Advent is just around the corner, and the smell of cinnamon, tea, and mulled wine rises in the nose, while you stroll through the Christmas-decorated streets and squares. Advent time does not always mean stress, stress to buying Christmas gifts, stress at work to finish everything before Christmas, or stress to decorating your home with Christmas decorations, but Advent time can also be enjoyed. For example, visiting cities as soon as they present themselves in their winter dress their most beautiful side.
Bratislava and Prague are two beautiful cities that already impressed me a lot in summer with their small streets, admirable sights, great offers, and tours. Also, the cozy bars to enjoy a coffee or an aperitif were great. But also in winter, these cities are not inferior to the other cities, so here are some tips for Advent in Prague and Bratislava.
Bratislava in advent mode
Bratislava’s most beautiful district is transformed into a true Christmas paradise as early as November 24. A fairytale Christmas market, which is open until December 21, attracts guests with Christmas sounds and lots of treats to stay. The Christmas market in Bratislava already has a long tradition and brings locals and tourists together to enjoy the time there together. To get there, there is even a special Christmas streetcar, which brings the good-humored people there.
In recent years, the Christmas market has even expanded to other beautiful parts of the city and squares, including even the Bratislava Castle, so you can leisurely wander through the city and visit sights, but also always stop at a Christmas market and warm up with a warm cup of punch. But also traditional Christmas dishes, such as pita bread from potato dough, roast pork, lard bread, or fresh waffles must not be missed and are definitely worth a try!
At Hviezdoslav Square, you can glide across the skating rink and let the wind swirl around your nose, bringing with it the fresh scents of the surrounding stands. Skates can of course be rented on-site for a small fee, so nothing stands in the way of a spontaneous round of skating.
The cultural part is not neglected either, of course, and several performances of The Nutcracker are staged at the Slovak National Theater during Advent. The Nutcracker tells the most famous Christmas story, which is an exciting and unforgettable experience for children as well as adults. After the performance, enjoy a romantic walk along the waterfront and end a wonderful day in Bratislava.
In Bratislava, there is also Falkensteiner Hotel Bratislava, which is very good and centrally located. In the pre-Christmas period, there is a free drink for every guest and if you want to get really cozy, you can enjoy a special Slovak Christmas cabbage soup in the hotel and watch the snowflakes falling from our hotel bar.
All this may sound like a fairy tale, but it can soon have been one of your truly beautiful vacations. 😊
Advent, Advent, in Prague a little light burns
Everyone knows the saying “Advent, Advent, a little light burns…”, but in Prague, this is not the case, because there are millions of lights burning, which let the city shine in the Advent season. In addition to the many lights, there are also magical Christmas markets in the streets and squares of Prague, which have already been listed by various magazines among the top 10 Christmas markets in Europe and worldwide. The gates of the Christmas markets are open from 26 November to 6 January and lots of cheerful and happy people meet here to get in the mood for the Christmas season together.
But not only Christmas markets are a decisive reason to visit Prague during this time because other highlights also invite you to visit Prague. For example, the world-famous story “The Nutcracker” is also performed here in Prague’s National Theater. These performances are performed and accompanied by the orchestra of the National Theater, the Prague Philharmonic Children’s Choir, the Czech National Ballet, and students from the “Ballet Preparatory School” of the Czech National Ballet. This is an event not to be missed! And if you are especially lucky and are in Prague on December 22nd, you will have the opportunity to visit the “Rybovka” – that is the Czech Christmas mass, which is an integral part of the pre-Christmas period in Prague. The church composition tells about the announcement of the birth of Christ and the arrival of the shepherds at the manger. The story, which will be performed 3 times on December 22 by the ensemble of the Prague Children’s Opera, shows great popularity among young and old!
Another highlight is definitely ice skating on the Letná, where you have a wonderful view of the old town and the Vltava River. After a few laps on the ice, you can warm up with a cup of mulled wine or tea and continue exploring the city.
In close proximity to all the hotspots in Prague is also the Falkensteiner Hotel Prague, which reopened its doors in May after a renovation. Among other things, the hotel offers an Acquapura SPA, where you can enjoy the sauna when it’s cold outside, as well as plenty of cozy corners to enjoy time with a glass of red wine or a Christmas cocktail. Because since May 2022 there is also “The Monkey Bar”, where lots of delicious cocktails can be enjoyed in the Monkey Lounge Bar. In addition, there is the possibility on the terrace to enjoy the cocktail under heat lamps and protection from the cold. From Thursday to Saturday, great live acts are always waiting to accompany you musically through the evening.
