Slide and Tap Other Months
Festival
The Great Illumination in Warsaw 🎡
The Royal Route, Old and New Town, and the 27-metre high Christmas Tree in Castle Square officially light up on December 5th at around 5:00pm. The illumination will turn Warsaw into a majestic Christmas vision and really get everyone into the holiday spirit. The event will be accompanied by live music, dancing, carol singing and children's activities. St. Nicholas (Mikolaj) will also make a special appearance to hand out sweets and treats to the good little girls and boys.Culture
Mikolajki 👥
Children in Poland actually receive presents from St. Nicholas (Mikolaj) on December 6th, not on Christmas Eve. The day marks the celebration of the feast of St. Nicholas. He is Poland's mythical figure who passes out treats and gifts to well behaved children. Mikolaj will continue to make special appearances all throughout Advent. It is also customary for him to leave a switch behind under a child's pillow to remind him or her to behave the rest of the year.New Year's Eve 👥
The city of Warsaw is always jam packed with parties, festivities and of course, fireworks on New Year's Eve (or as they say in Poland, St. Slyester's Eve). Throughout the day, make sure to stop at one of the bakeries in town and sample a few doughnuts, as they are believed to bring good luck in the New Year. Nightclubs and restaurants all around the city host New Year's Eve celebrations and menus featuring Polish sausages, bigos (hunter's stew) and champagne toasts, but you must plan ahead as reservations fill up quickly. Or if you're looking to get out into the open-air, head over to Old Town for their festive street parties and dazzling fireworks over the Vistula River or the Palace of Culture where live concerts play well into the New Year. At the stroke of midnight, kiss a loved one, say to each other "do siego roku" ("I wish you well"), and toast with a glass of champagne.