Advent in the Golden City

Drop your bags at your hotel in the Old Town area — a central base keeps the Christmas market action within easy walking distance from the very first morning.

Old Town Square in December is the epicentre of Prague's Christmas market universe. Stalls ring the square, but the real anchor is the medieval Orloj — climb the tower for a birds-eye view of the market below, then linger at street level to take in the mechanical chime. Grab a cup of svařák (mulled wine) from one of the wooden booths before moving on.

A short walk from Old Town Square, the Mucha Museum holds an intimate collection of Alfons Mucha's Art Nouveau posters, paintings and decorative panels. The richly ornamented style feels unexpectedly festive — all gold, deep reds and flowing lines — and the compact rooms make it easy to absorb at a relaxed pace.

Settle into Kafka's atmospheric Old Town space for a proper sit-down lunch. The restaurant-bar balance means you can go full Czech comfort food or something lighter — either way, the candlelit interior is exactly the right antidote to a cold December morning outside.

Walk Charles Bridge in the afternoon light when the baroque saints loom through any low winter mist and the castle ridge rises dramatically to the west. At the Malá Strana end, turn back along the riverbank to reach the Muzeum Bedřicha Smetany — a fitting cultural stop honouring the composer whose music is woven into Czech identity.

Right on the Vltava embankment, this small museum dedicated to Bedřich Smetana traces the life of the composer through manuscripts, instruments and personal artefacts. The riverside neo-Renaissance building alone is worth a look, especially with the castle backdrop lit up as dusk arrives.

End the first day at Jazz Republic in Old Town — a bar where live jazz fills a low-ceilinged, atmospheric space that feels purpose-built for a winter evening. Order a Becherovka or a Czech dark lager, settle in, and let the music carry the night.

Take tram 22 from the centre up to Pohořelec — the classic local route that drops you at the monastery plateau without the steep uphill slog.

Strahov's two Baroque library halls — the Theological and the Philosophical — are among the most beautiful interiors in Central Europe: ceiling frescoes, globes, and thousands of leather-bound volumes arranged with extraordinary care. The monastery terrace afterwards offers one of the finest panoramic views over the city's red-roofed sea, particularly sharp on a clear winter morning.

Descend back into the city and make a stop at the Gothic Powder Tower — one of the original thirteen city gates, now a compact exhibition space. Climb to the top for views along Celetná Street and over the rooftops toward Old Town, especially atmospheric with festive decorations below.

U Červeného Páva (The Red Peacock) is a classic Old Town restaurant with a vaulted cellar atmosphere that feels genuinely candlelit even at midday. A great spot for traditional Czech cooking — svíčková, roast duck or svařené pivo — after a brisk morning of sightseeing.

Wenceslas Square hosts its own Christmas market, distinct in character from Old Town — longer, more local, lined with gift stalls and street food. Walk the full boulevard up to the equestrian statue of St Wenceslas, with the grand Neo-Renaissance National Museum closing the view at the top.

The restored National Museum is a statement building inside and out — its marble staircase, painted pantheon and vast natural history and history collections make for an impressive final afternoon stop. The Christmas-lit square visible through its windows as you exit is a fittingly cinematic farewell to the city centre.

Round off the weekend at Pivovarský dům Benedict in New Town — a brewpub-restaurant where house-brewed Czech lagers and hearty food make for a convivial, unfussy send-off. The warm, wood-panelled interior is exactly where you want to be when it's dark and cold outside and the last of the market lights are glittering down the street.