Lodz Christmas Market 2026: dates, opening hours, tips

The dates of the 2026 Łódź Christmas Market have not been announced yet. In 2025 the market ran from 29 November 2025 to 6 January 2026 and, for the first time, took place on the renovated Plac Wolności (Freedom Square) at the northern end of Piotrkowska Street, opening together with the lighting of the city Christmas tree. We'll update this guide as soon as the city or the Łódź Events Centre publishes the 2026/2027 dates.

Below you'll find what we know from last season (hours, number of stalls, what to buy), practical tips for a December visit – including how to get to Łódź from Warsaw airport and how to pay – and the sights within walking distance, from Piotrkowska Street to Manufaktura. Bigger markets elsewhere are listed in Christmas markets in Poland 2026.

At a glance: Łódź Christmas Market

Dates 2026	not yet announced – in 2025: 29 November 2025 – 6 January 2026
Hours (2025)	daily except 23 and 24 December; weekdays 13:00–19:00, weekends 12:00–20:00; until 22:00 on opening day
Where	Plac Wolności, at the junction of Piotrkowska and Nowomiejska streets
Admission	free
Stalls (2025)	about 30: decorations, gifts, crafts, handmade goods, Polish and regional food
Getting there	tram to Plac Wolności; about 20 minutes' walk from Łódź Fabryczna station
Source	uml.lodz.pl (Łódź Events Centre)

Status as of 13 October 2026. The 2026 dates are not yet announced; in 2025 the market ran from 29 November to 6 January. We'll update this article as soon as official dates appear.

What the market was like in 2025

Moving the market to Plac Wolności surprised many locals – the city announced it with the words “nobody expected this location”. The renovated octagonal square, with its Kościuszko monument, neoclassical old town hall and Pentecost Church, gave the market more space than before. According to the city, about 30 traders took part, selling decorations, gifts, artisan goods, handicrafts and Polish and regional food.

The market opened on Saturday 29 November 2025 with the lighting of the city Christmas tree, staying open until 22:00 that day. After that it opened on weekdays 13:00–19:00 and at weekends 12:00–20:00, closed on 23 and 24 December and ran until 6 January 2026. If the city follows a similar pattern, the 2026 market would open in late November – but that's our assumption, not an official announcement.

Plac Wolności, heart of the old New Town

The new location makes historical sense. The octagonal Plac Wolności was the market square of the New Town laid out in the 1820s, when Łódź began turning from a small town into an industrial city. Streets radiate from the square, and Piotrkowska Street runs south from it – the old road along which factory owners built their townhouses and palaces.

Murals and winter Łódź

Łódź is famous for its large-scale murals – there are dozens in the centre, many within walking distance of Piotrkowska. A December afternoon after the market is a great time to hunt for them on the side streets; in the low winter light the colours look surprisingly vivid.

What to eat and buy

The Łódź market is small and friendly – a few dozen stalls rather than hundreds of huts, so it's easy to chat with the makers. Look for crafts and decorations by local artisans, and Polish and regional food. A local speciality is zalewajka, a sour rye soup with potatoes, perfect on a cold evening. There are no 2026 prices yet.

Festive Piotrkowska and Manufaktura

The market on Plac Wolności is a great starting point for a December walk. Piotrkowska Street, a long pedestrian boulevard lined with 19th-century townhouses, cafés and restaurants, gets Christmas decorations every year. Manufaktura – a shopping and leisure complex in the former Poznański textile factory, about 15 minutes' walk away – usually runs its own Christmas fair; its dates are set by the complex's management.

What to bring home

Łódź built its fortune on textiles, so scarves, cushions or tote bags by local designers make great souvenirs. Look for handmade decorations at the market, and for local design shops around Piotrkowska and in the converted factories. At a small market you often buy straight from the maker – ask how the product was made.

Gift idea: design a personalised Łódź map poster with a heart on Piotrkowska Street or Manufaktura and download a print-ready PDF in minutes.

Practical tips for international visitors

Money: paying in złoty

Bring złoty (zł, PLN): the stalls don't take euros. Many stalls take cards and contactless, but at a small market it's worth having some cash. Decline any 'pay in your currency' offer on the terminal and stick with PLN.

Getting to Łódź

Łódź has a small airport with few flights, so most international visitors fly into Warsaw Chopin Airport and take the train to Łódź Fabryczna station (about 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes from Warsaw's main stations). From Fabryczna it's about a 20-minute walk to Plac Wolności, or a short tram or bus ride. Łódź Kaliska station is also connected to the centre by tram.

When to go

If the hours are similar to last year, the market opens at 13:00 and closes at 19:00 on weekdays, so the best time is around 15:30–16:00, after dark but before closing. At weekends you have more time (until 20:00 in 2025). Opening day with the tree lighting is the busiest; for a calmer visit, pick an ordinary weekday.

A simple afternoon plan

Start at Plac Wolności and the market, then walk south along Piotrkowska Street and pop into Rose Passage, a courtyard covered in a shimmering mirror mosaic. Come back to the square for a mulled wine, then walk along Ogrodowa Street to Manufaktura for dinner. With more time, visit the Museum of the City of Łódź in Izrael Poznański's palace, about 10 minutes' walk from the square.

Getting around and parking

Plac Wolności is one of the main tram hubs in the city centre. Piotrkowska Street is pedestrianised and the centre is a paid parking zone; a convenient option is to park at Manufaktura and walk to the square along Ogrodowa or Nowomiejska Street.

Kids, accessibility and dogs

The renovated square is flat and spacious, so buggies and wheelchairs should manage well. The small market is less crowded than those in Poland's biggest cities, which dog owners will appreciate too. Neither the city nor the organiser has published specific rules on dogs or accessibility.

Where to stay

Stay in the centre – around Piotrkowska, Manufaktura or Łódź Fabryczna station. Hotels are usually cheaper than in Warsaw or Kraków, and with Warsaw only about an hour and a half away by train, Łódź also works as a base for a festive trip to the capital.

Make a weekend of it

December in Łódź is all about museums and post-industrial interiors – perfect for grey weather. Besides the city museum, see the Central Museum of Textiles in Geyer's White Factory and the Factory Museum at Manufaktura, both telling the story of the city's industrial past. In the evening, stroll down Piotrkowska and have dinner in one of the restaurants set in former factories.

Nearby: what else to see

• Plac Wolności (Freedom Square) – the octagonal square with the Kościuszko monument where the market stands.
• Piotrkowska Street – a long pedestrian street of townhouses, cafés and Christmas lights.
• Manufaktura – a former textile factory turned into shops, museums and restaurants.
• Museum of the City of Łódź – in the eclectic palace of industrialist Izrael Poznański.
• Rose Passage – a courtyard at Piotrkowska 3 covered in mirror mosaic.

Murals, factories and the palaces of the textile barons: see things to do in Łódź.

FAQ: Łódź Christmas Market 2026

When does the Łódź Christmas Market open in 2026?

The 2026 dates haven't been announced yet. In 2025 the market opened on 29 November with the city tree lighting. As soon as the city confirms the 2026 dates, we'll add them here.

Where is it held?

In 2025 it was on Plac Wolności, at the junction of Piotrkowska and Nowomiejska streets. We'll confirm the 2026 location together with the dates.

What were the opening hours?

In 2025: weekdays 13:00–19:00, weekends 12:00–20:00, and until 22:00 on opening day. We'll add 2026 hours once announced.

Is there an entrance fee?

No, the market is free.

How much is mulled wine?

The city hasn't published prices for 2026; at a small market they depend on each stall.

Can I bring my dog?

We found no ban. The market is small, but opening day can be busy – an ordinary weekday is better with a dog.

Before you go: a Łódź map poster is a great gift for anyone who has fallen for this city of factories and murals. Łódź pairs well with Warsaw – see Christmas markets in Poland 2026 for both.