WINTER/SPRING/SUMMER/FALLBest Time toVisit Prague

Best time to visit Prague:

Depending on what you are looking for, when you have time to travel and what sort of trip best suits you, you can easily find the ‘right’ season to come visit Prague, Czech Republic. Learn about what each season can offer you and your travel companions as you plan you trip to visit Prague, Czech Republic.

Winter:

The winters in Prague, which cover December to February, are mild with temperatures usually just below freezing throughout most of the winter months, only occasionally dipping much lower. There is also usually a light dusting of snow several times throughout these months. It is enough to make a lovely scene as you walk around the city, across the Charles Bridge or through Old Town Square, but does not effect transportation or make it impossible to be outside.

The winter also offers one of the most popular reasons to visit Prague: the Christmas Markets! Christmas Markets are a long tradition in this part of the world. Small booths selling hot wine, steaming sausages, traditional Christmas ornaments and decorations start popping up in late November and are around till New Years Eve. Nearly every neighborhood square, plaza and empty space will have their own Christmas Markets and as the sun goes down, locals and visitors flock to the markets to find something new to add to their Christmas tree or to enjoy a delicious hot honey drink or some grilled cheese with jam.

Winter is also the perfect time to visit Prague if you are not a fan of crowds and lines. Due to Prague’s enormous popularity in recent years, most of the warmer months mean that Prague is quite full. This can mean higher prices at hotels, longer lines for entrances and crowds around the most famous sites.

So if you prefer to have the streets and restaurants with less people, come visit Prague in the winter!

Spring:

Spring issues in a whole other set of reasons in which to visit Prague. Spring means that the temperature is warming up, trees are blooming and the grass in the many green spaces around Prague are coming to life.

Usually during these months of March, April and May the temperature is getting gradually warmer, making it ideal for walking around with a light jacket, but without feeling cold or hot during your time outside.

One of the best parts of spring is that there are two significant cultural events that happen during this time of year: Masopust and Easter. Masopust is similar to Carnaval, Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday. It is the celebration of the end of the winter and the start of Lent (the 40 days before Easter). Each small town or neighborhood holds its own Masopust celebration which includes locals dressing up in costumes and parading through the streets or from one village to another. And 40 days later, they celebrate Easter, when the kids come tramping through the streets with their baskets asking for a treat or else – watch out!

Summer:

It is easy to know when summer has hit Prague because suddenly all of the outdoor cafes, bars, restaurants, parks and riverfronts are completely crowded with families, coworkers and travelers. June, July and August mean warmth and summer – guaranteed.

Naplavka (the riverfront promenade just a bit south of the Charles Bridge, is streaming with people of all ages strolling up and down, throwing a picnic blanket on the ground or climbing many of the boats which are outfitted as bars and restaurants.

Summer is the perfect season to see Prague as you know that you’ll be comfortably warm, you’ll have lots of sun and lots of hours of sunlight. Plus there are lots of outdoor activities like outdoor concerts, outdoor food markets, and movies in the park.

Autumn:

When autumn comes around, the pretty pastel colors of the buildings facades which line the Vltava River stand out against the orange, yellow and red leaves. The view from Prague Castle is stunning with the new vibrant colors. September, October and November bring in slightly cooler temperatures, but ones which still allow you to enjoy your time outside and make that hot coffee or hot wine that much more enjoyable once you sit down to rest in a restaurant or cafe.

The fall is also Burčák season! This translates to ‘young wine’ because it is the first wine produced after the grape harvest. Moravia, which is the southern portion of the Czech Republic is famous for their wine and they start to produce new wine at this time of year and wine festivals and markets pop up all over the city, in squares, plazas and parks. Grebovka Wine Festival and Vinohrady Wine Festival are just two of them. It’s the perfect time to rub elbows with local families as they all head out to sip and eat away all day in the sun.