Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, I might make a little extra spending money, at no extra cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own and these products/services have been found useful during our travels and come highly recommended to you from yours truly!
Looking for the best place to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Europe? Consider heading to Prague to ring in the New Year by hitting up the main sights before heading down to the Charles Bridge to catch the firework display show! This was how we ended 2015, but despite it being NYE, this is also a great city guide for Prague for anyone!
With less than two weeks until the big night, we finally booked a hotel in Prague for the night after doing some serious research into the firework show to welcome in the New Year. We were hesitant at first, after having spent NYE in Budapest, Hungary in 2013 and being let down by absolutely NO professional firework show.
Want to Bring in the New Year in Prague? PIN IT FOR LATER!!
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Here are some great ways to say goodbye to another year while in Prague!
Walk around the Christmas Market in the Main Square – open until January 6th
The Prague Christmas Market is one of the most beautiful in Europe, though it’s certainly cheating when it’s located in one of the most stunning cities in Europe! Prague’s Christmas Market can be found predominantly in the Main Square, though you’ll find others scattered throughout the rest of the city!
Go up the Astronomical Clock Tower & look down on the Christmas Market – open until 2pm on Dec 31st.
Walk over the Charles Bridge / Climb the Charles Bridge Towers
One of the best things to do in Prague is to climb any and all towers! Each tower offers a new vantage point more beautiful than the last. My personal favorite tower to climb? Had to say, but the Charles Bridge towers are certainly top contenders!
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Find some Love Locks
Bring Peace, Love & Happiness into the New Year by Czeching out the John Lennon Wall
Though I am not in any way shape or form a fan of the Beatles, let along John Lennon, I do have to say that the John Lennon wall is one of the most unique things to do in Prague as it’s constantly evolving, never the same. And the history behind the wall is also quite fascinating as it started out as a form of protest during the Communist era shortly after he died. The police would come by and paint it white again, but before they knew it, the images would return, much to their dismay.
Feed the Swans by the Charles Bridge
Quite possibly my favorite moment in Prague, and one of the most iconic photos of Prague is the Charles Bridge in the background of hundreds of swans and birds. Just don’t get too friendly with the swans as some of them have a bit of spunkiness.
Enjoy the colorful architecture on Mala Strana
The most beautiful street in Prague is luckily one of the easiest to find, as soon as you cross the Charles Bridge! These gilded houses in pastel colors are quite iconic when it comes to beautiful Prague!
Warm up at one of several firepits
Walk up to the Prague Castle & enjoy the views
Though you could easily take the city street cars up to the Prague Castle, I highly recommend making the trek up to the castle as you’ll be rewarded with some of the most beautiful panoramic views of Prague along the way! Plus, during summer, there are a few bars to stop at and enjoy a drink with a view!
Czech out the Prague Castle Christmas Markets
Be awed by the Strahov Monastery Library
We went for one library and were blessed to see TWO of Europe’s most beautiful libraries! Go as early as possible to avoid crowds of people trying to get a peek from a small door as entrance into the actual library is not possible unless with a private tour guide.
Go early for a NYE dinner around 5-6pm before the crowds come!
Hang out at the Christmas Market at night for dessert & a concert
Get yourself a Trdelnik (Chimney Cake), preferabbly with Nutella on the inside, topped with Vanilla Ice cream and sprinkle!
Trust me, it’s the best damn thing to eat in Prague!
Find a quite corner along the river to relax for the last few hours before the New Year!
Find a good spot on the Charles Bridge to watch the firework show!
10…9…8..7…6…5…4…3…2…1 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Pop a bottle of Chubbly and count down the last seconds of the year!
Bring in the New Year with a kiss from the one you love!
If you’re interested in visiting the Czech Republic and are looking for more information, I highly recommend using the DK Eyewitness Travel Guide and Lonely Planet! Without these guides, I would be lost! This is my travel Bible!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase, I might make a little extra spending money, at no extra cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own and these products/services have been found useful during our travels and come highly recommended to you from yours truly!
Other Great New Years Eve Destinations:
Other amazing places to visit in the Czech Republic:
12 Day Itinerary: Prague, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest
Beautiful photos! I spent NYE once in Budapest too and I was disappointed about the lack of fireworks, but it was still the best NYE I had 🙂 Your photos have reminded me how much I miss Prague, I’m dying to go back!
So far they have been the best fireworks I have found in Europe! I would like to go to Edinburgh for NYE one day!
We have just spent New Years Eve in Split in Croatia it was wonderful lots of fireworks, not just the professional ones but the whole town gets into the spirit. Your photos of Prague are beautiful…we spent some time there last year , it is one of my favorite cities.
Unfortunate my firework pictures for Prague don’t do it justice – it had also started to snow just before midnight so many of the pictures are blurry but the city put on the show and other people had their own fireworks so it was kind of like we were surrounded by fireworks all simultaneously going off – We were in Split over summer so I can imagine how wonderful it was there!
Happy new year, you certainly celebrated it with a bang! What a wonderful place to see in 2016. It must have felt so festive with the markets and the stunning arhitecture of Prague. Thanks for linking up with #MondayEscapes
Great post and beautiful pictures 🙂 Lovely to see again some of the same sites we visited. I can only imagine how beautiful (and cold!) it must have been on NYE 🙂