Prague's holiday markets come with trigger warnings (how to enjoy them anyway)

Prague's Old Town Square Christmas markets are buzzing with visitors again this year, with Prague City Tourism estimating attendance at some 750,000 people. If you've been to the markets, it may feel like they have all descended on the space at once.

You wouldn't be alone in feeling a bit claustrophobic, and perhaps skeptical about the safety of so many people in one space. This week, a combination of sensationalized international public-health warnings, rising prices, increased pickpocket alerts, and ethical concerns over the annual carp sale all threaten to erode the festive spirit.

Here's how to play it smart and safe as the festive season nears its peak.

This week German daily Bild warned sensationalistically of "a killer virus at the Prague Christmas market" and that "the risk of contracting the deadly virus is particularly high" within the Czech capital.

The German media failed to mention, however, that all stalls at the Christmas markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square will be equipped with disinfectants, Hana Tietze, a spokeswoman for the organizing company Taiko, told iDnes.cz.

Czechia's public-health officials have stepped up hygiene recommendations following a surge in Hepatitis A infections nationwide, with around 2,880 cases as of early December, 4.5 times the number last year, according to the State Health Institute. Prague has roughly half of the country's active cases.

Prague’s Chief Health Hygienist Dr. Kateřina Macková noted that market-goers should be especially careful during peak hours. The City of Prague has called on market organizers to issue "instructions motivating visitors to disinfect their hands" and "install mobile sinks with drinking water, soap and disposable towels" where possible.

Prague’s historic center is seeing some of its densest foot traffic since before the pandemic, prompting police to step up street patrols. Officers say the biggest risks are theft, overcrowding, and minor disturbances linked to alcohol.

Authorities have expanded their presence in Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square, and other popular sites, deploying both uniformed and plainclothes patrols. They urge visitors to keep personal belongings secure as markets grow busier in the final days before Christmas.

Police officer Marek Černý tells Czech Television: “Pickpockets are absolutely unrecognizable to many people. They dress decently to blend in…backpacks are easy prey for [them], and thieves mainly target inattentive people.”

Czechia's practice of displaying and selling live carp as part of its Christmas dinner tradition has come under fire from various sections of the public: recent years have seen Tesco, Billa, and Lidl all ban live carp sales, citing animal welfare and sustainability concerns.

There's still a chance, though, of seeing live carp—often crammed into barrels—sold at stalls by Christmas markets. The City of Prague at the start of this week launched an informational campaign "drawing attention to the unnecessary suffering that carp undergo, especially during the Advent period." The campaign will be on display in the streets of Prague until Dec. 23.

"We are not talking about completely marginal matters here. Out of several thousand Christmas carp sales points throughout Czechia, approximately 200 are in Prague," Prague Deputy Mayor for the Environment and Climate Plan Jana Komrsková said.

According to Taiko, which operates the Old Town Square market, the price of large sausages has increased since last year, rising from CZK 140 to CZK 160, and overall prices remain high. Trdelník ranges from CZK 100 to CZK 180, langoš is CZK 180, and svařák typically sells for around CZK 100, as Seznam Zprávy describes.

Relative to regional neighbors, Prague stands out as one of the costlier holiday destinations. Brno’s markets are noticeably cheaper, with mulled wine starting at CZK 75 and other staples remaining below Prague’s upper bracket, as reported by Seznam Zprávy. 

Even within Prague, costs vary, with sausages costing CZK 115 at the náměstí Míru market and svařák going for CZK 85 at Jiřího z Poděbrad, as iDnes reports.

Vienna’s smaller snacks generally fall between the equivalent of CZK 120 and CZK 170, meaning Prague’s higher-priced trdelník and langoš can surpass Viennese levels, despite salary imbalances. 

Feeling overwhelmed by the throngs at Old Town Square? Prague offers several wonderful, less claustrophobic markets that are cherished by locals and feature better price points and more authentic Czech products.