🐣 Easter in Prague 2027: when markets open, hours and traditions

Easter in Prague stretches over three weeks. The main city markets open about two weeks before the holiday and run daily from 10:00 to 22:00 (as of 09/2026, market organizer's website). In 2026 they occupied Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square from March 21 to April 12. The next Easter falls on March 28, 2027 (as of 09/2026, holiday calendar), so plan your trip for late March.

Further in the text: traditions and the Easter menu, market dates and hours, neighborhoods for staying, and getting to Prague.

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Easter traditions in Czechia

💡 In short:

The markets run for about three weeks, no separate entrance ticket is needed.
Easter eggs (kraslice) and the willow branch pomlázka remain symbols of the holiday.
On the Czech holiday table: a lamb made of sweet dough, a rabbit, and gingerbread eggs.
Dates and opening hours: 09/2026, verified on the official market organizer's website.

Czechia is considered one of the most secular countries in Europe, yet Easter customs here are still alive. Painted eggs, ribbons, and willow branches appear in shop windows as early as mid-March. You will notice them both in the tourist center and in residential neighborhoods.

Painted Easter eggs and pussy willow branches at a market

The main local custom is called pomlázka. On Easter Monday, boys go from house to house with a willow branch decorated with ribbons and lightly tap girls they know with it. The meaning of the ritual is not punishment, but passing on the strength of young shoots. Girls respond with a bucket of cold water and painted eggs.

The holiday table here differs from the German one. Easter eggs are baked from honey dough and covered with glaze, not molded from chocolate. For the main course, lamb, rabbit, and trout appear on the menu, often with braised cabbage and dumplings. This is what an Easter lunch looks like both at home and in a restaurant.

Cuisine: what to try at Easter in Prague

Easter lamb cake and dyed eggs on a table

Easter dishes and baked goods

The list of Easter dishes is short, and you can cover it in a couple of days. All four items appear on almost every Easter menu.

Mazanec: a sweet yeast bread with raisins and almonds, the main treat of the holiday.
Jidáše: rich spirals with honey, eaten for Easter breakfast.
Kopřivová nádivka: a hearty baked casserole with nettles, a main dish rather than a baked good.
Beránek: a cake in the shape of a lamb made from sweet dough.

Many Prague restaurants put lamb, rabbit, and trout on the menu during these weeks. Three addresses worth keeping handy.

Café Savoy serves classic Bohemian cuisine, address Vítězná 124/5, 150 00 Praha 5 (open on the map).

Kolkovna Celnice combines a traditional Czech menu with Easter dishes, address V Celnici 1031/4, 110 00 Nové Město (open on the map).

Restaurant Mlýnec offers top-tier cuisine and a view of Charles Bridge, at Novotného lávka 9, 110 00 Staré Město (open on map).

Book a table for the Easter weekend in advance: the center is packed at this time, and free tables go quickly.

Illuminated riverboats on the Vltava in Prague twilight

One hot dish for two makes more sense here than a full set. Portions in Czech restaurants are hearty, and at the market you will grab a trdelník and a sausage anyway. Get a soup and one main course.

Easter markets in Prague: dates and hours

The markets operate outdoors, so there is no separate ticket. In 2026 they opened on March 21 and closed on April 12.

Square	Dates in 2026	Hours	Source
Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí)	21.03 - 12.04	10:00 - 22:00	market operator
Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí)	21.03 - 12.04	10:00 - 22:00	CzechTourism
Peace Square (náměstí Míru)	21.03 - 06.04	per program	Czech tourism portal
Prague Castle (Pražský hrad)	on market days	per program	Prague Easter portal

Republic Square (náměstí Republiky), Havelské tržiště, and the market in Smíchov also join the program. Their dates depend on the venue.

Old Town Square remains the main spot. More than 90 wooden stalls are set up here, and about 10,000 people pass through the square daily (as of 09/2026, CzechTourism statistics). Visitors take home painted eggs, ceramics, wooden items, linen, and Bohemian glass, which has been sold here for centuries.

Easter market at Old Town Square in Prague

Every day folk ensembles perform on the square, and in the children's workshop kids paint eggs and pour candles themselves (as of 09/2026, market program on the CzechTourism website). The food at the market is simple and filling: grilled sausages, spit-roasted meat, farm cheese, gingerbread, marzipan, mazanec, and trdelník.

Come in the morning on a weekday: by midday on weekends the aisles between stalls get crowded, and in the evening tour groups arrive. Two hours is enough to walk around, have lunch, and shop.

Where to stay in Prague for Easter

For the Easter weekend, the neighborhood matters more than the hotel category. The markets run in the center, and accommodation around them costs the most.

Staré Město and Josefov: 5-10 minutes on foot to Old Town Square (per map), the most expensive option.
Nové Město: 200-400 m to Wenceslas Square (per map), a wider choice of hotels.
Malá Strana: quieter, 5-10 minutes on foot to Charles Bridge (per map).
Vinohrady and Holešovice: 2-3 km from the center (per map), metro nearby, lower prices.

Book in advance, several weeks before your trip: Easter dates in central Prague sell out faster than regular spring weekends.

Check hotel prices in Prague on Trip.com

If you are traveling with family, look for hotels near stations on lines A and B. From there you can reach the markets in a couple of stops and avoid paying for parking in the center.

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How to get to Prague for Easter

Direct trains and buses run to Prague from Germany, Austria, and Poland, so you do not need a car in the center. Trains are operated by České dráhy, and tickets for Easter dates sell out quickly.

Train tickets to Prague on Trip.com

Train: direct routes from Berlin, Dresden, Vienna, and Munich; Praha hlavní nádraží station is a 10-minute walk from Wenceslas Square (on the map).
Bus: RegioJet and FlixBus arrive at Florenc, from there it is 15-20 minutes to the center by metro (on the map).
Plane: city buses and the Airport Express run from Václav Havel Airport to the center.
Car: guest parking in the Old Town is restricted, so leave your car at a metro park-and-ride outside the center.

Easter concerts and tours

During the Easter weeks, Prague hosts a season of concerts in churches and halls. Organ and chamber music is performed at the Church of St. Nicholas on Old Town Square, at the Rudolfinum, and at St. Vitus Cathedral. Tickets are sold both at the door and online, and evening concerts start after sunset.

Tours of the Old Town and Prague Castle fill up quickly during these weeks, especially morning groups with skip-the-line access. If you want to combine a concert and a walking tour, book both tickets in advance.

Tours and tickets in Prague on GetYourGuide

Easter concerts often take place in small churches and halls, so choose your time in advance.

Tours and tickets in Prague

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⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

When do the Easter markets open in Prague?

The markets open about two weeks before Easter (as of 09/2026, organizer's website). Easter in 2027 falls on March 28. Dates and hours by location are listed in the table above.

How much does it cost to enter the Easter markets?

There is no separate ticket: the stalls are set up on city squares, and you only pay for food and souvenirs. Cash will come in handy for small purchases from artisans, and for the children's workshop at Old Town Square it's best to arrive early. There are no ticket offices or lines at the entrance.

What should you definitely try at Easter in Prague?

Classic Easter dishes are listed in the food section. At the market, add grilled sausages, trdelník, and gingerbread to the list. For a sit-down Easter menu, head to Café Savoy, Kolkovna Celnice, or Mlýnec.

What is pomlázka?

That's the name of an old Czech Easter Monday custom involving a willow branch decorated with ribbons. It's described in detail in the traditions section.

Where should you stay to walk to the markets?

Staré Město and Josefov are the closest: hotels near Old Town Square are a 5-10 minute walk from the stalls (see map). Other neighborhoods are covered in the accommodation section.

In short: what to book

Plan your trip around the Easter dates, not the vacation calendar. The markets are tied to the holiday and run for about three weeks.

If you want to walk to the markets: book a hotel in Staré Město or Nové Město, find a hotel in Prague on Trip.com.
If you're coming from Germany or Austria: compare train schedules and check tickets for a specific departure in advance.
If you want a concert and a tour: book the tour for the morning and the concert for a weekday evening.

The markets run from morning until late evening, so pick a weekday and arrive at opening time.

Easter markets in Prague: dates, traditions and menu