Best things to do in Poznań
One of Poland’s great cities, the famously stately architecture of its main square serves as a fine backdrop to a wealth of up-to-date museums, a booming bistro scene and a don’t-stop-till-you-drop attitude to nightlife.
Viewpoints and panoramas
Royal Castle: Take the lift to the top of the tower for a superb panorama of central Poznań.
Park Cytadela Hill: For a more natural view, head to Cytadela Park, whose slightly elevated position gives a panoramic perspective of the city.
The best districts
Śródka: Home to the fantastic new Brama Poznania multimedia museum, the little suburb of Śródka boasts a handful of fabulous bistros and a celebrated street mural.
Old Town (Stare Miasto): One of Poland’s classic public spaces, featuring fine buildings from all epochs and ringed by great places to eat and drink.
Jeżyce: Known for its hipster vibe, packed full of independent shops, cafes and bars, this is the place to come and soak up Poznań’s creative side.
Museums
Henryk Sienkiewicz Literature Museum: Dedicated to Poland’s most celebrated novelist, inside lies a well-presented words-and-pictures account of the author’s life, accompanied by first editions of his works.
Poznań Croissant Museum: Celebrating the traditional Poznań pastry! A well as illustrating the history of baking in the city and the significance of festive dishes around the year, the museum offers demonstrations of croissant-making, and, best of all, tasting sessions,
Brama Poznania: This unique museum is basically a state-of-the-art storytelling exercise that employs projections, models, touch-screen displays and sound to conjure up the key moments of Wielkopolska history.
Parks and gardens
Historical monuments
Parish Church of St Mary Magdalena: Completed just forty years before the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1773, its magnificently sombre interior has a painting over the high altar illustrating a legendary episode from the life of St Stanisław.
Stary Browar (Old Brewery) : A stunning combination of nineteenth-century red brick and contemporary glass and metal, not only is the architecture stunning both inside and out, but there’s a collection of sculptures and installations strewn around the premises, and landscaped gardens at the lower level.
Poznań Cathedral: Located on Ostrów Tumski, Poland’s oldest cathedral manifests some impressive Gothic architecture, while the Golden Chapel inside is another fine spectacle.
Day trips in the area
Gniezno: For centuries the seat of Poland’s archbishops, this easy-going provincial town is still the site of a truly wonderful cathedral.
Lake Lednica: Visit one of the country’s largest skansens or take a boat to Ostrów Lednicki to see the seat of the first Polish king.
Rogalin Palace: Long-time seat of the eminent Raczyński family, this is one of Poland’s finest mansions, a truly palatial residence forming the axis of a careful layout of buildings and gardens.
Activities for families in Poznań
Poznań offers a surprising amount of family-friendly attractions, ensuring kids and adults alike are amply entertained throughout their stay.
Train trips: In Wolsztyn, hop aboard a locomotive at one of Europe’s few surviving steam-engine depots to still run regular passenger services to nearby towns. There’s also the frequently steam-pulled Maltanka narrow-gauge rail line that runs along the northern side of Lake Malta.
Lake activities: Lake Malta is the city’s most popular summertime playground, particularly the eastern end of the lake, where a couple of grassy strands are equipped with bathing piers, alongside children’s play areas and an all-weather toboggan run.
Interactive museums: The Croissant Museum in the Old Town provides a fun, hands-on way to learn about the city’s culinary traditions; kids can even try their hand at making St. Martin’s croissants before wolfing them down.
Free things to do in Poznań
Exploring Poznań on a budget is easy, with many free activities to enjoy, not least one of the country’s strongest festival line-ups.
Street art: In Śródka, seek out the award-winning mural entitled A Śródka Tale with a Trumpeter on the Roof and a Cat in the Foreground, the colourful scene containing a jumble of the medieval and Baroque buildings that once characterized Śródka.
Free events: Pride of place in the festival calendar goes to the St John’s Fair, a traditional knees-up of medieval origins, with handicraft stalls and folk-music performers taking over the main square in the days leading up to St John’s Day on June 24. Then there’s the Malta Festival, also in late June, a celebration of contemporary theatre that also includes art exhibitions and outdoor gigs, many free of charge.
Nature and outdoor activities in Poznań
Poznań’s natural surroundings and outdoor attractions are perfect for adventurers and those looking to unwind in green spaces.
Hiking: Occupying an area of some 100 square kilometres to the south of Poznań, Wielkopolska National Park has a well co-ordinated series of hiking paths, which are colour-coded blue, red, black and yellow; Crossing the entire park from east to west takes about two hours.
Lake Malta: The city’s artificial lake offers everything from kayaking, canoeing and rowing to leisurely cycling and rollerblading along its wide paths - though you will find half the city here in the summer months.
Rogalin Landscape Park: Just a short drive from Poznań, this park not only supports some of the oldest oak trees in Europe, but it also presents excellent birdwatching opportunities.
