February in Warsaw: ideas and tips for making the most of your winter in Warsaw

Our Partner of the Month: Akademeia High School

VII Edition of Scholarship Competition at Akademeia High School Now Open. We are pleased to welcome applications from exceptional and diligent students to the annual Akademeia Scholarship Competition for 2024/25 academic year. There are two types of scholarship on offer: academic and art scholarships. All scholarship awards are merit-based. Students may apply for Year 10 (for a  four-year programme) or Year 12 (for a two-year  A-Level programme). Application deadline: 15th March. For more information and to apply please see: https://www.akademeia.edu.pl/admissions/scholarships/apply-for-scholarship

The biggest indoor climbing gyms in Warsaw

Indoor climbing is a great way to be active and have fun, regardless of the weather, for people of varied genders, heights, weights, and physical abilities.

Luckily Warsaw has excellent facilities for beginners, children, and advanced climbers. You can try climbing and see if you have fun at any time of the year – just sign up for an orientation lesson with an instructor. The benefits of climbing – for body and mind – are endless!

Read more in our post: Indoor climbing facilities in Warsaw by districts.

Sleigh and horse carriage rides in the vicinity of Warsaw

Horse-drawn sleigh rides are a unique winter attraction in Poland. Usually, they are associated with the mountains but in the vicinity of Warsaw, we can also go for a sleigh ride! It is great fun and an opportunity to spend time in nature – with family or friends. Of course, a tiny little detail – snow is needed. However in most cases when the weather changes and the snow melts, there is an option to ride a wheeled carriage.

In our post Sleigh and horse carriage rides near Warsaw, we present several options for organizing a sleigh ride in the vicinity of Warsaw – you can contact all the organizers in English.

Sleigh rides 40 km from Warsaw on the edge of the Kampinos Forest
Sleigh rides are organized in winter by a stable – Stajnia Dorado (location on Google map, website in English, Facebook). How does it work? Sleigh rides take place on Saturdays and Sundays at 11 am and 2 pm, during the week the dates are agreed upon individually. Reservations can be made by e-mail: stajniadorado@poczta.onet.pl. The sleigh ride (the sleigh can hold a maximum of 7 people) or the carriage takes approximately 1.5 hours. With more people, 2 rounds are made – one group stays in the orchard by the fire, and the other group goes on a sleigh ride.

Photo source: Stajnia Dorado

You can read more about other options for organizing a sleigh ride in the vicinity of Warsaw in our post Sleigh and horse carriage rides near Warsaw.

Ice skating rinks in Warsaw

Warsaw has many rinks to explore. And it’s not just during Christmas that you can get your skates on, as there are plenty of rink options starting from November until February/March.

Our post Ice skating rinks in Warsaw includes info about 20+ rinks in different districts of Warsaw, including free ones.

Skate rentals operate at most of the ice rinks in Warsaw, so you don’t need your equipment (there are also usually available skate supports for skaters needing extra help).

You can read more about 20+ ice rinks in Warsaw (locations, opening hours, photos) in our post: Ice skating rinks in Warsaw.

Where to go sledging in Warsaw

When it starts to snow we often are asked where is a good place to go sledging and build a snowman in Warsaw. Each district in Warsaw has several smaller and larger hills where you can go sledding. 

Most of such spots are in Warsaw parks (eg. Park Górczewska in Bemowo, Las Bielański Park/forest in Bielany, Park Morskie Oko in Mokotów, Park Szczęśliwicki in Ochota, Park Skaryszewski in Praga Południe, Park Praski in Praga Północ, Las Bródnowski in Targówek, Park Sowińskiego in Wola).

Other hills, which are used for sledding in winter, were created after the completion of street construction and renovation or remained after the construction of the metro in Warsaw (eg. Kopa Cwila and Górka Kazurka in Ursynów).

Click here to read our post with a rundown of some popular places to go sledging in Warsaw by the district.

The last days of winter illuminations in Warsaw in February 2024

Illumination and light displays available in Warsaw in February 2024:

You will find detailed information about Warsaw illuminations festivals in the 2023/2024 season in our post: Light displays in Warsaw: festive illuminations, lights festivals, and Christmas decorations in Warsaw.

Ideas for things to do in Warsaw in February

For things to do INDOOR in Warsaw, please read our post that includes the list of ideas for fun (indoor!) activities for a bad weather day in Warsaw: Indoor things to do in Warsaw.

Automotive Icons Exhibition – 100 rare and valuable cars
Until February 25. Location: PGE National Stadium, entrance from al. Zieleniecka Street, gate no. 1 (Praga), online tickets. Free outdoor parking is available in front of gate no. 1 from al. Zieleniecka Street (access via Targowa, Zamoyskiego, Sokola, and Siwca streets) and a paid underground car park. Opening hours: Thursday 11 am – 7 pm, Friday 11 am – 8 pm, Saturday 10 am – 8 pm, Sunday 10 am – 7 pm. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Maserati, Bentley, Aston Martin and other top brands models – from oldtimers to modern cars equipped with the latest technologies. Website, Facebook, Instagram.

Frida Kahlo: The Life of an Icon – an immersive multi-sensory exhibition
From February 9. Location: Fabryka Norblina, Art-Box Experience, Żelazna 51/53 Street (city center/Wola), level 2+. Online tickets (children under 3 years old free entrance). More in English about the Exhibition.

Dumplings cooking classes in English
Location: Pierogi & More cooking school, Stawki 3 Street (city center). During this experience, you will prepare pierogi with meat and/or vegetarian fillings. At first, you will get to know how to knead the dough, then you will learn various techniques of folding the dumplings and discover hacks that make them really tasty. Lastly, at the end of the culinary workshop, you will enjoy a plate full of dumplings, so make sure you come to the class hungry. More in English and online booking.

Sistine Chapel in Warsaw – multimedia exhibition
Until April 14. Location: tents in the area of PGE Narodowy Stadium, al. Zieleniecka Street, near Gate No. 11 (Praga). Online tickets (children under 5 years old free entrance). The exhibition is a multi-sensory experience that will allow you to learn about the history of the Sistine Chapel, as well as other works by Michelangelo. In the first room, visitors are transported to the world of the Renaissance and learn about the artists. There are, among others: reproductions of sculptures of David and Pieta. In the second room – the cinema, visitors see the Sistine Chapel from a new perspective. Visitors will see the details of the frescoes in unprecedented close-ups, gain knowledge about interesting facts, and become acquainted with the Renaissance masters who created an extraordinary work of art. All this is displayed in huge resolutions on a screen as much as 19 meters wide. The third room is the so-called immersion chapel – thanks to the latest technologies, you will find yourself inside the Sistine Chapel. You will learn about the history of many details – described by art historians working for the Vatican Museum. More in Polish about the Exhibition. Photos in the post on Kids in the City’s Instagram.

An exhibition: “The Immersive Experience – Van Gogh & Friends”
Until March 3. Location: Soho Art Center, Mińska 63 Street (Praga). The Exhibition is bilingual: Polish and English. Open every day 10 am – 8 pm. Tickets are to be purchased online. Children up to 6 years old have free entrance. Visitors will have the opportunity to see iconic paintings by van Gogh as well as Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Paul Gauguin, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Henri Rousseau, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Paul Signac. The images will be presented on huge screens, the floor, and columns. They will be accompanied by dynamic and rich light, color, and sound. The Exhibition’s website in Polish. Facebook. Instagram. Photos in our post on Kids in the City’s Instagram.

A multimedia exhibition of dinosaurs: Jurassic Adventure
Until March 31. Location: Muzeum Nowa Praga, Jagiellońska 82A Street (Praga), location on Google map. Open every day 9 am – 8 pm. Tickets are to be purchased on-site or online. Children up to 2 years old have free entrance. The Exhibition’s website in Polish. Facebook. Instagram. You can park your car in the free parking lot next to the exhibition. The exhibition is accessible to people in wheelchairs. Attractions include over 50 life-size animated dinosaurs; the “excavation zone” where children can play paleontologists and dig up dinosaur bones hidden in the sand; the VR zone; a playing zone for kids. Photos in our post on Kids in the City’s Instagram.

An exhibition at the Museum for Children (Muzeum dla Dzieci) – “Polish Flowers” 
Location: The Museum for Children is located in the city center (Kredytowa 1 Street). The same building and entrance as the Ethnographic Museum (Muzeum Etnograficzne). Location on Google map. Opening hours: Monday – closed, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 11 am – 7 pm, Thursday 11 am – 5 pm, Saturday, Sunday 12 pm – 6 pm. Tickets: To visit the exhibition, you need to buy entry tickets to the Ethnographic Museum which houses the Museum for Children. Regular ticket: 19 PLN. Reduced ticket: 10 PLN (students and seniors). Children up to 7 years old have free entrance. Free entrance: every Thursday. More in English in our post about visiting the Museum for Children in Warsaw.

Free winter attraction in Wilanów – donutting slope (no snow required;)
Until March 3. Location: Plaża Wilanów, the area between Aleja Wilanowska Street and Przyczółkowa Street (Wilanów), free entrance, Opening hours January 15-26: 12 pm – 8 pm; January 29 – March 3: Monday-Friday 4 pm – 8 pm, weekends: 12 pm – 8 pm. Other attractions include a carousel. More in Polish.

Artificial ski slope in Ochota – Górka Szczęśliwicka
Location: Górka Szczęśliwicka, Park Szczęśliwicki, Drawska 22 Street (Ochota). The ski slope is open every day 10 am – 8 pm. The Górka Szczęśliwicka ski slope is located in the center of Park Szczęśliwicki – the biggest (30 ha) park in the Ochota district of Warsaw. Location on Google map. It’s the highest hill in Warsaw, a 152 m slope called in Polish Górka Szczęśliwicka. The biggest attraction of Górka Szczęśliwicka is the ski slope. The ski season lasts from October, and from the first frost, the slope is artificially snowed. The height of the ski slope is 74.9 m, the run length is 227 m, and a plate lift and a chairlift are available. A two-hour pass costs PLN 50 (regular) and PLN 36 (reduced). A ski and snowboard equipment rental and a ski service are on site. Website and Facebook page in Polish. The contact list of ski and snowboard schools working on the Górka Szczęśliwicka.

20+ ice skating rinks in Warsaw
Since the first weekend of December, ice rinks have already been operating in almost all districts of Warsaw. The ice rinks in Warsaw are usually open until the end of February, weather permitting. You can read more about indoor and outdoor ice rinks in Warsaw (location, opening hours) in our post: Ice skating rinks in Warsaw.

A winter walk among the magic lights – 6 spots in Warsaw
During the winter season, many parks in Warsaw transform after dark into a magical world of lights, allowing you to spend time outdoors, walking in winter festive scenery. Add to that a Christmas tree on Plac Zamkowy and illuminated streets in the center of Warsaw! You will find detailed information about Warsaw illuminations festivals and lights displays in our post: Light displays in Warsaw: festive illuminations, lights festivals, and decorations in Warsaw during the 2023/2024 season.

And if it snows – it’s time for a sledge!
When it starts to snow in Warsaw we often are asked where is a good place to go sledging and build a snowman in Warsaw. Here is a rundown of some popular places in Warsaw by district: Sledging in Warsaw: best spots for sledding in Warsaw.

Indoor playgrounds and soft play centers in Warsaw
Stuck for ideas on what to do with the kids in Warsaw on a rainy day? We’ve rounded up the best indoor and soft play areas in Warsaw in our quest to discover brilliant family attractions in Warsaw. From slides and climbing frames to ball pools, role-play games, and trampolines, parents have been telling us their favorite play centers in Warsaw. Find the perfect places to go with your kids and get out on your next adventure! More in our post: Top indoor play spaces in Warsaw.

Eating out in one of Warsaw’s indoor food halls
Are you going out for lunch with a group of friends or family, but everyone wants something different? Sounds familiar? Food halls will settle restaurant selection fights. They offer a wide variety of ethnic cuisines and local restaurant concepts. A great solution for breakfast, lunch or dinner in a group – everyone orders from a different restaurant and eats at a common table. Click here to read our post featuring food halls in Warsaw (Elektrownia Powiśle, Hala Koszyki, Browary Warszawskie – Warsaw Breweries, Fabryka Norblina).

Chopin music piano recitals
Daily. Location: Fryderyk Concert Hall, Podwale 15 Street (the old town), online tickets. The recitals feature Fryderyk Chopin’s most famous compositions. Website in English.

Events in Warsaw in February

Sakura Festival of Japanese Culture; Festival of Asian Street Foof; Festival of Coffee, Chocolate and Sweets 
February 3-4. Location: Pałac Kultury i Nauki / the Palace of Culture and Science, Plac Defilad, Saturday 12 pm – 8 pm, Sunday 12 pm – 6 pm. Facebook event in Polish (Sakura Festival). Facebook event in Polish (Asian Street Food Festival). Facebook event in Polish (Coffee and Chocolate Festival).

Runmageddon – mud run & obstacle course race
February 3-4. Location: Tor Wyścigów Konnych Służewiec (Horse Race Track), Puławska 266 Street (Ursynów). More in Polish. Facebook event in Polish.

Art Fair (Targowisko Sztuki) – exhibition and sale of works by independent artists
February 3-4. Location: Centrum Praskie Koneser, Centrum Eventowe Butelkownia, Plac Konesera (Praga), Saturday 11 am – 6 pm, Sunday 11 am – 5 pm, free entrance. Paintings, graphics, illustration, photography, design, ceramics, posters. More in Polish. Facebook event in Polish.

Fair of ceramics, graphics, clothes, accessories, jewelry, design
February 3-4. Location: Elektrownia Powiśle shopping center, Dobra 42 Street (Powiśle), Saturday 11 am – 9 pm, Sunday 11 am – 6 pm, free entrance. Facebook event in Polish.

Fair and exhibition of exotic animals and plants  
February 4. Location: Sports Center (OSiR Praga) at Siennicka 40B Street (Praga), opening hours with an online ticket: 10 am – 4 pm, online tickets. Snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, snails, insects, spiders, ants, fish, and plants from all over the world. Facebook event in Polish.

Warsaw Coffee Festival
February 10-11. Location: PGE National Stadium, Ks. Jozefa Poniatowskiego 1 Street (Praga), 10 am – 6 pm, tickets available to purchase on-site. Facebook event in Polish and English.

Vintage Fair – Fair of clothes, accessories, jewelry, design, vinyls, books
February 10-11. Location: Elektrownia Powiśle shopping center, Dobra 42 Street (Powiśle), Saturday 11 am – 9 pm, Sunday 11 am – 7 pm, free entrance. Facebook event in Polish.

Railway Modeling Fair (Giełda Modeli Kolejowych)
February 11. Location: Warsaw Railway Museum (Stacja Muzeum), Towarowa 3 Street (Wola), 10 am – 2 pm (the Museum is open 9 am – 5 pm). A chance to buy model railways and trains and meet railway modeling enthusiasts. During the event reduced tickets to the Museum for everyone. The Museum website in English. Facebook event in Polish.

Super Bowl event (streaming and attractions)
February 11. Location: Browary Warszawskie, NINE’s Restaurant & Sports Bar, Grzybowska 58 Street (Wola), 10 pm. Facebook event in Polish.

Vienna Concert – Orchestra of the Princesses 
February 16. Location: Scena Relax Theater, Złota 8 Street (city center), 5 pm and 8 pm. Online tickets and more in Polish (including photos, and videos). Concert and ballet show: the greatest works by Johann Strauss, spectacular arias from the most famous operettas, musical hits, and hits from the world repertoire. The artists perform in ball gowns.

Festival of posters, illustrations, design, and visual arts and the Festival of jewelry and accessories 
February 17-18. Location: PGE National Stadium, Ks. Jozefa Poniatowskiego 1 Street (Praga), Saturday 10 am – 7 pm, Sunday 10 am – 6 pm, free entrance. Facebook event in Polish (posters). Facebook event in Polish (jewelry).

Festival of computer games
February 17-18. Location: EXPO XXI, Prądzyńskiego 12/14 Street (Wola), free entrance. Attractions include influencers, free2play, cosplay, foodtrucks. Facebook event in Polish.

Education Abroad Fair – The Baltic Council Education Abroad Fair 
February 24. Location: Radisson Blu Sobieski Hotel, plac Artura Zawiszy 1, 10 am – 5 pm, free entrance, online registration. The event features universities, high schools, and language course representatives from countries like the UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Spain, and more. More in English. Facebook event in Polish.

“Designer Market” – Fair of clothes, accessories, jewelry, design
February 25. Location: Elektrownia Powiśle shopping center, Dobra 42 Street (Powiśle), 11 am – 7 pm, free entrance. Facebook event in Polish.

Visiting the snow plow train interior
February 25. Location: Warsaw Railway Museum (Stacja Muzeum), Towarowa 3 Street (Wola), 9 am – 5 pm. Visiting the interior of this train is only allowed a few times a year. The Museum website in English. Facebook event in Polish.

Top indoor play spaces in Warsaw

Stuck for ideas on what to do with the kids in Warsaw on a rainy day? We’ve rounded up the best indoor and soft play areas in Warsaw in our quest to discover brilliant family attractions in Warsaw.

From slides and climbing frames to ball pools, role-play games, and trampolines, parents have been telling us their favorite play centers in Warsaw. Find the perfect places to go with your kids and get out on your next adventure!

Read more in our post: Best indoor playgrounds and soft play centers in Warsaw: family fun, birthday parties, workshops for kindergartens & schools.

Our Guide to International Education in Warsaw

Picking a good nursery, kindergarten, or school for your child is a very important decision for every parent. To help you keep tabs on educational offers in Warsaw, Kids in the City runs the Directory of International Schools in Warsaw.

What will you find there?

• Profiles of selected international and bilingual nurseries, kindergartens, primary schools, high schools in the Warsaw area (including info about tuition fees, locations, languages of instruction, campus facilities, the age range of students, admission process, curricula).
• Information about the upcoming open day events.

Check out our Guide to International Education in Warsaw: selected nurseries, kindergartens, primary schools, high schools in the Warsaw area.

Weather in Poland in February

The average temperature in February in Poland is still below 0 (-0,3°C / 32°F). February is the least rainy month in Poland. The average rainfall level in Poland in February is 31 mm.

What does the word luty – February – mean in Polish? The word luty in the old Polish language meant fierce, very cold.

The day will keep getting longer! Sunset on February 1: 4.21 pm, February 28: 5.14 pm.

Winter in Poland is cold and usually snowy. To stay cozy in the cold weather in Poland, you will need a hat, coat, scarf, gloves, and winter boots. The weather during the winter in Poland differs. Usually, the temperature is around freezing or a few degrees below, but it happens that the temperature drops below -20 °C (-4 °F). Recent years have seen an increase in average winter temperatures compared to previous years. Trends also indicate that we can start getting used to relatively warmer December in Poland and winter shifting for the period from January to March.

Read more about the weather and winter in Poland.

Trade ban Sundays in Poland in February 2024

In February, there is no shopping Sunday in Poland, all Sundays are trade ban days. The next shopping Sunday will be on March 24. More about the shopping Sunday trade ban in Poland: our post about shopping Sundays in Poland in 2024. Read our post with the list of online stores in Poland delivering groceries to homes.

Dates to remember in Poland in February 2024

February is one of the few months when there is no bank/public holiday in Poland.

Fat Thursday (Tłusty Czwartek)
The last Thursday before Lent starts (it’s similar to Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday celebrations), in Poland it’s a donut / pączek day. In the morning, you can notice long lines in front of bakeries and cafes all over Poland. People all day long eat pączki (donuts filled with fruit jam) or faworki (French dough pastry served with powdered sugar) at schools, at work, at home. There are contests for the best pastry stores in the city and some families have pączek eating competition – who will eat the most donuts on Fat Thursday.

Last day of the carnival, Śledzik (herring night), Ostatki (last days of carnival)
The last chance to party (typically with drinking and music) before the start of Lent (which doesn’t mean there are no parties during Lent in Poland, just not as many). The party/dinner is called in Polish Śledzik (little herring) – during old-fashioned Polish parties, it was a popular appetizer washed down with alcohol.

Valentine’s Day (Walentynki)
It’s a relatively new celebration in Poland (not observed in Poland during communism time before 1989), becoming more and more popular. All restaurants are usually full, you need to book your table in advance;) School kids are making Valentine’s Day cards and couples remember to make a nice surprise.

Ash Wednesday (Środa Popielcowa, Popielec)
The first day of Lent. People go to churches where priests put ashes (made from palm branches blessed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday) on people’s foreheads saying ‘Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return’ (‘Z prochu powstałeś i w proch się obrócisz’). It is a tradition among the Roman Catholics in Poland to avoid meat, alcohol, sweets, and snacks on that day.

Read more about public holidays and dates to remember in Poland in winter.

Subscribe to Kids in the City’s weekly newsletter in English. The newsletter called What’s on in Warsaw for Kids & Families / Family Life in Warsaw is emailed every Thursday and covers things to do in Warsaw with children and all kinds of family matters – information, tips, resources in English.

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