you could splurge on the hotel’s special festive afternoon tea, created especially for Christmas in association with Dior. Served on exquisite crockery from the fashion house with Ruinart champagne, enjoy fresh oysters and bitesize delicacies including lobster and black truffle sandwiches, Mont Blanc tartlets with chestnut cream and dark chocolate choux buns filled with orange marmalade.

BOOK IT: fourseasons.com/prague

What To Do 

Start in the Old Town Square, home to Prague’s largest Christmas market and surely the most beautiful in Europe. Decorated wooden stalls are overlooked by the towering 14th century twin spires of the Church of our Lady, the baroque Church of St Nicholas and rows of pastel-hued buildings for extra fairytale charm. Just be sure to go hungry: I gorged on paprika sausages, spit-roasted ham and iced gingerbread biscuits (here known as pernicky), and watched a local choir singing carols over a steaming mug of mulled wine (or three). 

A cultural programme runs in Prague throughout December, including musical performances and workshops for children to make Christmas cards, and there’s a light show every day at half past the hour after dusk. The square does get very crowded after 4pm though, so come earlier in the day to tick off any serious shopping. I stocked up on Christmas decorations made of Bohemian crystal, a hand-carved wooden nativity scene and colourful beeswax candles – forgetting I had to somehow get them all home on my Ryanair flight… 

Over in Wenceslas Square, a second Christmas market awaits, complete with a stage for live music and a fairy-lit ice rink, while the market at Marianske Square is a favourite with locals, selling crafts, textiles and decorations alongside an outdoor exhibition of classic winter illustrations by the celebrated Czech artist Josef Lada.

If you’d like to squeeze in some non-Christmas sightseeing while you’re in town, it’s well worth investing in the Prague Visitor Pass, which includes unlimited trips on public transport and covers more than 70 experiences – including the Wenceslas Square ice rink, a guided two-hour Christmas walk to smaller markets and a ride on vintage tram line 42, which is decorated for Christmas and runs a circular route past the city’s most famous landmarks. I also used mine to visit Prague Castle, which overlooks the city and was once home to Good King Wenceslas himself. Here I watched the Band of the Castle Guard play carols on the steps of St Vitus Cathedral, before walking back over a mist-shrouded Charles Bridge to catch the traditional lighting of its gas lamps, which happens daily at 4pm during Advent only. Then sail down the Vltava River on a one-hour Christmas cruise – also included in the pass – to see the city’s twinkling lights from the water while sipping another mulled wine (why not?).

Where To Eat 

It’s easy to spend an entire weekend feasting on Christmas treats from Prague’s markets, including hearty goulash served in bread bowls and fluffy koblihy (jam-filled donuts). But it turns out no one can live on gingerbread alone. When the craving for a real meal strikes, try Café Slavia, open since the 19th century and overlooking the river. Now serving local dishes, tuck into the Czech Christmas meal of schnitzel and potato salad while a pianist plays. 

Trendy bakery Eska Karlin is another great lunch spot, where traditional cooking techniques (like baking with fire and fermentation) produce dishes including truffle scrambled eggs and indulgent crepes with apples and whipped cream. 

And don’t miss dinner at the Four Seasons’ candlelit CottoCrudo. As well as its usual upmarket Italian dishes, it offers a special white truffle menu over winter including roasted venison with glazed celeriac, risotto al funghi and even tangerine cheesecake with speculoos sponge, all topped with highly prized Alba white truffles.

The Last Word

With its historic buildings, nostalgic foods and charming markets, Prague is a festive dream come true. Already one of Europe’s prettiest cities, it’s especially magical in December, with all the traditional trimmings for the ultimate Christmas weekend away.

BOOK IT

Rooms at Four Seasons Hotel Prague start from £660 per night in December. Book at fourseasons.com

A 48-hour adult Prague Visitor Pass is priced from 2600 CZK (around £95). praguevisitorpass.eu

Direct flights to Prague run from London Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton and Stansted airports, with return flights emitting approximately 310kg CO2e. ecollectivecarbon.com 

For more information on Prague, visit prague.eu