Originally posted December 16, 2019

Kraków was the second stop on last winter’s 7-country adventure through the Christmas markets of Europe with Urban Adventures. While here, we joined a Christmas market tour with local guide Monika and quite literally had the best (and also the most freezing) day ever.

1. It’s BEAUTIFUL

First and foremost, Kraków is gorgeous. It is the second largest city in Poland and is often cites as being one of Europe’s most beautiful cities.

During the holidays, this charming town becomes even more magical.

Don’t believe me? See for yourself…

Watch now: Christmas Markets of Kraków

2. There’s just ONE main Christmas market in town

…I realize this might make Kraków seem like a boring place to go for holiday market action, but I speak from experience when I say it was actually a huge blessing in disguise.

After spending the previous few days running through the many Christmas markets of Vienna at break-neck speeds (which was fun, but also absolutely exhausting), it was nice to visit a town that did Christmas SO well, but all kind of in one spot.

It might seem silly to take a Christmas Market tour in a town with just one Christmas market… and that’s what I thought at first, too - “It’s ONE market, Kirst… that’s pretty doable solo, no?” - but, thankfully, our guide Monika didn’t just parade us around the stalls of the Christmas market. She also gave us a mini-tour of the city.

Kraków’s Market Square Christmas Fair is right in the middle of the historic district at Rynek Glowny, so it’s easy to combine your visit to the holiday market with sightseeing around the Old Town. Monika took us to some of the must-visit sights, shared interesting information about these iconic landmarks, and told us all about Polish holiday traditions and customs.

As a first time visitor to Poland, it was a great way to learn more about the country, and to get a better understanding of the significance behind places and customs that would have been lost on me otherwise. We learned so much and covered so much ground during the tour that we were able to slow down and actually soak up the holiday atmosphere for the rest of our time in Kraków - (a luxury we didn’t have in most of the other destinations on the trip).

We had time to explore beyond the well-known landmarks and even took a day trip out of the city.

There is ONE downside to there being the just one Christmas Market in town… and that’s that it can (and will) get pretty freakin’ busy… especially if you go for the big Christmas tree lighting like we did. To avoid the crowds, come during the day instead, or check out the Galician Advent Fair. This lesser known Christmas market is located a bit further out of town, so we didn’t have time to make it there this time.

3. There is loads of cool street art

If you’re a fan of Christmas AND street art, then Kraków is THE holiday destination for you… or Ljubljana… (but I’ll save that for a later post).

The contrast between old and new here is pretty amazing.

Just beyond the well-preserved historical landmarks and colorful facades of the Old Town, murals of all shapes and sizes fill the walls of the town. Though some of them were done illegally, for the most part the murals around Kraków were encouraged, and, in some cases, even supported by the government.

For the best street art, wander around Kazimierz or Podgórze - (Or stay tuned for my Kraków street art guide - coming real soon! Subscribe for updates below to be the first to know when it’s posted)!

4. The food is delicious

…And affordable if you’re smart about where you dine.

Pro tip: When it comes to restaurants, anything in the Old Town’s main market square is potentially a tourist trap. You’ll likely end up getting mediocre food at a “Main Square” price… unless you’re eating street food at the Christmas market! (which you definitely should)…

Speaking of street foods at the Christmas Market, keep an eye out for Ocsypek - a smoked sheep cheese made in the Tatra mountains of Southern Poland. This Christmas favorite is topped with a red currant or cranberry jelly and can be found all over the market.

…Other than Christmas market street foods, when it comes to dining, LEAVE the Old Town. Your tastebuds (and bank account) will thank you.

We stumbled upon an amazing Michelin star ranked restaurant in Kazimirez (which I unfortunately cannot for the life of me remember the name of). I know what you’re thinking… “Pshh! & you call yourself a TRAVEL WrITeR!?” Terrible, I know… but the name is not the point. The POINT is that there are several Michelin star ranked restaurants all around the city where you can have an incredible meal… without paying the high dollar bill you’d expect to get after a “Michelin-ranked dining experience.”

On our tour with Monika, we also had the chance to learn all about Polish holiday foods and to try a few of them! I had always considered pierogi to be the quintessential dish of Poland… but it’s actually soup! According to Monika, Polish people LOVE soup… even in the summer time! We tried a delicious beet soup and pierogi at Zielony Balonik (The Green Balloon) - pictured below.

For a cheaper alternative, head to the Old Town Restaurant and Wine Bar. It’s just a short walk away from the Old Town and is easily my favorite place we ate during our time in Poland. Sadly, I don’t have any mouthwatering photos to show ya… because, well… nothing stayed on the plate long enough. This restaurant does get pretty busy, especially for the holidays, so I’d recommend stopping by earlier in the day to reserve a table in advance.

5. Try new holiday beverages

Mulled wine is a Christmas classic, but in Kraków you can choose from a much wider selection of festive and boozy beverages.

Ever had a hot beer? …On purpose? What about hot vodka?? And, no, college frat parties don’t count.

Until visiting Kraków, I would’ve answered a hard no to both of those questions… but, WHEN IN POLAND!

Easily coerced, I decided to try something new… and, turns out, hot beer is actually pretty good. That being said, I can only speak to the quality of ONE hot beer in particular, and that’s the hot ginger beer at @piwnicapodbaranami. It almost tasted like tea! If you’re in the Old Town and need a spot to warm up (with a hot beer) head to this cozy, underground cabaret turned bar.

6. Buy Unique Holiday Gifts

One thing I loved about the Christmas market in Kraków is that gaudy commercial Christmas crap (for lack of a better word) hasn’t taken over. It still has a very traditional vibe, and many of the stands still sell hand-crafted clothes, jewelry, and other unique traditional items.

On our tour, Monika took us to a famous store selling beautiful, hand-painted Christmas ornaments… and yes, that IS what both mine and Andrew’s parents got from us for Christmas last year.

Pro tip: The shop will even mail the ornaments for you… so they can go straight to that special someone, and you don’t have to worry about damaging them while travelling!

…Other pro tip: While you’re shopping for ornaments and souvenirs for everyone on your holiday gift list, don’t forget to get a little somethin’ special for Y-O-U! We were so sad when we put up our tree this year and realized we hadn’t gotten one of these beautiful, glass ornaments for ourselves. The good news is, (as far as I know) the ornament shop is so popular that it’s open year round… so I guess we’ll have to snag one the next time we’re in town!

7. It’s less expensive than other destinations in Europe

At this point, I doubt you need any more reason to add Kraków to your list of holiday dream vacations… buttttt, just in case… I figured I’d add in this final point for good measure.

POLAND IS EXTREMELY AFFORDABLE, especially when compared to some of the other popular holiday destinations around Europe!… *cough* Lookin’ at you, London! *cough*

It’s also not an expensive place to get to (if you’re already in Europe). We took a 7+ hour overnight bus from Vienna with FlixBus, and, while it wasn’t the most comfortable journey I’ve ever been on, it cost us less than 16 Euros each… (and saved us having to pay for accommodations for the night).

Once we arrived, we stayed just outside of the Old Town at Heaven Eleven Apartments in a fully equipped studio (with breakfast included). We ate several delicious three course meals (complete with full bottles of wine, and sometimes Michelin Stars), and were able to get our Christmas shopping done (and delivered to our parents)… all without breaking the bank!

All things considered, when it comes to Christmas Markets, it’s pretty safe to say that Kraków is underrated, and, if you ever have the chance, you should definitely visit during the advent period.

I’m thankful we had the chance to see the town all dressed up for the holidays, and am so appreciative to Monika from Kraków Urban Adventures for making my first trip to Poland such a fun and memorable experience.

If you DO go to Poland, whether it’s for Christmas or not, Monika offers other tours year round… like a pierogi making class! We didn’t get to do it this time, but you should… because she’s great… and pierogi is delicious!

Disclosure: I was a guest of Urban Adventures and Kraków Urban Adventure, but, as always, all thoughts and opinions expressed in this article and anywhere else are my own.