Festive illuminations in Poland: beautiful holiday light displays in Poland

From October/November through the wintertime season, many parks in Poland transform after dark into a magical world of lights, allowing you to spend time outdoors, walking in winter festive scenery. We take you through selected places across Poland where you can cut yourself off from everyday matters and enjoy autumn and winter in Poland.

When planning your visit, please consider that there are usually more visitors on weekends; if possible, plan your visit outside the weekend.

KRAKÓW: Garden of Lights – “Small World” – world-famous buildings

The Garden of Lights features this season’s “Small World” – world-famous buildings like the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, or Big Ben (a new theme this year; in previous seasons, it featured The Smurfs, Peter Pan, and Snow White). In addition to almost 30 light installations, all the light figures are surrounded by multimedia illuminations – a combination of sound, image, and music. Other attractions include a multimedia light tunnel, Christmas tree light shows, mappings, and a light maze. All attractions are spread over 6 hectares!

Photos from the previous season:

Photo source: Ogród Świateł w Krakowie

GDYNIA: Garden of Lights – “The Smurfs”

The Garden of Lights in Gdynia features “The Smurfs” this season (a new theme this year; last season, it was Pinocchio and Alice in Wonderland). The attractions include several dozen light and multimedia attractions, a 14-meter multimedia Christmas tree, laser shows, and food outlets.

Photos from the previous season:

Photo source: Ogród Świateł – Gdynia

WROCŁAW: Illuminations in the Zoo

In the 2024/2025 season, new theme: “Wild Asia”. A new exhibition of lights on the map of Poland and Wrocław since the 2023/2024 season – illuminations are located in the Wrocław Zoo.

Photo source: Wrocław Zoo

WROCŁAW area: Illuminations “Lumina Park” at the Topacz Castle (Zamek Topacz)

Zamek Topacz, located 10 km from the city of Wrocław, includes a complex of 6 buildings (hotel, restaurant, automotive museum), a garden, and a pond. The history of this place dates back to the 14th century. In winter, the hotel organizes an illumination exhibition in the park – 11 themed zones with various scenery and music. Over 450,000 points of light have been placed in the castle park, with an area of 35,000 sq m and 20 kilometers of the light chain used to create the exhibition.

Over 200 new illuminations in the 2024/2025 season, featuring “Akademia Pana Kleksa” (a children’s fantasy novel by Polish author Jan Brzechwa.).

Photos from the previous season:

Photo source: Lumina Park Wrocław

WARSAW: “The Royal Garden of Light” – illuminations in Wilanów Palace Garden

“The Royal Garden of Light” is Warsaw’s must-see in wintertime, and adults and children will love it. It’s located in the gardens of a baroque royal palace called the “Polish Versailles”, in the Wilanów district of Warsaw. The Wilanów festival is a unique open-air exhibition with thousands of diodes forming tunnels, trees, installations, and sculptures. The illuminations accompany classical music and mappings on the palace façade (3D shows featuring sounds, images, and lights).

Photo source: Muzeum Pałacu Króla Jana III w Wilanowie

WARSAW: illuminated winter garden “Magiczny Botaniczny” / “Magical Botanical”

WARSAW area: Garden of Lights – “Alice in Wonderland”

It’s the fourth season with an outdoor exhibition of illumination in the Botanical Garden in Powsin, a few kilometers south of Warsaw. The central theme of the fairy-tale light display in the 2024/2025 season is “Alice in Wonderland” (Alicja w Krainie Czarów in Polish). The previous seasons were “The Smurfs”, “Snow White”, and “Peter Pan”.

The exhibition includes almost 30 light installations, such as a dwarf house in a 12-meter light tunnel, a diamond mine, and many multimedia attractions, laser shows, and mappings. In addition to light decorations related to The Smurfs, the exhibition includes, among others, a multimedia Christmas tree made of 42,000 LED lights.

ŁÓDŹ: Million Lights Park – illuminations in the Zoo

In the season 2024/2025, the new location – the Zoo/Orientarium.

Photos from the previous season:

POZNAŃ: Lumina Park

A new them in the 2024/2025 season: Alice in Wonderland.

A park of illumination among trees and shrubs of the Dendrological Garden of the University of Life Sciences in Poznań.  A Botanical Journey around the world among light and sound. You can test your knowledge about the countries you visit in a specially prepared Gamification. You can solve the quiz tasks at two difficulty levels and in three languages (Polish, English, and Ukrainian).

Photos from the previous season:

Photo source: Lumina Park

POZNAŃ area: Winter illuminations and decorations in Deli Park

Deli Park is a park with mini landmarks, giant insects, and a mini zoo located 18 km from the city of Poznań. During Christmas and the wintertime, festive illuminations are installed there. You can walk among the illuminated and decorated with colorful lamps, the alleys of the park, and various types of light illuminations such as a globe, a giant Christmas ball, illuminated light tunnels, a traditional Christmas nativity scene with live animals, and Christmas decorations. There is also a Santa’s Grotto, his sleigh with reindeer, at Santa’s desk, and children can sign up for the Book of Good Children.

Photo source: Deli Park

KATOWICE area: Garden of Lights – “Peter Pan” (Mikołów)

The Garden of Lights is in a new location in the 2024/2025 season (the Botanical Garden in Mikołów), featuring “Peter Pan.”

KATOWICE area: Million Lights Park in Zabrze

The 2024/2025 season update is coming soon:)

The new installations in the 2023/2024 season – Alice’s Magical Land. 

KATOWICE area: Winter Legendia – Amusement Park (Chorzów)

Legendia is the oldest amusement park in Poland. During winter, there is an illumination display, and selected attractions of the Legendia amusement park are available, too.

LUBLIN: Lumina Park – “Light Laboratory”

The exhibition is located in the Botanical Garden in the city of Lublin. The new installations in the 2024/2025 season: “Light Laboratory”.

Photos from the previous season:

Photo source: Lumina Park

WAŁBRZYCH: Winter Garden of Lights at the Książ Castle (Zamek Książ)

Książ Castle – located in western Poland – rises picturesquely on rocks among forests in the heart of the Landscape Park. It’s a huge building – it is estimated that it is the third-largest castle in Poland after the Malbork Castle and the Wawel Castle in Kraków. The castle garden is enriched with illuminations and festive decorations during the wintertime.

Photo source: Zamek Książ

BYDGOSZCZ: Lumina Park – “Magical Journey”

Over 150 new illuminations in the 2024/2025 season, featuring “Akademia Pana Kleksa” (a children’s fantasy novel by Polish author Jan Brzechwa.).

Photos from the previous season:

Photo source: Lumina Park

OGRODZIENIEC CASTLE: Fortress of Lights

The Ogrodzieniec castle – located in southern Poland – is very photogenic (the majestic ruins are enhanced by the rocks used to build the castle walls), built in the 14th – 15th centuries. It’s available for tours, including small exhibition rooms – torture room (!), armory, and castle history. “Across the street”, 300 m from the castle, there is an exciting hotel with a swimming pool, set into the rocky and green surroundings (POZIOM 511 Design Hotel & SPA).

In winter, the castle turns into a Fortress of Lights – illuminations are installed in the outer bailey area and the entire sightseeing route (illuminated majestic ruins and figures). The Fortress of Lights is the story of Ogrodzieniec Castle, which is told with light and sound.

The 2024/2025 season update is coming soon:)

Photo source: Zamek Ogrodzieniec

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