Warsaw Events Preview: November 30 - December 6

Christmas market, week two

The Warsaw Christmas Market at Plac Defilad, by the Palace of Culture and Science, runs daily from 20 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, so the preview week is its first full week of trading. The city promised a bigger edition than the award-winning first one - see our market guide for hours and details.

New illuminations due in December

Warsaw is retiring the retro, PRL-themed decorations of the past three seasons. Per the roads authority ZDM and the Warsaw Tourism Organisation, an entirely new set themed on the city's legends switches on in December 2026, on a longer route that for the first time links the historic centre with the New Centre - including a 21-metre tree on Plac Centralny and a mapping show on the Staszic Palace facade. The exact switch-on date had not been announced as of this writing, so watch for the city's confirmation; the year-round light garden in Park Swietokrzyski is already open.

Sunday at the Philharmonic

On Sunday 6 December the National Philharmonic (ul. Jasna 5) stages Antonio Vivaldi - Ennio Morricone: violinist Konstanty Andrzej Kulka with the FILHARMONIA chamber orchestra and the Alla Polacca choir perform the Four Seasons op. 8 in the first half and Morricone's film music - including themes from The Mission, Once Upon a Time in America and Chi Mai - in the second, hosted by Pawel Sztompke. Tickets via the Philharmonic's box office.

Also this week

Sunday 6 December is Mikolajki, St Nicholas Day, Poland's traditional gift day for children. The seasonal city ice rinks under the Aktywna Warszawa programme typically open around this time; as of 23 October the 2026/27 season dates had not yet been posted on the programme's website, so check there before heading out.