Stand on Wenceslas Square as the Crown Jewels Come Out
You arrive at the top of Wenceslas Square in the late afternoon and the square is already full — the long, gently sloping expanse of Václavské náměstí in Prague 1, with the mounted statue of St. Václav presiding over the crowd from the upper end. Market stalls run in rows below him: ceramics, wooden toys, and the smell of trdelník coming off the grills. This is the St. Wenceslas Markets, held around Wenceslas Square and Republic Square, and it is the most central way to spend 28 September, Czech Statehood Day, with the city on a public holiday around you.
What makes 2026 unusual is what is happening a short walk uphill. The Czech Crown Jewels — the Royal Crown, the Orb and the Sceptre — go on public display in the Vladislav Hall of Prague Castle from 19 to 28 September 2026, a rare viewing that closes on the holiday itself. The 2026 exhibition is subtitled "Habsburgs 500," tracing the history of the Crown Jewels from Ferdinand I's accession to the Bohemian throne in 1526 through the first century of Habsburg rule, with a coronation robe dating from 1653 and other rare artefacts also on show. Go early in that window; the holiday weekend is the busiest stretch of it.
Follow the Pilgrims to Stará Boleslav, and to St. Vitus
The religious heart of the day lies outside the centre. St. Wenceslas was murdered on 28 September 935 by supporters of his younger brother Boleslav at the church entrance in what is now Stará Boleslav, and each year the National Pilgrimage processes there, carrying the saint's skull and led by the Archbishop of Prague. It is free to join the crowds along the route. To reach Stará Boleslav, take Metro Line B to Černý Most and then a bus — roughly forty minutes from the metro station to the town and its St. Wenceslas Church.
In Prague itself, the pilgrimage turns toward St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle, where the saint is buried and where the Rotunda of St. Vitus he founded became the basis of today's cathedral. If you attend a mass, dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered. Wreath-laying ceremonies and the pilgrimages are free to attend.
Drink Wine Where the Vineyard Is Older Than the Country
Wenceslas is the patron saint of brewers and winemakers, and the holiday lands squarely in grape-harvest season. The St. Wenceslas Wine Festival is held at St. Wenceslas Vineyard at Villa Richter, near Prague Castle — one of Bohemia's oldest vineyards. You buy a tasting glass and tokens at the entrance, then work your way through the terraces above the castle with the city laid out below you. The same week brings seasonal beer tappings across the city.
For the table, order the traditional St. Wenceslas Menu: roasted goose with red cabbage and potato dumplings. It is the dish the holiday is built around, and restaurants serve it through the celebrations.
Take the Family to Prague 4, or Out to Český Krumlov and Kutná Hora
If you are travelling with children, the Prague 4 municipal district runs its traditional St. Wenceslas Day event in Na Jezerce Park on 28 September 2026 from 13:00 to 18:00, free of charge. The programme is built for families and leans medieval: theatrical performances for children by Puppet Kingdom Theatre, TLD Zvoneček and Theatre under the Hat; music from Kašpárek v rohlíku; and knightly duels and historical fencing demonstrations by the Knights of the Czech Crown.
Beyond Prague, regional celebrations stretch wider than the single holiday. The International Folklore Festival in Český Krumlov brings parades, Czech dancing and folk music, and regional festivals there often run from 25 to 28 September. Autumn fairs and folklore also fill Český Krumlov and Kutná Hora. If you base yourself in Prague, both are straightforward day trips, and the folklore programme gives you a reason to leave the capital rather than spend all four days in it.
Know What Closes, and How to Move
- Shops close. By Czech law, stores over 200 m² — most supermarkets and malls — must shut on 28 September. Small convenience stores, pharmacies and shops in travel hubs such as train stations stay open. Most restaurants, cafes, museums and galleries operate as usual, though they will be busier.
- Getting around. Metro lines A, B and C intersect at Wenceslas Square, at the Můstek and Muzeum stations; a 90-minute ticket costs around $1.50. Parking is restricted in Prague 1 — use the P+R lots on the city outskirts at $1–5 per day and continue by metro.
- Arriving. Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG) is about 15 km from the centre, roughly 30 minutes by taxi or the Airport Express bus; Uber or Bolt into central Prague runs about $25–35.
- Tickets. Parades, pilgrimages, street markets and wreath-laying ceremonies are free. Ticketed concerts and castle exhibitions run roughly $13–40, with student, senior and child discounts of 30–50% at concert venues; buy at on-site information centres.
- Where to sleep. Options range from Sophie's Hostel ($30–70) and B&B Hotel Prague City ($60–100) through Hotel Adria ($120–190) and NYX Hotel Prague ($100–160) to the Alcron Hotel Prague ($200–350) and Grand Mark Prague ($300–500).
- Check the programme. For the national programme, follow Visit Czechia on Facebook or Instagram, or contact info@visitczechia.com / +420 221 580 111.
Start with the one fixed date you cannot move: 28 September 2026. Build the trip backwards from it — book your accommodation early, since the Crown Jewels exhibition runs only 19–28 September and the holiday weekend draws the largest crowds, then decide whether your second day belongs to the pilgrims at Stará Boleslav, the wine terraces at Villa Richter, or the folklore parades in Český Krumlov. The goose, the markets and the square will be waiting either way.