We went to the biggest Polish Market on the border with Germany

In a lazy and cloudy Saturday afternoon in Berlin, my boyfriend and I decided to go to the Polish Market that we always see on ads everywhere on the M10 and M4 trams here in Prenzlauer Berg. Hohenwutzen Polenmarkt is the biggest polish market on the border with Germany and a shuttle bus from Berlin to there cost only 5 euros each way.

Hohenwutzen Polish Market: What? Where? How? Why?

This market is one of many polish markets you can find on the border between Germany and Poland but by far, the easiest to access from Germany’s capital, our beloved Berlin.

People go there for many reasons; our reason was just that I wanted to see with my own eyes the bizarre factor and Marian wanted to get some of the outstanding polish sausages that reminds him so much of his childhood. Marian was born and raised in Brandenburg, a genuinely east boy. And he was my guide on this curious world that is going to Poland just to get cheap stuff.

This Polish market is located near the city of Osinów Dolny, that is literally across the river Oder from Germany. The whole trip takes around 90 minutes, and shuttle buses leave Berlin daily at 9 am, 12 and 3 pm. The way back is at 10:45, 13:45 and 16:45. The ticket costs 5 euros each way, and I strongly suggest to guarantee your way back on your way to the polish market.

Once you’re there, you will be – at least I was – baffled by how the whole place looks like a big set of buildings that did not finish properly and people decided just to start a market filled with legal and barely legal stuff where ever they find a place for it. Maybe this is the best description I can give you because it is precisely that. Perhaps not.

The whole market is filled with countless stands selling the same products. Cigarettes, fireworks and fake lego, Adidas and Nike merch is the most common. On the back of the polish market, you’ll find loads of very tasty food to eat and to take away like sausages, cheeses, spreads, veggies and more. Another big thing about this market was not applicable to us since we went with a bus, this place has cheap gasoline for your car.

One of the things I liked the most about going there was the restaurants serving the same exact food over and over again. On this video I show you the menu of our favourite there because the beer was fresher, the people more helpful and the food tasted better. Our lunch was grill wurst + fries + water for me and one schaschlik + 2 draft beers for Marian. All together was 10 euros. The only thing I’m gonna say about having lunch, there is: avoid if you don’t eat meat. It is Poland, it is a Polish Market, and of course, everything will be meat. But you can get some fries and some baked potatoes maybe, but I haven’t seen salads on the menus there.

When we were planning the day trip, we thought about taking the bus at 12 and not at 3 pm because 1 hour and something wouldn’t be enough. We were wrong!

If you’re going just to see the stuff and buying a few items, 1 hour is more than enough. I honestly can’t see reasons to be there longer other than getting super drunk on cheap beer and having to endure a 1 hour and a half ride back to the city + another good 30 minutes on tram and Ubahn.

Check the limits for cigarettes, alcohol and fireworks beforehand because once you cross back to Germany, the Zoll will stop your bus and will verify everything.

Hohenwutzen Polish Market is not so magical like I thought it would be. Marian told me that the polish market on the polish side of his town, Guben/Gubin has the same stuff for way less.

This place is way cheaper than Berlin for sure but still a good 30 or 40% more expensive than smaller and less famous polish markets across the border. Besides that, Don Xuan Center also offers you loads of similar stuff with Asian food instead of polish cuisine.

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