Travel to Europe: Poland has the best Christmas markets in Europe

Destination of the week: Poland

why you should go

It’s understandable, when talking about Christmas markets, to instantly think of Europe. Specifically, Germany’s glowing city squares are teeming with sausage-eating revelers. And yet, a recent survey by The Bucket List Company analyzed everything from online ratings to social media reactions, and revealed that Poland’s Christmas markets are the most popular. With various towns home to tiny wooden shacks adorned with fairy lights and -4°C temperatures flirting with the idea of ​​snow, Poland’s markets are everything you could want in a winter wonderland.

Best seats

The Krakow Christmas Market occupies Krakow’s main square, Rynek Głowny, the largest medieval square in Europe. Dating back to the 13th century and framed by St. Mary’s Basilica, it’s the perfect setting for local artisans selling their wares. Every evening, performances such as the Krakow Children’s Choir and Santa Claus parades fill the air with music and laughter. Further north, at Wroclaw’s Christmas Market, Bajkowy Lasek is a unique, family-friendly ‘fairy tale forest’, with Pinocchio-like wooden figures enacting storybook scenes, and for adults it there is mulled wine served in little red boots.

Best dishes

From hearty sausages to freshly baked bread, stalls sell a medley of treats to ward off the winter chill. Grab a big bag of roasted chestnuts as you move between vendors and stock up on gingerbread to last until the New Year. Try oscypek, a smoked cheese typical of the Polish mountains: grilled and served with cranberries and bacon. Then wash it all down with mulled wine and krupnik, a local alcohol made from honey.

For more things to see and do in Poland, visit poland.travel/en