Gdańsk Christmas market voted best in Europe

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Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.

The Christmas market in the Polish city of Gdańsk has been chosen as the best in Europe in an online vote involving over 750,000 people.

The annual contest has been run since 2009 by European Best Destinations, which promotes tourism and culture across the continent. This year, Gdańsk came top, with over 92,000 votes, almost 12% of the total cast.

The organisation described Gdańsk’s Christmas market as a “hub of artistic performances and charming corners, seamlessly blending theatre, dance, carols, and the crafting of festive ornaments” in the city’s “picturesque, enchanting streets”.

The accolade will be celebrated on 3 December with a special event on Gdańsk’s Coal Market Square (Targ Węglowy), the heart of the fair, featuring a show of extreme acrobatics.

“Thank you for every vote you cast and for creating this magical atmosphere with us. This is our joint victory,” declared the city’s mayor, Aleksandra Dulkiewicz.

Held in the city’s historic centre, which dates back to the Middle Ages and was reconstructed after World War Two, the market is renowned for its mulled wine, local delicacies, artistic performances and artisan stalls.

It opened this year on 22 November and will continue welcoming visitors until 23 December.

Visitors to the market can explore Santa’s Corner, an artistic nook, the Venetian carousel and an angelic corner illuminated with dazzling lights, notes European Best Destinations.

One standout attraction is the talking moose, Lucek, whose witty banter and holiday spirit have made him a favourite among tourists.

In this year’s voting, second place was taken by the Christmas market in Craiova, Romania, which received over 90,000 votes, followed by Geneva in Switzerland and Riga in Latvia.

Last year, in a separate ranking, the Christmas market in Kraków, Poland’s second biggest city, was also declared Europe’s best.

Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.

Main image credit: amberexpo/gdansk.pl

Alicja Ptak

Alicja Ptak is senior editor at Notes from Poland and a multimedia journalist. She previously worked for Reuters.