Christmas 2025 in Central Bohemia: A Festive Escape Beyond the Big Cities

Markets with the Scent of Mead

Skip the crowded shopping centres and discover markets where time feels like it moves a little more gently.
In Kutná Hora, the Advent Sundays at the Italian Court courtyard bring together punch and mead, handmade gifts and local choirs singing carols beneath medieval walls.

Mělník lights up its Christmas tree on 30 November, marking the start of its cosy town markets. Meanwhile, Beroun offers from 30th November till 21st December one of the most atmospheric seasonal fairs in the region — with a Christmas market, an ice rink and even a special Baby Jesus Post Office for children.

Even castles get in on the festive mood: on 6–7 December, Český Šternberk Castle hosts a charming mini-market filled with local crafts, handmade decorations and creative workshops for kids.

On the weekends of 6–7 December and 13–14 December, Křivoklát Castle transforms into a magical place filled with festive scents, music and the warm glow of Christmas. From 10:00 to 17:00, visitors can enjoy a traditional Advent craft market with a rich programme for both children and adults.

On 6 December, the courtyard of Dobříš Chateau transforms into a glowing marketplace with over thirty stalls. Expect decorations, traditional gifts, local wines and snacks — and creative activities for little visitors.

Where Christmas Traditions Come to Life

Central Bohemia is a land of old crafts and rural customs, and nowhere do they shine more beautifully than in Advent.

From 22 November to 28 December, the open-air museum in Přerov nad Labem invites visitors to try gingerbread decorating or lead-pouring — and to experience how holidays were celebrated “in our great-grandmothers’ time”.

In Příbram, a miner’s cottage opens on 13–14 December, showing how a mining family once celebrated Christmas. You can watch artisans at work, try traditional crafts and explore an exhibition of nativity scenes from the surrounding mining region.

Every year brings something fresh to the region, and this season introduces a brand-new ice rink on Příbram’s 17 November Square. Open from 21 November to 21 January 2026, the 30 × 15 metre rink is accompanied by a small Christmas village with festive snacks and drinks.

The Kouřim open-air museum celebrates country traditions from 29 November to year’s end, presenting a beautifully decorated parlour with a festive table, tree, nativity scene and old-fashioned holiday treats once prepared for servants.

Festive Castle & Chateau Tours

For many travellers, Christmas isn’t complete without a touch of aristocratic splendour — and Central Bohemia delivers.

At Český Šternberk Castle, visitors can explore decorated rooms and learn how the noble Sternberg family celebrated the holidays, complete with stories of childhood and the gifts once given to local children.

Lány Chateau opens its doors for two Advent weekends — 6–7 December and 13–14 December — offering a beautifully decorated interior and a festive market in the former stables.

At Loučeň Castle, Christmas starts early: on 17 November, the annual “Story of the Christmas Tree” returns with the theme A Hundred Years of Czech Christmas. Expect dazzling trees, costumed guides and a warm holiday atmosphere every day until 17 January 2026.

On 6–7 December, Konopiště Chateau invites visitors on a special tour set around the year 1900. Historical decorations from the castle’s archives transform the rooms, and the experience includes traditional music performed in the Archduke’s library.

Workshops, Exhibitions & Hands-On Christmas Experiences

If you love creative moments, Central Bohemia has plenty of festive workshops and exhibitions to spark inspiration.

On 23 November, the T. G. Masaryk Museum in Lány hosts an Advent craft fair with wreaths, decorations, candles and seasonal treats.

At the Škoda Museum in Mladá Boleslav, an Advent wreath-making event takes place on 28 November. The following day, visitors can create their own wreaths in the Nymburk Cider House.

The same weekend, GASK Gallery in Kutná Hora hosts Advent Design GASK: creative workshops, design stalls, a lively accompanying programme and great food.

Christmas wouldn’t be complete without nativity scenes. From 6 December to 5 January, exhibitions in the Ševčinský Mine area and the Church of St. Vojtěch in Příbram showcase historical and contemporary nativity scenes from the mining region. The largest puppet nativity scene in the country — the Karlštejn Royal Nativity — awaits visitors near Karlštejn Castle, where the Nativity Museum is open year-round.

Concerts, Boats & Steam Trains: Unique Seasonal Moments

For something truly special, head to Huť František in Sázava on 13 December for a Christmas concert featuring works by Mozart, Dvořák and Korngold. The glassworks setting adds a unique glow to the music.

Or enjoy Advent on water: between late November and late December, Poděbrady offers one-hour holiday cruises along the Elbe, complete with mulled wine, carols and a calm winter mood. Boats depart every Advent Sunday at 12:30, 14:00 and 15:30.

Railway lovers can mark 30 November on their calendars: the traditional steam-train ride through the Sázava River valley returns. The “Čertohráček” circular route runs from Prague through the stunning Posázaví landscape to Týnec nad Sázavou and back via Čerčany and Senohraby — complete with a historic buffet car.