How to visit the Christmas Markets around Poland

Oscypek: A traditional smoked sheep’s milk cheese from the Tatra Mountains, with a salty, slightly smoky taste and a firm texture. Often grilled and served with cranberry jam. You can choose to have it with bacon too. The prices range from 5 zloty in Wroclaw to 15 zloty in Gdansk.

Kiełbasa: A classic Polish sausage made from pork, seasoned with garlic and spices. It can be smoked, grilled, or added to many dishes.

Bigos: A slow-cooked dish made with sauerkraut, fresh cabbage, meat, and spices. It’s full of flavor.

Pierogi: Polish dumplings filled with ingredients like potato and cheese, meat, mushrooms, or fruit. They are usually served with sour cream.

Bread with pickles: A simple, popular Polish snack: fresh bread topped with crunchy, tangy pickles for a salty, sour bite.

Christmas time in Kraków feels warm, nostalgic, and truly enchanting. The main Christmas market takes place in the old town center known as Rynek Główny in Polish. Many Christmas stalls will be open in the center as well as the Sukiennice building which is a permanent commercial structure from the 13th century. 

Did you know? Poland is known for its beautiful handmade glass ornaments. These ornaments are carefully blown and hand-painted by skilled artisans, often featuring traditional designs, animals, flowers, and festive scenes. Prices vary so don’t be afraid to shop around at the Christmas markets.

Horse-drawn carriages are a popular sight in Kraków, especially around the Main Market Square.

Small bronze dwarves are sprinkled everywhere around Wroclaw! Originally these dwarves were a symbol of the resistance of the people against communism. Nowadays you can find well over 300+ around the city. During the holiday season, these dwarves get a makeover whether it’s Santa hats, scarves or more.  

I took the 4:45 am train from the train station Krakow Glowny to the train stop Wroclaw Glowny. It took 6 hours. I booked this via the app KOLEO. Once you get to Wroclaw, the old city center is just a 20-minute walk away.

Wroclaw has most of the Christmas markets concentrated by the old town square. This season the market runs from November 21, 2025, to January 7, 2026.

⚲ The Main Market Square aka Rynek
⚲ Along the street Świdnicka
⚲ On the street Oławska
⚲ In the square called Plac Solony

The Christmas tree in the Main Square doesn’t get lit until December 6, which is St. Nicolas Day or Santa Day in Poland. Fair warning to anyone who is going to Polish Christmas markets before St. Nicolas Day because even the larger cities like Warsaw and Krakow won’t have a lit tree yet.

The oldest part of Wrocław is called Ostrów Tumski. It becomes especially atmospheric in December. Gas lamps are still lit by hand every evening. If you are wondering, where do you locate the gas lamp man? I would recommend hanging around the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, as this is usually where they start their route. You can also climb the cathedral tower, which gives you beautiful 360-degree views of Wroclaw at sunset for a small fee.

The Nadodrze district is known for its community of artists and small craft studios. It especially comes alive in a more bohemian way. Here you can find cute shops sprinkled throughout the street art neighborhood for additional unique gifts.

From Wroclaw Glowny, I took the 9:51 am train to get to Poznan around 11:25 am.

There are three different Christmas markets in Poznan.
⚲ Poznań Bethlehem or Betlejem Poznańskie near the square called Plac Wolności. I would say this is the main one.
⚲ Old Market Square or the Stary Rynek is located right down the street from the previous market.
⚲ Międzynarodowe Targi Poznańskie is located further out from the other two markets. It is located closer to the main transportation station of Poznan Glowny. I went there as soon as I came into town.

In the region of Poznań, there’s a famous pastry called St. Martin’s croissants or Rogal Świętomarciński, It’s a traditional pastry filled with white poppy seeds, nuts, raisins, and almond paste, wrapped in layers of flaky, buttery dough. The pastries are protected by EU regional status, meaning only certified bakeries in the Poznań region can officially use the name.

You can take a cooking class (available in English and Polish) or simply if you’d like you can purchase them anywhere around town. Check out the museum’s official website HERE.

Torun is a town known for its gingerbread was a must stop in my Christmas market search around Poland. It is a smaller destination, but the town itself is an UNESCO site. Their one and only Christmas market is located in the Main Square of the town. For a smaller market, I was so happy to see a large array of unique handmade gifts. This 2025 season it runs from November 23 to December 22.

There are two museums in the town of Torun dedicated to the gingerbread making process. Since I arrived on a Monday, I went to the one that was opened. Both museums do a hands-on presentation.

These are the two spots:
⚲ Muzeum Toruńskiego Piernika
⚲ Żywe Muzeum Piernika

The presentation and interactive process is in Polish; you will have to schedule a bit in advance for an English presentation.

The market is relatively all close together and runs from November 21 to December 23, 2025, but here are the official spots.

⚲ Targ Węglowy
⚲ Bogusławskiego Street
⚲ Tkacka Street
⚲ Wielka Zbrojownia
⚲ Forum Gdańsk Courtyard is located across the street next to the mall. (I went in the mall to warm up after a while.)

Don’t worry! You won’t get lost at this market because there’s signage everywhere leading you to each corner of the market.

Gdańsk is famous for bursztyn aka amber. This fossilized tree resin washes up along the Baltic coast. The city is one of the world’s main centers for amber trading and craftsmanship.

At the Gdańsk Christmas Market, you can buy a wide variety of amber products, including necklaces, earrings, rings, and carved ornaments.

Two other amber spots to check out, outside the Christmas market:

1. I also recommend visiting the Amber Museum. Here you will truly learn everything and anything about amber from around the world. They had a gecko that was millions of years old!
2. Visit the Basilica of St. Brigida where the main altar piece is an amber masterpiece. There is a $6 USD entrance, but worth the side trip. There’s signage all around the church in Polish, English and German.