Znojmo Christmas Markets with a Rotunda Walk and Advent Wine

Znojmo's Christmas markets fill Masaryk Square all December with stalls, concerts, a winter cinema and evening traditions. Here's how to pair them with Advent wine, a walk to the rotunda and Treasure Hunt Znojmo.

Znojmo’s Christmas markets are concentrated on Masarykovo náměstí (Masaryk Square): stalls, concerts, a winter cinema and a Ferris wheel are all in one place. Advent here opens with a ceremony and the lighting of the Christmas tree on the first Sunday of Advent, and the program runs all December. If you’re staying longer than an hour, combine the markets with a walk to the rotunda above the Dyje, a tasting of local wine and a tablet game in the streets of the old town.

Advent at a Glance

Before you set out, it helps to know what returns to Znojmo Advent every year. That makes it easy to build your own day, whether you’re coming for an afternoon or a whole weekend.

• Masaryk Square: stalls, concerts, fairy tales and shows for kids
• An open-air winter cinema with Christmas and family movies
• A sheep pen and a Ferris wheel for the little ones
• Evening traditions: trumpet fanfares, the night watchman’s call, carol singing together
• End of the year: traditional Christmas dishes handed out on Christmas Eve and a kids’ fireworks show on New Year’s Eve

Life on the Square

In December, Masaryk Square is the whole town’s living room. Stalls surround the Christmas tree, you can treat yourself to something tasty there, and concerts play from the stage.

A winter cinema on a big screen right on the square shows Christmas and family movies. Check the schedule before you book dinner, so you don’t miss the fairy tale your kids are looking forward to.

If you want to see the square from above, take a seat on the Ferris wheel. Advent also includes the Splněná přání (Wishes Come True) project, which lets you put a smile on the faces of children from a shelter for mothers and fathers in crisis.

Traditions After Dark

You can hear Znojmo Advent. In the early evening, trumpet fanfares carry through town, and the night watchman announces the evening quiet with his call.

Singing together is part of Advent too: Znojmo joins the Česko zpívá koledy (Czechia Sings Carols) project, and familiar carols fill the square after dark.

The nearby Austrian border shows in the program as well. Advent here features the Perchtenlauf, a hellish parade of Austrian devils, after which small kids hold their parents’ hands tighter than usual. Whether and when the parade comes through this year, only the published schedule will tell.

The traditional events also include a pig-slaughter day with butchery demonstrations. If you love homemade specialties, you’ll circle it on your calendar first.

Advent for Kids

The kids’ program revolves around the stage and the cinema. Fairy tales and children’s shows play on the square, the winter cinema runs family movies, and the sheep in their pen reliably beat any gingerbread stall.

The end of the year has two highlights for kids. On the morning of Christmas Eve, traditional Christmas dishes are handed out, which makes the wait for presents go faster, and on New Year’s Eve the evening program includes a kids’ fireworks show.

When to Visit the Markets

Check the exact days and times of concerts, screenings and side events in the city’s events calendar, where this year’s schedule is published.

A typical Advent day has a steady rhythm, though. The stalls and kids’ program get going in the afternoon, the fanfares sound toward evening, and after dark it’s time for a concert or an open-air movie.

For a calmer look at the stalls, pick a weekday afternoon; for atmosphere by the lit tree, pick an evening with a concert. It gets dark early in December, so plan walks outside downtown while it’s still light.

Advent Wine

Znojmo is a wine town, so Advent comes with wine in two forms. On the square you’ll get it mulled at a stall; in a winemaker’s cellar, just as it was bottled.

Cellar tastings aren’t part of the city program on the square. Each winemaker sets their own winter hours, so arrange or confirm your visit in advance, ideally before you travel.

One last practical tip: if you’re combining the markets and a cellar, leave the car parked and sort out transportation ahead of time. Mulled wine on the square and an afternoon tasting don’t mix with driving.

The Walk to the Rotunda

From the square, it’s a short walk through the old town to the rotunda of svatá Kateřina (St. Catherine), right at the edge of the rock above the Dyje valley.

Check the rotunda’s winter opening hours in advance. Even without going in, the walk is worth it for the view of the valley, which looks completely different in the December dusk than in summer.

The cobblestones downtown can be slippery in December, so wear shoes with solid soles.

Treasure Hunt Znojmo

Treasure Hunt Znojmo is a city game in which your team searches for treasures in the streets of the old town. You play on tablets or phones with our GPS app, see all the treasures on the on-screen map and choose the order yourselves.

A treasure opens when you get within roughly 10 to 40 m of it, depending on the terrain and the type of game. The question at each treasure then ties directly to the spot where you’re standing.

Each game keeps a team busy for 2 to 3 hours. During Advent, that makes for a simple plan: the game in the afternoon while it’s light, the markets and mulled wine after dark.

Corporate Advent in Znojmo

For a company, Znojmo in December is a ready-made script for a Christmas afternoon. Your team plays Treasure Hunt Znojmo, and the evening continues at the venue you’ve already booked.

With full-service event management, we bring the tablets and instructors, so nobody has to worry about the tech. We’ve been running Treasure Hunts since 2013, and in winter we set up the game to finish before dark.

December weather won’t ruin the plan. A backup program is part of every booking: if you can’t play outside, we swap the Treasure Hunt for a story-driven game in indoor mode, where the team sits together and questions appear on the screen one after another.

FAQ

Where are the Christmas markets in Znojmo?

Masaryk Square is the center of the markets and the whole Advent program.

When does Znojmo Advent start?

It opens with the lighting of the Christmas tree on the first Sunday of Advent; you’ll find this year’s opening time in the city’s events calendar.

Can you taste wine in a cellar during Advent?

Cellar tastings aren’t part of the program on the square, so arrange winter visits directly with the winemaker.

How do you combine the markets with Treasure Hunt Znojmo?

Play in the afternoon while it’s light, and head back to the square after dark, when the evening program begins.

What if it rains on the day of the corporate event?

We swap the Treasure Hunt for a story-driven game in indoor mode, so your event goes ahead on the original date.

Plan your December day in Znojmo so the afternoon belongs to Treasure Hunt Znojmo and the evening to the square with its lit tree. The game guides you through the old town before the stalls light up, and along the way you’ll discover places the markets won’t take you. For a corporate team, just send us your date and number of players, and we’ll prepare the game and tablets to fit your program.

Want to try it out?

Treasure Hunt Znojmo

Our instructors run the game with tablets, or you start it yourselves on your phones. Tell us the number of people and the date, we will get back to you the same day.

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