Poland is known for its seasonal climate. This Central European country tends to be cold in the winter and warm in the Summer months. Spring and Fall are often considered the best time of the year to visit Poland, due to the moderate temperatures. Yet, depending on what you are looking for on your trip to Poland, different times of the year may be more suitable. However, there is no bad time to visit Poland. This guide breaks down the best time to visit Poland, including where the best places are to see during each season.
Keep in mind that while the weather fluctuates by season through all of Poland, the climate differs regionally. This guide breaks down great destinations for each time of the year, yet be sure to check out the average temperatures of each destination at that time of the year. This will help you prepare for your trip and to pack accordingly.
Table of Contents
April to May
Spring, along with Fall, is considered the best time to visit Poland. The shoulder season offers moderate temperatures and fewer crowds. These are the best months to visit Poland for general sightseeing. If you are planning a trip to the most popular cities for tourism, spring is the ideal time to visit. Spend this time exploring Krakow, which tends to be very crowded in the Summer.
Keep in mind that while the days are moderate, the evenings can be quite cool. Be sure to pack plenty of light layers.
For more inspiration, check out these photos from Spring in Krakow!
June to August
Summer in Poland is quite moderate, warm yet not overly hot. However, Summer attracts the most amount of visitors. In the Summer months, try to avoid visiting the most popular tourist cities of Krakow and Warsaw. If you are visiting in the Summer, spend time in some of the more off-the-radar Polish cities including Gdansk. The Baltic port city of Gdansk along with the seaside resort city of Sopot makes a wonderful Summer destination in Poland. While Summer is the busiest time to visit Poland, there are many great festivals and events held throughout the country which are well worth bearing the crowds.
On average, June has the highest chance of precipitation. If you are not a fan of rain, avoid visiting during this month. Be sure to pack an umbrella or rain jacket if you do visit.
September to October
Fall is a wonderful time to visit Poland. With fewer crowds, pleasant weather and Fall foliage, this would be an ideal time to visit cities and the wonderful castles that are scattered around the country. Fall is also a great time to take a scenic drive and check out the National Parks and Forests in Poland. Additionally, when the Summer crowds die out, the room rates at hotels often drop low in the Fall.
November to March
In terms of weather, Poland tends to have long Winters. Averagely temperatures begin to plummet in mid-November and don’t increase until the end of March. While Winters are cold, they are not unbearably cold, temperatures tend to stick to just around freezing point through most of the country. The biggest downfall of Poland in the Winter is the short daylight hours. The shortest days are from November through January, when the sun sets around 3:30 pm daily. The short daylight hours cut into your sightseeing hours immensely. However, the early sunsets allow you to explore some of the wonderful museums in Poland. If you are planning a sightseeing trip to Poland, you may want to consider visiting during another time of the year, when you have more time to explore the cities.
One of the best reasons to visit Poland in Winter is for the Christmas markets. The Christmas Markets in Poland are incredible. Most of the major cities have Christmas markets including Warsaw, Krakow, and Gdansk. This allows you to explore the cities during the day and spend the evening enjoying the festive atmosphere of Christmas Markets.
If you are looking for a winter getaway in the mountains, Poland has you covered. Zakopane, a resort town in the Tatras Mountains is considered the Winter capital of Poland. Winter is the best time to visit Poland for skiing and mountaineering.