Month guide · Warsaw · Poland
Warsaw in January
What January is really like in Warsaw: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Kapitel, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
January is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 0°C (32°F), lows of -5°C (23°F), about 8 rainy days and roughly 8.2 hours of daylight. The coldest month, often below freezing with snow possible; museums are quiet and hotel prices low.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 0°C (32°F) / -5°C (23°F)
- Rainy days
- About 8
- Daylight
- About 8.2 hours
- Crowds
- Very quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in January
January is the coolest month in Warsaw: days average 0°C (32°F) against a yearly average high of 13°C (55°F), and nights fall to about -5°C (23°F). Rain falls on roughly 8 of its 31 days. Compared with December (2°C (36°F)), January is cooler; by February highs climb to around 2°C (36°F).
- Sunrise (15 January)
- About 07:38
- Sunset (15 January)
- About 15:52
- Daylight
- About 8.2 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, January rates 1 for crowds (the peak is June at 4) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in September). That makes January one of the better-value months to book.
Events in January
- Wilanów's illuminated Royal Garden of Light (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 January
With cold days, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Castle · Old Town and New Town
Royal Castle
Spend time in the Canaletto Room comparing the paintings with the streets outside; they guided the city's reconstruction.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
Museum · Muranów
POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews
Built on the site of the former Warsaw Ghetto, opposite the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes, POLIN tells a thousand years of Jewish life in Poland in a core exhibition that includes a reconstructed painted wooden synagogue ceiling.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Iconic
Museum · Wola
Warsaw Rising Museum
Arrive early to avoid school groups, and climb the observation tower at the end for a view over Wola.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Museum · Powiśle
Copernicus Science Centre
One of Europe's largest interactive science centres, on the bank of the Vistula, with hundreds of hands-on exhibits on physics, the human body and nature, a planetarium and a robot theatre.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Active
What to pack
For highs near 0°C, lows near -5°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 January a good time to visit Warsaw?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with a notable event 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 January a good time to visit Warsaw?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. The coldest month, often below freezing with snow possible; museums are quiet and hotel prices low.
+How warm is Warsaw in January?
Average highs are around 0°C (32°F) and lows around -5°C (23°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Warsaw in January?
Expect rain on about 8 days of the month.