Nowy Targ Fair (Nowa Targowica)

The fair in Nowy Targ is the largest and oldest market in Podhale. On Thursdays and Saturdays highlanders from the surrounding villages, Slovaks from across the border and tourists from Zakopane all come here. Everything is on sale, from clothes and furniture to mountain cheeses and the famous Podhale sheepskin coats, and haggling over prices is an old local tradition that is still alive today.

The fair's history goes back to the Middle Ages. Nowy Targ was an important trading centre close to the Hungarian border. In 1346 King Casimir the Great granted the town a renewed charter and permission for an annual fair on 25 November, and in 1487 Casimir IV Jagiellon established a second fair and a weekly Thursday market which, according to Wikipedia, is still held today. The town held staple rights for salt, copper, lead and wine, and a privilege of 1533 forbade foreign merchants to bypass Nowy Targ. In 1772 Stanisław August Poniatowski allowed the town as many as 12 fairs a year. Today trading has moved to Nowa Targowica, a purpose-built market ground with decorative gates, sectors and a covered Merchants' Court (Dwór Kupiecki). Its operator calls it "the most beautiful Polish fair".

What to see and buy

• regional cheeses and fresh local fruit and vegetables;
• sheepskin coats and leather goods, for which the region is famous, plus footwear;
• clothing, from workwear to formal wear, for adults and children;
• furniture, house and garden plants, household appliances;
• seasonal goods: Christmas decorations, leisure gear and gifts.

The site is divided into themed sectors: rows of stalls and pavilions line the car parks, a covered trading and exhibition area lies further in, and small themed squares — for blacksmiths, textiles and artists — are planned on the main axes. On the eastern side, by the Dunajec river embankment, there are cafés with outdoor seating. Sunday is the day of the region's largest car market, and the Merchants' Court, with permanent showrooms of well-known Podhale brands, is open on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

Looking specifically for sheep's cheese? Remember that genuine oscypek is made only in the sheep-milking season — spring and summer — while the smoked cow's-milk cheeses sold all year round are called gołka. You can find both at the fair, so ask the seller what milk the cheese is made from.

Practical information

The fair runs on Thursdays and Saturdays from 6:00 to 15:00, whatever the weather (as of October 2026). Entry is free. Address: ul. Targowa, Nowy Targ. Nowa Targowica lies in the town centre, by the roads to Zakopane, Kraków and the border crossings into Slovakia; visitor parking is along the southern side of the ground by the main entrances. The widest choice and the biggest crowds are in the morning, so it is best to arrive before midday. The ground is level with wide aisles and suits families with pushchairs. Bring cash for small purchases and do not be shy about haggling — it is normal here. Operator's phone: +48 883 45 49 10.

Nearby

A few kilometres from Nowy Targ is the Ludźmierz sanctuary, the oldest Marian shrine in Podhale. To the east the road leads to the wooden church in Dębno and Czorsztyn Castle, and to the south-west to the highland village of Chochołów.

Official website: targowica.eu

Photos: targowica.eu; Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons.