Best Time to Visit Kraków

Short answer: May, June and September. The weather is warm without being hot, the café terraces on the Market Square are open, and the crowds are lighter than in high summer.

July and August are the peak months. Days are warm, sometimes above 30°C, with sudden thunderstorms, and the Old Town is at its busiest. Auschwitz entry cards and Salt Mine tours sell out furthest in advance then (see our Auschwitz guide). The summer also brings the Jewish Culture Festival in Kazimierz, usually in late June or early July, with concerts on Szeroka Street.

Autumn is often lovely into October, with golden trees in the Planty park, but it cools quickly after that. November can be grey and damp.

Winter is cold, with temperatures often below freezing and short days. It's also atmospheric. From late November into the first days of January, a market fills the Main Market Square with wooden stalls, mulled wine and grilled oscypek, the smoked sheep's cheese from the mountains. Snow on the Old Town rooftops is beautiful (pack for it with our what to wear guide), and hotel prices are at their lowest in January and February. Air quality used to be poor in winter, but it has improved markedly since the city banned coal heating in 2019.

Season at a glance

• March to April: cool, changeable, few crowds. Easter is a big occasion.
• May to June: warm, green, the best walking weather.
• July to August: warm to hot, busiest, festival season.
• September to October: mild, autumn colour, calmer.
• November to February: cold, dark early, Christmas market and low prices.

Mountain weather

If you plan a day in Zakopane and the Tatras, June to September is the reliable hiking season. Snow can linger on high trails into May, as our day trips guide explains. Bring a warm layer even in August.