Christmas Markets in Prague, the city with the longest-lasting markets, from late November to mid-January, all markets to taste and watch, here are the six markets not to be missed.
Prague it is certainly one of those cities that manages to give its best during the Christmas period: the traditional markets (vánocnà trhy) every year enliven the squares starting from the end of November (even if each market has its own program ), to end during the first weeks of the new year.
The atmosphere is magical: lights, music and spicy scents fill the air. The period in which you can find the markets in the city will be broadly between the end of November until the first days of January, however, not all of them will last this entire time frame. In Czech capital there are 6 markets.
Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square
In Old Town Square (Staromestské namesti) and Wenceslas Square (Vaclav namesti), you can find the classic Christmas decorations but also handicrafts such as wooden toys or wrought iron objects and local culinary products. They are not large in size and perhaps for this reason they have managed to keep their authentic nature. If you are here at lunchtime stay there, because you will not find a better and more suitable place to taste the local cuisine with the famous Prague ham, hot-dogs with spiced sausages, and cider sweets like trdlo, translated by us as "bohemian sleeve”, A sort of brioche cannoli with sugar and cinnamon, which I assure you you will fall in love with instantly.
Havel and Republic Square
If you can't get enough of this riot of toys, bohemian crystals, biscuits and mulled wine there is the opportunity to visit the other markets: that of Havel (Havelské trziste), the oldest in the city, which dates back as far as 1232 and is located between Wenceslas Square and Old Town Square. The Republic Square Market (Náměstà Republiky) is also located near the two main markets and takes place between late November and mid-December.
Peace Square and Vystaviste Holesovice
Further from the center, too Peace Square (Namesti Miru) which has its stalls, particularly frequented by the inhabitants of the area, traditionally is the first that inaugurates the Christmas season, usually opens around 20 November to end on Christmas Eve. In zone 7 there is the bigger market with 500 stalls located within the Vystaviste Holesovice exhibition area, it only lasts a few days which are usually around early December; here too you can find Czech handicraft products, this year in particular dedicated to ceramic products, but the particular thing is the presence of a gingerbread house which at closing is destroyed and eaten by visitors.
Old Town Square
In the Old Town Square at the end of November there is the inauguration of the Old Town Square Market, where they will come turned on the lights of the Christmas tree, the largest in the nation, along with the one at the Castle. The squares of the markets will then be continuously animated by songs and folkloristic re-enactments, among which we can certainly remember the one linked to a tradition present throughout central Europe, that of San Nicola which is celebrated on December 5th.
A curiosity concerning this period is that in the days leading up to Christmas in various areas of Prague can be found large tanks full of carp: this fish is the dish usually served during the Christmas lunch and it is here that you can buy them in view of the celebrations.
