By Shania King-Soyza

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A Christmas market merely two hours from the UK has been hailed as Europe’s top festive destination . Travel specialists at Get Your Holiday have described this winter wonderland as “magical” and “magnificent”, making it the ideal spot to embrace the holiday atmosphere with twinkling lights, festive stalls and seasonal delights. Even better, return flights begin at just £32 through easyJet , creating a budget-friendly Christmas escape. “There’s something truly magical about Christmas markets , especially when they’re located in the picture-perfect heart of a historic European city,” the travel expert emphasised. Below, we have examined why Prague delivers the finest Christmas market experience. According to Get Your Holiday: “The Old Town Square, in Prague, hosts the city’s biggest and best Christmas market. You’ll get a brilliant view of the festivities from the Old Town Hall’s tower, where you can also spot the other Christmas markets that are held around town. Wenceslas Square, Prague Castle, and Kampa Island should be on your list if you want to visit them all.” Get Your Guide outlined what visitors can anticipate: “There’s a petting zoo, a magnificent 25-metre tree, and a programme of carol singing and traditional performances. Adults can swap mulled wine for grog, a local rum, water, lemon, and sugar concoction.” The Christmas markets at both Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square showcase large nativity scenes crafted from wood and straw, featuring Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, and the Three Kings. Over at Wenceslas Square, a blacksmith can be seen demonstrating traditional metalworking over an open flame. The square also proudly presents an open-air ice rink, where skaters can soak up the festive atmosphere, according to the Prague Experience. The expert added, “Among the handmade ornaments are winter accessories and traditional Czech foods like gingerbread and trdelník pastries.” Other culinary highlights include giant spit-roasted hams (šunka), barbecued sausages (klobása), garlic flatbreads (langoš), potato chips (hranolky), smoked meat dumplings (knedlíky plnné uzeným masem), sweet dumplings (sladké knedlíky), pancakes (palainky), local cheeses, and roasted chestnuts, as shared by the Prague Experience. The Prague Christmas Markets operate daily from November 29, 2025 to January 6, 2026, staying open on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. However, the most affordable time to jet off from London Gatwick via easyJet is on Tuesday, December 9, for £50.99 and the return flight on Saturday, December 13, for £31.99 (at the time of writing). Entry to the Christmas Markets is free, and food and drink prices range between CZK50 (£1.78) and CZK100 (£3.57), making them incredibly budget-friendly. “Bring small denomination cash if you can (CZK200 notes are best). “Bear in mind that establishments serving food typically do NOT offer alcoholic beverages, meaning you’ll need to visit separate stalls,” advised Living Prague . The specialists also stressed that tourists should invariably verify their change. “If you are buying something with a high-value note, such as a CZK2000, then make sure you get the correct change, as sometimes the vendor has a forgetful moment and does not include a CZK1000 note in the change, etc.” For those seeking accommodation options, easyJet is providing package holiday deals for Prague visitors. These packages encompass flights and hotels and start from a minimum of £181 per person for four nights from Monday, December 8. Find out more by clicking here. A travel correspondent at Living to Wander believes the Prague Christmas markets aren’t “that amazing”. They revealed: “I found many of the stalls to be repetitive, and especially in more touristy areas, fairly commercialised and overpriced with the same mass-produced goods and selection seen over and over. “BUT (and this is a big but) I contend that Prague is still a magical place at Christmas time, and well worth visiting… especially if you seek out the more ‘local’ Christmas markets rather than sticking to the oft-covered tourist trek.”