It only took me eight years to finally make it to Wolin in Poland for the Slavs and Vikings Festival. Every year during the first week of August, I somehow had “something else.” Busy weekend, wrong timing, life, you name it. But this year? The Viking gods cleared my schedule.
The festival takes place right next to the Slavs and Vikings Centre, an open-air museum with reconstructed houses and crafts from the 9th–11th century. Supposedly, it’s on the site of Jomsborg, a semi-legendary Viking stronghold.
I actually first heard about the festival from other vendors at different medieval events I visited. They all said it’s one of the biggest festivals of this kind. My curiosity was instantly hooked, but every year August came around, and I just… didn’t make it. Until now!
And honestly – it’s not even that far from Copenhagen where I live. Just about an eight-hour drive, which in my brain translates to “perfect excuse for a road trip.” Plus, it gave me an excellent reason to stock up on Polish sour cucumbers and other foods I can’t easily get a hold of in Denmark. Win-win.
First Impressions
How do I even sum this up? The festival is huge. The number of reenactors was insane. I’ve been to quite a few medieval events, but this one had the biggest “medieval village” I’ve ever seen. Over 2,000 people in historical garb, living in tents, cooking over fires, and working on crafts.
What impressed me most were the vendors. They weren’t just selling stuff—they were actively making it. Blacksmiths hammering away, weavers weaving, leatherworkers cutting and sewing. You could stop, ask questions, and actually learn how things were done a thousand years ago.
The setting helped a lot too. Since the festival is held at the open-air museum, you’ve got all these old-style houses and wooden structures around. It really added to the “time-travel“ vibe.
Food, however, required a small side quest. Most of the stalls were on the other side of the river. Which meant if you were hungry, you had to earn it 🙂
We also lucked out with the weather. It rained the whole week, and then the day we arrived—boom, sunshine! Great for us… but also for about all the other people who thought, “Hey, let’s go to a Viking festival today.“ And that’s where the problems started.
The Not-So-Fun Bits
Here’s the thing: the festival is almost too popular for its own good. The island is small, and when you pack in tents, stalls, and thousands of people, it turns into medieval rush hour. Crowds everywhere, barely room to move.
We tried to catch some medieval music, but the stage was stuck on a busy path with nowhere to sit. After standing awkwardly between two market stalls, we gave up.
The big battle reenactment—supposedly the highlight—was… let’s just say a test of patience. Thousands of people crammed in, no proper viewing platforms, and the ground sloped downward too, so the further back you went, the less you saw. To top it off, you couldn’t even hear the commentator unless you were close by. After 30 minutes of squishing, sweating, and seeing exactly nothing, we gave up. And I’m usually not the type to ditch! Honestly, if they just built some raised viewing platforms, it could be amazing.
And then… the toilets. Oh dear. Portable toilets in a state I can only describe as post-apocalyptic. No paper, no soap, and honestly, I didn’t want to touch a single thing. I suddenly understood why medieval people preferred the woods.
Where to park
Driving in, you’ll see locals renting out their gardens and fields as parking lots. The closer to the festival you get, the crazier and more packed it is. My advice? Park a little further away—you’ll avoid the nightmare of trying to get your car out later.
We found a random spot about a 10-minute walk from the gate, which worked out perfectly. It cost us 50 PLN for the day, but when I realized I only had euros, they happily accepted €12. Pro tip: bring cash. The only ATM is across the river in town, and trust me, you don’t want to be hunting ATMs when you should be hunting for mead.
Is the Slavs and Vikings Festival Worth Visiting?
So… was it worth the eight-year wait? Yes and no. The vibe, the costumes, the crafts – amazing. The organization and the crowd control? Not so much. But hey, I finally made it, I got my sour cucumbers, and I now know what 2,000 Vikings and Slavs look like crammed onto a tiny island.
Would I come back again in the feature? I don’t think so. It was way too long a drive for the number of crowds and the events they offered. I will check out more festivals in Denmark and Sweden.
