People love to travel in the spring, in the summer, and in the autumn. But, in the winter it can get cold, and it isn’t always that cool to discover a new city when it is minus degrees outside. But, the Christmas markets all across Europe have made November and December some hot traveling months, causing millions of people to leave their homes to visit another city and enjoy the Christmas atmosphere and the Christmas markets of that given city. And yes, that is true in Krakow as well. Before Christmas tens of thousands of people come to Krakow to discover the Christmas markets, and you will for sure not feel alone as you walk around the Main Market Square in Krakow to do some Christmas shopping.

Is there anything you should look out for when you visit the Christmas markets in Krakow? Here are some recommendations that will help you enjoy your Christmas market stay in Krakow even more!

Krakow Christmas market recommendations

Do not forget about the warm clothes

This is very basic; bring warm clothes! And when you thought you had packed enough warm clothes, bring some more. Poland is a cold country in the winter season, and it can be very dry air, making it feel even colder. It is also quite normal for some snow to arrive in December, so get dressed for cold weather. Krakow is beautiful before Christmas, but if you are freezing, all you can think about is your hotel room, a warm cup of coffee and maybe a hot bath somewhere. Do not destroy your Krakow Christmas market trip by packing to cold clothes. Bring everything you need, so that you can spend hours walking around in the center of Krakow without even feeling cold for a second.

Use an ATM to get some Zloty

It is tempting to pay with Euro wherever you can at the Christmas market(s) in Krakow. You can pay with Euro almost everywhere, and life is easier when Euro is the currency you use. But, if you pay with Euro you will generally pay more than you do if you would have paid with the local currency. You should, therefore, find an ATM and withdraw some Zloty. If you can pay with Visa or MasterCard, that might be the very best solution, but at those stands and places where you can only pay with cash, use PLN and not Euro.

If you want to visit an exchange to change your USD, Euro or SEK (or something else) to PLN, make sure to check the exchange rates in a couple of exchange offices before changing. This can save you a lot of money again!

Book your excursions/programs/tables early

You might think that there will be lots of free tables at restaurants all across Krakow in December, it is a “bad” month after all. Think again! Due to the enormous amount of visitors coming to the Christmas markets you might, in fact, find that there are no free tables at all in the best restaurants in town. In the same way, you might discover that the excursions to Auschwitz and the Salt Mines are fully booked, meaning that you miss out on some of the most important programs available in Krakow. Don’t do that! Read more about the excursions right away and book your trip today so that you can now for sure that you will get to visit the Salt Mines and Auschwitz during your stay in Krakow. And yes, do not forget to bring warm clothes on these excursions as well (especially on the trip to Auschwitz, in the Salt Mines you will be inside all the time anyway).

• More information about excursions to the Salt Mines
• More information about tours to Auschwitz

If you have a restaurant you want to visit, contact them today and make sure to get your reservation in order!

Let us pick you up at the airport

If you want to get to your hotel in the center of Krakow quickly, book your Krakow Airport transfer with us. We will have a Mercedes waiting for you at the airport, and once you get your luggage, we will take you directly to your hotel in Krakow. This is easy, convenient and cheap, and it will give you a fantastic start on your trip to Krakow.

• Read more about airport transfers in Krakow here

Taste local food at the Christmas markets

We find this to be one of the most enjoyable things about a pre-Christmas visit the Krakow. Do not forget to taste some local food at the Christmas markets and around the city. The traditional goat cheese is fantastic, but so are the sausages, meats and the local sweets you will find at the Christmas markets. You might be afraid of buying something that you do not like, but if that happens, so what? You have tasted something new, you have become a richer person (not in your money wallet, but in your experience wallet) and you are very likely to love what you taste. Throw away your fear, and go for it… taste new stuff!

Live in the center of Krakow

Have you already booked a hotel in Krakow? Are you still looking? It is very important to book a hotel in the center of Krakow as you come for the Christmas markets. The taxis are quite cheap, but the money you save by staying far outside the city center will get lost in time used to get to the city center and on using public transportation and cabs. Wouldn’t it be much more convenient to just leave the lobby of your hotel, and within a few minutes, you will find yourself walking around at the Christmas market at the Main Market square?

Here are some hotels you might consider. They are close to the Christmas market at the Main Market square in Krakow: Palac Bonerowski, Hotel Wenzl, Hotel Wawel, Hotel Pod Roza.

Luggage, safety and more

It is much funnier to visit Krakow if you have space in your luggage to bring extra stuff home. You can look around at the objects at the Christmas market and know that you can bring it with you home, and when you taste some legendary Polish Vodka, you have space for it in your checked-in luggage.

You should also watch out for your belongings in Krakow. Safety is good and there are few problems, but why not be wise and take extra good care of your belongings? This will save you a lot of trouble in case something should happen!

Last, but not least; do not forget about the rest of Krakow. The city is beautiful, and if you first come to our city, make sure to visit the famous attractions and sights all around the city of Krakow.

What’s on your heart?

Have you got anything to share, something to recommend, or maybe a question? Use the comment field beneath. We look forward to hearing from you!

The post Krakow Christmas market recommendations appeared first on Krakow Guide.

As you probably already know the traditional Christmas market in Krakow is the perfect place to get the right Christmas atmosphere. It is located at the main market square in the center of the Old Town of Krakow, and here you will have a good time! At the Christmas market you can buy traditional Polish souvenirs, either for yourself or to give them away for Christmas. You can also drink some tasty hot wine or maybe stronger stuff, and if you feel like you want to fill your stomach with something delicious, then the Christmas market is the right place to be again.

But, when will the Christmas market in Krakow be arranged in 2016?

Christmas market Krakow 2016 dates

Opening day for the Krakow Christmas market in 2016: 25 november

Last day for the Christmas market in Krakow in 2016: 26 desember

It is just to go ahead and plan right away. If you want to live like royalty while in Krakow, check out our guide to the best hotels in Krakow right here. If you want to combine pleasure with a trip to Auschwitz, read more about Auschwitz excursions from Krakow here.

We wish all our Krakow fans a merry Christmas (quite early considering that we write this article in August), but as you read this article it might be December already.

If you have any comments or questions related to Krakow or the annual Christmas market, write your comment beneath!

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Enjoy these pictures and get inspiration for a travel to this Christmas market in the next couple of days, or start planning your trip to Krakow and to the Christmas market in Krakow next year already!

If you want just some nice Christmas atmosphere, then you can get advises for Christmas films on Netflix and find out how to watch Netflix in Poland in the following article at netflix.fromabroad.org.

Pictures from the Christmas market in Krakow

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In Krakow there will be only one Christmas market in the whole city. Every year the Christmas fair in Krakow is located in the heart of Krakow at the Main Market Square (Rynek Glowny) which is also one of the main attractions of the city. The market offers the most unique handmade crafted toys, jewelries, accessories, clothes, ceramics, Christmas decorations and so on. Alongside with the Christmas goodies visitors can try the delicious traditional Polish Christmas dishes and beverages such as the various sausages, soups, stews, sweets, mulled wine and warm beer etc.

The Christmas market in Krakow will be open from 27th November 2015 until 26th December 2015. The fair is open every day from 10 in the morning until 8 in the evening except the food stalls which are open until 10 in the evening.

If you want to get hold of a nice Christmas present in Poland, for example a Kindle, you can read more about that here.

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Also worth knowing is that it can get really cold in this period in all of Poland, and so also in Krakow. Bring therefore warm clothes and be prepared for some real cold weather.

The post Christmas approaching appeared first on Krakow Guide.