Prague · Month comparison

March vs May

May ranks #1 overall vs March at #8. The sweet spot — 21°C, green parks, long evenings, and still 25% below peak prices.

Prague March — Prague Castle and Charles Bridge as spring begins over the Vltava river

March

#8 of 12 months

Strong option

Spring waking — the city thaws, prices start rising, and the first visitor groups return.

  • First outdoor café openings: by late March the riverside terraces and Old Town Square seating reopen
  • 10°C afternoons make outdoor sightseeing comfortable — the city walkable again in a jacket
Prague May — green riverside park with Prague Castle across the Vltava in late spring light

May

#1 of 12 months

Best match

The sweet spot — 21°C, green parks, long evenings, and still 25% below peak prices.

  • Best weather-to-price ratio in the calendar: 21°C, 8 hours of sunshine, and hotel rates 25% below July–August
  • Prague Spring Music Festival: international classical music across the historic venues — the city's most celebrated annual cultural event
FactorMarchMay
Weather score
5
8
Value score
7
6
Crowd score
7
6
Events score
5
7
Atmosphere
7
9
Avg high temp10°C21°C
Monthly rain27mm72mm
Daily sunshine5hrs8hrs

March trade-offs

  • Variable weather: warm spells alternate with cold snaps and overcast days — pack layers
  • Photography conditions still below par: the golden light of May–September is two months away
  • Easter weekend (if late March) brings the first significant crowd surge of the year

May trade-offs

  • Crowds building: Old Town noticeably busier than April, and Charles Bridge congested at midday
  • 72mm of rainfall — the greenest month is also the wettest; afternoon thunderstorms possible, carry a poncho
  • Book 4–6 weeks ahead; May is now the most in-demand shoulder month and fills fast
Scores compare months within Prague. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →