The Truth About Visiting Prague in Winter (based on a neighborhood!)

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The Truth About Visiting Prague in Winter (based on a neighborhood!)


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Thinking of visiting Prague in winter? Excellent thought! Lots of cities in Europe are extra pleasurable to go to within the winter — you get to get pleasure from decrease costs and smaller crowds (so long as you don’t go to throughout Christmas market season, that’s).

I’ve been residing in Prague for a number of years and I’m at present gearing up for my fourth winter right here (or fifth in the event you rely my lengthy go to earlier than I moved right here). Winter could be a very particular time to go to Prague — there’s no higher season for museum-hopping and classical music performances, lodges slash their charges, and Czech meals is made for winter climate!

That mentioned, I’ll be trustworthy with you — winter could be a drag right here, too. Sometimes it looks like the climate is grey for weeks on finish; typically the darkish days in December and January actually dampen your spirit.

I do assume, nevertheless, that the positives outweigh the negatives in Prague in winter. It’s a terrific place for a winter journey.

Let me present you what it’s like — your 100% trustworthy information to visiting Prague through the winter months! I feel you’ll have an exquisite time right here.

(Planning a visit to Prague? Don’t miss my information to uncommon issues to do in Prague, my picks for the greatest Prague eating places, and naturally — what NOT to do in Prague!)

This publish was revealed in November 2023.

Kate poses for a selfie in a snowstorm with giant flakes in her hair and on her black jacket. She wears a black face mask with multicolor hearts on it and smiles. Behind her are a tree covered with snow, some park benches, and pastel orange, green, and yellow homes in the distance.
Me posing in a blizzard in early 2021 in Prague.

Is Prague in winter value it?

I completely assume that visiting Prague in winter is value it — so long as you’re used to winter.

As I typically inform folks visiting my former properties of New York or Boston in winter, “If you’re from Minnesota, you know what you’re getting into. If you’re from Texas, you’re going to have a hard time.”

People from hotter climates typically battle with choosing the proper winter gear (I give gear suggestions on the finish of this publish), and even when they do, they typically have a tricky time being outdoors within the chilly. If you’re from a heat surroundings and also you’re not used to spending plenty of time outdoors within the winter, chances are you’ll be extra comfy visiting at a unique time of 12 months.

If you’re used to winter and know thrive in chilly climate, you’ll do fantastic right here. Prague’s outdated city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and simply strolling round and ingesting within the metropolis’s magnificence is a worthy strategy to get pleasure from a cold day in Prague.

And even in the event you’re not the most important winter fan of all time, the slender streets have a means of blocking the wind, and also you’re at all times a stone’s throw away from a comfy pub or cafe.

The gorgeous Bohemian buildings of Prague dusted with a fresh layer of snow.
Welcome to Prague in January! Via Shutterstock.

Things to Know About Visiting Prague in Winter

“Christmas in Prague” and “Winter in Prague” are two VERY various things.

When lots of people discuss visiting Prague in winter, they’ve one factor in thoughts: vacation festivities, Christmas markets, and good cheer. While the Christmas season is a extremely popular time to go to Prague, and for good motive, I need to ensure you know the distinction.

Christmas (late November by early January) is a extremely popular time of 12 months to go to Prague. At this time, you possibly can anticipate enjoyable Christmas lights, a number of Christmas markets, and big crowds of vacationers swarming Old Town Square.

Winter (early January by late March), nevertheless, is the least widespread time of 12 months to go to Prague. This is when you’ll find the fewest crowds and the bottom costs — although you will see nothing remotely resembling vacation cheer.

I say this to ensure you know what you’re moving into. For a whole lot of vacationers, “winter” is synonymous with “Christmas.” That’s not the case for a lot of the winter in Prague. It’s nonetheless very a lot value visiting — it’s simply completely different.

The Prague Christmas markets, with viewing platform in front of a Christmas tree and church towers.

Prague’s Christmas markets are fantastic.

Prague’s Christmas markets begin every year in early December and are completed by January 6. This begins later than the Vienna and Budapest Christmas markets, which make their debut in mid-November, however they go on a bit longer than the German Christmas markets, which usually finish on December 23.

There is one predominant Christmas market on Old Town Square, that includes meals stands, sizzling mulled wine, trdelniky (chimney truffles that are NOT Czech however are in all places), sausages, and a big Christmas tree. This market will get completely mobbed within the evenings, however it’s a part of the expertise!

There are a number of different, a lot smaller markets within the metropolis, like on Náměstí Republiky and Wenceslas Square, and the farmers’ markets nonetheless lively in December have a Christmasy aptitude to them.

And right here’s a little bit of honesty: in the event you’re not from Europe, you’ll LOVE the Prague Christmas markets. If you’re from Europe or have traveled to a number of completely different Christmas markets, you’ll discover that Prague’s markets pale compared to many different cities. It’s enjoyable right here, however it’s not among the best Christmas markets in Europe.

That being mentioned, Prague occurs to be inside a number of hours of three of my all-time favourite Christmas market cities: Nuremberg (3:45 by bus), Dresden (2 hours by practice), and Vienna (4.5 hours by practice). Berlin, Munich, Český Krumlov, and Salzburg are different nice cities that may fill out your Christmas market journey on this area (although don’t pack an excessive amount of in!).

Many vacationers come to Prague as a part of an extended city-hopping tour taking in Christmas markets throughout Europe. I’m a BIG fan of Christmas market-hopping journeys (right here’s data on plan one in Germany) and extremely suggest doing this your self.

A faded red brick building in the snow on a sunny day in Prague.

Winter is the least touristy time of 12 months in Prague.

Prague is an extremely widespread metropolis for tourism — for good motive! We are some of the stunning cities on the earth! And it doesn’t matter what time of 12 months you go, you’ll be sharing the Charles Bridge with lots of of your fellow vacationers.

But in the event you’re in search of a less-touristy expertise in Prague, you’ll love Prague in winter. The quietest month of the 12 months is January.

If you’re seeking to expertise Prague with the fewest vacationers, low-cost resort charges, simple entry to museums, no waits at eating places, and feeling like extra of a neighborhood, January by March is the perfect time to go to. Though bear in mind faculty holidays and Valentine’s Day can herald small bumps of winter tourism in February.

A hotel room with a large gray bed up against a padded wall.
We stayed on the Hotel King’s Court for reasonable through the winter.

Fancy lodges drop their costs in Prague in winter.

Prague isn’t the dirt-cheap getaway that it was 20 years in the past, however costs listed here are a lot decrease than you’d anticipate to pay in Paris, or London, or Vienna. For that motive, lots of people touring on multi-city journeys select Prague for his or her “splurge” resort.

Well, it simply obtained sweeter — in January and February (particularly January), many Prague lodges drop their costs considerably. Sometimes they promote winter getaways to locals as a staycation possibility. (And sure, my husband Charlie and I’ve loved a number of staycations at fancy Prague lodges in January!)

So sure — in the event you’ve at all times dreamed of staying someplace fancy — maybe the Four Seasons Prague, with a view of Prague Castle? Or on the new-ish, stylish and fashionable Andaz Prague, a stone’s throw from my beloved Kantyna? Or maybe within the coronary heart of the Old Town on the Josephine? — winter is the time to do it.

Find offers on extra Prague lodges right here.

A plate of golden fried chicken schnitzel on top of potato salad, served with a beer.
My favourite Czech schnitzel is ideal for winter!

Czech meals is ideal for winter.

Traditional Czech meals is hearty — and a bit heavy. Lots of meat and carbs, washed down with a pilsner. Exactly the sort of meals that you just need to persist with your ribs in winter.

And as you’d anticipate, there are some eating places across the metropolis dishing up incredible Czech meals. I don’t eat a ton of Czech meals, however I eat it far more typically in winter, when it fits the season so properly!

Krystal Bistro is my favourite Czech restaurant in Prague, which really serves Czech meals with French strategies for lighter, extra elegant dishes. I completely love their kuřecí řízek (kur-ZHEH-tsee r’ZHEE-zek, or rooster schnitzel), which is at all times certainly one of their specials on the board. You can get it with buttery mashed potatoes or with excellent, mustard- and pickle-filled potato salad.

Kulajda (ku-LIE-da) is one other excellent Czech specialty for winter — it’s a soup full of potatoes, dill, bitter cream, and a poached egg. The greatest kulajda in Prague, in my view, is at Café Imperial, a grand, elegant restaurant. Don’t miss the gold swan taps within the restrooms.

And Prague locals love their enjoyable pubs that blend socializing, scrumptious meals, and the perfect beer on the earth. Lokal is a well-liked alternative, with a number of completely different places in Prague; my favourite of all is Kantýna.

But you already know what? You don’t must restrict your self to only Czech meals. Prague has a FANTASTIC eating scene, with worldwide delicacies, all for a lot decrease costs than you’d get in Western Europe or the US. I put collectively a checklist of my favourite eating places in Prague right here.

When you desire a break from Czech meals, go for Vietnamese meals! We have an enormous Vietnamese group within the Czech Republic, Vietnamese eating places are in all places in Prague, and a pleasant steaming bowl of pho hits the spot on a cold day. (My favourite pho in Prague is the roasted beef pho at Ngô Restaurant — it’s so wealthy and deep.)

Read More: Best Prague Restaurants, According to a Local Foodie

Old Town Square in Prague, surrounded by candy-colored buildings, gothic church towers, and the metal-layered astronomical clock.
A quiet winter day on the Astronomical Clock in Prague.

Not all excursions run in winter — however lots nonetheless do.

Before you guide your winter journey to Prague, you must know that many tour corporations take January and February off. Not all of them, however a whole lot of them. You ought to discover out upfront if the tour you could have your coronary heart set on runs throughout your journey.

That mentioned, loads of Prague excursions run year-round, together with on the coldest days of January! Here are a number of of my suggestions:

Three-Hour Prague Walking Tour — This tour takes in the perfect of the Old Town in three hours, from Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock to the Charles Bridge, throughout to Malá Strana, up the hill to St. Vitus Cathedral — and likewise offers you free entry to Prague Castle.

Prague Foodie Tour — My favourite factor to do wherever is to take a meals tour — and on this tour, you’ll pattern so most of the greatest Czech specialties and go to some cool neighborhoods (together with mine, Karlín!).

Letná Bohemian Alternative Bar Tour — Want to expertise Prague nightlife, however dread the considered badly behaving bachelor events? Leave the outdated city and head to Letná, certainly one of Prague’s coolest neighborhoods, for a really native night time out with some unforgettable bars.

Prague Communism and Nuclear Bunker Tour — Everyone who involves Prague (Americans particularly) desires to know extra in regards to the communist period, however individuals are typically afraid to ask. Honestly, take a communism tour as an alternative! You’ll be taught a lot — and when else are you going to go to a nuclear bunker?!

Prague Jewish Heritage Tour — Prague has such a fantastic Jewish historical past, and this 2.5-hour strolling tour tour takes within the traditionally Jewish neighborhood of Josefov, the place you’ll go to the synagogues in addition to the Old Jewish Cemetery. Even when you’ve got zero Jewish heritage, that is so attention-grabbing to find out about.

Prague Micro-Brewery Tour — Prague is all in regards to the Pilsner Urquell — or so that you assume. There are plenty of microbreweries creating actually attention-grabbing beers, and this tour will introduce you to a number of of them, with beers and snacks, together with limitless beer tastings on the last cease.

People ice skating in the evening, the outline of Prague Castle behind them.
Ice skating in Prague, through Petr Bonek on Shutterstock.

Winter is time for ice skating in Prague!

Ice skating in Prague is among the nicest issues about visiting through the winter season. There are loads of skating choices everywhere in the metropolis! Skating is normally free — you solely must pay for skate rental (which I’m guessing you want, as you’re visiting Prague).

And as a result of it’s the Czech means, plenty of ice rinks serve beer, svařák (mulled wine — extra on that in a bit), avenue meals, and sometimes have music taking part in.

Two of the ice rinks near the town heart are Ovocný Trh Outdoor Rink, which is true by the outdated city corridor and attracts a wide range of winter revelers; and Na Františku, which is on the sting of the Vltava River from the Jewish Quarter and has a pleasant, huge rink surrounded by stunning buildings.

If you desire a extra native expertise in Prague, I invite you to River Rink — an ice skating rink in my neighborhood of Karlín, a simple eight-minute tram trip from the Old Town, however a really native place the place you not often see vacationers. You’ll discover loads of children and adults right here, and an après-skate bar with cocktails.

A theater with a cast taking their bows on stage, the sides of the theater filled with lit up box seats.
The Estates Theatre in Prague is a fabulous place to get pleasure from inexpensive field seats.

See a classical music efficiency in Prague.

If you’re a fan of classical music, boy are you in for a deal with — Prague is among the greatest European cities for classical music, from symphony to chamber music to opera. And tickets occur to be very moderately priced.

Winter is an particularly good time for classical music in Prague, as January, February, and March are filled with performances. (Summer is definitely one of many worst instances to go to as a result of the orchestras are on vacation!)

I’m particularly a fan of the Estates Theatre, the place each seat above orchestra degree is a field seat (although you’ll be sharing with others). They placed on frequent performances of Don Giovanni — the famed Mozart opera was first carried out in Prague!

Not a classical music fan? There are all types of theatrical performances as properly. I like to recommend trying out the Prague Shakespeare Company, who carry out a mixture of Shakespeare and non-Shakespeare. It’s at all times attention-grabbing (and so they’ve carried out the funniest model of A Midsummer Night’s Dream I’ve ever seen!).

You can discover a listing of performances right here.

Kate wearing a plaid shirt and holding a cup of tea in one hand and an axe in another in front of a sign reading "the house of axes"
Winter requires ingesting svařák from a teacup!

Have your self some svařák — mulled wine!

Mulled wine is a staple of Christmas markets throughout Europe — however within the Czech Republic, it’s extra of an all-winter beverage. Here in Prague, it’s referred to as svařák (SVAR-zhak), or typically svařené víno, and it’s completely scrumptious.

Red wine is mulled with a wide range of spices together with cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and star anise, then delivered to a boil briefly, then introduced right down to a simmer (we are able to’t be having boozeless wine on this nation, you see).

You can discover svařák throughout Prague in winter, from wine bars to cafes to avenue stalls. It’s the proper dish for warming your arms on a chilly night in Prague.

But my favourite svařák ingesting expertise was at The House of Axes, an axe-throwing spot (and certainly one of my favourite uncommon issues to do in Prague). They serve svařák in dainty little china teacups as you throw axes like Vikings. I like the juxtaposition!

A gothic church in Prague, underneath a light layer of snow, the sky gray and dark and cloudy.

Winter may be GRAY, DARK, and MORE GRAY and MORE DARK.

One of the more durable issues about residing in Prague, I’ve discovered, is that it could really feel prefer it’s grey for months over the winter. You may luck out and get a beautiful snowstorm someday and shiny blue skies one other — however for many guests, you possibly can anticipate strong grey skies on your entire go to.

If you get up and the solar’s out, exit and revel in it — it fairly often doesn’t final in winter. So many instances in Prague I’ve appeared out the window and thought, “Beautiful day — I’ll enjoy that on my walk this afternoon!” just for it to go grey inside an hour or two.

And then there’s the darkness. On December 21, the winter solstice, the solar rises at 7:58 AM and units at 4:02 PM. On January 21, it’s barely lighter with a dawn at 7:50 AM and sundown at 4:36 PM — however barely. Lots of Prague locals take vitamin D within the winter to fight this (I really take it year-round as a result of it could’t damage!).

Keep in thoughts that grey days are one thing you possibly can danger year-round in Prague (we get fewer sunny days than in New England, the place I grew up) — but when sunshine is a precedence, you must time your journey between May and September.

People hanging out and drinking beer around a big marble table in a high-ceilinged pub in Prague.
Kantýna is the place many enjoyable nights in Prague begin and/or finish!

Warm up in a enjoyable pub in Prague.

Here in Prague, we all know that Czech beer is the perfect beer on the earth — and it occurs to be delightfully low-cost. Czechs are inclined to punctuate life with visits to the pub. Finish a motorbike trip or a day of snowboarding? Head to the pub. Looking to have a good time a promotion? Head to the pub. Your good friend’s again on the town after every week away? Head to the pub.

The greatest native beers in Prague are tank pilsner — that is the great things. Pilsner is marked with levels, which is roughly double the share of the beer (i.e. a 12-degree beer is about 6% alcohol). Pilsner Urquell is the go-to model (and I humbly counsel you keep away from Staropramen — see extra on my What Not to Do in Prague publish); a number of enjoyable native breweries are Vinohradska and Únětice, and you’ll find these beers everywhere in the metropolis.

So the place’s a great place? My all-time favourite is Kantýna, which is extra of a restaurant, however occurs to serve a few of the greatest tank pilsner within the metropolis. You can stand in the course of the room and revel in your beers amongst convivial Czechs.

Another good spot is the aforementioned Lokal, with scrumptious beer and down-home Czech delicacies that locals love.

If you need the most cost effective tank pilsner within the metropolis, head to U Glaubiců in Malá Strana, near Prague Castle. Here the beer is about 43 Czech koruna (lower than $2).

And don’t overlook the micro-breweries, both! Czechs are making all types of beers nowadays (and as a Massachusetts native, it warms my coronary heart to drink a New England IPA within the Czech Republic).

Two of my favorites are Dva Kohouti in Karlín and Automat Matuška in Dejvice, the latter of which additionally serves dynamite barbecue and quirky vegetable dishes.

The atrium National Museum, with giant intricate staircases and walls made of marble.
The National Museum is value a go to on a chilly day.

Spend your days museum-hopping in Prague.

On the coldest days of winter — particularly when it’s raining and sleeting — you’ll be glad to go indoors. It’s the proper time to go to a museum.

While Prague isn’t a museum powerhouse in the way in which London, Paris, and Amsterdam are, you possibly can simply fill a number of days with museum visits alone. Here are a few of the spots I like to recommend:

The National Museum (Narodní Muzeum) sits atop Wenceslas Square and has an eclectic mixture of reveals. My favourite is the Hall of Minerals, with lots of of rocks and minerals laid out so neatly and colorfully. I like to recommend visiting the highest ground simply earlier than sundown for beautiful views over the town.

The Strahov Library, close to Prague Castle, is completely beautiful — it’s straight out of Beauty and the Beast. You ought to know which you can solely poke your head in with a daily ticket. Instead, I strongly suggest shelling out for a personal tour, which is able to allow you to really stroll by the attractive library and take pictures. (Also, there’s a extremely good brewery simply outdoors the library!)

The Jewish Museum of Prague is among the oldest Jewish museums on the earth, relationship again to 1906 — and as you’d anticipate, a sobering place to go to. Prague’s synagogues, together with the huge Klausen Synagogue, Maisal Synagogue, Pinkas Synagogue, and the beautiful golden Spanish Synagogue, host a wide range of Judaica and artifacts from earlier than the Jewish ghetto was destroyed throughout World War II.

The Franz Kafka Museum is among the quirkier museums in Prague, telling the story of the literary legend. Whether you had been pressured to learn The Metamorphosis in class or just a fan of the “Kafkaesque” episode of Breaking Bad, this museum is an attention-grabbing deep dive into certainly one of Prague’s favourite sons.

The Sex Machines Museum at all times will get introduced up in Prague — normally with a number of eye-rolls — however right here you’ll find each sort of erotic support you possibly can think about, a few of them relationship again greater than 500 years! (Keep out of the way in which of bachelor and bachelorette events.)

People sitting in a cozy cafe, chatting and working on laptops.
Můj Šašek Kávy is the proper cafe to go to on a cold day.

Grab a espresso at a cute cafe in Prague.

I like Prague’s cafe scene. Whether you’re in search of a conventional grand Bohemian cafe or one thing extra hip and native serving third wave espresso, we’ve obtained loads of choices. (And I go to a number of of them per week!)

Whether you’re up for espresso, tea, or sizzling chocolate, I extremely suggest making an attempt my favourite Czech pastry — the větrník (vee-ET-er-NEEK). It’s a Czech tackle a cream puff, full of a number of sorts of cream and topped with caramel. You can discover větrníky in tons of cafes.

If you’re in search of a grand cafe within the conventional Bohemian fashion, Café Savoy is the place for you. You’ll love the inside, all picket and gold with chandeliers. This is a restaurant serving meals, however you too can come for espresso and pastries.

If your pursuits are extra towards the hip native café, a number of I like to recommend are Můj Šalek in Karlín, which has fab espresso and a dynamite větrník; Etapa in Karlín, which has plenty of vegan and gluten-free choices; and La Bohème in Vinohrady, which has a delightfully embellished inside (particularly throughout Christmas time).

The very best espresso in Prague is served at EMA Espresso Bar. The espresso right here is constantly excellent, and only a hair above all the opposite prime locations. There are three places of EMA in Prague. (That mentioned, it’s not a comfy place for hanging out — it’s extra of a are available, have your espresso, and go place.)

And lastly — if you wish to attempt a Vietnamese egg espresso (it’s principally a candy, thick, sizzling drink like espresso combined with marshmallow fluff!), you possibly can have one at Cà Phê Cổ, a restaurant with a cool inside within the Vinohrady neighborhood.

A view of the church towers and orange-roofed buildings of Cesky Krumlov
Even on a grey winter day, Český Krumlov is beautiful!

There are so many locations within the Czech Republic to discover in winter.

Don’t restrict your self to solely visiting Prague within the Czech Republic! So many vacationers pop into the Czech Republic with out going past the Prague metropolis limits, and that’s a disgrace.

So what are some bonus locations value visiting in winter?

Karlovy Vary can be my prime advice. This spa city is about two hours from Prague and there’s nothing like soaking in sizzling springs through the chilly winter months. You may also stroll alongside the river, store within the boutiques, hike into the encircling hills, and revel in some scrumptious eating places.

Český Krumlov is one other strong alternative. This small medieval city, about two hours from Prague, is completely beautiful, with a citadel and pointy church towers and a river curling across the metropolis. And whereas it’s extraordinarily touristy in the summertime (as in you’ll be preventing your means by tour teams), winter is blessedly quiet. You can see my information to Český Krumlov right here.

Brno is a enjoyable possibility in the event you love visiting cities and getting off the overwhelmed path. It’s 2.5 hours from Prague. If you want structure, you’ll LOVE Villa Tugendaht (guide tickets means upfront), the city has plenty of historic websites, and there are many fabulous cafes, bars, and eating places.

Each of those can technically be carried out as a day journey in the event you’re bold and begin early, however I strongly, strongly suggest staying not less than in a single day.

A snowy forest surrounded by a mountainous landscape.
Bohemian Switzerland is completely beautiful after a snowstorm.

And there are some nice winter day journeys from Prague!

How a few day journey from the town, then? There are loads of nice day journeys value taking in winter! Here are a number of which are value it through the winter months:

Kutná Hora. I at all times suggest this as a day journey from Prague, because it’s a cool place with a simple, quick journey to get there. Kutná Hora is most well-known for its ossuary (creepy bone church!), however the city itself is admittedly fairly and price strolling round and exploring.

To get to Kutná Hora, take the practice from Prague’s Central Station (Hlavní Nádraží), which takes about 50 minutes. If you’d fairly go on a guided tour, you possibly can guide this one.

Plzeň. The Czech Republic is house to the perfect beer on the earth, and Plzeň is house to the Pilsner Urquell brewery. Pilsner Urquell is essentially the most beloved beer within the nation, so in the event you’re a beer fan, touring the brewery is a should! Plzeň additionally has a pleasant city sq. and is value strolling round.

To get to Plzeň, take the practice from Prague’s Central Station (Hlavní Nádraží), which takes about 90 minutes.

Bohemian Switzerland and Saxon Switzerland. This area is definitely between the Czech Republic and Germany, nowhere close to Switzerland. It’s a fantastic wooded paradise, house to the most important arch in Europe (Pravcicka Gate) and the fantastic thing about Kamenice Gorge, the place you possibly can take a ship trip by the canyon. Come right here for mountain climbing! It’s the Czech nationwide passion.

I strongly suggest visiting this area on a guided tour from Prague, because it’s a bit furry to do by yourself, particularly in winter.

Dresden, Germany. If your winter go to to Prague occurs to be between December 1 and 23, I encourage you to go to Dresden’s Christmas markets, which I feel are among the many greatest in Germany. Definitely prioritize visiting the medieval Christmas market specifically! If it’s not on this timeframe, although, I’d give it a miss in winter.

To get to Dresden, take the practice from Prague’s Central Station (Hlavní Nádraží), which takes about 2.5 hours.

Český Krumlov. I URGE you to remain in Český Krumlov in a single day as a result of the in a single day expertise on this magical medieval city is 1,000,000 instances higher than visiting by day, particularly in winter. I wrote an entire publish about it! THAT SAID, I do know that lots of people gained’t be capable of keep in a single day. So if that’s not an possibility, sure, you must go to on a day journey.

To get to Český Krumlov, you possibly can both guide an organized full-day tour, or take the practice from Prague’s Central Station (Hlavní Nádraží), which takes about 2.5 hours and most journeys require altering in České Budějovice.

(While Karlstejn Castle is usually really useful as a Prague day journey, the citadel is closed throughout a lot of the winter months.)

Hockey spectators wearing hockey jerseys and their faces painted red, which and blue like the Czech flag.
Czechs REALLY love their hockey! Via Jdrw25 on Shutterstock.

Winter is hockey season in Prague!

Did you already know that Czechs are loopy about hockey? Not fairly on a Canadian degree (hehe), however anybody who’s seen the variety of Czechs on NHL groups gained’t be stunned that hockey is a well-liked sport right here!

Throw in your heat coat, seize a beer from the concession stand, and prepare to cheer in your new favourite worldwide group on the ice!

There are two predominant groups in Prague: HC Sparta Prague and HC Slavia Prague. You can watch them play at two of the most important venues within the nation — the O2 Arena and Tipsport Arena. The full season runs from mid-September by early March.

You can purchase tickets for HC Sparta right here and tickets for HC Slavia right here (surprisingly, Slavia doesn’t have a web site in English although).

Oh, and don’t be stunned if a helicopter is simply hovering close by through the sport. That’s a factor right here!

A park in Prague with the lightest dusting of snow on the ground, the grass peeking through in patches.
Most of the winter in Prague, the snow seems to be like this.

Does it snow in Prague? Yes, however not a ton.

There are many snowy days in Prague through the winter months. I like the times when huge, fats snowflakes fall from the sky and every thing will get quiet.

That mentioned, the snow not often sticks round for lengthy in Prague. Most of the time, it’s melted inside a day or so. In the previous winter, we solely had one snowstorm the place the snow caught round for a number of days (due to temperatures under freezing for a lot of of them). That was in December.

So sure — it’s a good suggestion to convey snow-appropriate footwear to Prague in winter (assume cozy, waterproof boots with rubber soles). But you additionally won’t want to make use of them. Either means, it’s higher to be ready than not!

Fireworks exploding over the medieval-era Charles Bridge in Prague.
Coming for New Year’s? Bring your earplugs.

New Year’s Eve in Prague is LOUD.

Thinking of coming to Prague for New Year’s? If you’re seeking to have a good time in fashion, you’ll have a good time right here. Prague has tons of bars and golf equipment, lots of which promote tickets for particular New Year’s Eve occasions (together with river cruises), and folks collect in Old Town Square to welcome the New Year at midnight.

But you must know that Czechs LOVE to set off fireworks on New Year’s Eve. And not simply at midnight — they begin early within the night (typically even through the day!) and maintain it going till daybreak.

Personally, I don’t exit on New Year’s Eve in Prague — I feel the vacation normally is the worst night time of the 12 months to exit, interval! So costly, crowded, and full of individuals partying means too arduous, regardless of the place on the earth you’re. Instead, you’ll discover me at house with mates, consuming good meals and ingesting good wine, giving my cats plenty of love by the scary fireworks.

If you your self desire a enjoyable however not-as-crazy New Year’s in Prague, I like to recommend leaving the outdated city and getting dinner at a pleasant restaurant in a neighborhood like Vinohrady, Letná, or Dejvice, adopted by a neighborhood bar.

A beautifully crenellated building in Prague, set at the end of a snowy garden.
Expect chilly climate throughout your winter journey to Prague.

Prague Weather in Winter

What sort of climate do you have to anticipate in Prague in winter? Here is month to month climate data for Prague from December by March, together with common temperatures.

Keep in thoughts that the climate can fluctuate fairly a bit, and local weather change has additionally meant hotter, much less snowy winters in the previous couple of years.

Prague in December

In December, Prague tends to be fairly chilly, with common excessive temperatures round 36°F (2°C) and lows dipping to about 28°F (-2°C).

This month typically brings a contact of winter marvel, with a mean snowfall of roughly 4.3 inches (11 cm). Rainfall is comparatively low, with round 0.8 inches (20 mm) of precipitation.

Keep in thoughts that December can be the darkest month of the 12 months, with the darkest days across the winter solstice.

Prague in January

January is among the coldest months in Prague, if not THE coldest month in Prague of the 12 months, with common excessive temperatures round 35°F (2°C) and lows averaging 26°F (-3°C).

It’s a snowy month, sometimes receiving about 5.5 inches (14 cm) of snowfall. Precipitation within the type of rain is minimal, with a mean of round 0.6 inches (15 mm).

Prague in February

In February, Prague’s climate stays chilly, with common excessive temperatures close to 38°F (3°C) and lows round 26°F (-3°C).

Snowfall continues, with a mean of roughly 4.7 inches (12 cm). Rainfall is scarce, sometimes totaling about 0.5 inches (13 mm) on common.

Prague in March

As spring approaches, March sees barely milder temperatures in Prague, with common excessive temperatures reaching round 46°F (8°C) and lows round 32°F (0°C).

Snowfall turns into much less widespread in March, averaging round 2.4 inches (6 cm) through the month. Precipitation will increase barely, with a mean of about 1 inch (26 mm) of rainfall.

People walking past a Christmas tree and market stands in Prague.
One of the smaller Christmas markets in Prague, by Náměstí Republiky.

Packing for Prague in Winter

So what do you really must pack for a winter go to in Prague? If you’re from a chilly local weather, convey your standard chilly climate gear. If you’re from a heat local weather, listed here are some objects I like to recommend:

Base layers (thermal underwear). I’m an enormous fan of the Uniqlo heat-teach scoop-neck prime and leggings, that are very heat, inexpensive, and I put on on a regular basis. Base layers are important for Christmas market journeys in winter as a result of they offer you an additional layer of heat.

Warm sweater. Sweaters (or jumpers, Brits!) make the proper mid-layer between your base layer and your outerwear. Did you already know that Uniqlo makes inexpensive cashmere sweaters in a ton of colours?

Warm winter coat. If it’s not waterproof, that’s okay, however be sure to convey an umbrella (and really convey it out with you).

Boots. Waterproof winter boots are excellent, as anybody who’s stepped right into a deep slushy puddle can inform you. You won’t want them, however they’re a superb merchandise to have in your wardrobe for winter journey.

Warm socks. I’m an enormous fan of merino wool socks, which I put on through the winter and for mountain climbing year-round.

Hat. I’m not a hat individual; nonetheless, I rock a beanie in winter in Prague.

Speakeasy journey provide scarf. I like these scarves, which are available a wide range of patterns and supplies, and so they include a hidden zip-up pocket that’s excellent on your valuables!

More on the Czech Republic:

More on winter in Europe:

Have you been to Prague in winter? Any ideas? Share away!

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