Winter holidays in Wielkopolskie Voivodeship 2026 - when are they and what's worth seeing? | PolishTrains

At a glance

• Winter holidays in Wielkopolskie Voivodeship 2026 run from 16 February to 1 March
• Poznań is reachable in around 2.5 hours from Warsaw and 1.5 hours from Wrocław
• Malta lake offers ice skating, equipment hire and beginner lessons during the holidays
• Poznań's Old Market Square, famous for its animated goats, is a must-see in any season
• Miniature Park in Pobiedziska and the archaeological site at Biskupin suit families with children
• Domestic tickets on PolishTrains go on sale up to 30 days before departure

According to the schedule announced by the Ministry of National Education, winter holidays in the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship in 2026 will take place from 16 February to 1 March. This is the last holiday in the country, and along with children from this region, pupils from the Podkarpackie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie and Śląskie voivodeships will also have a holiday.

There are typically seasonal attractions in Wielkopolska, but most are year-round spots. The advantage of winter visits to places open all year round is smaller crowds, allowing you to explore the region in a quieter way. What can you see? From the historical sights of Poznań to the picturesque areas of the Wielkopolska National Park, there is something for everyone.

Poznań, the capital of Wielkopolska, impresses with its charm in every season. Whether you decide to visit in summer or winter, the Old Market Square is a must-see . This is the place where you will admire the famous Poznań goats and savour the taste of traditional świętomarciński croissants available in nearby bakeries. For those who want to explore the secrets of baking this local delicacy, a visit to the Croissant Museum will be interesting. The facility is located near the market square and offers workshops with visitors.

Lovers of culture and history have several interesting attractions in Poznań. The National Museum with its collections of Polish and European art and the Archaeological Museum, showing the history of the region from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages. For children, on the other hand, we recommend the Imagination Laboratory - here, through play and experiments, you can explore the secrets of physics and chemistry.

For those who long for warmth and greenery, the Poznań Palm House is a real treat. In the middle of winter, you can feel as if you are in the tropics, walking among exotic plants and admiring colourful butterflies. It's the perfect place to take a break and relax, and also to learn something about the diversity of the plant world.

And if you're looking for some active relaxation after a day of sightseeing, it's worth popping into the Malta Thermal Baths. This modern swimming pool and sauna complex offers not only swimming but also relaxation in the warm waters, which is especially pleasant on winter days. In addition to the pools, there is also a wellness area, saunas and jacuzzi, and a water playground for the little ones.

Special attractions in Poznań for the 2026 holidays

Zamek Cultural Centre

During the holidays, the institution is organising a series of meetings and workshops for children aged 7 to 11. The programme includes: dance and graphics workshops, travel meetings, film screenings and theatre performances. Participation in a single event costs between PLN 7 and PLN 25. Tickets can be purchased on the venue's official website.

Animation Theatre

As part of the winter holiday, the theatre will host creative workshops. Every day for 3 hours children will be able to stimulate their imagination by: story creation, improvisation, acting workshops and much more. Most of the activities are intended for children from 7 to 12 years old.

National Museum in Poznań

At the end of February and the beginning of March, meetings for children are organised which are a combination of workshops, creative activities and games. A different programme and a different theme are prepared for each day: from antiquity, through ancestral legends, the world of knights and samurais, to fantastic animals. Most of the schedule is designed for children aged six to 12.

Winter sports

Looking for somewhere active for the whole family? Go ice-skating with the kids! During the 2025 winter holidays, at least two popular ice rinks - the Malta rink and the Ligawa rink - will be open in the Wielkopolska city of Poznań. Both venues offer the possibility to rent skates on site, and for beginners, classes with instructors are organised.For the upcoming season, admission prices and additional services are as follows:

Malta Ice Rink:

Reduced ticket: during the week:PLN 11 (until 15:30), PLN 19 (from 16:00), weekends and holidays: PLN 19

Normal ticket: during the week: 16 zł (to 15:30), 24 zł (from 16:00), weekends and holidays: 24 zł

Skate rental: 18 zł

Riding lessons with an instructor: from 150 PLN

Ligawa ice rink:

Reduced ticket: during the week: 16 PLN, weekends and holidays: 17 PLN

Normal ticket: during the week: 18 zł, weekends and holidays: 23 zł

Ice skate rental: 16 zł

Additional services on both rinks:

Helmet rental: 7 zł

Rental of rides (penguin, seal, bear): 18 zł

Ice skate sharpening: 22 zł

In addition, an entry ticket to both rinks entitles you to a 60-minute skating session. This means that everyone has a full hour to enjoy ice skating, regardless of the facility chosen.

How to get there?

Poznań is easily accessible by car, using motorways and expressways. However, it is worth remembering that during the winter holidays traffic can be heavy, which makes the journey longer. Therefore, a better choice may be to take the train, which will take you directly to Poznań from most major cities in the country, with a journey time of about 1.5 hours from Bydgoszcz and Wrocław, about 3 hours from Gdańsk and less than 3 hours from Warsaw. Once there, getting between attractions will be made easier by public transport - the stops are close to Poznań Główny train station.

The Wielkopolski National Park is the next proposal for holidays in 2026. Located south of Poznań, it provides ideal conditions for active leisure and communing with nature. Marked hiking trails, available all year round, invite you to go on winter hikes while observing nature. For those wishing to learn a little more about the park, the WPN Natural History Museum in Jeziory is an interesting place to visit, presenting the region's rich flora and fauna. Admission to the Wielkopolska National Park is free, while a visit to the museum without a guide costs 5 PLN for a concession ticket and 10 PLN for a regular ticket. The cost of a ticket with a valid Large Family Card is 3 PLN. Looking for a spot where you can admire the park's landscapes from a different perspective? The best option is to climb the viewing tower located on Osowa Góra, which offers the most panoramic views.

What to visit in the area?

The Greater Poland National Park is home to beautiful nature and its surroundings are full of cultural and historical attractions. The region around the park is also worth visiting during your winter holiday. Here are some suggestions that are sure to spice up your stay in Wielkopolska:

Rogalin Palace - this Baroque residence is now a museum full of impressive architecture and hides a rich collection of paintings.

Arkady Fiedler Museum in Puszczykowo - this museum will take you to a world of travel and adventure. A special attraction is the replica of the Santa Maria ship located in the garden. This exhibit measures 20 metres long and 6 metres wide, making a huge impression on visitors.

Kórnik - a town famous for its neo-Gothic castle, the interiors of which are open to the public. In the building, visitors can admire richly decorated chambers, a library with valuable old prints and a collection of militaria.

The open-air museum of miniaturesin Pobiedziska is a place where you can see miniatures of the most important monuments of the Piast Route, such as: Gniezno Cathedral, Poznań Gate in Gniezno or Rogalin Palace.

How to get there?

The Wielkopolski National Park is easily accessible from Poznań. By car, the journey takes about 30 minutes. However, for those who prefer to use public transport, there are regular bus connections. What's more, Poznań itself can be conveniently reached by train from many parts of the country.

Gniezno, the first capital of Poland, is a precious place on the Piast Route. In the city itself, Gniezno Cathedral, with its famous Gniezno Doors and the tomb of St. Adalbert, is worth a visit . This is a central historical point on the map of Gniezno which should not be missed! Right next door, in the Museum of the Origins of the Polish State, the process of the formation of our country is presented.

The Piast Route is not only about Gniezno, but also about numerous attractions suitable for winter holidays in Wielkopolska in 2026. Nearby is Ostrów Lednicki, an island on Lake Lednica, where relics of the palatium of Mieszko I and Bolesław Chrobry - the remains of an ancient building that served as the seat of the rulers - are located.

In this part of the voivodeship, you can also visit Biskupin, a town famous for its impressive reconstruction of a defensive settlement of the Lusatian culture. A little further afield, in the village of Wenecja, the ruins of a medieval castle and the fascinating Narrow Gauge Railway Museum with its historic locomotives and carriages await visitors.

Families with children will also find plenty of entertainment here. For example, the Dinosaur Park in Rogów, although some attractions are seasonal, educational events are often organised in winter. For small and large railway enthusiasts, we also recommend the Wolsztyn Steam Engine Depot, the only operating steam engine of its kind in Europe.

How to get there?

Gniezno is located on the route of provincial trains. Regular train connections, especially from Poznań, provide good access. On the other hand, nearby attractions such as Ostrów Lednicki, Biskupin, Venice or Rogowo can be reached by a combination of train and local buses.

You already know when the holidays are in Wielkopolska. If you also want to know the schedule for other provinces, you will find a breakdown below:

• 19 January - 1 February 2026: Mazowieckie, Pomorskie, Podlaskie, Świętokrzyskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie

• 2 February - 15 February 2026: Lower Silesian, Kuyavian-Pomeranian, Łódź, West Pomeranian, Lesser Poland, Opolskie

• 16 February - 1 March 2026: podkarpackie, lubelskie, wielkopolskie, lubuskie, śląskie

Remember that most of the attractions in Wielkopolska can be reached by rail, so there is no need to use a car, especially when road conditions are not favourable. Thanks to an extensive network of connections, you can easily reach the region's main cities and tourist attractions. In addition, travelling by train avoids problems with parking in popular locations, especially during the holidays, when traffic tends to be heavier.

When planning your journey, it is worth using the PolishTrains website, where you can find up-to-date timetables and quickly purchase tickets online. Want to have everything at your fingertips? Download the PolishTrains mobile app, which will make the process of finding and booking train connections even easier.

What means of transport are best for winter travel in the Wielkopolska region?

The most convenient way to travel in winter in Wielkopolska is by train or car. PKP Intercity offers direct connections to Poznań, Kalisz, Gniezno or Leszno, while regional Polregio trains will take you to smaller towns and cities. If you choose to drive, the express routes S5 and S11 ensure that you get there quickly and safely, even in winter conditions.

Are there any special attractions for children in Wielkopolska during the 2026 winter holidays?

For the winter holidays in Wielkopolska, many institutions have prepared a special offer for the youngest. These include city half-day camps or individual workshops organised, for example, by the Zamek Cultural Centre or the Animation Theatre in Poznań. Other attractions include the Rogalowe Muzeum Poznania, Park Trampolin Jump Area or Palmiarnia Poznańska.

Is it worth booking tickets and accommodation for the 2026 holidays in the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship in advance?

Definitely yes! Booking your stay earlier means lower prices and a greater choice of accommodation. If you buy your train tickets in advance, you can take advantage of the PKP Intercity Super Promo offer or other discounts available for families, such as a group ticket, the Large Family Card or a weekend ticket.