Czech Republic, Europe

Prague in April

Gardens open and blossoms hit the castle slopes. Easter week brings a real surge to Old Town.

GoodCool spring, highs near 56F (13C), changeable

Charles Bridge, Prague — PraguePhoto: DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0

The straight answer

April is a good month to visit Prague. Gardens open and blossoms hit the castle slopes. Easter week brings a real surge to Old Town.

Weather: Cool spring, highs near 56F (13C), changeable
Crowds: 3 of 5
Prices: 3 of 5

What April is like in Prague

April brings real spring to Prague. Highs are near 56F (13C), weather swings from sunny to showery in the same day, and blossoms start covering Petrin Hill and the castle slopes. Gardens reopen as the month goes on. Crowds grow steadily, with a clear surge in Old Town during Easter week.

This month works well for flower lovers, walkers, and anyone who wants spring prices before the May rush. Pack for changeable weather and you will do fine. If your dates hit Easter week, expect crowds and higher rates. If you want steady warmth, May and June are the sure things.

Make the most of April

What is especially good about Prague this month.

Blossoms on Petrin Hill

The orchards on Petrin turn white and pink, and a walk down from the lookout tower through the trees is one of the best free things to do in spring.

Easter markets on the squares

In most years the Easter markets run in April, with painted eggs, pussy-willow whips, and trdelnik stalls on Old Town Square.

Castle gardens reopening

The gardens below the castle begin opening for the season, giving you terraced views over the red roofs of Mala Strana.

What to pack for April

A packable rain shell
A warm sweater or fleece for cool evenings
Comfortable shoes for cobbles and hills
Sunglasses for the bright spells

Our timing tip

If you can avoid Easter week, do; the week after Easter has the same blossoms with far fewer people.

Book Prague for April.

Sponsored links to Expedia and Vrbo. We may earn a commission; it never changes a verdict.

Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Prague
Opens a hotel search for Prague in April, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for April
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Prague
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Prague
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Prague for April. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in April

Easter markets

Roughly the two to three weeks around Easter, March or April

Painted eggs, pussy-willow whips, and stalls on Old Town Square, the spring rehearsal for December.

Things to do in Prague

Full guide

Charles Bridge at dawn

The single most important timing move in Prague: before 8am the bridge holds photographers and pigeons; by 11am in season it is a moving crowd.

Tickets and tours →

Prague Castle complex

St Vitus Cathedral, the Old Royal Palace, and Golden Lane on one circuit ticket. Go early or late; midday queues at security build fast in season.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Old Town Square and the Astronomical Clock

The hourly clock show draws a scrum; watch once, then climb the Old Town Hall tower for the view over the square instead.

Tickets and tours →

Josefov, the Jewish Quarter

The Old Jewish Cemetery and the synagogues form one of Europe's most moving historical sites. Closed Saturdays for the Jewish Sabbath.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Petrin Hill

Ride the funicular up to orchards, gardens, and a miniature Eiffel-style lookout tower. Blossom season in April and May is the local secret.

Tickets and tours →

A proper Czech pub

Order the tankova (tank) pilsner and let the waiter keep them coming. Lokal and the old cellar pubs off the main squares beat anything on them.

Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Set one alarm for the Charles Bridge at dawn. It is the entire Prague crowd problem solved for free, and the light is better anyway.
Do the castle at opening or after 3pm and enter from the quieter back gates rather than the main ceremonial approach at midday.
The crowd is a corridor: Old Town Square to the bridge to the castle. Two blocks off that line, in Nove Mesto, Vinohrady, or Letna, Prague is calm even in August.
December's markets are busiest after dark and on weekends; go on a weekday at dusk for lit stalls without the crush, then dine away from the square.

Know before you go

Prague has no seasonal shutdown: museums, pubs, concerts, and the castle run all twelve months. Winter changes the daylight and the temperature, not the access.
The castle complex runs shorter winter hours, and some of its gardens, including the Royal Garden, close entirely from roughly November through March. The cathedral and main circuit stay open.
The Jewish Museum sites in Josefov close on Saturdays year-round and on Jewish holidays.
December 24 through 26 and January 1 close or shorten most sights, while the markets and restaurants carry the load; the market stalls themselves generally run right through the holidays.