Reading time: 5 minutes 
As millions in Czechia prepare for the long weekend ahead, shopping and planning is in full swing. We've put together a guide what to expect and do this Easter weekend, which runs in 2025 from Friday, April 18, to Monday, April 21.
Will stores close?
Under Czech law, both small and large shops are legally allowed to remain open on Good Friday. Some may choose to close, however, or shift their opening times.
In contrast, on Easter Monday, shops that are over 200 square meters in size, including supermarkets and clothing stores, are required to close. Pharmacies, gas stations, shops at airports, railway stations (including Prague’s Hlavní nádraží), and hospitals are exempt from this regulation.
On Saturday and Sunday, stores are expected to keep their regular weekend opening hours. Smaller, independent shops may close due to the Easter weekend.
There is an exception to the Easter Sunday rule: Penny stores across Czechia will be closed on Sunday, April 20, to give employees two consecutive days off following the busy Easter period. The move is meant to recognize staff efforts during the holiday rush and allow them time to rest.
Traffic disruptions
Aside from disruptions already taking place, Prague's transport system will see only limited changes this weekend.
On Good Friday, the public transport system will follow its standard Saturday schedule, and on Easter Monday it will follow the Sunday schedule. On Friday and Monday buses, trams, and the metro will run slightly less frequently.
Notably, an area near Prague Castle will face some disruption this weekend. Tram service will be suspended between Prašný most and Vozovna Střešovice (Prague 1) from April 18 to April 21 (noon) due to repairs. Tram routes 1, 2, 25, 96, and 97 will be rerouted. Temporary tram stops will be set on Badeniho Street.
The Prague Public Transport (DPP) company advises using regular buses as alternatives. DPP also recommends checking its (English-language) website for updates. Some bus stops near Vozovna Střešovice will be relocated to nearby streets, including Cukrovarnická and U Laboratoře.
what to do
- Most of Prague’s Easter markets, including those in the Old Town and Wenceslas Square, are open till April 27. Some, such as the Náměstí Míru market, will close a bit sooner. Check out our full guide.
- At Prague Zoo, a special hunt awaits youngsters on Good Friday to find avian treasure, and on Sunday, visitors will get a chance to attend a workshop to learn from a specialist on how to make wicker items. Special guided feedings and meetings await on Easter Monday.
- From April 5, over 100 castles and chateaux and their usual sightseeing routes have been open across Czechia, including Prague. Some, such as Grabštejn State Castle and Lemberk State Castle, will have special Easter-themed displays and events. See more details at the National Heritage Institute website.
- On Saturday, April 19, Toulcův dvůr—an ecological education center situated in a historic farmstead in Prague’s Hostivař—will offer a guided tour titled "Behind the Beauty of Toulcův dvůr." This special program allows visitors to explore areas of the premises that are typically not accessible to the public. The site features gardens, domestic animals, fruit orchards, a health food shop, and a cafeteria. Participation in the tour is limited, and advance registration is required.
- Okoř Castle near Prague will offer an unconventional combination of Easter and a knight's tournament on Sunday, April 20. It will host a market with medieval music, and knights will fight for the hand of a princess. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- A special Easter exhibition at the Charles Bridge Museum highlights Easter traditions and history linked to Charles IV this weekend.
- Horse racing and Easter will make for a unique combination at Chuchle (on the southwestern outskirts of Prague) on April 18. While jockeys are unlikely to swap their riding crops for traditional Easter whips, visitors can look forward to a festive atmosphere, particularly for families with children. The event will feature a variety of activities, including bouncy castles and creative workshops. Gates open at midday, with the first race scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
- A special Easter program at Písecká brána (Prague 6) will feature concerts, an exhibition, craft workshops, a performance by the children's choir Sedmihlásek, a visit from the Easter Bunny, storytelling for children, and the traditional symbolic burning of Morana. Admission to all events is free of charge.
WHICH MONUMENTS AND HISTORICAL SPOTS ARE OPEN?
- The Prague Castle grounds will be open Good Friday to Easter Sunday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. St. Vitus Cathedral will have slightly altered opening times on Friday and Saturday; from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cathedral on Easter Sunday is open only from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. The Royal Garden, Deer Moat, Southern Gardens are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Šternberk Palace, a prominent baroque building near Prague Castle, opens its doors to the public during the Easter weekend. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore how Easter themes were portrayed by renowned Italian, Dutch, and German painters from the 14th to 16th centuries. The program will place special emphasis on the remarkable Passion Altar, offering insight into the artistic interpretations of the Easter story during this period.
- The main buildings of the National Museum are open on Good Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Easter Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. However, the Antonín Dvořák Museum and Bedřich Smetana Museum close an hour earlier.
- National Gallery Prague buildings will be closed on Easter Monday. On Easter Friday, they will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The weekend schedule is unchanged.
- The National Technical Museum will be open on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday during the Easter holidays.
- The National Library of the Czech Republic will be closed between Good Friday and Easter Monday inclusive. The outside part of the Klementinum campus will be open from early morning to 10 p.m.
- Kunsthalle states on its website that it is “always open on public holidays.” You can visit daily between 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- The Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague will be open on Good Friday through to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It will be closed Easter Monday.
- Opera houses and concert halls operate as usual, staging both Easter concerts and regular concerts.
- A concert will be held on Easter Sunday, April 20, at 5 p.m. in St. James Basilica, featuring works by Bach, Handel, Mozart, and others. The program will be performed by soprano Jan Koucká, trumpeter Jiří Bachtík, and organist Irena Chřibková on the historic 1705 St. James organ.
