When to go · Zakopane
Zakopane in December
Mixed month. Outside the best window (Jun–Oct (hiking), Jan–Mar (skiing)). Across Poland: Christmas markets; 24–26 December almost everything shuts.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Mixed
- Temperature
- 2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C) / −5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 13
- Crowds
- Medium
- Poland overall
- Prices
- Medium
- Poland overall
Verdict
Outside the best window (Jun–Oct (hiking), Jan–Mar (skiing)). Across Poland: Christmas markets; 24–26 December almost everything shuts.
Is another month better than December?
December is rated mixed. These months rate higher:
- JanuaryGreatInside Zakopane's best window: Jun–Oct (hiking), Jan–Mar (skiing).
- FebruaryGreatInside Zakopane's best window: Jun–Oct (hiking), Jan–Mar (skiing).
- MarchGreatInside Zakopane's best window: Jun–Oct (hiking), Jan–Mar (skiing).
- JuneGreatInside Zakopane's best window: Jun–Oct (hiking), Jan–Mar (skiing).
Weather in December
- ZakopaneHighs around 2 °C (36 °F), lows around -5 °C (23 °F), rain on about 13 daysHighs around 36 °F (2 °C), lows around 23 °F (-5 °C), rain on about 13 days
- Mountains (Tatras, Karkonosze), Poland · Zakopane, Karpaczcool
Ski December–March; summer hiking July–September; Zakopane packed at weekends.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Christmas Eve (a public holiday since 2025) and Christmas big impact
24–26 Dec · Poland
Shops, restaurants and museums close; Wigilia dinner at home.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Poland overall
- Medium
- Prices · Poland overall
- Medium
Poland overall: Christmas markets; 24–26 December almost everything shuts.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Zakopane, side by side.
Verdict
Dec: Mixed
Jan: Great (better)
Daytime high
Dec: 2 °C (36 °F)36 °F (2 °C)
Jan: 1 °C (34 °F)34 °F (1 °C)
Night low
Dec: -5 °C (23 °F)23 °F (-5 °C)
Jan: -7 °C (19 °F)19 °F (-7 °C)
Rain days
Dec: 13
Jan: 12 (better)
Crowds
Dec: Medium
Jan: Low
Prices
Dec: Medium
Jan: Low
Festivals listed
Dec: 1
Jan: 0
December: Outside the best window (Jun–Oct (hiking), Jan–Mar (skiing)). Across Poland: Christmas markets; 24–26 December almost everything shuts.
January: Inside Zakopane's best window: Jun–Oct (hiking), Jan–Mar (skiing).
Zakopane: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket