When to go · Poland
Poland in December
Mixed month. Christmas markets; 24–26 December almost everything shuts.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Crowds
- Medium
- Poland
- Prices
- Medium
- Poland
Verdict
Christmas markets; 24–26 December almost everything shuts.
Weather in December
- Centre and south (Kraków, Warsaw, Wrocław) · Kraków, Warsaw, Wrocław, Lublincool
Continental: cold winters (often below 0 °C), warm summers with storms; winter smog in Kraków on still days.
- Baltic coast · Gdańsk, Sopot, Hel peninsulacool
Cooler summers, sea at 17–20 °C in August; windy and grey in winter.
- Mountains (Tatras, Karkonosze) · Zakopane, Karpaczcool
Ski December–March; summer hiking July–September; Zakopane packed at weekends.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Christmas Eve (a public holiday since 2025) and Christmas big impact
24–26 Dec
Shops, restaurants and museums close; Wigilia dinner at home.
Christmas
Dec 24–26 · Kraków
Shops, restaurants and museums close; reduced transport.
Christmas Market
Late Nov–Dec · Kraków
Stalls on the Main Market Square; crowded evenings.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Poland
- Medium
- Prices · Poland
- Medium
What to pack
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket
Where to go in December
Rated best or good this month
Christmas market on the square; cold.