Prague in May is one of Europe's most popular city break combinations, and the numbers show it. The city is beautiful in late spring light, the beer is still the best value in the continent, and the Old Town is operating at full capacity. May is excellent, but go in knowing it will be busy and plan accordingly.

Weather

Temperatures range from 11°C to 20°C in May, with warm sunny days becoming the norm by the second half of the month. Rain is possible and can arrive suddenly. A packable jacket is useful but daytime conditions are generally comfortable for walking. The city's parks, Stromovka and Letna, are green and pleasant.

Crowds and Prices

Prague is one of Europe's most visited cities and May is a peak month. Charles Bridge and the Old Town Square are very crowded during the day, particularly from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Prague Castle sees long queues without pre-booking. The city remains excellent value relative to Western Europe: food, drink, and accommodation are all significantly cheaper than comparable cities in France, the UK, or Germany. Book your accommodation a few weeks ahead and you'll have good options.

What's On

1 May is a public holiday in the Czech Republic (Labour Day). 8 May is also a public holiday (Liberation Day). This means May opens with two holidays in the first eight days, during which some businesses close and domestic visitors come to Prague for long weekends.

Prague Spring International Music Festival takes place in May and early June and is one of Europe's major classical music events. It opens on the anniversary of the death of Smetana and fills the city's concert halls with performances. Worth building around if music is part of your visit.

One Thing to Watch

The Old Town area between the Astronomical Clock and the Charles Bridge is the single most congested part of the city and functions essentially as a tourist conveyor belt from mid-morning to evening. The solution is simple: visit these areas early. Charles Bridge before 8am is a completely different experience to Charles Bridge at 11am. Build early starts into your first couple of days and you'll see a much better version of Prague.

Our Prague travel guide tells you where to go, when to go, and how to build an itinerary around the city rather than just the tourist trail.

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