Month guide · Warsaw · Poland
Warsaw in December
What December is really like in Warsaw: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Cybularny, 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 7.7 hours of daylight. Cold and festive, with illuminated streets, an ice rink and a Christmas market near the Old Town.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 2°C (36°F) / -3°C (27°F)
- Rainy days
- About 8
- Daylight
- About 7.7 hours
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in December
December is the 11th-warmest month in Warsaw: 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 (6°C (43°F)), December is cooler; by January highs drop to around 0°C (32°F).
- Sunrise (15 December)
- About 07:39
- Sunset (15 December)
- About 15:24
- Daylight
- About 7.7 hours
Winter (December–February). Cold and sometimes snowy, with Christmas lights 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 June at 4) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in September). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in December
- Christmas market by the Old Town walls (usually December)
- Royal Garden of Light at Wilanów (usually on winter evenings)
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.
Waterfront · Powiśle
Vistula boulevards
The riverside promenade below the Old Town and Powiśle has seasonal bars, deck chairs, playgrounds and cycle paths, while the wilder east bank has sandy beaches.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- After dark
- Couples
- Kids
Garden · Powiśle
University of Warsaw Library roof garden
Go late on a sunny afternoon and look down through the glass panels into the library's reading rooms.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Off the beaten path
- Couples
- Outdoors
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Historic site · Śródmieście
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Beneath the surviving arcade of the Saxon Palace, destroyed in the war, an eternal flame burns at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, guarded around the clock by soldiers.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
Historic site · Wola
Powązki Cemetery
Visit in the days around 1 November to see the cemetery lit by candles, one of Warsaw's most moving sights.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Off the beaten path
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 Warsaw?
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.
Warsaw in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is December a good time to visit Warsaw?
It is a shoulder-season month. Cold and festive, with illuminated streets, an ice rink and a Christmas market near the Old Town.
+How warm is Warsaw in December?
Average highs are around 2°C (36°F) and lows around -3°C (27°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Warsaw in December?
Expect rain on about 8 days of the month.