St. Martin's Day Prague 2026: Young Wine, Goose and Festivals
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On Wednesday, 11 November 2026, Czechia opens the first wine of the new vintage, Svatomartinské víno. By tradition the first bottles are uncorked at 11:11. St. Martin's Day here means roast goose with cabbage and dumplings, the first glasses of young wine and festivals at farmers' markets. In Prague the main celebrations this year fall on the weekend of 14–15 November. Around Prague checked all dates and venues against the organisers' listings on 29 October 2026.
2026 calendar: when and where
| When | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 7 Nov, 10:00–19:00 | Svatomartinské otevřené sklepy: 13 wineries open their cellars for tastings | Mikulov, South Moravia |
| Wed 11 Nov, 11:00 | Svatomartinský přípitek: first toast with the young wine | Vinotéka sv. Kláry, Prague Botanical Garden, Troja |
| Wed 11 Nov, 11:11 | St. Martin "arrives" and the wine is opened on the square | Český Krumlov, náměstí Svornosti |
| from Wed 11 Nov | St. Martin's menu | U Pinkasů restaurant, Prague 1 |
| Sat 14 Nov | Svatomartinské slavnosti na náplavce, 15th edition | Náplavka, Rašínovo nábřeží, Prague 2 |
| Sat 14 Nov, from 9:00 | St. Martin's festival with roast goose | farmers' market on Kubánské náměstí, Prague 10 |
| Sat 14 Nov | St. Martin's festival with roast goose | Heřmaňák farmers' market, Holešovice, Prague 7 |
| Sat 14 Nov | Letenská husa a košt svatomartinského vína, 18th edition | Letná, Prague 7 |
| Sat 14 Nov, 10:00–18:00 | Svatomartinské slavnosti: wine, goose, fair, cimbalom music | Hustopeče, Dukelské náměstí |
| Sun 15 Nov | Karlínská husa | Karlínské náměstí, Prague 8 |
What is Svatomartinské víno?
Svatomartinské is not a grape variety but a protected trademark. It was registered in 1995, and since 2005 it has belonged to the Czech Wine Fund (Vinařský fond), which licenses it to wineries every year. Each wine has to pass a professional tasting panel, and the bottles carry the Svatomartinské mark on the label. These are the first wines of the current year's harvest: light, fresh and fruity, made to be drunk young rather than aged.
- White wines come from three varieties: Müller Thurgau, Veltlínské červené rané and Muškát moravský.
- Rosé and red wines come from the dark varieties Modrý Portugal and Svatovavřinecké; rosé may also be made from Zweigeltrebe.
- Blends (cuvée) of these varieties are allowed too. The most common St. Martin's wine is Müller Thurgau.
The wine may go on sale from 11 November. When the feast falls on a weekend or early in the week, the Wine Fund lets sales start a little earlier. In 2026, 11 November is a Wednesday, so the launch is exactly on 11.11. You will find the young wine in wine shops, supermarkets and at the wineries themselves, and restaurants serve it with goose.
Don't confuse it with burčák, the still-fermenting grape must whose season ends in November. Svatomartinské is finished wine with a quality check and a trademark.
Where to celebrate in Prague
Náplavka: Svatomartinské slavnosti, 14 November
The biggest St. Martin's festival in the centre takes place on the Rašínovo nábřeží embankment, home to the Saturday farmers' market. 2026 is its 15th year. Wineries from Moravia and Bohemia pour young wines from the 2026 harvest, served with roast goose, crispy cabbage and other goose dishes, with live music. Wine is served only in a tasting glass, which you buy on site or bring yourself, and each winery sets its own price per pour. The organiser is the Archetyp association.
Farmers' markets: Kubáň, Heřmaňák and Letná on 14 November, Karlín on 15 November
On Saturday several markets hold St. Martin's festivals at once. On Kubánské náměstí (Prague 10) roast goose legs are on sale from 9:00 until they run out. At the Heřmaňák market in Holešovice you get goose leg with red cabbage and Karlovy Vary dumplings, goose delicacies and St. Martin's wine. Letná hosts the 18th "Letná goose" with young-wine tastings. On Sunday Karlínské náměstí holds the "Karlín goose" with goose dishes and young wines from well-known wineries. More markets in our guide to Prague's markets.
Botanical Garden in Troja: the first toast on 11 November
On St. Martin's Day itself, the young wine is opened at 11:00 in the Vinotéka sv. Kláry of the Prague Botanical Garden, next to the St. Clare vineyard on the slope above the Vltava.
Charles Bridge
In recent years Prague 1 has organised a St. Martin's procession: in 2025 it set off on 11 November at 11:11 from the 11th pillar of Charles Bridge. The district has not yet published the 2026 programme.
Restaurants
Prague restaurants usually run St. Martin's menus from 11 November for about a week. U Pinkasů on Jungmannovo náměstí, for example, has announced its menu from 11 November 2026. Judging by previous seasons, a portion of goose costs from CZK 500, and half a goose for three or four people around CZK 1,500–2,000. Check the restaurant's own menu for exact prices, and book ahead for 11 November and the following weekend. For young wine without the goose, try one of the wine bars in Prague.
What to eat on St. Martin's Day
- Svatomartinská husa, roast goose, is the dish of the day. It comes with braised red and white cabbage and both bread and potato dumplings.
- Goose liver and pâtés, crackling (škvarky) and bread with goose fat.
- Svatomartinské rohlíčky, sweet crescents filled with poppy seeds or nuts.
More Czech dishes worth trying are in our guide to traditional Czech cuisine.
Day trips
- Mikulov, Sat 7 November, 10:00–19:00. The third Svatomartinské otevřené sklepy: 13 wineries open their cellars for tastings.
- Valtice, Wed 11 November, 11:00–13:00. St. Martin's tasting in the Vinařská stodola of the Château Valtice winery (Vinařská 407).
- Český Krumlov, Wed 11 November, 11:11. St. Martin "rides in on a white horse", and the first young wine is opened and poured on náměstí Svornosti. Restaurants in town serve goose menus.
- Hustopeče, Sat 14 November, 10:00–18:00. St. Martin's wine tasting, goose, a fair, cimbalom music and open cellars on Dukelské náměstí.
For more ideas see 17 day trips from Prague and the 8 most beautiful towns in Czechia.
Traditions and sayings
Martin of Tours was a Roman soldier. Legend has it that one winter he cut his cloak in two and gave half to a freezing beggar. Another legend says he did not want to become a bishop and hid in a goose pen, but the cackling geese gave him away, which is why goose is on the feast-day table. In Czech lands 11 November traditionally closed the farming year: farmhands were paid, signed on for the next year, and the fattened geese were slaughtered. The best-known saying is "Martin přijíždí na bílém koni" ("Martin rides in on a white horse"), meaning the first snow is due around this day.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
When is Svatomartinské víno opened in 2026?
On Wednesday, 11 November 2026. By tradition the first bottles are opened at 11:11.
Where can I celebrate St. Martin's Day in Prague?
At 11:00 on 11 November in the Botanical Garden in Troja. On 14 November at Náplavka, at the Kubáň and Heřmaňák markets and on Letná. On 15 November on Karlínské náměstí. Many restaurants offer St. Martin's menus from 11 November.
Which grapes are used for St. Martin's wine?
White wine is made from Müller Thurgau, Veltlínské červené rané and Muškát moravský. Rosé and red come from Modrý Portugal and Svatovavřinecké; rosé may also use Zweigeltrebe.
Do I need to book a table for goose?
Yes. For 11 November and the following weekend, popular restaurants fill up early.
Sources: Prague city events listing prague.eu, Kudy z nudy, ckrumlov.info, Svatomartinské slavnosti v Hustopečích, Svatomartinské otevřené sklepy Mikulov. Dates checked on 29 October 2026; confirm the programme with the organiser before you go.
See also: Burčák in Czechia, Prague in autumn, Prague Christmas markets 2026.
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