New Year in Prague - 2021: prices for tours, fairs and where is it better to meet?

Old songs about the main thing on the air: the favorite holiday of Russia in the favorite city of Russians. The budget of the trip in the winter of 2020-2021, multi-star (and completely non-star) hotels, restaurants, Christmas trees, fireworks, parties and recovery after them - we are considering in detail the rest in Prague for the New Year 2021.

Weather in Prague in winter: holiday features

Like Pushkin's Tatiana, who is “Russian at heart,” we love winter. To chill, wind, and at home hot tea and a fireplace. Therefore, the thought of New Year's Czech Republic is close to our hearts.

It was a lyrical digression, but now the facts: the weather in Prague on New Year's Eve is unpleasant in most cases. The air temperature fluctuates around zero: at night it drops by 2-3 degrees, and rises during the day. In general, the weather in December is rarely sub-zero. If the sun is shining, it can be up to +10 heat. A slight, but piercing, humid wind is blowing.

On the question of whether there is snow: rare precipitation in the photo looks like a picturesque snowball on tiled roofs, and below it turns into a liquid mess. It is good that in the center of the road they are not treated with reagents - they save shoes, although not from moisture. It's a little bit colder in January.

The best outfit for walking in winter Prague is a water-repellent jacket and waterproof shoes. For no matter how beautiful the hotel is, it is extremely insulting to lie there with a runny nose for half a vacation.

How is Christmas celebrated in Europe?

Ideally, you should plan your New Year holidays in Europe in such a way as to capture Catholic Christmas - December 25th. There are two reasons to do this:

1. Practical: add a week of rest to the official weekend.
2. Emotional: fairs, decorated houses, shop windows, joyful faces of the townspeople. The atmosphere is energizing for the holiday. And even the dull weather will be brightened up by a painted mug-boot with mulled wine.

The pre-Christmas bustle ends in the second half of December 24. At the same time, all large stores are closed (and until the 26th). Mostly tourists stay on the streets. Dinner on Christmas Eve is spent with family and close friends; believers are sent to the service. And in the morning, children (and not only) are looking for gifts in socks hung around the house.

Christmas markets in Prague

Prague Christmas markets (or vánoční trhy) are one of the most visited in Europe. And fabulous! The opening falls on the last week of November, but it is good that some close after the New Year. Approximate operating mode: from 10 am to 8-9 pm... By the way, the fairs have an official hashtag on Instagram - #trhypraha and #praguemarkets.

• On the Old town square (Old Town Square) is the main fair in Prague and is recognized as one of the 10 most beautiful in the world. There is also a huge live spruce (by the standard of at least 22 m, like a seven-story building, for a minute), shimmering with lights from 5 pm, and a constant stream of tourists - you can't miss it!
  November 30 - solemn lighting of the Christmas tree
  December 24, 21:00 - Christmas Mass for all
  December 31, 18:30 - New Year's celebration
  When? November 30-January 6, 2020
• On the Wenceslas Square (Wenceslas Square) - the same large and popular birth market, one kilometer from the first. But the tree is smaller and artificial 🙂
  When? November 30-January 6, 2020
• Fair in Prague Castle (St. George's Square) is one of the few "small" ones that survive until January. Cozy and an order of magnitude freer
  When? November 23-January 6, 2020
• On the Republic square (Republic Square) - a mini-version of the market on Old Town, they are only 500 meters away; judging by the reviews, prices for food and souvenirs are lower
  When? November 25-December 24, 2019
• On the Peace square (Peace Square) - the earliest in Prague and with its own Christmas tree; is not located in the center, and therefore there are more locals here
  When? November 20-December 24, 2019

... and a dozen others (rolling before Christmas).

Ice rink! How can it be without open skating rinks? :) They "freeze" from the beginning of December to the end of January. We recommend two good ones: on Ovocný trh square - free, skate rental 100 CZK (December 5 - January 31, 2020); Na Františku, near the embankment - entrance 70 CZK, rental 50 (November 25-February 29, 2020).

Where to celebrate New Year 2021 in Prague?

For counting: 1 Czech crown = 3.5 rubles. In a simple way - multiply prices by 3!

New Year in the Czech Republic is a time of an incredible influx of tourists. Those who do not want to push in the street under the chimes, risking being caught by fireworks, it is better to worry in advance where to celebrate the holiday: to book a restaurant or buy the necessary props for a feast in a supermarket (and meet how they celebrate at home: with Olivier and champagne).

Christmas tree on Old Town Square (photo by Katya Tarasova) | Pub in Prague

Tours to Prague from Moscow for New Year 2021

Prague is the only European capital where it is logical to consider a trip as a tour. And often it is even more profitable: a regular voucher for 7 days for two costs 45-55 thousand rubles!

However, on New Year's Eve in Prague 2021, the prices for tours are no longer so pleasant - it is understandable, holiday = demand. We will describe further in general, but you can find out the cost of the voucher specifically for the desired dates and other conditions at:

• Travelata
• Level.Travel
• Onlinetours

Departures, by the way, not only from Moscow, but also from St. Petersburg, Kazan and other large cities. So, how much does a ticket to Prague cost?

On a note: the most "biting" dates for the start of the tour - December 29 and 30; democratic - December 25 and 26 (if we talk about a vacation per week).

Tour to Prague in December 2020 for 10 days

Rest is so full? :) If the goal is a principled position - to celebrate the New Year in Prague and with the seizure of Christmas, then a 10-day voucher is a suitable option.

✓ It will come out at ± 80,000 rubles for two, but the hotel is a maximum of 3 stars (albeit with breakfast) and not in the center. Everything that is better / closer - from 95 thousand, and these are all the same "three stars".

✓ 4 stars for 10 days - from 105,000 rubles; and 5 * - from 155 thousand.

✓ Off topic, but: the price of a ticket to the Czech Republic for the same period and when departing in January (starting from the 10th) is cheaper - from 62,000.

Tour to Prague for 7 days

Tours to Prague for the New Year 2021 lasting 7 days / nights, you will have to choose on the 25th-31st (for obvious reason: to catch the New Year).

✓ The most "sparing" alignment - departure on December 25, and it costs from 63,000 rubles (three rubles, breakfasts, 5-10 km from the main fun). Small "☹": arrival on January 1, will it work out ... Four - already from 90 thousand, five - from 120.

✓ Every next two days the price tag rises by 10-20 thousand, and the same "not so" hotel turns into gold. Although exactly on December 31, the amount will slightly decrease.

✓ Saving: New Year's tour for 4-5 nights will not be cheaper than 65,000 rubles, but it will allow you to shift the departure dates to December 28-29.

Prices for holidays in Prague in winter

And if you "collect" the New Year in Prague on your own? We figured out 3 options for the development of events and calculated the cost of rest for two for 7 days (26.12-2.01) on their own:

1. Get rich. Suddenly and very hard.
2. We decided to boo. But not too much.
3. Saved.

The results were tabulated. Below we will decipher which of which.

* for a New Year tour in Prague, prices are about the same (road + accommodation from the category "cheap" or "comfort")

Not to say that a visit to New Year's Prague will cost a pretty penny. It is definitely cheaper than a trip to Thailand or Goa for similar dates. Only the Emirates can compete.

TOP-5 hotels in Prague according to the advice of tourists

We noted the best hotels in Prague in terms of price-quality ratio according to tourists' reviews and checked how much it costs to stay in the winter of 2020-2021. Prices are for 2-seater standard NEW YEAR'S NIGHT:

• 3 * Atlantic Hotel - € 65
• 4 * Grand Hotel Praha - € 95
• 4 * Innside Prague Old Town - € 120
• 4 * Dominican Hotel (ex. Savic Hotel) - € 185

Personally, our approach is as follows: the best is, of course, good, but too expensive :) Therefore, we have compiled our list of where you can stay in Prague, slightly compromising on conditions / comfort. Not that it would be inexpensive (peak period!), But more or less:

• 3 * Aparthotel Susa - is located near the fair on Peace Square, so you have to go for a walk - it is no longer available for self-armor,
  but you can take a tour for two >> for 85-90,000 rubles
• 3 * Abito Hotel - get to the squares only by transport,
  but the hotel itself is decent. It is also one of the most popular budget hotels for the tour >> - from 70,000 rubles
• 3 * Ibis Praha Mala Strana is a chain hotel, convenient for transportation. Tour for two - from 90,000 rubles
• 1 * Hostel Advantage - yes, hostel, yes, in a room for 10s, but has amazingly positive reviews and a location right in the center
• 4 * The Charles Hotel - not as "evil" for the price as the fours from the list above and no less good, next to the Charles Bridge

Who is planning to celebrate the New Year at a hotel in Prague? Show programs - which are paid separately - cannot be vouched for, most of them are dull and fleeting. The menu is on the level, but the waiters strive to take everything away immediately after 00:00. As an example, we can cite New Year evenings at 5 * Hilton Prague and 5 * Ambassador Zlata Husa: for an additional 200-250 euros, the guest receives a dinner (without drinks), a party and some kind of company.

And remember that for a trip to the capital of the Czech Republic on holidays, early booking is especially important. Many hotels in Prague are already completely sold out for the New Year. And in the above hotels, the rooms literally melted before our eyes, at the time of writing this article!

In Prague, we stayed at the Ritchie’s Hostel & Hotel - for 10 euros / night
(modest but clean)

4 best restaurants

When the Czech winter weather makes you chill to the bone, there is no question of what to do - go and drink beer, of course! - the question is: where to go? It is unrealistic to choose the best restaurants, but we have collected those that are most often visited by tourists and do not regret it:

1. Kozlovna - there are several restaurants under this brand in Prague. Everyone is distinguished by simple food, huge portions, excellent Kozel beer and affordable prices (schnitzel - 200 CZK, Kozel beer, 0.5 - 45 CZK)
2. Nase maso - a butcher shop and a restaurant at the same time. Stopped in - try a burger (205-225 CZK)
3. Pivovarský Dům - optimal price-quality ratio. Experts recommend trying mead (100 ml - 55 CZK)
4. Vytopna Railway Restaurant - drinks are delivered by a small train. We have everything 🙂

What to see in Prague in 3 days?

The Czech Republic is part of the Schengen area - you need a visa. How to get a Czech or any other Schengen area without any problems, we will tell you in detail here >>.

Where to go in Prague if you only have 3 days at your disposal? An approximate list of must visit for a three-day stay in the Czech Republic:

1. Trade fairs. It's a crime to be in Prague in December and not visit! You can buy Christmas tree decorations, souvenirs, or you can just take a photo with a trdelnik. There is someone who likes it. We talked about the main and "long-playing" in the second section.
2. Attractions in Prague. Bad weather should not interfere with walks: Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, Stare Myasto. Further - to move according to personal preferences. For example, we want to see the dancing house, the John Lennon wall and the swans at the Kampa.
3. Beer houses. In Prague, this is not just catering, it is culture and atmosphere. By the way, most establishments will offer non-alcoholic beer of excellent quality to those who do not drink alcohol. Where? Pivovarský Dům or Kulový Blesk.
4. Mini trip to neighboring Germany (Dresden, Munsen) and Austria (Vienna). But if you are only in Prague for 3 days, then we do not recommend it.

For New Year's activities:

✓ On 1st January at 19:30 the Prague Symphony Orchestra gives a festive concert - 150-900 CZK

✓ From December 1 to December 23 at 16:00 an uncharged lamplighter walks along the Charles Bridge and lights gas lamps (in ordinary weeks they flash on their own, but here it is a tradition)

✓ December 30 at 20:00 - Swan Lake ballet at the Hybernia Theater (850-1450 CZK); January 1 at 15:00 ibid - Nutcracker (850-1450 CZK)

Nightclubs in Prague

Despite its considerable age, Prague is a very party city. Places where you can dance (and not only):

• Storm - guy, rock, drum & bass. Free admission for girls
• Modra Vopice - rock, metal, punk, hardcore. For lovers of alternative music
• Mass is house. Prague Ibiza, according to some visitors
• Radost FX - house, R&B, hip-hop. Eccentric decor and parties match it

Ski resorts

Where to relax in the Czech Republic, besides Prague? Not very advertised, but very decent ski resorts in the Czech Republic are suitable for beginners and "average". Some even have black tracks. Most popular places:

• Spindleruv Mlyn - 28 km
• Harrachov - 10 km
• Janske Lazne - 11 km
• Giant Mountains - 25 km
• Bozi Dar - 70 km

Bozi Dar is located 27 km from another famous resort - Karlovy Vary. Healing springs, a spa, a swimming pool will help you recover after an active holiday in the mountains or the hustle and bustle of a big city (and a holiday).

Reviews of tourists - is it worth celebrating the New Year in Prague?

Should I go to Prague for the New Year? Necessarily! If:

A. You are not afraid to freeze;
Q. You are not an introvert, you are not afraid of crowds of strangers on the street;
C. You are not intimidated by fireworks;
D. There is money (although prices for New Year's in Prague are not that high compared to, for example, Paris).

Reviews of tourists, including negative moments, are associated with what cannot be avoided anywhere on New Year's days (even in Pyaterochka near the house): huge crowds of people.

Pros and cons

Total: why is it still worth going to New Year's Prague? And why not? Pros and cons: