Three Kings' Day on the Streets of Kraków
It is the sixth of January, and the cold air over the Old Town carries the smell of grilled sausage, roasted chestnuts and sweet gingerbread. A column of children in paper crowns and coloured cloaks moves down the Royal Route, one king in gold, one in red, one in green, each leading a camel, a horse and a small retinue of drummers. Somewhere ahead of you, a carol rises from the crowd. This is Epiphany in Kraków, the feast of the Three Kings, and the city treats it as one of the great processions of the year.
Walk the Royal Route Behind the Three Kings
The central event is the Orszak Trzech Króli, the Procession of the Three Kings, held on 6 January. In Kraków it follows the historic Royal Route, the ceremonial path that Polish monarchs once took through the city, and it draws families, school groups and visitors onto the same streets.
- Watch the procession move along the Royal Route through the Old Town, past the landmarks that line the historic coronation way.
- Look for the three kings on horseback and the costumed entourage of courtiers, angels and shepherds that accompany them.
- Join in the carol singing that follows the procession; the singing of kolędy is a fixed part of the day.
- Expect the crowds to gather early along the route, since the procession is a public event and the pavements fill quickly.
Mark Your Door with Chalk and Follow the Star
Epiphany in Poland is also a domestic ritual, and in Kraków you will see its traces on doorframes and in the churches. The custom of chalking the initials of the three kings, K+M+B, above the door on 6 January is widely kept, and the blessing of chalk and incense takes place in churches around the feast.
- Look for the letters K+M+B chalked above doorways in the Old Town and beyond; they are written each year on Epiphany.
- Attend Mass at one of Kraków's churches on 6 January, where the day is celebrated as a solemn feast.
- Buy a piece of chalk or a small blessed token at a church or stall and take part in the custom yourself.
Eat and Drink Through a Winter Market
January in Kraków is deep winter, and the food of the season is built for the cold. The Christmas market stalls in the Main Market Square, Rynek Główny, trade through the festive period, and the stands around the square and the adjoining streets keep the winter eating going into the New Year.
- Warm up with bigos, the hunter's stew of cabbage and meat, and with pierogi, boiled or fried dumplings.
- Take a cup of barszcz, the beetroot soup, or żurek, the sour rye soup, from a market stand or a milk bar.
- Try oscypek, the smoked sheep's cheese from the Tatra highlands, grilled and served with cranberry, a staple of Kraków's street food.
- Finish with pączki, the filled doughnuts, and a glass of grzaniec, the mulled wine sold at winter stalls.
- Look for gingerbread and honey-spiced cakes, which appear on Epiphany tables and in the city's confectioners.
Take the Christmas Season to Its End
Epiphany marks the close of the Christmas season in Poland, so the days around 6 January are your last chance to see the city still dressed for the feast. The Nativity cribs, the szopki, remain on display in the churches and in the Main Market Square, and the Christmas lights stay up over the streets of the Old Town.
- Visit the szopki, the elaborate Kraków nativity cribs, in the churches and in the displays around Rynek Główny.
- See the Christmas illuminations along the Old Town streets before they come down after the feast.
- Attend a concert of Christmas music in one of the city's churches during the season.
Plan Your January in Kraków
Epiphany falls on 6 January, so plan your trip around that date and give yourself a few days on either side to catch the markets, the cribs and the concerts before the Christmas season is packed away. Book your travel and accommodation early, dress for hard frost, and put the Royal Route on your map for the morning of the sixth. The procession, the carols and the chalked doorways will be waiting.