Havelské tržiště: the Old Town market that predates the guidebooks

Walk south from the Old Town Square, past the clock crowds, and in about five minutes the street narrows around a row of awnings. Under them: peaches, mushrooms, wooden spoons, painted eggs, scarves and a good deal of postcards. That is Havelská, and the market on it is older than most of the buildings around it.

A short history

Havelské tržiště takes its name from the church of St Gall, in Czech kostel svatého Havla, which stands beside the market. The area was once a separate settlement, the Havel Town (Havelské Město), and a market has stood here since the Middle Ages. Prague's separate towns were merged into one city in 1784, and the market stayed in place. Fewer places in the capital have been doing the same job for so long.

What it is like now

Be honest about it: this is the most visited market in Prague, in the most visited part of the city, and it sells accordingly. You will find a few stalls of fruit and vegetables, dried fruit and nuts, honey, flowers, and a lot of crafts and souvenirs. It is not a farm-gate market and it does not claim to be.

That does not make it a trap. It makes it a place with a purpose. If you want a peach and a view of a market stall in a medieval street, it works. If you want a week of groceries at the best price, it doesn't. For that, see how Prague's farmers' markets work, or look at the supermarket list in our Czech supermarket guide.

What it feels like at different times

On a weekday morning the street is almost calm. Stallholders are unpacking, delivery trolleys rattle over the cobbles and the fruit looks its best. By late morning the tour groups arrive from the square, and from then until the afternoon the pavement is a slow-moving crowd where you stop for the fruit or you do not stop at all.

In summer the awnings throw useful shade, and the cherries and apricots are the reason to come. In winter the street shrinks to a handful of stalls, and the mood changes with the weather. Early evening is quiet, but the stalls pack up, so if you want to buy, come in daylight.

What to buy

Fruit and vegetables for the same afternoon: cherries, plums, tomatoes, whatever looks best. Ask for the price per kilo first. Flowers are a safe buy and often good value. Dried fruit, nuts and honey make easy gifts, though read the label to see where they come from.

Crafts are where the stalls vary the most. Wooden toys, hand-painted decorations and textiles are a fair choice if you handle them and see the quality. Souvenirs that look machine-made probably are. A good test: if the same item appears on every second stall in identical form, it comes from the same wholesaler.

For a sit-down lunch nearby, our guide to daily lunch menus explains how locals eat well at midday.

How to avoid overpaying

Prices must be displayed, and the usual unit is per kilo. Do three things. First, read the sign, not the seller's rounding. Second, watch the scale: the weight should be shown to you. Third, count the change. Most stall holders are fair, and some are not, and the risks are the same as in any crowded tourist spot, which is why our scam guide is worth a read.

A short route around it

Start at the Old Town Square, walk out along Melantrichova and let the street bring you to the market. Walk its full length, buy something small, then turn into the nearby lanes and passages. The point is to see the market as one stop in a day, between the square and the shops and cafés of the New Town side. If you are hungry, a daily lunch menu a few streets away will be cheaper and better than a snack on the pavement.

Getting there and timing

Havelská sits two minutes' walk from Můstek metro station, where lines A and B meet, and a short walk from the Old Town Square. It is a daytime market. Go on a weekday morning for space; weekends and summer afternoons are busy. Opening days and hours vary by season and stall (as of 2026; check the official source).

Pair it with a walk through the surrounding lanes. The area around Havelská, Melantrichova and Rytířská holds old courtyards, passages and the Estates Theatre close by; see our guide to the Estates Theatre. The crowd thins fast once you step off the main line from the square.

Who it suits

Visitors with an hour in the Old Town and a wish to see a market. Newcomers who live nearby and want flowers or a quick fruit stop on the way home. Photographers who like stalls in good light. It is less suited to a family who want a loaded shopping bag.

Frequently asked questions

How old is Havelské tržiště?

There has been a market here since the Middle Ages, around the church of St Gall in the old Havel Town. Exact dates are debated, so take it as a long-standing medieval market.

Is Havelská a farmers' market?

Not in the strict sense. It is a mixed open-air market with produce, flowers, crafts and souvenirs.

Is it cheaper than a supermarket?

Usually not. You are paying for the setting and convenience, so compare.

Do stalls take cards?

Some do and some do not. Bring cash.

When is it open?

Mostly during the day, on most days of the week. Hours vary with season and stall, so check locally.