Autumn holidays in Czechia: Store closures and open days for 2023

This Thursday (Sept. 28), Czechia will celebrate the public holiday of Saint Václav (Wenceslas) and Czech Statehood Day, which will see many changes to day-to-day business and culture operations in the country.

The celebration commemorates the death of the Bohemian martyr who was made a saint after his death due to miracles he performed.

Shoppers will only have access to small shops for their groceries. This is because of a law passed in 2016 that requires most stores over 200 square meters to close on some holidays, but not on others.

Stores will also close next month on Oct. 28, which is Independent Czechoslovak State Day and commemorates Czechoslovakia gaining independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The following month brings the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day on Nov. 17. Stores remain open on this day which commemorates the student protests that would become known as the Velvet Revolution and would eventually lead to the overthrow of the communist regime.

It is also worth keeping in mind that the closures do not apply to all stores. Pharmacies, gas stations, and shops at airports, railway stations (including Prague’s Hlavní nádraží), and hospitals are exempt. Small minimarkets and grocery stores can also remain open.

Delivery services are not covered by the law and should operate as normal. However, personal-shopper services that rely on sourcing items from supermarkets will be faced with limited suppliers.