English Section

Kraków’s Christmas tree tops global ranking, beating NYC’s Rockefeller Center

19.12.2024 16:00
Move over, Rockefeller Center. According to the magazine Time Out, the world’s most beautiful Christmas tree isn’t in New York City this year—it’s adorning the historic heart of Kraków’s Old Town.
The Kraków tree.
The Kraków tree.Photo: PAP/Łukasz Gągulski

Each December, this Polish city’s medieval squares transform into scenes straight from a holiday postcard. At the center of the seasonal charm is Kraków’s Christmas market on the Main Market Square, featuring the annual showstopper: an elegantly decorated fir placed near the iconic St. Mary’s Basilica.

Editors at Time Out praised this tree as the “crown jewel” of the city’s festive display, citing Kraków’s postcard-perfect streets and atmospheric architecture as the perfect backdrop.

In a surprising twist, the famed Rockefeller Center tree only ranked third in the magazine’s list of the world’s most “iconic” festive evergreens. Second place went to a light installation shaped like a Christmas tree, glowing on a hillside near the Italian town of Gubbio in Umbria.

Elsewhere in the top spots, trees and installations from Strasbourg, London’s Trafalgar Square, Rio de Janeiro, and Washington, D.C. were recognized for their charm and cultural significance. Holiday favorites in Mexico, Spain, and France also made the cut, while the tree at Moscow’s Red Square rounded out the list.

For Kraków—a city known for its rich history, vibrant holiday markets, and old-world ambiance—this recognition serves as a reminder that sometimes the most magical of Christmas moments appear far from the usual suspects.

(jh)

Source: Polskie Radio