Gdansk has some of the best Christmas markets in Europe. Christmas is the most magical time to visit Gdansk. Here’s my guide to the Gdansk Christmas markets.
Gdansk is a beautiful city to explore at Christmas. The Gdansk Christmas markets really are some of the best in Europe. There’s a great selection of food and drink at the markets. And some beautiful Christmas lights and decorations. Visiting Gdansk at Christmas is really magical.
When are the Gdansk Christmas markets?
The Gdansk Christmas markets typically start at the end of November, and run all the way through December. They usually finish a few days before Christmas. In 2024, the markets ran from Friday 22nd November to Monday 23rd December.
You can visit the Gdansk Christmas markets any time during this period. However, I recommend visiting earlier in the period, in late November. The markets tend to be a bit less busy in November, and they get busier as it gets closer to Christmas. This also means that hotel prices can be more expensive as you get closer to Christmas, as there are more tourists visiting. Visiting the Gdansk Christmas markets in last November should mean you can get good deals on hotels, and also enjoy the city and the markets not being too busy.
You can find out the dates for the Christmas markets on their official website here.
Where are the Gdansk Christmas markets?
The main area of the Gdansk Christmas markets is in the Targ Węglowy area. This is a large, open area that is used as a car park at other times of the year. But at Christmas, this is where the best Christmas markets are.
The Famous Golden Gate in Gdansk, the Brama Zloty, is one of the main entrances to the Christmas markets area. This old city gate is beautifully decorated at Christmas. Starting here, you can walk around the rows of cute wooden huts and explore the Christmas markets. All of the markets are in this area near the Golden Gate.
The main square in Gdansk, Długi Targ, doesn’t have any Christmas markets. It’s still a beautiful square to visit while you’re in Gdansk, with the impressive Town Hall building and Neptune Fountain. But you won’t find any Christmas markets here. If you’ve visited Christmas markets in other cities, such as Prague, then you might expect to see markets in the main square. But in Gdansk, you’ll need to head through the Golden Gate to Targ Węglowy to find the Christmas markets.
The best food and drink at the Gdansk Christmas markets
My favourite part of the Gdansk Christmas markets is the amazing selection of food and drink available. It’s really reasonably priced as well, compared to a lot of other Christmas markets.
One of my favourite foods is Langos. This deep fried bread is just so good! It’s best served with garlic, sour cream and cheese. And you can also get sweet versions, where the Langos is filled with Nutella and banana.
Another great deep-fried food is the potato pancakes. They’re a bit like huge hash browns – but even better! The potato pancakes are best served with sour cream. And you can also get Bratwurst as well – traditional German sausage.
There’s always a good selection of Polish food as well, including pierogi. There are traditional Polish doughnuts as well, which are delicious. And of course some Lebkuchen – ginger-flavoured biscuits. And don’t forget the Belgian waffles!
No trip to European Christmas markets is complete without drinking some mulled wine. This hot drink just smells amazing, and really makes me feel Christmassy as soon as I’ve had some.
The best Christmas lights and views
As well as enjoying the food and drink, it’s also a great place to enjoy the pretty Christmas lights. The area around the Golden Gate and the Christmas markets is so beautifully decorated.
The lights across the top of the Christmas markets are lovely.
There’s a platform where you can climb the steps and enjoy the view. It gives a great view over some of the markets, and also the church in the background.
The market stall with the singing moose is also a highlight for everyone! And there are some stalls selling lovely hand-made Christmas decorations and Christmas gifts as well.
The Nutcracker statue is great. And there’s a colourful, lit-up fountain as well. And a beautiful stand with decorated Christmas trees.
And a sleigh to ride as well. There are so many great places to take beautiful Christmassy photos at the Gdansk Christmas markets.
Enjoying the rest of your time in Gdansk
Visiting Gdansk at Christmas is so special, with some amazing food, drink and decorations at the Gdansk Christmas markets. But there are lots of other great things to do in Gdansk as well. You can visit some of the city’s top sights and museums in between your trips to the Christmas markets.
Make sure you check out my guide to spending 3 days in Gdansk. You can visit some great museums, including the World War Two museum and the Amber museum. You can also enjoy the streets and waterfront area of Gdansk by the river, with the impressive Gdansk Crane.
When visiting Gdansk, you can also take a day trip to Malbork Castle. This huge red-brick castle is a short train ride from Gdansk and is a great place to visit all year round. Check out my guide to taking a day trip from Gdansk to Malbork Castle.
If you haven’t already eaten too much at the Christmas markets in Gdansk, you can also explore some of the amazing restaurants and other places to eat in Gdansk. There are some great traditional restaurants, as well as places to get great treats. Read my guide to the top places to eat in Gdansk.
Hope you enjoyed my guide to the Gdansk Christmas markets! Make sure you check out my other guides to Gdansk, including spending 3 days in Gdansk, the best places to eat in Gdansk, and taking a day trip from Gdansk to Malbork Castle. There are lots of other great Christmas markets in Europe, with some great markets in Berlin, Cologne, Prague and Vienna.
