Mark Your Calendar: St. Martin’s Day Feast at Náplavka on November 11

If you visit the center of Prague or any Czech town on the 11th of November, you might see a man on a white horse leading a procession…

These processions are in honor of St. Martin, patron saint of the poor, and the white horse represents winter and snow.

Not only on this day but for most of November, look for restaurants serving goose and St. Martin’s wine (Husa a Svatomartinské vino) which is the traditional food for the feast day.

The reason behind this tradition is that it is said a flock of geese betrayed St. Martin’s hiding place and we have been eating roast goose on this day ever since.

One of the main celebrations will take place at Náplavka (Rašínovo nábřeží) on November 11.

You can look forward to a traditional presentation of young wines from Moravia and Bohemia and goose delicacies such as traditional goose roast with dumplings, lokše (Slovak potato pancakes), or pasta with onion white and red cabbage, goose burgers or goose ragout with vegetables, roasted goose liver, goose soup “kaldoun”, and other goose delicacies.

 

There will be a musical program as well.

Wine will be tasted from the festival glasses. This gives the wine a chance to really highlight its taste. It also eliminates the amount of waste we produce.

The glass can be purchased (at the festival ticket office) for 100 CZK. You will also get a pencil and a tasting card. The price for each tasting lot is then determined by the wineries themselves.