Month guide · Kraków · Poland
Kraków in December
What December is really like in Kraków: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Zygmunt Put, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
December is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 2°C (36°F), lows of -3°C (27°F), about 8 rainy days and roughly 8.1 hours of daylight. Cold and festive, with the Christmas market, mulled wine and the traditional nativity cribs on show.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 2°C (36°F) / -3°C (27°F)
- Rainy days
- About 8
- Daylight
- About 8.1 hours
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in December
December is the 11th-warmest month in Kraków: days average 2°C (36°F) against a yearly average high of 13°C (55°F), and nights fall to about -3°C (27°F). Rain falls on roughly 8 of its 31 days. Compared with November (7°C (45°F)), December is cooler; by January highs stay near 1°C (34°F).
- Sunrise (15 December)
- About 07:33
- Sunset (15 December)
- About 15:39
- Daylight
- About 8.1 hours
Winter (December–February). Cold and sometimes snowy, with a Christmas market in December and the lowest prices after New Year.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, December rates 3 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in June). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in December
- Szopki — nativity crib competition by the Mickiewicz statue (usually first Thursday of December)
- Christmas market on the Main Square (usually through the Christmas period)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in December
With cold days, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Neighbourhood · Nowa Huta
Nowa Huta
Built from 1949 as a model socialist town for steelworkers, Nowa Huta has grand socialist-realist avenues radiating from Central Square, Renaissance-inspired housing blocks and the Lord's Ark church, built by residents in defiance of the communist authorities.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Waterfront · Wawel
Vistula boulevards
Walk from the Dragon's Den along the river to the footbridge at dusk, when Wawel is lit up.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
- After dark
- Views
Museum · Old Town
Rynek Underground
Beneath the Main Square, excavated medieval market stalls, roads and foundations form a museum about Kraków's trading past, with holograms, touchscreens and finds such as coins and tools from the excavations.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Museum · Podgórze
Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory
Allow at least two hours; the exhibition is dense and moving, and it pairs naturally with Ghetto Heroes Square nearby.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
What to pack
For highs near 2°C, lows near -3°C and 8 wet days: a warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers; shoes with good grip for icy pavements; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is December a good time to visit Kraków?
A shoulder-season month, with 2 notable events on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, May–June and September are better overall. Compare every month.
Kraków in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is December a good time to visit Kraków?
It is a shoulder-season month. Cold and festive, with the Christmas market, mulled wine and the traditional nativity cribs on show.
+How warm is Kraków in December?
Average highs are around 2°C (36°F) and lows around -3°C (27°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Kraków in December?
Expect rain on about 8 days of the month.