Dušičky in Prague: Visiting Olšany and Vyšehrad Cemeteries in Autumn

What Dušičky is

Dušičky is the Czech name for All Souls' Day, 2 November, and for the days around it. Families visit the graves of relatives, tidy them and leave flowers and candles. As dusk falls, the cemeteries fill with hundreds of small glowing lights.

For visitors it is one of the most moving times to see Prague. It is not a tourist event, though. Most people around you will be there to remember someone. If you come in that spirit, you will be welcome.

In 2026, 1 November falls on a Sunday and 2 November on a Monday. That means the weekend of 31 October–1 November will be busy, and so will the Monday evening after work.

Opening hours around Dušičky

The city's cemeteries are run by Správa pražských hřbitovů. Prague City Hall has extended opening hours for the occasion in past years, though the arrangements have varied. In 2019, for example, all 29 city-run cemeteries stayed open until 18:00 from 1 to 3 November, including Olšany, Vinohrady, Ďáblice, Hostivař and Břevnov, and the Vyšehrad cemetery stayed open until 19:30 on 2 November.

The extension matters because it gets dark early. Once the clocks go back at the end of October, darkness falls before the usual November closing time. The extra hour is when the candlelight is at its best.

Olšany Cemeteries (Olšanské hřbitovy)

Olšany is the largest cemetery in Prague. It is a sprawling, tree-filled complex in Žižkov and Vinohrady, Prague 3, with paths running between old family tombs, ivy-covered monuments and leaning crosses. On Dušičky evenings, the long avenues glow from end to end.

Practical details

• Address: Vinohradská 1835/153, Prague 3
• Usual hours: opens at 8:00 all year. It closes at 18:00 in October and 17:00 in November and December, with later closing possible on the Dušičky days, as noted above.

Getting there

• Metro A to Flora is normally the closest station, but Flora is closed for reconstruction and is expected to reopen only around the turn of November and December 2026. Instead, take trams 10, 11 and 16 from náměstí Míru, tram 13 from Jiřího z Poděbrad, or tram 16 from Želivského.
• Trams 10, 11, 13, 15 and 16 stop at Olšanské hřbitovy. Check current timetables at pid.cz.

Notable graves

Olšany is where Jan Palach is buried. The student set himself on fire in 1969 in protest against the Soviet-led occupation, and his grave is one of the most visited in the city. People often leave candles there on Dušičky, as they do throughout the year.

The city has previously held a Dušičky service at the central cross in Olšany and another at the Vinohrady cemetery. Times are announced closer to the date.

Kafka and the New Jewish Cemetery

Many visitors look for Franz Kafka at Olšany. He is in fact buried in the New Jewish Cemetery, a separate site just east of Olšany. To get there, take metro A to Želivského, or check pid.cz for current tram services to the stop.

The New Jewish Cemetery has its own hours and is not part of the Dušičky custom. In Jewish tradition, visitors leave a small stone on the grave rather than a candle or flowers. Check its opening times separately before you go.

Vyšehrad Cemetery (Vyšehradský hřbitov)

The Vyšehrad cemetery sits inside the old Vyšehrad fortress, beside the twin-spired Basilica of St Peter and St Paul. It is regarded as a national burial ground. Many of the writers, composers and artists who shaped modern Czech culture are buried here, and the arcaded walls and sculpted headstones feel more like an open-air gallery than a graveyard.

Notable graves

• Bedřich Smetana, composer of Má vlast, whose movement Vyšehrad is named after this very hill
• Karel Čapek, the writer who gave the world the word "robot"
• Božena Němcová, author of Babička (The Grandmother)

The large Slavín tomb, the shared resting place of many leading figures, stands at the cemetery's eastern end. Access to its interior has been limited to set occasions. You can still see the monument from outside at any time the cemetery is open.

Getting there

Take metro C to Vyšehrad. From the station it is a short walk across the fortress grounds to the basilica.

Alternatively, you can approach from the river and climb up to the fortress. This route is steeper, and worth it if you have the legs. Tram service near Výtoň has been interrupted, so check pid.cz for current services before you rely on it.

If the cemetery stays open later on 2 November, you can stay well after dark. The walk back across the ramparts, with the city lit up below, is a fine way to end the evening.

Etiquette: how to visit respectfully

There is no formal dress code, but the occasion calls for restraint. A few points go a long way:

• Keep your voice low and leave space for people standing at a grave. Paths can be narrow and crowded in the early evening.
• Don't touch or move candles, wreaths or flowers left by others, even if a candle has gone out.
• Photograph the atmosphere, not the mourners. Wide shots of candlelit avenues are fine. Close-ups of people grieving are not. Turn off your flash.
• Bring your own candle if you'd like to take part. Lighting one at the grave of Palach, Smetana or Čapek is a common and well-received gesture. Use a lidded grave lantern rather than an open tealight, and never leave anything burning near dry leaves or wreaths.
• Stay on the paths and avoid stepping on grave surrounds.
• Leave on time. Staff close the gates promptly, and large sites like Olšany take a while to walk out of in the dark.

When to go

Arrive about 30–45 minutes before dark. You will see the cemetery in the last daylight, then watch it change as the candles take over.

Bring a small torch or use your phone light, as the paths are uneven and lighting is sparse. Wear warm layers: early November evenings in Prague are often damp and close to freezing.

If you can manage only one visit, Olšany gives you the scale and Vyšehrad gives you the setting. Both are within reach by public transport, though check current service changes first.

Before you go

The 2026 Dušičky hours had not been published at the time of writing, and opening times and access arrangements can change from year to year. Check before you go on the Prague City Hall website, which announces the extended cemetery hours each autumn.