The Christmas market in Prague is Magical….a Fairy-Tale setting….a Winter Wonderland!!!
The city of Prague is a fairy tale in itself and then add all of the holiday decorations – just breathtaking.
I went in early December and of course it is COLD! This gal, who lived in San Diego for many years, was not accustom to a real winter. First day…moment…as we stepped outside to sunny blue skies and sub-zero temperatures, it was an easy decision that the first stop will be to buy a hat! Second stop, a hearty stick-to-your-ribs brunch and a bloody mary to help keep the chill to a minimum. Once all of the prep was out of the way – it was market time!! (Now that I know that all of the scrumptious food choices are available in the market, I’d skip the restaurant brunch and save room to taste more from the market).
The markets consist of decorated wooden huts selling traditional handicrafts: glassware, jewellery, embroidered lace, wooden toys, metal-ware, ceramics, scented candles, Christmas tree ornaments, hats, gloves and scarves, and puppets and dolls beautifully dressed in traditional costumes.
And then there is the food!!! Mouth-watering local and traditional food, sweets and plenty of hot spiced wine to keep you warm. Take a look at the photos below to get a glimpse of the fantasy.
WHEN/WHERE:
The Prague Christmas markets are open daily, including on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day from November 29 (2014) through January 4th. The main Christmas markets are held at the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square (5 minutes walk from each other).
It’s a short and inexpensive 2 hour flight from Italy. Check out deals from Czech Airlines. For lodging I’d recommend looking at AirBNB.com – we got a wonderful, huge (100 m2) apartment right by the Old Town Square for something like $100 US per night. Great location and super apartment with tons of space and incredible heat 🙂
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I’ve been to Strasbourg and Prague in the summer. I agree–both are beautiful. I will be traveling with my very young children and this will be our first Christmas in Europe. You’re right about Prague being budget-friendly and there may be more things to do there for three days. Thanks for the help! Looks like I’ll be filling up on trdelnik and pork over the holidays. 🙂
If you have to choose, which Christmas market would you recommend for someone’s first time–Prague or Colmar?
That is a tough question – Prague and Colmar are tied for the ‘best’ for me for fairy tale. I guess I would say as a deciding factor – if you’re interested in experiencing a classical, fantasy Christmas market with some extra historical, old-world charm, choose Prague. If you prefer storybook, small-town charm – choose Colmar. It really is a tough question, both are magical! I doubt you’ll be disappointed with either. If you’re spending a few days on your holiday, Prague may have more to explore, though Colmar is close to Mulhouse and Basil – a couple of other classic Christmas market towns you can explore. If budget is a factor, Prague is a better choice. Lodging, accommodations and food/drink is less costly than France/Switzerland. Let me know which one you choose 🙂