While Christmas markets in Poland might not have the long-standing traditions of Germany or Austria, they’ve surged in popularity in recent years. Krakow and Wroclaw have had some form of these markets for centuries, though what you’ll find now no doubt differs from the past.
With fewer crowds and cheaper prices than other winter destinations, Poland is definitely worth considering for a winter trip. The markets just add another reason to go.
In short: If it’s your first Polish Christmas market, make it Krakow; if you’ve already done Krakow, Wroclaw is the one I’d pick next.
My take: The big Western European markets can coast on their reputation, while Poland still makes a real effort for visitors, and you feel it in the food, the welcome and the prices.
Not surprisingly, each city offers something different.
- Krakow – One of the largest markets, and it continues into January.
- Wroclaw – Notable for its picturesque market square.
- Warsaw – Lots to do, including the Royal Castle and Cold War museums.
- Gdansk – A gorgeous Baltic destination that is a more affordable option.
I’ve been to all these cities; if you haven’t been to Poland yet, it’s time to change that. The market squares are stunning, and the food is fantastic. You won’t regret it.
Also, check out less-visited cities like Poznan, Lublin and Szczecin. I’m not sure I’d make a special trip to these cities just for the winter markets, but visit them anyway. Jump to these destinations.
Polish Christmas Markets 2026
I’ve had a huge soft spot for Poland since I spent a summer in Warsaw back when I was travelling full-time. I could work at co-working spaces or at the university library, then break for one of the many budget-friendly lunches.
I also spent a month in Gdansk, an interesting but calmer location. The clean air and great coffee places made it one of my most relaxing slow travel experiences. Krakow is a considerably more touristy destination. I have visited several times, once in summer and twice in winter. Winter is the time to go if you want a more peaceful trip.
When I first visited in the 2000s, I’ll admit I expected Warsaw to be grey and crumbling. That view didn’t survive the first week. The more of Poland I saw, the further up my list of favourite countries it climbed.
Krakow
In my experience, Krakow’s Christmas market is easily the best in Poland. Not only is the market filled with delicious food and interesting gifts, but the city itself is also one of the most beautiful and popular. The market is in the smaller area of the central square, Rynek Główny, right alongside the famous Cloth Hall. It’s compact and welcoming, with a focus on traditional food and some unusual items, too.
Get up early at least once. On the first morning of my Christmas market trip, I was out on the square by the Cloth Hall while the cafes were still opening, and there was barely anyone around. Wander the old streets before the stalls open, then come back as the market starts up and before it really fills.
While you’re on the square, listen for the hejnał, the trumpet call played every hour from the tower of St Mary’s Basilica. It stops mid-tune, which is part of the story.
Plan Your Trip
Status: Confirmed
Krakow dates: 27th November 2026 to 3rd January 2027 (may extend to the 6th)
Location: Rynek Główny
Last checked: October 2026
Source: Artim Krakow
Reason to visit: It’s a cool city with a younger crowd than in Germany and Austria; it’s relatively budget-friendly; there is a chance of snow.
Specialities: Oscypek smoked cheese from Zakopane served with cranberry preserves; pretty crystal baubles; sweet, hot vodka-based drinks.
Recommended tour: 4-hour Polish food tour.
Tips: Take a day trip to the Wieliczka Salt Mine, Auschwitz or the mountains at Zakopane.
Where to Stay: Vienna House, steps from the train station, a short walk from the main square.
Read my guide to boutique hotels in Krakow.
What to Look Out For
- Smoked cheese: A good option for vegetarians, although it’s sometimes wrapped and cooked in bacon, so watch out for that.
- Pierogi stalls: Savoury stuffed dumplings with cheese, sauerkraut or various meats and sweet pierogies stuffed with berries and sweetened cheese.
- Grilled meat stations: Meat lovers can choose from local sausages, roasted pork knuckle, chicken kebab, and more.
- Soup: There are a few vegetarian soups, mushroom, tomato and cabbage, or you can get traditional goulash soup if you eat meat.
- Mulled wine: Available from the huge barrels dotted around the market. Look for signs that say grzane wino (hot wine) in Polish.
- Matryoshka-style dolls seem popular.
- Wooden toys and kitchen gadgets.
I ate a lot of pierogi from these stalls, and the quality was good. Treat the market like a tasting menu: a plate of six pierogi, a cup of mushroom soup, some grilled smoked cheese. If something clicks, you’ll know what to order at a restaurant later in the trip.
The shops inside the Cloth Hall are worth a look, but they’re aimed squarely at tourists. For better gifts, walk away from the square to where locals shop and look for design stores selling work by Polish makers.
Sightseeing in Krakow
Read more details on what to expect at Krakow Christmas market. A few of the highlights:
- Wawel Hill and Castle: Medieval royal castle and museum area.
- Cloth Hall: The huge building on the main square houses little shops.
- Kazimierz: The old Jewish Quarter is filled with cool cafes and bars.
- Zapiekanka: Eat a traditional Polish baguette/pizza topped with grilled mushrooms and cheese. Head to Plac Nowy in Kazimierz for the best.
- Pierogies: Don’t miss some of the best dumplings in Poland. Sweet or savoury, pierogies are a must-try.
- Sweet vodka: Poland is famous for all kinds of vodka (obviously), but cafes around the main square, like Cafe Camelot, serve deliciously sweet, hot vodkas, perfect for warming up in winter.
- Brunch: Recover from a night of vodka with a delicious brunch at Bistro Charlotte.
- Auschwitz: If you have time, take a day trip to visit the former concentration camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Take a tour or take the bus from central Krakow (trains are more complicated).
This is the Auschwitz tour I took when I visited Krakow.
Krakow is a popular summer destination, but it’s becoming an increasingly popular weekend getaway over the holidays and New Year. It’s a fun, young city with so much history, great nightlife and laid-back cafe culture.
Krakow is small enough to see in a weekend, but I’d give it at least three nights so you have time for a day trip. I once stayed five, and that was even better.
Wroclaw
Wroclaw is such a wonderful city and underrated as a destination year-round. The market is decent-sized, but far less crowded than Krakow. The atmosphere is considerably more intimate than some of the big European Christmas markets, which I feel can get a little overwhelming.
If you’ve never been to Poland and only have time for one city, go to Krakow. If you’ve already done Krakow, Wroclaw is where I’d go next. It’s quieter, every bit as beautiful and probably cheaper too.
Plan Your Trip
Status: Confirmed
Wroclaw dates: 20th November 2026 to 7th January 2027
Last checked: October 2026
Location: Market Square (Rynek we Wrocławiu)
Additional stalls at:
Solny Square
Świdnicka Street
Oławska Street
Source: Jarmark Bożonarodzeniowy
Recommended tour: A small electric car city tour.
Reason to visit: The stunning central square and the nearby Cathedral district.
Tips: You could create a mini Christmas road trip that includes nearby Prague, Cesky Krumlov and Dresden.
Specialities: International specialities such as Transylvanian chimney cake, Lithuanian sausages, Swiss chocolate workshop tools (made of chocolate) and Dutch waffles.
Where to Stay: Puro Hotel Wroclaw is a central boutique hotel.
Read my guide to boutique hotels in Wroclaw for more ideas on where to stay.
What to Look Out For
Wroclaw has traditional Polish food like pierogi and smoked cheese. Still, this market has more international stalls where you can get Hungarian langos, Dutch pancakes, Spanish paella-type dishes and many other delicious foods worth trying. Of course, you can also find mulled wine, hot apple cider and hot chocolate.
Sightseeing in Wroclaw
Wroclaw is gorgeous; the main square is so colourful, and the buildings are beautifully designed. There’s plenty to see outside the main square, like Cathedral Island, but the following is a good starting point.
- Rynek and the Gothic Town Hall: The Market Square is where most of the action is. Climb one of the church towers for great views over the square. The Town Hall is a good place to start and get your bearings.
- Cathedral Island: Just north of Market Square, this is one of the city’s prettiest areas, with its huge cathedral, parks, and riverside location.
- Wroclaw University: Visit the assembly hall, Aula Leopoldina, to see the incredible baroque ceiling and frescoes.
- Gnomes: What began as a subversive political protest is now a fun pastime for children and tourists. Keep an eye out as you walk around the city, and you’ll notice hundreds of little gnomes.
- Ksiaz Castle: Seventy kilometres from Wroclaw, this spectacular clifftop castle sits deep in the forest and deserves an afternoon trip.
- Leubus Abbey: More amazing baroque interiors an hour from the city.
Gnome spotting starts sooner than you’d think. Not watching where I was going, I nearly stubbed my toe on a tiny statue outside my hotel, then crouched down to find a little gnome peering up at me.
Cathedral Island (Ostrów Tumski) is the antidote to the busy square. I crossed the river with snacks from the supermarket, found a bench in the park and watched the world go by for a while.
Warsaw
I always viewed Warsaw as like a mini version of Berlin, but I meant it in a good way! It has a cool lifestyle, great vodka and craft-beer venues, a delicious foodie scene and an entrepreneurial spirit. Warsaw’s winter event in Market Square starts a little later than those in other parts of the city. It’s worth waiting for that, as the season starts with a huge light show.
Plan Your Trip
Status: Confirmed
Warsaw dates: 20th November 2026 to 6th January 2027
Last checked: October 2026
Location: Plac Defilad – Palace of Culture and Science
Additional location: Warsaw Barbican in the Old Town
Source: Jarmark Warszawski
Reason to visit: Poland’s capital is fun, with great nightlife, a fantastic foodie scene and fascinating WWII and Cold War history.
Tips: I found that the market doesn’t fully open until the first week of December. Visit after that for the best experience.
Where to Stay: The H15 Boutique apartment complex in the former Soviet Embassy.
Read my list of boutique hotels in Warsaw, which includes some great value for money places to stay.
What to Look Out For
Warsaw’s markets have a bit of everything. There are traditional Polish foods like pierogi, sweets, hearty soups, and grilled meat, plus international dishes like langos, goulash, dried fruit, and chocolate. You can’t go wrong with a cup of hot wine or a shot of fruit vodka.
I’m not one for shots, especially vodka, but the flavoured ones here were surprisingly sweet and dangerously easy to drink.
Warsaw has a few markets: one in the main market square, another near the Royal Castle, and a more modern one in the Praga district, east of the Vistula River, at the foot of the stadium.
The main market has since moved to the square in front of the Palace of Culture and Science. It’s a far better spot for crowds, with room to actually see the stalls. The trade-off is atmosphere, as the area around it is far more modern than the Old Town. And I say that as someone who thinks the Palace is the most beautiful building in Warsaw.
Sightseeing in Warsaw
Warsaw’s Old Town doesn’t feel like a reconstruction. It feels old, and with all its museums and galleries, it’s where you’ll spend most of a short stay.
- Old Town: Restored after WWII, the Old Town and New Town (also old and rebuilt) are pretty areas to walk around and home to the Royal Castle.
- St Anne’s Church: Visit the viewing platform for the best views of Warsaw’s historic centre.
- The Soviet-era Palace of Culture and Science: An Art Deco-inspired skyscraper and the tallest building in Poland.
- Warsaw Uprising Museum: One of Central Europe’s most fascinating yet sombre museums, depicting life in the Warsaw Ghetto, the resistance, and the aftermath of the 1944 uprising.
- Remains of the Jewish Ghetto walls: Honestly, there isn’t much of the walls left. Only visit if you’re specifically interested in seeing it or happen to be walking that way anyway.
- Lazienki Park: The largest park in Warsaw, home to Lazienki Palace on the water and the Chopin monument. The park is part of the Royal Route linking the Royal Palace and Wilanow Palace.
- Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: The last remaining part of the Saxon Palace, destroyed during WWII and never rebuilt.
- Wilanow Palace: One of the few buildings remaining in its original state, the renovated Baroque palace is now an art gallery, museum and pretty garden.
- Lublin: If you have time, take a day trip to Lublin, a cute small city with pastel-coloured buildings and pretty facades.
Once you’ve done the Old Town, walk. Start in Łazienki Park, work your way through the streets and squares towards the Palace of Culture and pass through the area of the old Warsaw Ghetto on the way. It’s a long day on foot, but well worth it.
Gdansk
Traipsing through snow and slush as the bitterly cold Arctic wind whips through the streets from the Baltic Sea: wind, snow, ice and negative temperatures. Gdansk sounds like a fun place for a winter weekend trip.
But no, I exaggerate; a weekend in Gdansk is lovely. I adore everything about this city. If you want to see an old Hanseatic seaport and the Royal Way covered in fresh snow, Gdansk in December is your destination. There’s a decent chance of a white Christmas and snow in December, and you’re bound to enjoy the grzane wino (you might need a few) even more with the chilly temps.
Plan Your Trip
Status: Confirmed
Gdansk dates: 20th November to 23rd December 2026
Last checked: October 2026
Christmas Fair location: The Coal Market (Targ Węglowy)
Additional locations:
Tkacka Street in front of The Great Armoury (Wielka Zbrojownia)
Bogusławskiego Street
Source: Gdansk Fair
Reason to visit: The gorgeous Baltic Sea location and historic Hanseatic architecture.
Specialities: Hot chocolate, Polish cakes and Baltic amber jewellery.
Tip: Stay close to the market so you don’t have to walk much in the cold weather.
Where to Stay: Read my neighbourhood guide explaining where to stay in Gdansk.
What to Look Out For
The Gdansk market isn’t huge, but you can expect to see a Venetian carousel, an ice-skating rink, Christmas trees from around the world, handmade ornaments, toys, scarves, candles, and festive gourmet food. Food to try includes Polish festive cakes, pretzels, chocolate-covered fruit, chocolate ‘tools’, roasted nuts, smoked cheese, grilled sausages and, of course, hot chocolate and spiced mulled wine.
Sightseeing in Gdansk
- Long Street (the Royal Way) and the Old Town.
- The medieval harbour crane.
- Gorgeous Mariacka ulica (Mary’s Street) is the most picturesque street.
- City views from St Mary’s Church are 400 steps up. It’s not too bad if you can manage it.
- Snow on the beach and the Baltic dunes at Rowokol.
- The European Solidarity Centre honours Poland’s Solidarity Movement, which helped end communist rule.
- Go for lunch in the elegant resort town of Sopot.
- Visit Malbork Castle, a medieval red-bricked castle one hour south of the city.
Make time for cake at Drukarnia on Mariacka. During my month in Gdansk, I went every day, and I stand by it: it’s the best cake I’ve had in Europe.
More Winter Destinations
- Lublin: Not far from Warsaw, Lublin looks more rustic than the other cities mentioned here. The Old Town buildings have some of the most gorgeous decorative facades. The castle on the hill is a must-visit.
- Poznan: Halfway between Berlin and Warsaw, Poznan has a beautiful, historic main square and cute side streets packed with cafes and boutiques for a day trip.
- Szczecin: A small fair is held at the Castle of Pomeranian Dukes in Szczecin, a mid-size city on the border with Germany. Read my Berlin to Szczecin day trip from a few years ago.
This list of where to eat Szczecin has some great cafes, vegan options and where to get good coffee.
If you do pop over from Berlin for a pierogi lunch, bring your passport. I didn’t, and had to drive all the way back to Berlin to get it.
I stayed two nights in Poznan around Easter, when a market was running on the main square. It was busy, cheap and almost entirely Polish. I’d guess the Christmas market is much the same mix of grilled meat, smoked cheese, soup and pierogi, just more festive.
When I visited Lublin on a day trip from Warsaw, the Old Town was mid-restoration, and they were setting up market stalls. It feels more like the Poland of old, which is exactly why it’s worth the train ride on a longer Warsaw stay.
Katowice wasn’t on my radar at all. I only changed trains there on the way from Warsaw to Krakow and spent a few hours near the station, where scaffolding was coming off freshly cleaned buildings. The market was still being set up, so I can’t vouch for it, but I believe it’s quite nice now.
Polish Specialities
The Polish markets are big on food, with plenty of handmade wooden toys, decorations, cleaning brushes (not sure why these always pop up at the markets) and other small gifts and trinkets. You’re not far off if you imagine Polish food dominated by meat and potato dishes, washed down with vodka. Well, maybe with mulled wine instead of vodka.
Us vegetarians can enjoy pierogi, smoked cheeses, and mushroom soup. Pierogi may not always be vegan, so it’s good to ask. Plant-based options are becoming more common at the markets these days. Don’t worry too much about dietary restrictions. Markets may offer limited choices, but larger cities and tourist areas have many vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.
The food surprised me more than anything. It’s fresh and handmade, built on what’s local and in season, and the regional differences are huge. Plenty of places do contemporary takes on the classics too.
Sustainable Travel Tips
- Arrive by night train: The EN Chopin runs overnight to Warsaw from Vienna, Prague and Budapest, the EN Carpatia does the same for Krakow, and the EN Metropol stops in Wroclaw between Berlin and Budapest. You wake up in Poland with a hotel night saved.
- Hop between markets by rail: PKP Intercity’s Express InterCity Premium trains link Warsaw with Krakow, Gdansk and Wroclaw, so you can do several markets without a car. I took the train from Warsaw to Krakow, which was comfortable and reliable.
- Keep the Wroclaw mug: Mulled wine and hot chocolate at the Wroclaw market come in a new boot-shaped mug each year, made to be taken home. Use it as your souvenir instead of buying something you’ll never use.
- Reach Sopot on the SKM: The SKM commuter train runs from Gdansk to Sopot and Gdynia, so you don’t need a taxi or a hire car for lunch by the sea.
Comment below if you want to leave a Xmas review, have any questions or would like to report any inaccuracies.
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Recommendations are independently chosen based on personal travel experiences and extensive research. While I try to provide accurate information, the dates and details listed here should not be relied upon. Please consult the official website before booking your trip or planning a visit.
