Poland is not generally known for its Christmas markets. In fact, I’d been told by many people here not to expect too much of them—maybe because our previous post was Vienna!

While most Polish markets can’t compete with those in Austria or Germany, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the Old Town market in Warsaw. It’s not that big, but there are some nice handicrafts for sale, along with lots of good food. It ain’t Vienna, but it will certainly do. (There is much larger market at the National Stadium, but I don’t do Christmas markets in stadiums. That is just wrong!)

On the other hand, Krakow’s market, held in the massive Rynek Glowny, or market square, is the largest in Poland, and a true competitor among European Christmas markets. It reminds me very much of the markets in Prague and Budapest. The square is beautiful to begin with—a perfect setting. The market is large, with a good variety of vendors from both Poland and neighboring countries, and plenty of mulled wine. We visited over the weekend and had a great time shopping for interesting (and cheap!) handicrafts.

Here’s a few pics of the items on offer. Food pics to follow in the next post!