Christmas markets in Poland 2026: dates, map and tips

Wooden huts, mulled wine in a souvenir mug, a giant tree on the main square and the smell of gingerbread: Christmas markets are one of the best reasons to take a city break in Poland in December. In 2026 the first big market opens as early as 14 November in Poznań, and the longest-running one, in Katowice, stays open until 10 January 2027.

This guide covers 17 Polish cities: Wrocław, Kraków, Gdańsk, Poznań, Warsaw, Katowice, Łódź, Toruń, Bydgoszcz, Szczecin, Lublin, Białystok, Rzeszów, Olsztyn, Opole, Zakopane and Bielsko-Biała, plus four markets just across the border in Dresden, Görlitz, Berlin and Prague. We list a 2026 date only when the organiser or the city has published it. Where it has not, we say so and tell you how the market ran in 2025. Dates were checked on official websites on 13 October 2026, and we will update this page as new announcements come in.

Each city has its own detailed guide (opening hours, highlights, getting there, FAQ), linked in every section. The map below shows every market in this article.

Poland's Christmas markets 2026 at a glance

City	Dates 2026/2027	Where	Best for
Wrocław	20 Nov 2026 – 7 Jan 2027	Market Square, Plac Solny, Świdnicka and Oławska streets	a long season and Old Town atmosphere, also between Christmas and New Year
Kraków	from 27 Nov 2026, ends 3 or 6 Jan 2027	Main Square (Rynek Główny)	crafts, Kraków nativity scenes, first-time visitors
Gdańsk	20 Nov – 23 Dec 2026	Targ Węglowy and around	scale: over 200 stalls in 2025
Poznań – MTP	14 Nov – 20 Dec 2026	Poznań International Fair grounds	the earliest start, next to the main station
Poznań – Plac Wolności	20 Nov 2026 – 6 Jan 2027	Plac Wolności	families and ice sculptures (Ice Festival 11–13 Dec)
Poznań – Old Market Square	21 Nov 2026 – 6 Jan 2027	Stary Rynek	an Old Town stroll
Warsaw – Jarmark Warszawski	20 Nov 2026 – 6 Jan 2027	Plac Defilad by the Palace of Culture	arriving by train, next to Warszawa Centralna
Warsaw – Barbican	not announced (2025: 22 Nov – 6 Jan)	Barbican walls, Old Town	Old Town charm and the ice rink on the Market Square
Katowice	20 Nov 2026 – 10 Jan 2027	Market Square	kids: 33 m Ferris wheel, carousel, mini train; the longest season in Poland
Łódź	not announced (2025: 29 Nov – 6 Jan)	Plac Wolności	combining with Piotrkowska Street and Manufaktura
Toruń	from 20 Nov 2026 (ends 20 Dec 2026 or 10 Jan 2027)	Old Town Market Square	gingerbread and a UNESCO-listed Old Town
Bydgoszcz	20 Nov – 21 Dec 2026	Old Market Square, Mostowa St, bridge, Plac Teatralny	a riverside market, partly on a bridge
Szczecin	27 Nov – 22 Dec 2026	Plac Lotników, Plac Adamowicza, Aleja Kwiatowa	pre-Christmas shopping, about 100 traders in 2025
Lublin	not announced (2025: 18–21 Dec)	Old Town, behind the Crown Tribunal	folk traditions, workshops and carol singers
Białystok	not announced (2025: 29 Nov – 23 Dec)	Kościuszko Market Square	an advent calendar and local food
Rzeszów	4 Dec 2026 – 6 Jan 2027	Market Square	a big wheel and the Christmas Town
Olsztyn	not announced (2025: 11–14 Dec)	Old Town, Targ Rybny	a short, very local Warmian market
Opole	27 Nov – 23 Dec 2026	Market Square and Plac Wolności	a 23-metre Ferris wheel and a Venetian carousel
Zakopane	26 Nov – 30 Dec 2026	Plac Niepodległości by Krupówki	combining a market with the mountains
Bielsko-Biała	11–13 Dec 2026	Market Square and Old Town squares	one packed weekend with concerts

Entry to all the markets described here is free. You pay for food, shopping and rides such as the big wheel, carousels or skate hire. Hours on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve often change, so check the organiser's website before you go.

Wrocław: Market Square until 7 January

Wrocław's market fills the Market Square, Plac Solny and Świdnicka and Oławska streets. The organiser has announced 20 November 2026 to 7 January 2027, so it also covers New Year's Eve and Epiphany. It is open daily 10:00–21:00 and closed on 24 and 25 December and 1 January. On 26 December it opens at 13:00; on New Year's Eve shopping stalls close at 17:00 and food stalls stay open until 2:00.

• Don't miss: the Christmas-tree carousel, the Fairy-Tale Forest and the Dwarf House by the Fredro monument, whose balcony hosts the opening and live bands.
• Getting there: it is about a 20-minute walk from Wrocław Główny station.

Full guide: Wrocław Christmas Market 2026. More about the city: things to do in Wrocław.

Kraków: the Main Square and nativity scenes

Kraków's Christmas market sits on the Main Square between the Cloth Hall and St Mary's Basilica. The organiser, ARTIM, plans this year's edition from 27 November 2026 to 3 or 6 January 2027, so check the closing date nearer the time. In 2025 it ran from 28 November to 1 January.

• What's on: crafts, tree ornaments, regional food from Małopolska, folk groups on stage and a carousel for kids.
• Kraków nativity scenes (szopki): the famous contest traditionally takes place on the first Thursday of December by the Mickiewicz monument (3 December in 2026, though the Museum of Kraków has not confirmed it yet). Winning entries have been shown afterwards at Krzysztofory Palace.

Full guide: Kraków Christmas Market 2026. Staying longer? See our two-day Kraków itinerary.

Gdańsk: Targ Węglowy until 23 December

Gdańsk has confirmed 20 November to 23 December 2026, so the market closes before Christmas Eve. Its heart is Targ Węglowy, at the start of the Royal Route. According to the organiser it opens Sunday to Thursday 12:00–20:00 and on Fridays and Saturdays until 21:00, so don't plan a morning visit.

• Scale: in 2025 there were 222 craft and gift stalls and 22 world-food kitchens, and the market won the online vote for Best Christmas Markets in Europe 2025.
• Afterwards: walk down Długi Targ to Neptune's Fountain and on to the riverside Crane.

Full guide: Gdańsk Christmas Market 2026. More: things to do in Gdańsk.

Poznań: Betlejem Poznańskie in three places

Poznań's market is called Betlejem Poznańskie (Poznań Bethlehem) and in 2026 runs at three sites, each with its own dates:

• International Fair grounds (MTP): 14 November – 20 December 2026, the earliest big market in Poland, next to Poznań Główny station;
• Plac Wolności: 20 November 2026 – 6 January 2027;
• Old Market Square: 21 November 2026 – 6 January 2027.

The star attraction is the Poznań Ice Festival, an ice-sculpture contest holding its 20th edition in 2026: small sculptures on 11 December, Speed Ice Carving on 12 December and the main contest on 13 December. The Old Market Square and Plac Wolności are a few minutes' walk apart, passing the Royal Castle.

Full guide: Poznań Christmas Market 2026. More: things to do in Poznań.

Warsaw: Plac Defilad and the Old Town

The second Jarmark Warszawski takes place beneath the Palace of Culture and Science from 20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027. The organiser lists hours of 11:00–21:00 (until 22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays) and will publish holiday hours later. It is the easiest market to reach by train, right next to Warszawa Centralna.

In the Old Town, the 2026 dates of the market by the Barbican have not been announced yet. In 2025 it ran from 22 November to 6 January along the walls from Castle Square to Wąski Dunaj, with an ice rink on the Old Town Market Square.

Both markets are covered in Warsaw Christmas Market 2026. More: things to do in Warsaw.

Katowice: Market Square and Nikiszowiec

The organiser, Jarmarki Śląskie, has announced 20 November 2026 to 10 January 2027 for the Katowice Christmas market – the longest season in this guide. Opening hours for 2026 are still to come (in 2025: Monday to Thursday 10:00–20:00, Friday to Sunday until 21:00). Promised for this edition: more than a hundred huts, the 33-metre Mega Młyn Ferris wheel, a Victorian carousel with Silesian motifs and an electric mini train for kids.

The separate one-weekend Nikiszowiec market usually takes place in early December in the historic miners' estate. The Market Square is a few minutes' walk from the station.

Full guide: Katowice Christmas Market 2026. More: things to do in Katowice.

Łódź: Plac Wolności

Łódź has not announced its 2026 dates yet. In 2025 the market moved from Piotrkowska Street to Plac Wolności for the first time and ran from 29 November to 6 January, with about 30 stalls, a tree and carousels. Piotrkowska Street starts right at the square, and Manufaktura runs its own Christmas market too.

More: Łódź Christmas Market 2026 and things to do in Łódź.

Toruń: gingerbread on the Old Town Square

Toruń's market stands on the Old Town Market Square, in the heart of the UNESCO-listed Old Town. The organiser gives a start date of 20 November 2026 but two end dates: 20 December 2026 in the page title and 10 January 2027 next to the trading hours. Stalls open Monday to Thursday 12:00–21:00, Friday 12:00–22:00, Saturday 10:00–22:00 and Sunday 10:00–21:00.

The best souvenir is, of course, gingerbread. To bake your own, book a workshop at the Toruń Gingerbread Museum.

Full guide: Toruń Christmas Market 2026. More: things to do in Toruń.

Bydgoszcz: a market on a bridge

The city has announced 20 November to 21 December 2026, with stalls on the Old Market Square, Mostowa Street, the Old Town Bridge and Plac Teatralny. The city bills it as the only market in Poland held on a bridge. Around 30 traders will sell Kujawy food, fish, ornaments and crafts. The 2026 hours are out: Sunday to Thursday 13:00–20:00, Fridays and Saturdays 13:00–21:00. Nearby, the famous tightrope-walker sculpture "Man Crossing the River" balances above the Brda.

Full guide: Bydgoszcz Christmas Market 2026. Stay on for a walk along the Brda river: things to do in Bydgoszcz.

Szczecin: three squares in the centre

The organiser, Żegluga Szczecińska Turystyka Wydarzenia, has announced 27 November to 22 December 2026 on Plac Lotników, Plac Adamowicza and Aleja Kwiatowa. In 2025 there were about 100 traders, a vintage carousel and a big wheel. Hours for 2026: Monday to Thursday 13:00–20:00, Friday 13:00–23:00, Saturday 10:00–23:00, Sunday 10:00–21:00. Afterwards walk down to the Oder and the Chrobry Embankment and the Pomeranian Dukes' Castle.

Full guide: Szczecin Christmas Market 2026. Making a weekend of it? See things to do in Szczecin.

Lublin: a small Old Town market

No 2026 dates yet. In 2025 the Christmas Market, part of the city's Christmas Festival, ran from 18 to 21 December in the Old Town, behind the Crown Tribunal on the Market Square. About 30 traders filled 20 wooden huts, with free star-making workshops, carol singers and traditional nativity puppet plays. Choose it if you prefer folk traditions to big rides.

Full guide: Lublin Christmas Market 2026. Walk through the Kraków Gate and visit Lublin Castle. City guide: things to do in Lublin.

Białystok: Kościuszko Market Square

No 2026 dates yet. In 2025 the Białystok Christmas Market ran from 29 November to 23 December on the Kościuszko Market Square, organised by the Szamto Foundation. It had over 70 traders with crafts and Podlasie treats, a small big wheel, a Christmas train and a giant wooden advent calendar with a new window opening every day from 1 December.

Full guide: Białystok Christmas Market 2026. The Branicki Palace is a few minutes away. City guide: things to do in Białystok.

Rzeszów: Christmas Town on the Market Square

The organiser has announced 4 December 2026 to 6 January 2027 for the Christmas Town on the Market Square, around the town hall, so it stays open between Christmas and Epiphany. Hours for 2026 are still to come; in 2025/26 it opened Monday to Saturday 13:00–21:00 and Sunday 11:00–21:00 and was closed on Christmas Eve. Highlights included a big wheel, a retro carousel, Santa's House, a nativity scene and a tree over 16 metres tall.

Full guide: Rzeszów Christmas Market 2026. Under the square you can explore the Underground Tourist Route. City guide: things to do in Rzeszów.

Olsztyn: the Warmian Christmas Market

The organiser has not officially published 2026 dates yet. In 2025 the Warmian Christmas Market lasted only four days, 11 to 14 December, across the Old Town between Targ Rybny, the Market Square and the High Gate. It is run by the city and the municipal culture centre, with a strong focus on local makers from Warmia and Masuria and concerts on the Targ Rybny stage.

Full guide: Olsztyn Christmas Market 2026. Don't miss the Warmian Chapter Castle. City guide: things to do in Olsztyn.

Opole: a big wheel on the Market Square

Opole has confirmed 27 November to 23 December 2026. Wooden huts will fill the Market Square around the town hall, whose tower echoes Florence's Palazzo Vecchio, and nearby Plac Wolności. Hours: Monday to Thursday 14:00–21:00, Friday to Sunday 12:00–21:00. Promised for 2026: a 23-metre Ferris wheel with coloured lights, a golden Venetian carousel, a Flying Reindeer ride, a Christmas Dragon mini train and two festive windmills serving mulled wine and hot chocolate.

Afterwards stroll to Opole's “Venice” and see the Piast Tower. Full guide: Opole Christmas Market 2026. City guide: things to do in Opole.

Zakopane: a market below the Tatras

The town has announced 26 November to 30 December 2026 on Plac Niepodległości, right by Krupówki Street. The programme will be published later. In 2025/26 there were over 20 stalls with regional products, oscypek smoked cheese, mulled wine and crafts, plus light installations and an illuminated carousel.

Full guide: Zakopane Christmas Market 2026. On a clear day, ride up to Kasprowy Wierch. Town guide: things to do in Zakopane.

Bielsko-Biała: Christmas in the Old Town

This one is short and lively: the city's events calendar lists Święta na Starówce (Christmas in the Old Town) for 11 to 13 December 2026 on the Market Square and Old Town squares. In 2025 stalls filled the Market Square, Plac Wojska Polskiego and Plac Ratuszowy, with concerts, a Santa zone, kids' workshops and the handover of the Bethlehem Peace Light.

The Sułkowski Castle stands next to the square. City guide: things to do in Bielsko-Biała.

Gift idea: travelling to the markets with someone special? Turn the trip into a keepsake with a personalised poster of your Christmas journey, showing your cities, dates and your own caption.

Weekend ideas: two markets in one trip

Many markets are only a few hours apart by train, so it is easy to combine two cities:

• Wrocław + Poznań: both run into January and are linked by direct trains. Friday night in Wrocław, Saturday in Poznań, with ice sculptures if you go on 11–13 December.
• Gdańsk + Toruń: big-city Targ Węglowy and small, gingerbread-scented Toruń. Both open on 20 November, but Gdańsk closes on 23 December, so plan this pair before Christmas.
• Kraków + Zakopane: the Main Square and a market below the Tatras in one long weekend. The shared window is 27 November to 30 December 2026.
• Katowice + Bielsko-Biała: the Silesian market with its big wheel and the Beskid Old Town festival. Aim for 11–13 December, when Bielsko-Biała holds its Old Town festival; Katowice stays open until 10 January anyway.
• Warsaw + Łódź: Plac Defilad by Warszawa Centralna and Plac Wolności in Łódź, with a quick train in between.
• Wrocław + Görlitz or Dresden: a Polish and a Saxon market in one trip, ideally on 11–13 December, when the Görlitz market spreads across the bridge into Zgorzelec.
• Bydgoszcz + Toruń: two markets about 50 km apart, both opening on 20 November.
• Wrocław + Opole: about an hour apart by train. Both markets are open together from 27 November to 23 December, and Opole adds a 23-metre Ferris wheel.

Just across the border: Dresden, Görlitz, Berlin, Prague

From western and southern Poland, some famous markets are closer than Gdańsk. We checked the dates below on the organisers' websites.

Görlitz and Zgorzelec: Silesian Christkindelmarkt

The market in Görlitz runs from 4 to 20 December 2026 on the Untermarkt and around the Old Town. From 11 to 13 December, during the Brückenadvent (Advent Bridge), stalls extend across the Old Town Bridge into Polish Zgorzelec. Hours: Monday to Thursday 14:00–20:00, Friday 14:00–21:00, Saturday 11:00–21:00, Sunday 11:00–20:00. An ice rink operates in the Old Town from 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.

Dresden: Striezelmarkt

The 592nd Dresden Striezelmarkt on the Altmarkt runs from 25 November to 24 December 2026. It is an easy day trip from Wrocław or Zgorzelec; afterwards visit the Frauenkirche. More (in German): Weihnachtsmarkt Dresden 2026.

Berlin: Gendarmenmarkt and the Red Town Hall

According to Berlin's official city portal, WeihnachtsZauber on the Gendarmenmarkt runs from 23 November to 31 December 2026, and the market at the Red Town Hall from 23 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. From Szczecin or Poznań it makes a great weekend. More (in German): Weihnachtsmarkt Berlin 2026 and our overview of Christmas markets in Germany 2026.

Prague: Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square

The organiser, Trhy Praha, lists 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027 for the markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. From Silesia, Wrocław or Kraków it is a good long-weekend trip.

What to eat and what to bring home

• Małopolska and Podhale (Kraków, Zakopane): grilled oscypek with cranberry, sour soup and Kraków obwarzanek bagels; for souvenirs, tree ornaments and wooden crafts.
• Pomerania and Kujawy (Gdańsk, Toruń, Bydgoszcz): fish, Toruń gingerbread and Kujawy cooking. In Toruń the best souvenir is gingerbread, ideally one you baked yourself at a workshop.
• Poznań: after the market, pop into a bakery for a St Martin's croissant (rogal świętomarciński), filled with white poppy seed.
• Podlasie and Warmia (Białystok, Olsztyn): regional cheeses, honey and local makers' crafts, which both cities actively promote.
• Lublin: straw and dried-flower decorations, stars and angels, which in 2025 you could make yourself at free workshops.

Mulled wine is everywhere, and more markets (Gdańsk, for example) now use deposit mugs. Prices change every season, so we only give them in the city guides once the organiser publishes them.

How to choose your market

• Big and buzzing: Gdańsk, Wrocław, Kraków.
• With kids: Poznań (Ice Festival), Katowice, Białystok, Rzeszów with its big wheel, Opole with its 23-metre Ferris wheel.
• Small and local: Lublin, Olsztyn, Toruń.
• Only one December weekend: on 11–13 December 2026 you can catch the Poznań Ice Festival, Christmas in the Old Town in Bielsko-Biała and the Advent Bridge in Görlitz and Zgorzelec.
• After Christmas: Katowice (until 10 January), Wrocław, Poznań, Warsaw, Rzeszów, Kraków and Zakopane.

When to go to avoid the crowds

• Go on a weekday. Friday and Saturday evenings are the busiest.
• Arrive before dark. In December it gets dark around 16:00. Come an hour earlier to beat the mulled-wine queues and watch the lights come on.
• Check opening times. Gdańsk opens at noon, while in Szczecin on weekdays and in Bydgoszcz every day stalls only open at 13:00.
• After Christmas is calmer. Katowice, Wrocław, Kraków, Poznań, Warsaw, Rzeszów and Zakopane keep their markets open between Christmas and New Year.

Getting there and what to bring

• By train: every market here is in the city centre, within walking distance or a few tram stops of the main station.
• By car: city-centre car parks fill up fast on December weekends, so park outside the centre.
• Mugs: mulled wine usually comes in a deposit or souvenir mug. Return it for your deposit or keep it.
• Warm boots and gloves: you will spend hours standing on cobblestones.
• Where to stay: book central hotels in Kraków, Wrocław and Gdańsk well ahead for December weekends.

FAQ

When do the Christmas markets in Poland open in 2026?

The first is Betlejem Poznańskie at the Poznań fair grounds on 14 November 2026. On 20 November markets open in Wrocław, Gdańsk, Katowice, Toruń, Bydgoszcz, on Poznań's Plac Wolności and on Warsaw's Plac Defilad. Zakopane opens on 26 November, Kraków, Szczecin and Opole on 27 November, and Rzeszów on 4 December.

Which market runs the longest?

Katowice, until 10 January 2027. Wrocław runs until 7 January, and Poznań's Old Market Square and Plac Wolności, the Jarmark Warszawski and Rzeszów's Christmas Town run until 6 January. Toruń lists 10 January 2027 next to its trading hours but 20 December in its page title, so confirm before you go.

Which markets close before Christmas?

Gdańsk and Opole (23 December), Szczecin (22 December), Bydgoszcz (21 December) and the Poznań fair-grounds site (20 December). Bielsko-Biała's market lasts only from 11 to 13 December.

Do you have to pay to get in?

No. All the Polish markets described here are free to enter; you only pay for food, shopping and rides.

Which market is best with kids?

Poznań with its ice sculptures on 11–13 December, Katowice with its 33-metre Mega Młyn wheel, mini train and carousel, Wrocław with its carousel and Fairy-Tale Forest, and Białystok with its advent calendar and Christmas train.

Which foreign market is closest to Poland?

Görlitz: on 11–13 December 2026 its market stretches across the bridge into Zgorzelec. Dresden is also close to Wrocław, and Berlin to Szczecin.

Planning a December route through several markets? Make it a gift: a personalised journey poster lasts on the wall much longer than a Christmas mug.

Dates checked on 13 October 2026 on organiser and city websites; Bydgoszcz, Rzeszów, Opole and Szczecin updated on 16 October 2026. We will update this article when cities marked "not announced" publish their dates. Cover photo: Silar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.