New Year in Prague

Prague is one of Europe’s most popular New Year holiday destinations. Prague is a perfect city for New Year's Eve.

New Year's Eve in Prague; 31 December

New Year’s Day is celebrated in much the same way in the Czech Republic as in the rest of the world. People gather with friends and family on December 31 (Silvestr) and drink champagne, enjoy fireworks, and kiss at the stroke of midnight to celebrate the arrival of the year.

New Year's Eve is party night in Prague. "Crazy" is the only way to describe the Old Town Square at midnight, as fireworks go off all around. The crowd at Charles Bridge meanwhile is more relaxed, as people take in the beauty of fireworks over the river.

Some people choose to bar crawl, grab a snack en-route and chance on finding a club after midnight. Others book an "all-inclusive" evening of fine food, drinks and dancing 'til late. Some seek out the most romantic, candlelit cellar restaurant for an intimate evening 'à deux'. Others go straight for the Party Boat.

January 1 has greater significance to the Czech people than just marking the start of a new year; it also is a day that commemorates the creation of the present day Czech state. On January 1, 1993, the Czech Republic was created after the breakup of Czechoslovakia.

This day is thus the first of four official state holidays commemorating Czech statehood (the others being: September 28, October 28, and November 17).

New Year's Eve Fireworks
Broadly, there are more options for places to watch the fireworks. The fireworks can be watched from the banks and bridges of the Vltava, as well as all elevated parts of Prague, but the Čech bridge and neighbouring banks will be the best. Other options - the river restaurants, the river cruises, on and around Charles Bridge, and up high on Petrin Hill and at Prague Castle. Old Town Square is the more 'lively' option.
In recent years, Prague's New Year's fireworks have become a spontaneously and positively accepted tradition that attracts tens of thousands of visitors to Prague. Therefore Prague traditionally finances the New Year's fireworks and anticipates many visitors for this year's celebrations as well.
This year's New Year's celebrations in Prague will be accompanied by fireworks that will be set off from the Metronome at Letna park on the 1st of January. It is the first time in history when the fireworks will not be financed by the city itself but by the Spolu pro Prahu (Together for Prague) association that brings together utility and other firms in a project that ensures these integrated services for Prague citizens under the patronage of the city. The association will pay about one million krowns for the fireworks, meaning good savings for the city's treasury.

The fireworks will take about eleven minutes and, according to the wishes of the city, Flash Barrandov Speciální efekty will show the substantial part

of the fireworks show "A country of smiles" with which the firm achieved much success in the largest European festival of traditional acoustic fireworks in San Sebastian, Spain, this past August.

The fireworks must be modified according to the specific conditions in Letna park. The spectacle is very attractive for viewers because the resulting firework design is created with an emphasis on fine art, colours, humour and surprising moments with many unusual acoustic effects. The viewers will see the traditional flower motifs, large geometric effects, firework architecture with precise multi-coloured effects, and a gradual momentum to the finale, this time in an accentuated and spontaneous Spanish style...

Wherever you are - enjoy yourself. Prague is a perfect city for New Year's Eve.