Shopping in Poland: The Malls Worth It and the Streets Worth More
Poland does big, comfortable shopping malls very well, and they are a genuine rainy day plan. But the better buys are often on the old market streets. Here is how to split your time.
The malls are better than you expect
Złote Tarasy in Warsaw sits right by the central station under a rolling glass roof, which makes it the easy first or last stop of a trip. Galeria Krakowska in Kraków and Forum Gdańsk are the same idea in their cities: hundreds of shops, food courts, and clean toilets, all a short walk from the train.
Two practical notes. Most large malls close or run short hours on non-trading Sundays, so check the day before you plan a trip there. And if you spend over the threshold in one store, ask about Tax Free forms to claim the VAT back at the airport on your way out.
The market streets are where the character is
For anything with a sense of place, walk the old streets instead. Kraków's Cloth Hall on the Main Square has sold souvenirs for centuries, and while some of it is kitsch, the amber and leather can be good. Warsaw's Nowy Świat and the streets around it mix Polish designers with cafes, which makes for a nicer afternoon than any food court.
Local ceramics from Bolesławiec, amber from the Baltic coast, and Polish vodka are the three souvenirs that are actually made here and travel well.
A simple city route
Start at a central mall in the morning for anything practical you need, then spend the afternoon on the market square and the streets leading off it. That order keeps you out of the rain early and outdoors when the light is best, and it ends you near the restaurants for dinner.
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