Guides · Gdansk
Gdansk Christmas Market 2026: Dates, Lights & Events
By Viktorija Dvariskyte · Marketing Manager
Marketing Manager
The Gdansk Christmas market returns to Targ Węglowy (the Coal Market) from 20 November to 23 December 2026, according to market listings, with opening hours of noon to 8pm from Sunday to Thursday and noon to 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays. In 2025, it was voted the best Christmas market in Europe in the European Best Destinations poll, ahead of Budapest. Entry is free.
The market spreads from the Coal Market through the lanes around the Great Armoury, with an ice rink, a Venetian carousel and illuminations across the Main Town, while the city's Christmas tree stands beside the Neptune Fountain on the Long Market. This guide covers the 5 best ways to enjoy a Gdansk Christmas market trip, each with the address, how to get there and a Pro Tip.
The Main Town is compact and walkable. The order starts on the Coal Market, follows the market lanes past the Great Armoury, walks the Royal Way to the Long Market, climbs St Mary's Basilica and finishes at the smaller market in the Forum Gdańsk courtyard.
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1Christmas Market on Targ Węglowy - The Main Market
The main Gdansk Christmas market fills Targ Węglowy, a historic market square beside the Upland Gate and the Prison Tower at the start of the Royal Way. Wooden chalets sell Christmas decorations, amber jewellery, Kashubian crafts and Polish food, and the square has an ice rink, a Venetian carousel and an Advent gate.
The 2026 market runs from 20 November to 23 December, with listings giving hours of noon to 8pm from Sunday to Thursday and noon to 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays. The market closes before Christmas Day.
In 2025, the market won the European Best Destinations poll for the best Christmas market in Europe, with more than 92,000 votes.
2Great Armoury and Tkacka Street - The Market Lanes
From the Coal Market, the Gdansk Christmas market continues along Bogusławskiego Street, past the Great Armoury and down Tkacka Street. The Great Armoury, a richly decorated 17th-century building in the Flemish Mannerist style, makes a spectacular backdrop for the stalls.
These narrower lanes have a cosier atmosphere than the main square, with themed food streets, gift stalls and festive lights strung between the old houses. Look out for the market's chocolate and cinnamon lanes, packed with sweet treats.
The lanes lead directly towards the Royal Way, so it is easy to continue from the market to the heart of the Main Town.
3Long Market and the Neptune Fountain Christmas Tree
The Long Market (Długi Targ), the grand square at the end of the Royal Way, is home to Gdańsk's main Christmas tree, set up beside the famous Neptune Fountain. The square is lined with colourful merchant houses, the Main Town Hall and Artus Court, all lit up for the season.
The walk from the Coal Market along ul. Długa (Long Street) passes through the Golden Gate and some of the most beautiful facades in the city, decorated with Christmas lights.
At the end of the Long Market, the Green Gate opens onto the Motława river and the medieval Crane, which looks especially atmospheric on a winter evening.
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4St Mary's Basilica Tower - Views over the Christmas Lights
St Mary's Basilica is one of the largest brick churches in the world, and its tower offers the best views over the Main Town and the Christmas lights. The climb involves around 400 steps, and the viewing platform at the top looks out over the rooftops, the river and the market area.
Inside, the vast whitewashed interior holds a famous 15th-century astronomical clock and many works of art. Entry to the church is free, while the tower climb is ticketed.
The tower may close in bad weather or in the depths of winter, so check its opening times before you go.
5Forum Gdańsk Courtyard - A Second Christmas Market
In recent years, the Gdansk Christmas market has also set up stalls in the courtyard of Forum Gdańsk, a modern shopping centre just outside the Main Town and close to the main station. It offers food, drinks and gifts in a more modern setting.
It is a convenient stop on arrival or departure by train, and the shopping centre is a good place to warm up on a cold day, with cafés and restaurants inside.
The courtyard market was part of the 2025 Christmas market zones, and the 2026 layout is expected to be similar; check the official market website before you go.
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Gdańsk Christmas Market 2026: Dates, Old Town & Tips - FAQ
The Gdansk Christmas Market runs from 20 November to 23 December 2026 on Targ Węglowy (the Coal Market). Opening hours are noon to 8pm Sunday to Thursday and noon to 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Yes, entry is free. You pay for food, drinks, gifts and rides such as the Venetian carousel and the ice rink. Prices are lower than at most Western European markets.
Take the train to Gdańsk Główny, the main station, then walk about 15 minutes to Targ Węglowy. Trains from Warsaw take around three hours. The market has no dedicated parking, so public transport is the easiest option.
No. The Gdansk Christmas Market closes on 23 December, so it is not open on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Plan your visit for late November or the first three weeks of December.
No, the stalls do not reopen after Christmas. The city's festive illuminations stay up much longer, though: in the 2025 season they were lit until 2 February, so the Main Town still looks festive in January.
The main market is on Targ Węglowy, beside the Golden Gate at the start of the Royal Way. It spills into the lanes around the Great Armoury, and a smaller market sets up in the Forum Gdańsk courtyard. The city Christmas tree stands by the Neptune Fountain on the Long Market.
Weekday evenings are the sweet spot, when the lights are on but crowds are manageable. Weekend afternoons and evenings get very busy, as the market draws more than a million visitors a season.
The Targ Węglowy market is the biggest and most popular, with the ice rink and carousel. The lanes around the Great Armoury add more craft stalls, and the Forum Gdańsk courtyard market is a calmer option a few minutes' walk away.
In 2025 the Gdansk Christmas Market won the European Best Destinations poll for Europe's best Christmas market. Visitors praise its Hanseatic setting, affordable prices, ice rink and the illuminations across the Main Town.
Climb the tower of St Mary's Basilica, a few minutes from the market, for views over the Main Town rooftops. Go in daylight, as tower access is limited in winter, then return to the market once the lights come on.
