Christmas Markets 2024: WARSAW

We began our tour of European Christmas Markets with a two-day stop in the historic city of Warsaw, Poland. Warsaw’s markets don’t officially open until next weekend, but most were well on their way to being ready for the season so we were able to get a feel for the holiday festivities without the crowds.

Our local guide Marek started us off on an illuminating and sometimes sobering whirlwind tour of historically significant sites throughout the city.

World War II can be said to be both the end and the beginning of Warsaw. Close to 85% of the city was destroyed during the war, making most of Warsaw a living monument to a very dark time in our history. With most of the reconstruction completed between 1950-1970, some restoration is still ongoing.

The stories of the Jewish people of Poland are truly moving and tragic. And stories about brave Poles who tried to resist and help them are also touching and an important part of Polish history.  Ongoing efforts have been underway for decades to capture and memorialize these stories in ways that teach the horrors of war.

Before WW II, Warsaw was home to more than 300,000 Jews. Today fewer than 30,000 Jews call Warsaw home.

Warsaw suffered the most devastation of any city during WW II. But the Poles did not go down without a fight. The two-month Warsaw Uprising in 1944 was the single largest military effort undertaken by resistance forces to oppose the German occupation. Every year at 5pm on August 1st, alarm sirens ring out and the city observes a moment of silence in memory of the 18,000 troops and 200,000 citizens who lost their lives.

The horrors of WWII notwithstanding, Warsaw is home to many beautiful green spaces, living museums and parks. Of particular note is the Royal Lazienski Museum.

A main street of sorts, the Trakt Krolewski or “Royal Route” connects the city’s New Town to Old Town. Home to numerous historical landmarks, restaurants, coffee shops and other attractions, the street attracts pedestrians throughout the year.

The Royal Route ends at Warsaw’s Old Town, a bustling tourism hub with cobblestone alleyways and medieval-style buildings reconstructed after the war.

A word about Warsaw’s food: hearty and delicious!

Our hotel offers a bountiful breakfast of hot and cold morning foods along with a large display of traditional Polish specialties to satisfy even the pickiest appetite. There’s even a hot chocolate station with add-ons for every sweet tooth. 

There’s no way to go hungry in Poland.