Fairs in Żarki

Żarki in the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland keep up a fair tradition going back to the times of King Sigismund Augustus, who granted the town the right to hold three fairs a year, each lasting at least a week. For centuries the markets operated on the Old Market Square; after the war they moved to the historic barn complex on Piaski street.

What you will see

Regular markets are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 6:00 to 12:00, and the Saturday ones attract several thousand visitors. You can buy produce straight from farmers and craftsmen, including local specialities: tatarczuch (a dark buckwheat bread), żareckie bubelki — indulgence ring-shaped loaves strung on a cord — goat's milk products and the upland 'pieczonki' stew from a cast-iron pot.

Did you know

Several times a year, notably before Easter, in early May and around Corpus Christi, a ceremonial fair called Kupiecki Sąsiek takes place under the barns, focused on handicrafts and traditional goods. In 2006 it received the Certificate of the Częstochowa Tourist Organisation for the best tourist product.

Practical tips

The morning markets combine well with sightseeing — Żarki lie on the trail of upland attractions near Janów and Olsztyn. Come early: the best goods disappear before noon.