When it comes to Christmas markets, Kraków is an old master. There is reckoned to have been a festive market on the main square since the early 14th century.
The Christmas tree in the Main Market Square
Kraków is a great year-round destination, but its pretty Old Town looks particularly splendid in the run-up to Christmas. The main square is made over with a huge Christmas tree and the busy market brings the warmth, bustle, and general festive cheer. It’s a great place for gift shopping – both in the market and in Kraków’s shops. Best of all, there’s heaps of hearty food and reviving mulled drinks and vodka shots.
And, though the prices tend to rise around this time, it still remains an absolute bargain compared to equivalent cities in Western Europe. You can check for the cheapest flights with a comparison site like Skyscanner.
Rynek Główny
What to Expect From the Kraków Christmas Markets
If you’ve ever been to a Christmas market in a European country like Germany, you’ll have a good idea of what to expect. A cheery village of around 80 timber huts, illuminated to fend off the winter night, and awash with the aroma of hearty food and hot, warming drinks. Add a huge Christmas tree and a few inches of snow, and you’ve the perfect antidote to the winter blues.
Kraków’s main Christmas market covers about a quarter of the huge Rynek Główny, the huge square around the Renaissance Cloth Hall. The whole area is dramatically lit, especially once a slightly chilly mist hangs over the area. It’s certainly not Europe’s biggest Christmas market but it is busy and cheerful, and some of the food has to be seen to be believed.
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If you want to try out a range of Polish food, you can see it being cooked up in huge batches and gradually work your way down the menu. The main market also has a big range of stalls selling different kinds of Christmas gifts, much of it bespoke and handmade. You can even get items customised on the fly in some cases.
If all of this is completely new to you, a guided tour can be a fun way to discover and give context to Polish Christmas customs.
There are smaller markets outside the Galeria Krakowska shopping mall to the north of the Old Town and on plac Wolnica in Kazimerz. The former is worth a quick visit if you are passing through and has a small ice rink. The latter is more relaxed and is a really nice place to wind down the day.
Bespoke metalwork stall
What Gifts Will I Find at the Kraków Christmas Markets?
Although the food is probably the biggest draw at the Kraków Christmas Markets, the majority of stalls are selling a huge range of items, mostly suitable for Christmas gifts. There’s certainly some novelty items on display but these are all part of the fun. Otherwise, there’s a broad variety, from mittens and scarves to traditional Polish ceramics and hand-painted glass tree decorations. Polish craftsmanship is very fine, and you’ll find Christmas presents that are just not available in the shops at home.
In a sense, this part of the market is an extension of Kraków’s indoor Cloth Hall, that long parade of counters, each selling a different speciality. Poland is famous for amber jewellery, but you can pick up handicrafts in every imaginable material, including carved wooden toys and highly-ornamented rolling pins, as well as delicious sweets and chocolates. There’s pretty much something at every price point and you really can pick up some beautiful items.
Pork knuckle, sausages, and giant loaves
What Food Can I Expect at the Kraków Christmas Markets?
For most – for me, at least – the biggest draw of the Christmas market is the dazzling range of food and drink. You’ll smell the market before you can see it. Then, mostly likely, your eyes will pop out at giant loaves of bread and huge pans full of sizzling vegetables. Come hungry. You won’t be disappointed. You can stock up on hearty food for relatively little money.
In addition to pierogi dumplings and traditional Polish soups or stews, there are kiosks selling skewers of meat and salty grilled sheeps’ cheese, which comes wrapped in bacon or with a splash of sweet cranberry jam. Particularly popular are the open grilled sandwiches (pajda), topped with lard, onions, mushrooms, pickles, and meat.
You can wash these down with mulled wine or heated beer. Vodkas, liqueurs, and spirits really take the edge off a winter’s night. For pudding, there are waffles, gingerbread biscuits, and Eastern European pastries. A local speciality is the accurately-named Chimney Cake.
For a crash course introduction, it’s great fun to take part in a guided food tour. You’ll get to know your way around a Polish menu with some invaluable insider tips.
Children’s carol concert
What Entertainment Can I Expect at the Kraków Christmas Markets?
Both the main and Kazimierz markets have a stage with festive-adjacent events. These include folk / classical music, carol concerts, and dancing. Expect something on most days at the Rynek Główny market and a few times a week on plac Wolnica. You’ll find boards or banners advertising the times.
Though the performances bring an extra dose of the Christmas spirit, in truth, they are probably a nice little extra if you already happen to be around. Take a look at what’s coming up but don’t plan your schedule around them for fear of missing out.
Kazimierz Christmas market on plac Wolnica
Where Are the Kraków Christmas Markets Located?
Though there are Christmas events all across Kraków, the main site is on the central Rynek Główny, with two much smaller markets on the square outside the Galeria Krakowska shopping mall and on plac Wolnica in Kazimerz.
The Rynek Główny market takes up about a quarter of Kraków’s huge main square, providing the perfect fairytale setting, especially in the snow. This can get very crowded, especially at night. You shouldn’t have to queue long for food but getting a table to eat can be tricky.
The market at plac Wolnica is much smaller, with perhaps 30 stalls in all, and quieter, but this brings a more relaxed atmosphere and a nice place to stop off on your way home of an evening. There’s more room to perch with a warming drink, and some of the food options are different, though things tend to close down a bit earlier.
It’s not worth really making the trip just for the market but it’s a great end to any trip to Kazimerz. The site is directly behind the Ethnography Museum, which also has an entertaining exhibit on Polish Christmas traditions and decorations, and it’s well-placed for trams back to the city centre.
By contrast, the market outside Galeria Krakowska feels a bit cramped and, when I was there, speakers pumped out distorted music. It has more of a funfair feel to it, not least because it has a small ice rink. You’ll inevitably pass through it as you come to and from the train station or shopping mall.
Traditional Polish ceramics
When Are the Kraków Christmas Markets Open?
The markets generally open either the last weekend of November or the first weekend of December, depending which is closest to the first of the month. They run throughout December until Boxing Day (December 26) before gradually winding down in the run up to New Year. Some years the main market is extended into early January.
The markets are officially open from 10am until 8pm, but stall owners come and go as they please and food stalls continue to serve until at least 10pm.
Dates and times are subject to change due to circumstances.
Preparing fried potato spirals
Are the Kraków Christmas Markets Expensive?
Not at all. Entry to all the main markets are free, which means you can come back at different times during your holiday. Shopping is easier during the day, when it is quieter, but the eating and drinking is best after dark, when the whole place takes on a convivial atmosphere.
The food might be slightly more expensive than usual for Kraków, but it’s still reasonable. Expect to pay 10-40zł for some hearty grub (3-10€). Drinks are pricy by Polish standards – a large mug of mulled wine costs around 25zł (just under 6€), but you’ll really feel the benefit on a cold night.
Despite the abundance of food and drink stalls, the bulk of the markets are given over to gift stalls. It’s a great place for Christmas shopping. Some of the bespoke craft items are more expensive, obviously, as they have generally been handcrafted. You can find something really unique. Some stalls will even customise an item on the fly for you.
However, there really is something to suit every budget, including delicious gingerbreads and chocolates, highly-decorated Polish kitchenware, glass tree decorations, and more. The price of these vary depending on the product, but finding something unique and well-made is perhaps more important here than scoring a cheap bargain. There is, of course, a lot of cheap stuff for sale as well!
Bonerowski Palace balcony view
Where to Stay for Kraków’s Christmas Markets
Although prices tend to be at their peak during December, Kraków remains a bargain all year round. Anywhere close to the Old Town is good, but the streets around the Rynek Główny are optimal if you want to be in the thick of the Christmas cheer. The Bonerowski Palace has balconies overlooking the square itself.
If you’re staying in Kazimierz, you’ll be closer to the much smaller market on plac Wolnica. The Golden Tulip hotel is one block up and the Miodosytnia ApartHotel is just around the corner.
You can find available hotels on Booking.com, often with no upfront payment and free cancellation – pay when you check out. See our Where to Stay in Kraków guide for an overview and recommendations.
Galeria Krakowska Christmas market
Weather in Kraków in December
Taken together, Kraków is a hugely popular destination in the run-up to Christmas. The Old Town as a whole is perhaps at its prettiest but the Christmas market is one of the main draws.
Short days, dark nights, and the chance of snowy weather certainly add to the festive feeling in Kraków during Christmas and the New Year. Temperatues hover somewhere around freezing, so be sure to pack warm layers. It’s generally pretty present, especially as there’s relatively little rain.
See our Weather in December for more information.
Kraków nativity scene
What Else Is There to Do in Kraków at Christmas?
As noted above, the main market and its smaller sibling Kazimierz both have stages with festive performances. You’ll find the times and dates on notice boards around the grounds.
As you wander around Kraków, you’ll notice a number of ornate models of buildings in glass cases. These are actually Christmas nativity scenes given a uniquely local twist. Those on display in the streets are from the competition in previous years. The current entries are on show first at a free event on the first Thursday in December around the Adam Mickiewicz monument on the main square. The nativities are then for show in the Krzysztofory Palace Museum of Kraków for the rest of the winter. See our Christmas in Kraków page for more information. You can also get more insight on the history of this and other Kraków Christmas customs in the Ethnography Museum in Kazimierz.
The Kino Pod Baranami cinema, right on the main square, also has an annual festival of silent films during December. See the December section of our Events in Kraków page for more information.
Finally, New Year in Kraków is one of the big party events of the calendar. It’s a stunning location to crack open a bottle and toast to the days ahead. Many hotels host a special event.
Wooden nativity
Tips for Visiting Kraków Christmas Markets
- Wrap up warm, especially at night! Despite the cheery effects of mulled wine on your internal thermostat, Kraków is pretty chilly in December. Gloves, scarf, and hat are recommended, and also waterproof outerwear and boots.
- Bring lots of cash! Poland is ahead of the game when it comes to contactless payment but there may be times when you need to pay with good old fashioned złoty.
- Watch out for pickpockets! Kraków is very safe but a crowded market with lots to dazzle and distract is the perfect hunting ground for thieves. So keep your valuables in a safe place and keep your wits about you!
Oscypek smoked cheese
More Information About Christmas in Poland
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