Imagine strolling through a Christmas market where twinkling lights reflect off colorful facades, and the aroma of mulled wine and Polish delicacies fills the air. Welcome to the Wroclaw Christmas Market, a hidden gem in southwest Poland that you’re sure to fall in love with. Trust me, I did!
Why You’ll Fall in Love with the Wroclaw Christmas Market
Here’s why you’ll love the Wroclaw Christmas Market:
A stunning setting – The market sits at the heart of Wroclaw’s old town, surrounded by picturesque architecture that’s reminiscent of Dutch design with a bright Polish twist.
An intimate atmosphere – Unlike the overcrowded markets in Germany, Wroclaw offers a simple and cozy experience that you can enjoy in just one evening.
Family-friendly fun – There are a variety of rides and activities for all ages. Yes, we participated too!
Pro tip – The market closes at 9 pm, earlier than some other European markets, so plan accordingly.
Beyond the Market: Wroclaw’s Charm
Wroclaw itself is a romantic, colorful and playful place. If you have time, go for a stroll around the old town searching for gnomes. That’s right, a whimsical adventure. Little metal gnomes are tucked away all over the city. Once you spot one, you’ll spot a dozen. Once you’re done, warm up in one of the many cozy cafes dotting the cobbled streets. You’ll feel like a local in no time.
What to Eat and Drink at the Wroclaw Christmas market
Must-Try Local Favorites:
Oscypek: The Oscypek cheese is hard to miss. You’ll surely be wondering what in the world are those little wheels they’re frying up? Oscypek is a smoked Polish mountain cheese. They serve Oscypek grilled with cranberries or wrapped in bacon. The taste is as you might guess, very smokey and a bit like the texture of grilled halloumi, with that signature squeak.
If you prefer more traditional Polish specialties, you can of course find kielbasa (Polish sausage) served with sauerkraut or onions and tasty pierogis (Polish dumplings) filled with meat or cheese and potatoes. Our favorite pierogis (and we tried a lot) were the meat ones from a little stall just in front of the church tower.
Mike also tried the famous “chunk of bread” or Pajdah Chleba. This signature Polish dish is a thick chunk of bread topped with a generous helping of lard and then smothered with pickles, onions and kielbasa. All the calories you need for a week.
International delights:
The best international dish we ate was Georgian dumplings. These dumplings were huge! We tried four flavors: cheese, mushroom, spinach and meat. They are each colored so you know what’s inside, and have little stems. You’re supposed to pick the dumpling up by the stem, suck the liquid out and then enjoy. Of course we didn’t know this so we cut them up like normal. We got these dumplings from a stall called Pan Gruzin.
Sweet treats:
- Perniki: Traditional Polish gingerbread
- Pistachio Doughnut: Not from the market, but a must-try from a nearby shop. Trust me, I don’t typically like doughnuts, but Wroclaw does doughnuts right.
- Mulled Wine or “Grzane wino”: Sample the traditional Christmas mulled wine or try fruity variations like blueberry, raspberry, or cherry. We found all the options in Wroclaw to be on the sweeter side, the traditional was the least sweet.
There are lots of stalls also serving international desserts like churros, pastel de nata, crepes, waffles, chocolate covered fruit and chimney cakes.
Beyond Eating: Activities and Shopping
In addition to eating, drinking you can of course shop at the Wroclaw Christmas market. The Polish markets also impressed us with the diversity of carnival rides and games. Not only is there a large ferris wheel, but there is a carousel, small roller coasters, fun house and more for all ages. We did the fun house and had plenty of laughs.
Tips for the Wroclaw Christmas Market
- Bring cash – none of the mulled wine stands accepted card
- Remember to return your mulled wine glass for a deposit refund (or keep it as a souvenir!)
- Visit on weekdays for a less crowded experience
Location: The Wroclaw Christmas market takes place in the market square (Rynek) with offshoots onto the Salt Square (Plac Solny), Oławska street and Swidnicka street.
For up-to-date information on the Wroclaw Christmas Market this year visit the official site.
Where to Stay in Wroclaw
We stayed at Staycity Apartments, located in the dead center of the Wroclaw Christmas market festivities. Literally. There was no way to access the apartment without passing through the Christmas market. The location was perfect but the apartment itself was minimal. For the price and convenience I’d consider staying again.
Looking for more Christmas markets in Poland or Europe? I also explored the Christmas markets in Poznan and Gdansk on my European Christmas market roadtrip.
