Best time to visit · Warsaw · Poland
The best time to visit Warsaw
Weather, crowds, prices and events for every month, so you can pick the trip that suits you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Maciurella, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The best times to visit Warsaw are May to June and September, when days are mild, the parks are green and the Sunday Chopin recitals run in Łazienki. July and August are warm and lively but busier. December is festive with lights and markets, while January and February are cold and grey but quiet and low priced.
Key facts
- Best months
- May–June and September
- Shoulder season
- April, July–August, October and December
- Warmest month
- July (avg high 25°C (77°F))
- Coldest month
- January (avg high 0°C (32°F))
- Rainiest month
- July (~10 rainy days)
- Lowest hotel prices
- January–March and November
Seasons
Warsaw has a continental climate: cold, often grey winters with frost and some snow, warm summers with occasional thunderstorms, and mild but changeable spring and autumn. Rain is spread across the year, with the wettest months in summer.
March–May
Spring
Chilly March gives way to blossom and café gardens by May, when the Chopin recitals begin.
June–August
Summer
Warm days, riverside bars, free open-air jazz and Chopin, and the Uprising anniversary on 1 August.
September–November
Autumn
Mild September and golden October, then grey November brightened by All Saints' candles.
December–February
Winter
Cold and sometimes snowy, with Christmas lights in December and the lowest prices after New Year.
Month by month
Long-term averages (rounded). Crowds and prices are relative, 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). Daylight is sunrise to sunset on the 15th.
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0°C | -5°C | 8 | 8.2 h | 1/5 | 2/5 |
| February | 2°C | -4°C | 7 | 9.8 h | 1/5 | 2/5 |
| March | 7°C | -1°C | 7 | 11.7 h | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| April | 14°C | 3°C | 7 | 13.8 h | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| May | 20°C | 8°C | 9 | 15.7 h | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| June | 23°C | 11°C | 9 | 16.7 h | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| July | 25°C | 14°C | 10 | 16.3 h | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| August | 24°C | 13°C | 8 | 14.7 h | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| September | 19°C | 9°C | 8 | 12.6 h | 3/5 | 4/5 |
| October | 13°C | 4°C | 7 | 10.5 h | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| November | 6°C | 1°C | 8 | 8.7 h | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| December | 2°C | -3°C | 8 | 7.7 h | 3/5 | 3/5 |
Yearly events
Recurring dates shift from year to year; confirm with the organiser before you book.
| Month | Events |
|---|---|
| January | Wilanów's illuminated Royal Garden of Light (usually on winter evenings) |
| February | Fat Thursday — doughnut queues at every bakery (the Thursday before Lent, February or early March) |
| March | Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival — classical music (usually around Easter, March or April) |
| May | Night of Museums — free late openings (usually mid-May); Chopin recitals at the Chopin Monument in Łazienki (Sundays from mid-May) |
| June | Wianki — midsummer celebrations on the Vistula (around the summer solstice); Equality Parade (usually June) |
| July | Jazz na Starówce — free jazz concerts on the Old Town Market Square (usually Saturdays in July and August) |
| August | Warsaw Uprising anniversary — sirens and a minute's silence at 5pm (1 August); Jazz na Starówce continues (usually through August) |
| September | Warsaw Autumn — contemporary music festival (usually September); Last Chopin recitals in Łazienki (usually late September) |
| October | Warsaw Film Festival (usually October) |
| November | All Saints' Day — candles at Powązki and other cemeteries (1 November); Independence Day — celebrations and marches (11 November); Christmas illuminations on the Royal Route (usually from late November) |
| December | Christmas market by the Old Town walls (usually December); Royal Garden of Light at Wilanów (usually on winter evenings) |
Cheapest and quietest times
Hotel prices are usually lowest in January–March and November, and the sights are quietest in January–February.
What to pack
| Season | Pack |
|---|---|
| Spring | Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; Shoes with good grip for icy pavements; A packable rain jacket for showers; Comfortable walking shoes |
| Summer | Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; A packable rain jacket for showers; Comfortable walking shoes |
| Autumn | Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; Shoes with good grip for icy pavements; A packable rain jacket for showers; Comfortable walking shoes |
| Winter | A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers; Shoes with good grip for icy pavements; A packable rain jacket for showers; Comfortable walking shoes |
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best month to visit Warsaw?
The best times to visit Warsaw are May to June and September, when days are mild, the parks are green and the Sunday Chopin recitals run in Łazienki. July and August are warm and lively but busier. December is festive with lights and markets, while January and February are cold and grey but quiet and low priced.
+When are hotel prices lowest in Warsaw?
Usually in January–March and November. The coldest month, often below freezing with snow possible; museums are quiet and hotel prices low.
+What is the rainiest month in Warsaw?
July, with about 10 days of rain on average.
+How hot does Warsaw get?
The warmest month, July, averages highs of 25°C (77°F) and lows of 14°C (57°F).