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Easter in Prague » 18th April - 21st April 2025
Easter is a joyous time in Prague. Spring is in the air and new life is to be celebrated. Find out what is open in the city, visit the Prague Easter Markets, and discover unique Czech Easter traditions. |
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 Prague folk dancers | |
EASTER 2025 IN PRAGUE
Easter is from 18th April to 21st April in 2025.
The Czech word for Easter, Velikonoce, comes from the expression 'velká noc' meaning great night, after the day in which Jesus rose from the dead.
But Easter is also associated with the welcoming of spring in Prague. It is a time when, through folk traditions, new life is celebrated.
Baby rabbits and new born lambs are symbolised in cakes and chocolates. Images of newly hatched chicks are painted on Easter eggs.
And the branches of birch trees in blossom are dressed with bright, colourful ribbons. |
| | In the city's parks and gardens, an abundance of spring flowers adds an array of colours and floral scents to green landscapes.
The Easter Markets are the focal point of the Easter festivities in Prague. Visitors mingle with local Czechs to browse the stalls for hand-crafted goods, sample the hearty food and local drinks on offer, and observe the delightful Czech Easter traditions on display.
On a stage at the
Old Town Square, in the heart of the markets, folk musicians and dance troupes dressed in traditional costumes perform short routines, with an emphasis on Easter music and festive dances.
Spring has finally arrived, and the city is abuzz with
optimism for the warmer months ahead. | |
WHAT'S OPEN AT EASTER IN PRAGUE
The Easter markets are open every day over Easter in Prague, from Good Friday through to Easter Monday.
Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays in Prague.
On Good Friday, some shops and shopping malls (including Palladium Shopping Centre) open normal hours. Other stores are closed or have limited opening hours.
On Easter Monday, only small shops (up to 200 square metres) can open by law. Large stores are closed.
On both these days, only certain sights and tourist attractions are open.
Never-the-less, there is plenty of sightseeing and entertainment to participate in:
The famous squares and Charles Bridge, some of the most attractive features of Prague, are open to stroll around.
And there is a wide choice of restaurants, pubs and cafés open where visitors can take refreshments.
All sightseeing tours and river cruises are running.
Opera houses and concert halls stage both Easter concerts and regular concerts.
Black light theatres put on vibrant, energetic shows.
On Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday, everything is open and operates as normal.
The shops and shopping malls are open; all sights and tourist attractions are open; sightseeing tours and river cruises are running; and, restaurants and pubs open normal hours.
In the week leading up to Easter Sunday, Easter services are held in churches all over Prague, including at St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle. | | PLAN FOR EASTER 2025
The Easter weekend is very busy in Prague.
The best places and events tend to sell out in advance, so we recommend making reservations for the things you wish to see and do.
For food, you can view menus and make reservations in our restaurants section.
For sightseeing and entertainment, simply browse through the Prague Experience website.
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Czech Easter traditions
To help visitors understand the traditions on display at the Prague Easter markets, we offer an insight into a Czech Easter as traditionally celebrated in villages throughout the country. Easter is an exciting time of year, particularly for children and young adults. | |  | |
Easter Preparations
Children finish school on "Ugly Wednesday".
On "Green Thursday", boys equip themselves with wooden rattles, called "rehtacka", and in groups they walk through their village shaking their rattles vigorously. Tradition dictates that this scares off Judas.
The same walk is repeated on "Good Friday", and once more on "White Saturday". But on White Saturday progress is slowed by the boys stopping at every house, where they shake their rattles until they receive a present! |
| | Easter Sunday
The greatest symbol of Easter is the egg, with its connections to spring and new life. On Easter Sunday, women and girls decorate Easter eggs ("kraslice").
This is a skilled affair with many variations on the decoration: a mix of watercolours, picture stickers, bee's wax, straw, and/or feathers.
For particularly well decorated eggs there is even an Easter egg contest held annually in Prague. | |  |
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As the girls paint their eggs, boys prepare their Easter whips ("pomlázka"), ready for Easter Monday.
This is not the type of whip used on horses, instead it is made from osier twigs, braided together. Once again, this takes skill to make, and the more twigs the more difficult it is to braid.
Visitors will see examples of these whips in the Prague markets, should they wish to participate! |
| | Easter Monday
On Easter Monday people rise early, and the boys and men set off on a whipping trip through the village.
The boys stop off at various homes to whip the legs of girls who live there. Small boys are required to recite an Easter carol as they go about their whipping.
As if the whipping is not enough, an old custom is to also grab the girl and throw her in a bath of cold water, known as an "Easter dousing".
The whipping and dousing is performed to chase away illness and bad spirits - although she may not appreciate it at the time, all this is supposed to be good for the girl! | |
Trdelník pastries |
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Once the whipping and dousing is over, the girl rewards the boy with one of her painted eggs. She then ties a bright ribbon around his whip, before he moves on to the next house to repeat the process.
As the boys progress through the village, their bags fill with eggs, and with so many ribbons attached, the whips become ever more colourful.
In recent times, for older boys gifts of eggs and ribbons have given way to offers of shots of alcohol. By the time they arrive home, the young men can be in quite a happy frame of mind! |
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More Information
For information on where to stay in Prague, the weather at Easter, what clothes to wear, and more, view our guide to the Prague Easter Markets.
For an introduction to the city: Prague tourism information.
For practical information, including advice on currency exchange: Prague tourist information.
For travel information: Travel around Prague by public transport and Travel to Prague.
For an easy way to visit Prague, the Prague Package includes a hotel, Prague airport transfers, sightseeing and entertainment. |
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 EASTER 2024
KEY DATES | |
EASTER MARKETS
Old Town Square & Wenceslas Square
05-27 April 2025
Daily 10:00-22:00 | |
SMALL & LOCAL MARKETS
Mariánské Square
05-27 April 2025
Daily 11:00-19:00
Na Kampě Square
05-27 April 2025
Daily 10:00-20:00
Peace Square
05-27 April 2025
Daily 10:00-20:00 | |
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EASTER 2025
18-21 April 2025 | |
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