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Pondering of visiting Prague in winter? Glorious concept! Numerous cities in Europe are extra pleasing to go to within the winter — you get to take pleasure in decrease costs and smaller crowds (so long as you don’t go to throughout Christmas market season, that’s).
I’ve been dwelling in Prague for a number of years and I’m presently gearing up for my fourth winter right here (or fifth if you happen to depend my lengthy go to earlier than I moved right here). Winter generally is a very particular time to go to Prague — there’s no higher season for museum-hopping and classical music performances, motels slash their charges, and Czech meals is made for winter climate!
That mentioned, I’ll be trustworthy with you — winter generally is a drag right here, too. Typically it looks like the climate is grey for weeks on finish; generally 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 throughout the winter months! I feel you’ll have a beautiful time right here.
(Planning a visit to Prague? Don’t miss my information to unusual things to do in Prague, my picks for the best Prague restaurants, and naturally — what NOT to do in Prague!)
This submit was revealed in November 2023.
Is Prague in winter price it?
I completely assume that visiting Prague in winter is price it — so long as you’re used to winter.
As I typically inform individuals visiting my former houses of New York or Boston in winter, “In the event you’re from Minnesota, you already know what you’re moving into. In the event you’re from Texas, you’re going to have a tough time.”
Folks from hotter climates typically wrestle with choosing the proper winter gear (I give gear suggestions on the finish of this submit), and even when they do, they typically have a tricky time being exterior within the chilly. In the event you’re from a heat atmosphere and also you’re not used to spending plenty of time exterior within the winter, it’s possible you’ll be extra comfy visiting at a unique time of yr.
In the event you’re used to winter and know find out how to thrive in chilly climate, you’ll do high quality right here. Prague’s outdated city is a UNESCO World Heritage Website and simply strolling round and ingesting within the metropolis’s magnificence is a worthy solution to take pleasure in a cold day in Prague.
And even if you happen to’re not the most important winter fan of all time, the slender streets have a approach of blocking the wind, and also you’re all the time a stone’s throw away from a comfy pub or cafe.
Issues 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. Whereas the Christmas season is a highly regarded time to go to Prague, and for good purpose, I need to ensure you know the distinction.
Christmas (late November via early January) is a highly regarded time of yr to go to Prague. Right now, you may count on enjoyable Christmas lights, a couple of Christmas markets, and big crowds of vacationers swarming Previous City Sq..
Winter (early January via late March), nevertheless, is the least standard time of yr to go to Prague. That is when you’ll find the fewest crowds and the bottom costs — although you can find nothing remotely resembling vacation cheer.
I say this to ensure you know what you’re moving into. For lots of vacationers, “winter” is synonymous with “Christmas.” That’s not the case for many of the winter in Prague. It’s nonetheless very a lot price visiting — it’s simply completely different.
Prague’s Christmas markets are great.
Prague’s Christmas markets begin annually 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 generally finish on December 23.
There may be one major Christmas market on Previous City Sq., that includes meals stands, scorching mulled wine, trdelniky (chimney truffles that are NOT Czech however are in every single place), 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 couple of different, a lot smaller markets within the metropolis, like on Náměstí Republiky and Wenceslas Sq., and the farmers’ markets nonetheless lively in December have a Christmasy aptitude to them.
And right here’s a little bit of honesty: if you happen to’re not from Europe, you’ll LOVE the Prague Christmas markets. In the event 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 probably the greatest Christmas markets in Europe.
That being mentioned, Prague occurs to be inside a couple 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 (here’s information on how to plan one in Germany) and extremely suggest doing this your self.
Winter is the least touristy time of yr in Prague.
Prague is an extremely standard metropolis for tourism — for good purpose! We’re one of the vital lovely cities on the earth! And it doesn’t matter what time of yr you go, you’ll be sharing the Charles Bridge with a whole bunch of your fellow vacationers.
However if you happen to’re searching for a less-touristy expertise in Prague, you’ll love Prague in winter. The quietest month of the yr is January.
In the event 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 via March is the best time to go to. Although be mindful faculty holidays and Valentine’s Day can usher in small bumps of winter tourism in February.
Fancy motels drop their costs in Prague in winter.
Prague isn’t the dirt-cheap getaway that it was once 20 years in the past, however costs listed below are a lot decrease than you’d count on to pay in Paris, or London, or Vienna. For that purpose, lots of people touring on multi-city journeys select Prague for his or her “splurge” resort.
Properly, it simply received sweeter — in January and February (particularly January), many Prague motels drop their costs considerably. Typically they promote winter getaways to locals as a staycation possibility. (And sure, my husband Charlie and I’ve loved a couple of staycations at fancy Prague motels in January!)
So sure — if you happen to’ve all the time dreamed of staying someplace fancy — maybe the Four Seasons Prague, with a view of Prague Fortress? 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 Previous City on the Josephine? — winter is the time to do it.
Find deals on more Prague hotels here.
Czech meals is ideal for winter.
Conventional Czech meals is hearty — and a bit heavy. Numerous meat and carbs, washed down with a pilsner. Precisely the type of meals that you simply need to persist with your ribs in winter.
And as you’d count on, there are some eating places across the metropolis dishing up improbable Czech meals. I don’t eat a ton of Czech meals, however I eat it way more typically in winter, when it fits the season so nicely!
Krystal Bistro is my favourite Czech restaurant in Prague, which truly serves Czech meals with French strategies for lighter, extra elegant dishes. I completely love their kuřecí řízek (kur-ZHEH-tsee r’ZHEE-zek, or hen schnitzel), which is all the time one in every of their specials on the board. You will 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 crammed with potatoes, dill, bitter cream, and a poached egg. The very best 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 couple of completely different areas in Prague; my favourite of all is Kantýna.
However you already know what? You don’t have to 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 list of my favorite restaurants in Prague here.
If you need a break from Czech meals, go for Vietnamese meals! We’ve got an enormous Vietnamese neighborhood within the Czech Republic, Vietnamese eating places are in every single place 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.)
Learn Extra: Best Prague Restaurants, According to a Local Foodie
Not all excursions run in winter — however loads nonetheless do.
Earlier than you ebook your winter journey to Prague, you must know that many tour corporations take January and February off. Not all of them, however loads of them. You must discover out prematurely if the tour you might 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! Listed below are a couple of of my suggestions:
Three-Hour Prague Walking Tour — This tour takes in the perfect of the Previous City in three hours, from Previous City Sq. 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 Fortress.
Prague Foodie Tour — My favourite factor to do wherever is to take a meals tour — and on this tour, you’ll pattern so lots of the finest Czech specialties and go to some cool neighborhoods (together with mine, Karlín!).
Letná Bohemian Alternative Bar Tour — Need to expertise Prague nightlife, however dread the considered badly behaving bachelor events? Go away the outdated city and head to Letná, one in every of Prague’s coolest neighborhoods, for a very native evening out with some unforgettable bars.
Prague Communism and Nuclear Bunker Tour — Everybody who involves Prague (Individuals particularly) desires to know extra in regards to the communist period, however persons are typically afraid to ask. Truthfully, take a communism tour as an alternative! You’ll study a lot — and when else are you going to go to a nuclear bunker?!
Prague Jewish Heritage Tour — Prague has such a ravishing 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 Previous Jewish Cemetery. Even in case you have zero Jewish heritage, that is so fascinating to find out about.
Prague Micro-Brewery Tour — Prague is all in regards to the Pilsner Urquell — or so that you assume. There are many microbreweries creating actually fascinating beers, and this tour will introduce you to a number of of them, with beers and snacks, together with limitless beer tastings on the remaining cease.
Winter is time for ice skating in Prague!
Ice skating in Prague is without doubt one of the nicest issues about visiting throughout the winter season. There are many skating choices everywhere in the metropolis! Skating is often free — you solely have to pay for skate rental (which I’m guessing you want, as you’re visiting Prague).
And since it’s the Czech approach, 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 Out of doors Rink, which is correct by the outdated city corridor and attracts quite a lot of winter revelers; and Na Františku, which is on the sting of the Vltava River from the Jewish Quarter and has a pleasant, large rink surrounded by lovely buildings.
If you need a extra native expertise in Prague, I invite you to River Rink — an ice skating rink in my neighborhood of Karlín, a straightforward eight-minute tram trip from the Previous City, however a really native place the place you hardly ever see vacationers. You’ll discover loads of youngsters and adults right here, and an après-skate bar with cocktails.
See a classical music efficiency in Prague.
In the event you’re a fan of classical music, boy are you in for a deal with — Prague is without doubt one of the finest European cities for classical music, from symphony to chamber music to opera. And tickets occur to be very fairly priced.
Winter is an particularly good time for classical music in Prague, as January, February, and March are filled with performances. (Summer season 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 stage 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 every kind of theatrical performances as nicely. I like to recommend trying out the Prague Shakespeare Company, who carry out a mixture of Shakespeare and non-Shakespeare. It’s all the time fascinating (they usually’ve carried out the funniest model of A Midsummer Evening’s Dream I’ve ever seen!).
You can find a directory of performances here.
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. Right here in Prague, it’s referred to as svařák (SVAR-zhak), or generally svařené víno, and it’s completely scrumptious.
Pink wine is mulled with quite a lot of spices together with cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and star anise, then dropped at a boil briefly, then introduced all the way down to a simmer (we are able to’t be having boozeless wine on this nation, you see).
You could find svařák throughout Prague in winter, from wine bars to cafes to avenue stalls. It’s the proper dish for warming your palms on a chilly night in Prague.
However my favourite svařák ingesting expertise was at The House of Axes, an axe-throwing spot (and one in every of my favourite unusual things to do in Prague). They serve svařák in dainty little china teacups as you throw axes like Vikings. I really like the juxtaposition!
Winter may be GRAY, DARK, and MORE GRAY and MORE DARK.
One of many harder issues about dwelling in Prague, I’ve discovered, is that it will probably really feel prefer it’s grey for months over the winter. You would possibly luck out and get a beautiful snowstorm someday and brilliant blue skies one other — however for many guests, you may count on stable grey skies on your entire go to.
In the event 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, “Lovely day — I’ll take pleasure in that on my stroll this afternoon!” just for it to go grey inside an hour or two.
After which 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. Numerous Prague locals take vitamin D within the winter to fight this (I truly take it year-round as a result of it will probably’t harm!).
Take into account that grey days are one thing you may threat 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 Might and September.
Heat up in a enjoyable pub in Prague.
Right 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. End a motorcycle trip or a day of snowboarding? Head to the pub. Trying to have a good time a promotion? Head to the pub. Your pal’s again on the town after per week away? Head to the pub.
The very best native beers in Prague are tank pilsner — that is the great things. Pilsner is marked with levels, which is roughly double the proportion 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 submit); a couple 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 among the finest tank pilsner within the metropolis. You possibly can stand in the course of the room and revel in your beers amongst convivial Czechs.
One other great place is the aforementioned Lokal, with scrumptious beer and down-home Czech delicacies that locals love.
If you need the most affordable tank pilsner within the metropolis, head to U Glaubiců in Malá Strana, near Prague Fortress. Right here the beer is about 43 Czech koruna (lower than $2).
And don’t overlook the micro-breweries, both! Czechs are making every kind of beers lately (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.
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.
Whereas Prague isn’t a museum powerhouse in the way in which London, Paris, and Amsterdam are, you may simply fill a number of days with museum visits alone. Listed below are among the spots I like to recommend:
The National Museum (Narodní Muzeum) sits atop Wenceslas Sq. and has an eclectic mixture of reveals. My favourite is the Corridor of Minerals, with a whole bunch of rocks and minerals laid out so neatly and colorfully. I like to recommend visiting the highest flooring simply earlier than sundown for beautiful views over the town.
The Strahov Library, close to Prague Fortress, is completely gorgeous — it’s straight out of Magnificence and the Beast. You must know which you can solely poke your head in with an everyday ticket. As an alternative, I strongly suggest shelling out for a private tour, which is able to allow you to truly stroll via the beautiful library and take images. (Additionally, there’s a very good brewery simply exterior the library!)
The Jewish Museum of Prague is without doubt one of the oldest Jewish museums on the earth, relationship again to 1906 — and as you’d count on, a sobering place to go to. Prague’s synagogues, together with the large Klausen Synagogue, Maisal Synagogue, Pinkas Synagogue, and the gorgeous golden Spanish Synagogue, host quite a lot of Judaica and artifacts from earlier than the Jewish ghetto was destroyed throughout World Conflict II.
The Franz Kafka Museum is without doubt one of the quirkier museums in Prague, telling the story of the literary legend. Whether or not you have been pressured to learn The Metamorphosis in class or just a fan of the “Kafkaesque” episode of Breaking Unhealthy, this museum is an fascinating deep dive into one in every of Prague’s favourite sons.
The Sex Machines Museum all the time will get introduced up in Prague — often with a couple of eye-rolls — however right here you’ll find each type of erotic assist you may think about, a few of them relationship again greater than 500 years! (Preserve out of the way in which of bachelor and bachelorette events.)
Seize a espresso at a cute cafe in Prague.
I really like Prague’s cafe scene. Whether or not you’re searching for a conventional grand Bohemian cafe or one thing extra hip and native serving third wave espresso, we’ve received loads of choices. (And I go to a number of of them per week!)
Whether or not you’re up for espresso, tea, or scorching chocolate, I extremely suggest attempting my favourite Czech pastry — the větrník (vee-ET-er-NEEK). It’s a Czech tackle a cream puff, crammed with a number of sorts of cream and topped with caramel. You could find větrníky in tons of cafes.
In the event you’re searching for a grand cafe within the conventional Bohemian type, Café Savoy is the place for you. You’ll love the inside, all picket and gold with chandeliers. It is a restaurant serving meals, however you may as well come for espresso and pastries.
In case your pursuits are extra towards the hip native café, a couple 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 adorned 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 high locations. There are three areas of EMA in Prague. (That mentioned, it’s not a comfy place for hanging out — it’s extra of a are available in, have your espresso, and go place.)
And eventually — if you wish to attempt a Vietnamese egg espresso (it’s principally a candy, thick, scorching drink like espresso blended with marshmallow fluff!), you may have one at Cà Phê Cổ, a restaurant with a cool inside within the Vinohrady neighborhood.
There are such a lot of 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 price visiting in winter?
Karlovy Fluctuate could be my high advice. This spa city is about two hours from Prague and there’s nothing like soaking in scorching springs throughout the chilly winter months. You may as well 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 stable alternative. This small medieval city, about two hours from Prague, is completely gorgeous, with a fort 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 combating your approach via tour teams), winter is blessedly quiet. You can see my guide to Český Krumlov here.
Brno is a enjoyable possibility if you happen to love visiting cities and getting off the overwhelmed path. It’s 2.5 hours from Prague. In the event you like structure, you’ll LOVE Villa Tugendaht (ebook tickets approach prematurely), the city has plenty of historic websites, and there are many fabulous cafes, bars, and eating places.
Every of those can technically be accomplished as a day journey if you happen to’re formidable and begin early, however I strongly, strongly suggest staying at the very least in a single day.
And there are some nice winter day journeys from Prague!
How a couple of day journey from the town, then? There are many nice day journeys price taking in winter! Listed below are a couple of which are price it throughout the winter months:
Kutná Hora. I all the time suggest this as a day journey from Prague, because it’s a cool place with a straightforward, quick journey to get there. Kutná Hora is most well-known for its ossuary (creepy bone church!), however the city itself is basically 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. In the event you’d fairly go on a guided tour, you can book this one.
Plzeň. The Czech Republic is dwelling to the perfect beer on the earth, and Plzeň is dwelling to the Pilsner Urquell brewery. Pilsner Urquell is essentially the most beloved beer within the nation, so if you happen to’re a beer fan, touring the brewery is a should! Plzeň additionally has a pleasant city sq. and is price 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 ravishing wooded paradise, dwelling to the most important arch in Europe (Pravcicka Gate) and the great thing about Kamenice Gorge, the place you may take a ship trip via the canyon. Come right here for mountain climbing! It’s the Czech nationwide pastime.
I strongly suggest visiting this area on a guided tour from Prague, because it’s a bit bushy to do by yourself, particularly in winter.
Dresden, Germany. In case 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 finest in Germany. Undoubtedly prioritize visiting the medieval Christmas market specifically! If it’s not on this time-frame, 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 a whole post about it! THAT SAID, I do know that lots of people gained’t have the ability to 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 may both book 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.
(Whereas Karlstejn Fortress is commonly advisable as a Prague day journey, the fort is closed throughout many of the winter months.)
Winter is hockey season in Prague!
Do you know that Czechs are loopy about hockey? Not fairly on a Canadian stage (hehe), however anybody who’s seen the variety of Czechs on NHL groups gained’t be shocked 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 staff on the ice!
There are two major groups in Prague: HC Sparta Prague and HC Slavia Prague. You possibly can watch them play at two of the most important venues within the nation — the O2 Area and Tipsport Area. The complete season runs from mid-September via early March.
You should buy tickets for HC Sparta here and tickets for HC Slavia here (surprisingly, Slavia doesn’t have a website in English although).
Oh, and don’t be shocked if a helicopter is simply hovering close by throughout the recreation. That’s a factor right here!
Does it snow in Prague? Sure, however not a ton.
There are various snowy days in Prague throughout the winter months. I really like the times when large, fats snowflakes fall from the sky and the whole lot will get quiet.
That mentioned, the snow hardly ever sticks round for lengthy in Prague. More often than not, it’s melted inside a day or so. Up to now winter, we solely had one snowstorm the place the snow caught round for a couple of days (due to temperatures beneath freezing for a lot of of them). That was in December.
So sure — it’s a good suggestion to carry snow-appropriate footwear to Prague in winter (assume comfortable, waterproof boots with rubber soles). However you additionally may not want to make use of them. Both approach, it’s higher to be ready than not!
New 12 months’s Eve in Prague is LOUD.
Pondering of coming to Prague for New 12 months’s? In the event you’re seeking to have a good time in type, you’ll have a good time right here. Prague has tons of bars and golf equipment, lots of which promote tickets for particular New 12 months’s Eve occasions (together with river cruises), and other people collect in Previous City Sq. to welcome the New 12 months at midnight.
However you must know that Czechs LOVE to set off fireworks on New 12 months’s Eve. And never simply at midnight — they begin early within the night (generally even throughout the day!) and preserve it going till daybreak.
Personally, I don’t exit on New 12 months’s Eve in Prague — I feel the vacation normally is the worst evening of the yr to exit, interval! So costly, crowded, and full of individuals partying approach too laborious, irrespective of the place on the earth you might be. As an alternative, you’ll discover me at dwelling with buddies, consuming good meals and ingesting good wine, giving my cats plenty of love via the scary fireworks.
In the event you your self need a enjoyable however not-as-crazy New 12 months’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.
Prague Climate in Winter
What sort of climate do you have to count on in Prague in winter? Right here is month to month climate info for Prague from December via March, together with common temperatures.
Take into account 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 median snowfall of roughly 4.3 inches (11 cm). Rainfall is comparatively low, with round 0.8 inches (20 mm) of precipitation.
Take into account that December can also be the darkest month of the yr, with the darkest days across the winter solstice.
Prague in January
January is without doubt one of the coldest months in Prague, if not THE coldest month in Prague of the yr, with common excessive temperatures round 35°F (2°C) and lows averaging 26°F (-3°C).
It’s a snowy month, usually receiving about 5.5 inches (14 cm) of snowfall. Precipitation within the type of rain is minimal, with a median 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 median of roughly 4.7 inches (12 cm). Rainfall is scarce, usually 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 frequent in March, averaging round 2.4 inches (6 cm) throughout the month. Precipitation will increase barely, with a median of about 1 inch (26 mm) of rainfall.
Packing for Prague in Winter
So what do you truly need to pack for a winter go to in Prague? In the event you’re from a chilly local weather, carry your common chilly climate gear. In the event you’re from a heat local weather, listed below are some gadgets I like to recommend:
Base layers (thermal underwear). I’m an enormous fan of the Uniqlo heat-teach scoop-neck top 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 provide you an additional layer of heat.
Heat sweater. Sweaters (or jumpers, Brits!) make the proper mid-layer between your base layer and your outerwear. Do you know that Uniqlo makes affordable cashmere sweaters in a ton of colours?
Warm winter coat. If it’s not waterproof, that’s okay, however be certain to carry an umbrella (and truly carry it out with you).
Boots. Waterproof winter boots are best, as anybody who’s stepped right into a deep slushy puddle can let you know. You may not want them, however they’re a very good merchandise to have in your wardrobe for winter journey.
Heat socks. I’m an enormous fan of merino wool socks, which I put on throughout the winter and for mountain climbing year-round.
Hat. I’m not a hat particular person; however, I rock a beanie in winter in Prague.
Speakeasy travel supply scarf. I really like these scarves, which are available in quite a lot of patterns and supplies, they usually include a hidden zip-up pocket that’s excellent on your valuables!
Extra on the Czech Republic:
Extra on winter in Europe:
Have you ever been to Prague in winter? Any suggestions? Share away!