What's the best time to visit Poland?
The best time to visit Poland is in the summer, with pleasant weather perfect for exploring national parks and beaches, and numerous festivals like the Krakow Jewish Culture Festival and Warsaw Summer Jazz Days. This season sees the warmest temperatures for outdoor activities, but also draws large crowds, making advance planning essential for accommodation and visiting popular spots.
Poland, located in the heart of Europe, has it all — gorgeous nature, historic cities, and a good time for tourists who visit. Poland has a lot of great cities for a city break, such as medieval Krakow or bustling Warsaw, which has excellent nightlife.
Fewer people know about the beautiful nature in Poland, such as the sandy Baltic Coast or the dramatic Tatra Mountains to the south.
Poland’s charms are a step off the beaten path when it comes to a traditional tour of Europe, but well worth a visit. Keep reading to find out the best time to come to this delightful country; let us be your guide!
Overall Best Time to Visit Poland
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The best time to visit Poland is in the summer (June-August), when the weather is the best for exploring the many national parks, and there are the most festivals in the towns.
Poland has a continental climate with big differences between summer and winter temperatures. While the winter can be very cold, summers are generally pleasant.
In Krakow, average high temperatures in July are around 75 degrees Fahrenheit, although some days can be much hotter. While summer in Poland can be fairly rainy, there are also plenty of days with sunshine.
The more pleasant weather means that this is the best time of year to explore some of Poland’s national parks such as Bialowieza National Forest, home to Europe’s only wild bison population.
Most national parks have their longest opening hours in the summer, making it easy to go exploring. The warm weather means that trails will be clear of snow and activities such as hiking and camping are possible.
Summer is also a good time to visit Poland’s coast. Poland may not be popular internationally as a beach destination, but locals know that their Baltic coast is a great place to take a dip.
Water temperatures off the coast of Sopot and other popular beach towns are warmest during the summer, around 68 degrees Fahrenheit. All seasonal businesses along the coast are also open during the summer, creating a lively atmosphere.
Besides the great weather, summer is a good time to visit Poland because that is the peak festival season. Many towns organize outdoor concerts, film screenings, fairs, and festivals.
Some of the best events are:
- Krakow Jewish Culture Festival (June)
- Warsaw Summer Jazz Days (June/July)
- WROSound (July)
There is one important caveat before we can recommend visiting Poland in the summer. As the country is getting more and more popular among tourists, summer is becoming fairly crowded.
Popular sites such as Auschwitz become so crowded that the seriousness of the visit is affected, and hotel rooms in popular places are harder to find. If you are willing to plan ahead, a trip to Poland in the summer can be lots of fun.
Cheapest Time to Visit Poland
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The cheapest time to visit Poland is the winter and early spring (January-April), when there is less tourism demand. Winter is the least expensive time to go on a city break in Poland.
After the Christmas season is over, there are almost no tourists around and demand for hotels and flights drop. You can find hotels for about 30-40% less than you would pay in the summer, and sometimes even more discounted.
Getting to Poland also costs the least in the winter. Many airlines, including popular low-budget airlines such as Ryanair, offer sales in January or February. Flight prices in general are lower after the holidays since there is lower demand.
Spring is a surprising season when it comes to saving money on a trip to Poland. Outside of Easter weekend, there aren’t that many visitors, which keeps prices low.
In Krakow, hotels in late April can be as much as 50% off compared to peak season prices. Flight prices are also lower than in the summer. Spring has much better weather than winter, and still offers potential savings.
By April, Poland is warming up, with average temperatures in Krakow around 57 degrees Fahrenheit.
The national parks are opening up to visitors again, and local Poles love going for hikes among the wildflowers before the tourists clog up the trails come summer.
Least Busy Time to Visit Poland
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Poland receives the fewest visitors in the winter, but to beat the crowds, we recommend visiting in the fall (September-November) when the weather is still nice enough to go hiking.
Fall is a great time to get out into nature in Poland. The weather in mountain towns such as Zakopane is cool and crisp, with average temperatures of around 50 degrees Fahrenheit during the day.
The summer high season is over, but ski season hasn’t started yet, making fall the sweet spot for hitting the trails without many people around. Hiking around Poland in the fall is a beautiful experience.
The leaves are changing in the mountains, creating beautiful vistas as far as the eye can see. Even a city break in the fall is better.
Popular destinations such as Krakow are becoming overrun with tourists in summer, so once fall rolls around, the city breathes a palpable sigh of relief. You can enjoy city museums and popular attractions without waiting in line for hours.
The medieval cores of Poland’s biggest cities are also much nicer without crowds clogging the narrow streets. Another reason why this season is a great time to visit Poland’s cities is the start of the cultural calendar.
After a summer break, city theaters, orchestras, and other cultural institutions are starting their year of programming, so expect openings and premieres wherever you go.
Events such as the opening of the Filharmonia Narodowa season, usually in late September, show that Poland is a cultural powerhouse.
Worst Time to Visit Poland
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The worst time to visit Poland is in the winter, which tends to be dreary, cold, and gray. However, you can find something to do no matter the season in this country.
Polish winters tend to be unpleasant. Average temperatures in Warsaw in January are around 28 degrees Fahrenheit. The country gets a lot of snow, so the towns can be magical sometimes. However, once the snow melts, the sun doesn’t usually come out.
Like most other Central European countries, Poland is covered with a consistent gray cloud cover come winter. Winter isn’t the best time to visit if you want to explore the Polish countryside.
Since there are so few visitors, many businesses and popular attractions in smaller towns close down for the off-season. The national parks are only open for part of the week, and many trails are covered in snow.
However, if you like winter sports, then winter is the best time to visit! Poland has a number of ski resorts, with the most famous being the town of Zakopane. During winter, Poles and foreigners flock to the slopes of the Carpathians and Tatras Mountains.
The ski trails are great, and much more affordable than in Switzerland. Winter is also a good time to visit if you want to go on a city break in Gdansk or one of the many other cities.
Most attractions such as museums, restaurants, and shops are indoors anyway, so the weather won’t affect your trip as much. You can comfort yourself with a cozy drink of mulled wine — and the knowledge that you saved a lot of money on your hotel room.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Want more information about visiting Poland? Here are some other questions people have asked when planning their trips:
What are the best months to visit Poland?
The best months to visit Poland for good weather are June, July, and August. If you want good weather and fewer crowds, visit in May or September.
What months are the best to go to Krakow?
The best months to go to Krakow are March-May and September-October. Summer is nice, but also very crowded.
How many days in Poland are enough?
You should spend at least ten days in Poland if you want to see the whole country. The regions are big and diverse, so any less than that and you won’t be able to see many parts of the country.
Is Poland better in summer or winter?
Poland is much nicer in the summer. The weather is milder (although recent summers have been very hot) and small towns are open for business, especially along the coast, where many shut down for the winter.
What month is the least expensive to go to Poland?
For an affordable city break, the best month to go is January. Flights and hotels tend to be discounted after Christmas is over.
So, What’s the Best Time to Visit Poland?
The best time to visit Poland is in the summer, which has the best weather. Summers can get crowded, so try to visit the more popular cities in the fall or spring, when crowd levels go down.
Winter is the most affordable and least crowded time to visit but be prepared to bundle up and navigate limited opening hours in smaller towns.
So, with so much to see and to and plenty of amazing times to visit, what are you waiting for — book your trip today and experience for yourself all that Poland has to offer. Happy travels!