Fun Winter Things to Do in Prague
Old Town Square after a snowfall
Winter is one of the most magical times to visit Prague! There are plenty of fun things to do in the Czech capital during the holiday season, and in this article, I’ll share my top favorites that I look forward to every year.
Visiting a Prague Christmas Market
Visiting a Christmas market is my personal favorite for several reasons. First, it instantly puts me in the holiday spirit—which, let’s be honest, gets harder to connect with as we grow older. That’s why I head to a Christmas market as soon as the stalls are set up. Second, you’ll find everything to warm yourself up at these markets: hot wine, mead, pancakes, langos (Czech street pizza), and pastries. Finally, the beauty of Prague’s Christmas markets always takes my breath away, no matter how many times I’ve seen them. Some things just never get old!
My favorite Christmas market—and I’m sure most Praguers would agree—is the one at Náměstí Míru in Prague 2. In my opinion, it’s the most picturesque and local, with vendors offering handmade gifts and regional delicacies. I’m never disappointed with my purchases when I stop by!
Also, I made a whole video about Prague’s Christmas markets, but remember that the one in Prague Castle has decided not to open for 2024/2025 season.
Ice Skating Rink at the Wenceslas Square
Going Ice Skating
Going to an ice skating rink, is my next Prague top winter activity. To be honest, I’m not a great skater, so I usually choose a smaller rink to avoid getting in the way of the pros—but that’s okay! No one can beat me when it comes to the amount of coffee I drink. Anyway, here are my favorite ice skating rinks in Prague:
Wenceslas Square Ice Skating Rink - This one is located in the lower part of the Wenceslas Square and is one of the largest rinks in the center. Opens on December 5th. 9 AM - 10 PM. 2 hour ticket costs 200 czk for adults, and 100 czk for kids.
Kluziště Petra / Ice Arena Petra - This ice skating arena is located on a boat docked at the Prague river bank near Palackeho Namesti. It costs 150 czk for 90 min, and kids smaller than 120 cm can go for free. They also have a skate rental as well as warm drinks and a food stand.
Park Folimanka - One of the cheapest ice rinks in town, it will cost you just 50 czk to skate there the whole day. Skate rental is available.
Grébovka Park and Sady Svatopluka Čecha - The whole day ticket at these smaller Prague 2 rinks is just 80 czk.
River Rink - One of the biggest rinks located in Karlin district, The whole day ticket costs 170 czk , and the skate rental is the same price for 1 hour.
Warm Up in a classic Prague Cafe
When it comes to cafes, I always feel spoiled with choices in Prague: historical coffee houses where the spirit of the past century is still alive, and hip bars where a barista will offer a dozen ways how to serve you a hot drink and go into details about the roast and other fancy terms.
To make it easier for you, I made a list of my favorite modern cafes in Prague and filmed a video about the most gorgeous historical cafes in Prague, like the one in the carousel above.
A Winter View of Prague from Charles Bridge
Take a Walk on Prague’s riverbank
If the weather isn’t unbearably cold, I recommend bundling up and heading to the Vltava River for stunning views of Prague’s architecture. It’s especially magical with a white blanket of snow on the rooftops—but, as always, snow tends to fall when you least expect it! You can start your walk at the Charles Bridge, head towards the Dancing House, walk down to Naplavka, and finish right below Vysehrad.
Visit the Golden Lane for some festive shopping
This charming little street located in Prague Castle looks like something straight out of a fairy tale, don’t you think? I love sneaking in right after it opens for free at 4 p.m. (in winter) and browsing the stores. They sell handmade wooden decorations, traditional ceramics, patchwork pillows, and toys, but my personal favorite is the bookmark store. Not the usual paper bookmarks, but leather strings with two weighted figurines on either end. Mine is purple and has an owl head on one side and a book on the other.
Remember, that if you visit the Golden Lane during the opening hours of Prague Castle, you will need a ticket to get in. We do it on our Complete Castle tour you can sign up for it here, or join our Free Castle tour in the afternoon ( the 11 am one does not cover it) and visit it with us!
For more Winter Activities recommendations, check out our video!
Author: Valeriia Zahradnikova and Vaclav Zahradnik, Prague guides certified by Prague City Tourism agency. Valeriia and Vaclav have worked in tourism for over 7 years and have guided thousands of Prague visitors.