Christmas in Krakow
Questions about the Krakow Christmas Market
How far away is Krakow?
If you’re planning on visiting the Krakow Christmas Market but you’re worried that Krakow is too far away to consider as a weekend break then think again!
Krakow is just over a two hour flight away from UK airports. That is less time than it takes to get from London to Manchester by train.
A Krakow Christmas break is perfect for an extended weekend stay in November or December as even without the Xmas market there is still plenty to explore and discover.
There are a number of budget airlines that offer flights to Krakow so it’s possible to bag a bargain on the flight price, especially if you book well in advance.
Once you arrive at Krakow airport then thankfully you are already pretty close to the centre of the city.
A taxi will take you around 25 minutes to get to Krakow’s city centre and a train will take you around 20 minutes to get to Krakow’s main railway station.
Where in Krakow is the Krakow Christmas market held?
The Krakow Christmas market is centred in and around Krakow’s Main Square. In Polish the Main Square is called “Rynek Główny” (pronounced Rinek Gwuvny)
Krakow Christmas market is one of the most picture perfect settings for a Christmas market that you can imagine.
Krakow’s Main Square is HUGE!! It is one of the largest medieval squares in Europe and amongst all the Christmas market stalls is the beautiful twin towered basilica of St Mary’s.
In the centre of the square is the Cloth Hall. In Polish the Cloth Hall is called Sukiennice (pronounced Sukyenitse).
Krakow’s Cloth Hall is THE place to go for souvenirs throughout the whole year and Christmas-time is no exception.
Does it snow in Krakow at Christmas?
I know……I get it. You travel to Poland (a country where you believe it is ALWAYS cold). At Christmas-time. Ideally, you want snow, right?
The question, “does it snow in Krakow at Christmas” is impossible to answer as Krakow weather, just like everywhere else, is unpredictable.
What I can tell you is that Krakow is in the far south of Poland, not all that far from the ski resort of Zakopane (Poland’s winter capital).
If it is going to snow anywhere in Poland then it’s more likely to fall in the south so there is a good chance it may snow in Krakow around Christmas but weather is always unpredictable so there is obviously no guarantee there will be snow in Krakow though there is a far greater chance it will snow here than anywhere in the UK!
What is worth seeing at Krakow Christmas market?
As mentioned earlier. The Main Square in Krakow is the perfect backdrop to a Christmas market so just discovering the many beautiful buildings, cafes and restaurants here is a memorable experience. Krakow is also one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and there is plenty to see besides Krakow’s Christmas market – trust me…..you will not be bored!
Krakow Christmas market is filled with food and souvenir stalls but with a Polish flavour. So what’s worth looking out for?
Mulled Wine, Beer and Mead
You can get drunk just from the fumes but in Poland they KNOW how to make proper mulled wine. Cloves, ginger, orange slices and honey combine to make your taste buds explode. It is Christmas in a mug!
Mulled beer is something we are not accustomed to seeing much back home but it is just as more-ish if not more so than mulled wine.
The beer is heated up and a little honey is added as beer becomes quite bitter when heated up. Spices are added and then you’re ready to drink it.
Grilled Meat
Poland is a country of meat lovers.
Imagine the meat stall at your Xmas market back home and then ramp up the variety and quality level by five times!
Taste seasoned grilled sausages sourced from local farms or roasted knuckles of pork coated in honey with the tender meat falling off the bone.
Soups
There’s nothing better in bone chilling temperatures than to have some hot homemade soup.
Poland often has severely cold winters so over the centuries a vast variety of soups have been conjured up and refined.
You will, of course, find soups that you are familiar with such as tomato, mushroom etc but you really need to try the soups you won’t have heard of back home
Spiced beetroot soup is the staple of the Polish family meal tradition on Christmas Eve but there are so many others that deserve to be sampled.
Souvenirs and toys
Pretty much as you might expect.
Plenty of handmade wooden toys and Christmas decorations including the famous Krakow Christmas baubles. Art glass is very popular in Poland and many of the luxury Christmas baubles we see back home in our stores are manufactured in Poland.
There are plenty of different Christmas decorations such as candles, Christmas centrepieces, nativity scenes etc.
You will also find a good selection of jewellery and some very reasonably priced sheepskin coats.
Vodkas, liqueurs and spirits
You may have heard about them and some of you may have tried them back home but when in Poland there is really no excuse not to sample the delights of Polish vodkas, liqueurs and spirits.
The grass flavoured vodka of Zubrowka is internationally renowned but there are many other flavoured varieties. I defy you not to enjoy the chocolate vodka made by the legendary Polish patisserie, Wedel.
Cherry liqueurs, honey spiced liqueurs……there really is no end to the drinks on offer but we’d suggest sampling these delights in the evening AFTER you’ve visited the Krakow Christmas market otherwise you’ll be staggering from stall to stall!
Ice Skating near the Krakow Christmas Market
Although technically not part of the Xmas market, around December time a number of ice rinks pop up around the city in addition to the year round rink used by the city’s ice hockey team (and available to the public).
All of them are outside of the Old Town but within easy travelling distance and even by foot if you don’t mind walking.
Two of the most popular ones are the ones outside Krakow’s main shopping gallery, Galeria Krakowska and the one west of the Old Town at Blonia.
