It’s also a magical area, where it feels like time stands still as you explore. Stroll alongside local families among the colourful wooden stalls, admiring all the beautiful baubles and chains, and enjoying the scent of freshly cut Christmas trees.

Highlights

Visit an authentic Polish Christmas market full of holiday decorations and gifts
Try some aromatic mulled wine served the traditional way, straight from a wooden barrel
Admire Cracow’s famous handmade cribs and learn the centuries-old tradition of how they’re built
Taste traditional seasonal dishes at a beloved local restaurant
Learn about Christmas traditions in Poland, both today’s and those from the country’s communist era

The Palace under the Rams (Palac pod Baranami), our meeting place for this tour, is in itself a great introduction to the merry atmosphere of a Polish Christmas! From the gate stretches an incredible view of Cracow’s traditional Christmas market, which, for the entire month of December, is located in the Main Square, in the very heart of the city.

We'll start our Cracow Christmas tour with a cup of hot coffee or winter tea in a secret café that’s hidden deep underground. Once we’ve warmed our insides, we’ll head back outdoors and take a walk among the wooden stalls of the market, where you can buy the finest of local souvenirs and handmade Christmas decorations to take back home with you (just leave lots of room in your suitcase!). We’ll stop to sample some regional cheeses like oscypek, and you’ll get to try aromatic mulled wine, served directly from huge wooden barrels.

We’ll admire some traditional Cracow Christmas cribs, and you’ll learn why they are such an important tradition here. We’ll also visit a nearby gallery, where you’ll learn how beautiful hand-painted glass balls are made.

To finish off your Cracow tour, we’ll warm up in a local restaurant that’s known for serving the best festive dishes of the season. You’ll get to dig into your plate as your local guide tells you all about Christmas traditions in Cracow and throughout Poland, both today and back in communist times.

Cracow’s Christmas Market and Flavours

Krakow Urban Adventures

Cracow’s Christmas Market and Flavours

Krakow Urban Adventures