Warsaw Christmas Market 2026: confirmed 20 Nov 2026–6 Jan 2027 at Plac Defilad

The Warsaw Christmas Market (Jarmark Warszawski) is the city's flagship holiday market, set up each winter on Plac Defilad, the large square in front of the Palace of Culture and Science (PKiN) in the very centre of Warsaw. It combines a wooden-stall craft and food market with festive attractions such as a Ferris wheel and carousels.

Dates and opening hours. The 2026 edition is confirmed by the organiser to run from 20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027. Standard opening hours are Monday to Thursday and Sunday 11:00–21:00, and Friday and Saturday 11:00–22:00. Hours are shortened on Christmas Eve and around New Year, so check jarmark.waw.pl close to your visit if you plan to go on those specific dates.

Where it is. The market sits on Plac Defilad, directly beneath the Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw's most recognisable landmark. This puts it inside the city centre, within a few minutes' walk of the main shopping streets and Warszawa Centralna train station.

Entry and attractions. Walking through the market is free — there is no admission charge for the site itself. You only pay for specific rides and games, including a 55-metre Ferris wheel (one of the tallest in Poland), a Venetian-style carousel, a carousel shaped like a Christmas tree, and a Santa's House for children. More than 100 wooden stalls sell handmade ornaments, crafts and gift items alongside the food offer.

What to eat and buy. Expect the usual Polish Christmas-market staples: grilled sausage (kiełbasa), roasted nuts, hot chocolate and mulled wine (grzaniec), plus handcrafted decorations and gifts from the stallholders. The market has previously won the "Event of the Year" title in Warsaw's own Warszawiaki public poll, a sign of how established it has become with locals as well as visitors.

Getting there. Plac Defilad is a short walk from Warszawa Centralna, the city's main railway station, and sits right next to the Centrum metro station on the M1 line, so it is easy to reach without a car from almost anywhere in Warsaw, including directly from the airport by train and metro.

Tips. Weekday visits, especially mornings and early afternoons, are noticeably calmer than weekend evenings, when the square fills up and queues form for the Ferris wheel. Warsaw's winter evenings regularly sit at or below freezing from late November, so warm layers matter more than umbrellas.

Bring some cash, since a few smaller stalls and games may not take cards even though most do. If you want a quieter view of the same skyline, the Palace of Culture and Science itself has a public viewing terrace that stays open independently of the market below, which is a good option once the square gets crowded in the evening.