Things to Do in Warsaw in November
November weather, activities, events & insider tips
November Weather in Warsaw
Is November Right for You?
Advantages
- Genuine low season pricing - accommodation runs 30-40% cheaper than summer months, and you'll actually have room to breathe at major sites like the Royal Castle and Łazienki Park without the cruise ship crowds
- Museum weather is perfect - November is when Varsovians hunker down in their incredible museum scene, so you're experiencing the city exactly as locals do. The POLIN Museum and Warsaw Rising Museum are at their best when you can spend 3-4 hours without feeling guilty about missing sunshine
- Christmas market season starts late November (usually around November 25-28), giving you a preview of the festive atmosphere without the December price surge or crowds. The Old Town Square transforms with wooden stalls and you'll catch locals doing their early shopping
- Café culture peaks in November - this is when Warsaw's legendary café scene truly shines. Locals spend hours in places nursing coffee and cake, and the cozy atmosphere in places around Nowy Świat street becomes genuinely inviting rather than just a tourist activity
Considerations
- Daylight is brutally short - sun sets around 3:30-4pm by late November, meaning your outdoor sightseeing window is roughly 8am-3:30pm. If you're a late riser, you'll miss most of the usable daylight entirely
- The damp cold cuts through you differently than dry cold - that 1-6°C (34-43°F) range combined with 70% humidity feels colder than the numbers suggest. You'll need proper layering, not just a heavy coat, and the wind whipping down Marszałkowska street is no joke
- November is genuinely gray - this isn't picturesque autumn weather. The leaves are mostly gone by early November, and you're left with bare trees and overcast skies about 80% of the time. If seasonal depression is something you deal with, this might not be your month
Best Activities in November
Warsaw Old Town Walking Tours
November is actually ideal for appreciating Warsaw's reconstructed Old Town because the cold keeps crowds thin and the architecture photographs beautifully under overcast skies. The UNESCO-listed Old Town Market Square and Royal Castle are far more atmospheric without summer tour groups, and you can actually hear your guide. The compact layout means you're walking 2-3 km (1.2-1.9 miles) maximum, which is manageable even in cold weather. Go mid-morning around 10-11am when temperatures peak.
Vistula River Boulevards Experience
The revitalized Vistula boulevards are surprisingly pleasant in November during the brief afternoon window when locals actually use them. Between noon and 2pm on non-rainy days, you'll find Varsovians walking, jogging, and grabbing food from the seasonal containers that stay open through November. The right bank Praga side offers the best city views without crowds. It's a 4-5 km (2.5-3.1 miles) flat walk, perfect for understanding how modern Warsaw actually lives.
Łazienki Park and Palace Tours
Warsaw's largest park is hauntingly beautiful in November once the leaves have fallen and the grounds are nearly empty. The Palace on the Isle and surrounding neoclassical buildings are open year-round, and November means you'll have the galleries practically to yourself. The park covers 76 hectares (188 acres), but you can see highlights in a 2-hour visit covering about 3 km (1.9 miles). The peacocks are still around, oddly enough, and seem unbothered by cold weather.
Warsaw Vodka and Food Tasting Experiences
November is peak season for vodka culture in Warsaw - locals genuinely drink more in cold months, and the traditional Polish comfort food that pairs with vodka (pierogi, żurek, bigos) is exactly what you'll crave in 3°C (37°F) weather. These experiences happen in warm restaurants and bars around Nowy Świat or Praga district, typically lasting 2-3 hours. You'll try 5-8 vodka varieties and learn why Poles take their vodka culture seriously.
Praga District Alternative Culture Tours
The Praga district on the right bank of the Vistula is Warsaw's creative quarter, and November is when you'll see it at its most authentic - locals in studios, galleries actually hosting events for residents rather than tourists, and the street art looking dramatic against gray skies. This is 2-3 hours of walking about 4 km (2.5 miles) through a genuinely changing neighborhood. The Soho Factory creative space and Koneser complex are highlights.
Jewish Warsaw and POLIN Museum Experiences
The POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews is one of Europe's best museums, and November is ideal for the 3-4 hours you'll want to spend there. The museum sits in what was the Warsaw Ghetto, and walking tours of the area are more comfortable in cold weather than summer heat. The neighborhood covers about 2-3 km (1.2-1.9 miles) of walking. This is heavy history but essential for understanding Warsaw.
November Events & Festivals
Warsaw Christmas Market Opening
The Old Town Christmas Market typically opens around November 25-28, giving late November visitors a preview without the December crowds. Wooden stalls sell traditional crafts, hot wine (grzane wino), and Polish Christmas foods. The market runs daily from roughly 10am-9pm, and the Old Town Square gets decorated with lights and a large Christmas tree. This is when locals actually shop for gifts rather than just tourists browsing.
All Saints Day and Zaduszki
November 1-2 are major cultural events in Poland - All Saints Day and Zaduszki (Day of the Dead). Cemeteries across Warsaw, particularly Powązki Cemetery, become seas of candles as families visit graves. It's deeply moving and a genuine cultural experience if you're respectful. The city is quieter these days as many businesses close or reduce hours. Evening cemetery visits on November 1st show thousands of candles creating an unforgettable atmosphere.
Independence Day
November 11 is Poland's Independence Day, marking independence regained in 1918. Warsaw sees official ceremonies, a military parade, and unfortunately in recent years, some nationalist demonstrations that can turn tense. The official celebrations around Piłsudski Square are worth seeing, but be aware the evening can get complicated with various marches. Many museums and attractions offer free entry this day. The city center can be crowded and some metro stations may close temporarily.