Things to Do in Prague in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
December Weather in Prague
Is December Right for You?
Advantages
- Christmas market season runs full-throttle from late November through December 23rd - Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square, and Prague Castle markets are genuinely magical with mulled wine stands every 50 meters (164 feet), wooden toy stalls, and that roasted chestnut smell following you everywhere
- Dramatically fewer tourists than summer months - you'll actually get photos at Charles Bridge without 200 people in frame, and major attractions like Prague Castle have 60-70% fewer visitors compared to June-August peak
- Hotel prices drop 30-40% compared to high season, with excellent four-star properties in Malá Strana available for 2,500-3,500 CZK per night instead of the 4,500-6,000 CZK you'd pay in summer
- The city looks genuinely stunning under occasional snow cover - those red rooftops dusted white, the Vltava River reflecting winter light, and the castle complex emerging from morning fog create conditions photographers wait all year for
Considerations
- Daylight hours are brutally short - sunrise around 7:50am, sunset by 4:00pm means you're working with roughly 8 hours of natural light, which compresses sightseeing and makes those outdoor activities feel rushed
- The cold is damp and penetrating, not the crisp dry cold you might expect - that 70% humidity means 1°C (33°F) feels closer to -5°C (23°F), and wind tunnels through the narrow medieval streets making it feel even colder
- Many outdoor attractions close or operate on severely reduced schedules - Petřín Lookout Tower closes at 6pm instead of 10pm, some castle gardens close entirely, and river cruises run only 2-3 times daily instead of hourly departures
Best Activities in December
Christmas Market Exploration and Traditional Czech Winter Foods
December is literally the only time these markets exist, running through December 23rd before shutting down for Christmas Day. The Old Town Square market has 50-plus stalls selling trdelník (chimney cakes, though locals will tell you these are actually tourist food), svařák (mulled wine at 50-80 CZK per cup), and klobása (grilled sausages). The crowds peak 4-7pm when locals finish work, so hit the markets between 11am-2pm for elbow room. Temperatures drop fast after sunset around 4pm, but the market lights and heated wine stands create this genuinely cozy atmosphere. Worth noting that Wenceslas Square market tends toward more tourist-oriented pricing while smaller neighborhood markets in Náměstí Míru or Jiřího z Poděbrad offer better value and fewer crowds.
Classical Concert Venues and Opera Performances
December is peak season for Prague's classical music scene - the Municipal House, Rudolfinum, and National Theatre run full programs with performances nearly every evening. The heated indoor venues are perfect escapes from the 4pm darkness, and the acoustics in these Art Nouveau and neo-Renaissance halls are genuinely world-class. Concerts typically start 7-8pm, last 90-120 minutes, and tickets range from 500 CZK for back balcony seats to 2,500 CZK for orchestra level. The National Theatre opera performances sell out fastest, especially around Christmas week. Interestingly, many smaller churches host chamber music concerts that tourists overlook - St. Nicholas Church in Malá Strana does evening concerts for 400-600 CZK that offer better value than the tourist-heavy Estates Theatre.
Historic Beer Hall and Brewery Tours
December weather makes this the ideal time for Prague's beer culture - those centuries-old beer halls with low vaulted ceilings, wooden benches, and radiators pumping heat become genuine refuges. U Fleků has been brewing since 1499 and stays packed with both tourists and locals escaping the cold. Brewery tours typically last 60-90 minutes, include 3-4 beer samples, and cost 400-800 CZK depending on the brewery size. The newer craft brewery scene in Karlín and Holešovice neighborhoods offers more experimental beers and less tourist-heavy crowds. Worth noting that Czechs drink the most beer per capita globally, so this isn't manufactured tourism - it's actual daily culture, and December consumption peaks as people seek warm indoor gathering spaces.
Jewish Quarter Walking Tours and Museum Complex
The indoor-heavy nature of Jewish Quarter exploration makes it perfect for December's limited daylight and cold temperatures. The Jewish Museum complex includes six synagogues and the Old Jewish Cemetery, with most time spent inside heated buildings examining artifacts, Torah scrolls, and children's drawings from Terezín. Tours typically run 2.5-3 hours and cost 350-600 CZK for museum admission plus 400-800 CZK if you add a guided tour. December crowds are manageable compared to summer when the narrow cemetery pathways become bottlenecked. The Spanish Synagogue's Moorish interior provides particularly good shelter during those afternoon hours when outdoor sightseeing becomes miserable. Start tours by 1-2pm to maximize the limited daylight for the cemetery portion.
Traditional Czech Spa Experiences and Thermal Baths
December is when Czechs themselves hit the spa towns, making this an authentically local winter activity rather than tourist invention. While Karlovy Vary is 130 km (81 miles) away, Prague itself has several historic bathhouses and modern spa facilities. The Beer Spa Bernard offers beer bath soaks in wooden tubs at 1,200-1,800 CZK per person for 60-90 minute sessions - sounds gimmicky but uses actual brewing byproducts and is genuinely relaxing after a day walking cobblestones in freezing temperatures. The Cybex Palace Spa near Wenceslas Square offers more traditional Czech massage and thermal treatments at 1,500-3,000 CZK for 90-minute sessions. These indoor experiences perfectly complement December's early darkness and provide legitimate recovery for feet destroyed by Prague's uneven medieval streets.
Vltava River Dinner Cruises with Heating
Winter river cruises run reduced schedules but the heated glass-enclosed boats offer unique perspectives on Prague's illuminated architecture without the outdoor cold. Most dinner cruises depart 7-8pm, last 2-3 hours, and cost 1,200-2,000 CZK including three-course meals and live music. You'll pass under Charles Bridge, see Prague Castle lit up on the hill, and get views of the National Theatre's golden roof without fighting crowds. The boats maintain 20-22°C (68-72°F) interior temperatures regardless of outside conditions. December bookings are lighter than summer, meaning better table selection and less crowded decks. That said, the food quality varies significantly between operators - this is more about the views and atmosphere than culinary excellence.
December Events & Festivals
Christmas Markets Season
The main markets at Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square, and Prague Castle run continuously with daily hours typically 10am-10pm. These aren't single-day events but rather month-long installations with wooden chalets, live music stages, and that constant smell of grilled klobása and mulled wine. The Old Town Square market includes a massive Christmas tree (usually 20-25 meters or 65-82 feet tall) and nativity scene. Markets shut down December 24th for Christmas, with most remaining closed through December 26th.
New Year's Eve Celebrations and Fireworks
December 31st brings massive crowds to Old Town Square and Charles Bridge for midnight fireworks launched from multiple points along the Vltava River. The official city fireworks display starts at midnight and lasts 15-20 minutes, but locals launch their own fireworks creating a chaotic but genuinely exciting atmosphere. Restaurants and clubs charge 2,000-5,000 CZK for New Year's Eve dinner packages with reserved seating. Public transport runs all night December 31st-January 1st. Worth noting the crowds are genuinely dense - expect shoulder-to-shoulder conditions in Old Town from 10pm-1am.
St. Nicholas Day Processions
December 5th evening brings traditional processions where people dress as St. Nicholas, angels, and devils walking through Old Town and residential neighborhoods. This is actual Czech tradition, not tourist performance - families with children participate, and the devils carry chains and coal to threaten misbehaving kids while angels distribute candy. The largest processions happen in Old Town Square around 5-7pm, but you'll see smaller groups throughout the city center.