Is Poznan, Poland worth visiting? One great thing about having called Dublin home for over a decade was Dublin Airport’s fantastic connections to a wide range of Polish cities, thanks to the large population of Poles living in Ireland.
We love Poland and have had the pleasure of visiting cities like Warsaw, Gdansk and Tricity Poland, Krakow, and Wroclaw in winter (known for the famous Wroclaw dwarves).
This time we sought out things to do in Poznan Poland on a weekend city break. On the flight to Poznan, we got some great advice from an off-duty Ryanair flight attendant from Poznan who happened to be sitting next to us.
Read on for ideas about what to do in Poznan for a short break.
Getting to Poznan
Ryanair flies direct to Poznan from a number of cities in Europe including Dublin and Cork in Ireland plus London, Milan, and Oslo.
Plane tickets on Ryanair to Poznan can cost as little as 10 EUR each way if you are flexible on your travel dates.
Poznan to Bydgoszcz takes about two hours by train. Bydgoszcz also has a “Ryanair Airport” which makes combining Poznan and Bydgoszcz an ideal weekend city break in Poland.
It cost a total of 26 EUR for two first-class train tickets between Poznan and Bydgoszcz.
Be prepared to queue upon arrival in Poznan. We arrived in the late morning from Dublin and there were probably about 200 people in the queue for immigration at Poznan Airport and only four queues open.
Take Bus 159 from Poznan Airport to Poznań Główny. We got off the bus at Rondo Kaponiera, about a 20-minute walk to our hotel.
A 40-minute bus ticket cost 5 zł (Polish zloty) which was about $1.25 USD at the time of writing.
Where to Stay in Poznań
We stayed at the Hotel DeSilva Premium Poznan. We paid around 630 zł ($160 USD) for 2 nights accommodation including breakfast, wifi, and air conditioning.
The hotel was about a 10-minute walk to Old Town Poznan (Stare Miasto). Our room was large and comfortable although we did have an uncomfortably exciting moment upon arrival when we opened the door to our room and the door frame promptly fell off the wall.
We were quickly moved to a room that was more structurally sound.
Getting Around Poznan
I recommend buying a 24-hour transit ticket to make it super easy to hop on the trams and buses in Poznan city centre. If you validate your 24-hour ticket on Friday after 8 pm, it’s good for the entire weekend (until midnight on Sunday).
A 24-hour transit ticket in Poznan cost 12 zł for A Zone. Zones A through D are included if you buy a 15 zł ticket.
This equates to less than $4 USD for unlimited transportation for a weekend in Poland. Such a great deal.
Things to Do in Poznan
Now that we’ve cleared immigration, gotten our transportation sorted, and checked into our hotel, let’s talk about what to do in Poznan for a weekend.
1. Eat Pierogi at Pierogarka
We arrived in Poznan around lunch time so our first stop (of course!) was for pierogi. We sampled duck with mushrooms pierogi and cheese and potato pierogi at Pierogarka in Poznan. Absolutely delicious!
2. Try the Best Ice Cream in Poznan at Kolorowa
Next we made our way to Kolorowa to eat what’s rumored to be the best ice cream (lody) in Poznan thanks to the tip from our seatmate on the flight to Poland.
The hand written menu (flavors change regularly) is written in Polish so you’ll probably need to punch some of the words into Google translate to figure out your options.
We tried a mascarpone cheese ice cream with black currant. One scoop cost 4 zł (about $1 USD at the time of writing).
3. Admire the Stained Glass at St. Martin’s
Saint Martin Church in Poznan looks a little understated from the outside but step inside, especially on a sunny day, and you’ll be rewarded with beautiful colored light through tall stained glass windows.
4. Photograph Poznan’s Bright Pink Church
It’s hard to miss Poznan’s bright pink Fara Poznańska in Poznan Old Town. Also known as Bazylika kolegiacka Matki Bożej Nieustającej Pomocy, św. Marii Magdaleny i św. Stanisława Biskupa, Fara Poznańska is stunning both inside and out.
Don’t miss the sumptuous baroque interior.
5. Reflect on Troubled History Outside the Poznan Synagogue
Take a quiet moment to reflect outside Poznan Synagogue which was turned into a swimming pool by the Nazis during World War II.
Just standing outside the building and reflecting on this dark period of Polish history during the 20th century sent a chill down my spine.
6. Circumnavigate Poznan Old Town Market Square
The brightly colored houses of the Old Market Square in Poznan (Stare Rynek) lifted our spirits. If you can, make sure to swing by Poznan Old Town Square at noon.
Every day since 1551, two small billy goats emerge from the clock tower of Poznan Town Hall and butt heads 12 times. Sadly, we missed the fighting goats of Poznan because of our delays at immigration upon arrival at Poznan Airport.
At other times of day, have a meal or a drink at one of the many cafes and restaurants surrounding the square.
7. Drink Polish Craft Beer in Poznan
Poznan has a fantastic craft beer scene. We may have missed the noon performance of the fighting goats but we did not miss beer o’clock at Minister Browaru.
I absolutely loved their sour passionfruit gose. There are lots of great places to sample craft beer in Poznan Poland. We tried Kingpin Kahuna at Piwna Stopa.
You can’t help but love their motto: “No Crap on Tap”
8. Eat Dinner for Supper at Oberża pod Dzwonkiem
Would you look at the size of the plate of ribs that we ordered for dinner?! We enjoyed a yummy meal at Oberża pod Dzwonkiem in Poznan Poland. Roll me home!
I also learned an important point that day. Polish people eat 4 meals a day: breakfast, second breakfast, dinner, and supper.
Apparently we were doing it wrong because we had a big evening meal when supper is normally more of a snack. Live and learn…
9. Seek Out Poznan Street Art
Keep your eyes open when you’re walking around Poznan and you’ll likely be rewarded by some imaginative street art.
Pan Peryskop (Mr. Periscope; aka The Watcher) makes a number of appearances around town. We also spotted some cheeky: “I am some art” pieces.
10. Check out the Historic Fire Brigade Building
Poznan features sturdy but picturesque architecture at every turn. The fire brigade building was particularly Instagrammable.
11. Browse Poznan’s Local Markets
Poznan features lots of quaint squares in both Old Town Poznan and in Poznan’s newer neighborhoods. You’ll find fountains, art, and even live music in Poznan’s squares.
On the weekend, some of the squares are taken over by local markets. We stumbled upon a small local market selling produce, flowers, and bric-a-brac on the square near our tram stop.
12. Tour Cathedral Island
Cathedral Island (Ostrów Tumski) is one of the top things to do in Poznan but it’s a bit outside the city center. Buying a 24-hour transit ticket makes it super easy to hop on the tram and get to Cathedral Island.
13. Walk Around Śródka
We started our adventure in this part of Poznan with a walk around Śródka, a neighborhood adjacent to Cathedral Island.
Accessed by a bridge heavily laden with love locks (Most Biskupa Jordana w Poznaniu) Śródka is a charming and mostly residential neighborhood featuring 3D street art and cats watching the world go by from their windows.
We enjoyed ice cream at Ghiacci, a perfectly acceptable “second breakfast”, right? The strawberries and cream homemade flavors were amazing.
14. Visit Brama Poznania ICHOT
Brama Poznania ICHOT on Cathedral Island offered a fascinating interactive look at the history of Poznan.
Take the self-guided audio tour to learn about the various exhibits covering ancient to modern times. Don’t miss gorgeous views from the rooftop terrace at Brama Poznania.
15. Take a Cathedral Island Audio Tour
The ticket to Brama Poznania ICHOT also includes an audio guide to Cathedral Island. The interior of Poznan Cathedral was the most impressive part of the tour. Did you know that some of the first Polish rulers are buried here?
In some cases, the audio guide was a little too detailed but you can always cut the commentary short at each stop if you have limited time.
Tucked away at the side of the massive Archcathedral Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul in Poznań, seek out the Golden Chapel. If you insert a 5 zł coin, the room lights up and you can take pictures through the gate.
16. Enjoy Dinner (Lunch) at Hyćka
A lot of places in Śródka are fully booked for lunch on Saturdays. Book ahead to avoid disappointment.
Sadly, we didn’t get to try Na Winklu’s baked pierogi but we did manage to get an outside table at Hyćka when we persisted after they told us they were full.
Grey potato dumplings and pork goulash made for a hearty lunch!
17. Take a Gander at Lake Malta
The edge of Lake Malta is about a 10-minute walk from Śródka in Poznan.
You’d have to walk farther (maybe 20-30 minutes more) to experience the various activities and water sports that Lake Malta is known for.
It was a hot day when we visited Poznan in June so we decided to admire the close end of the lake and then hop on a tram back to the city.
18. Shop Stary Browar
Stary Browar is a pretty amazing shopping mall built on the site of an old brewery in Poznan Poland. Take some time to wander around. Stary Browar is worth a visit if you are into photography.
19. Visit Citadel Park
Definitely make time for a hike around Park Cytadela in Poznan. Situated on a 19th century fortification north of Poznan (Fort Winiary), the park is now a green lung for the city.
In addition to trails and lawns for tossing a ball or getting some sun, you’ll discover abandoned bunkers and WWI and WWII graves.
Seek out the eerie and moving “Unrecognised” (“Nierozpoznani”), an installation of 112 life-sized headless sculptures spearheaded by Polish artist Magdalena Abakanowicz and a group of art students.
20. Polish Craft Beer Reprise
After a busy active day in Poznan, there is nothing finer than sinking into a threadbare couch out of the reach of the sun and tuckering into a wild boar kielbasa with a side of pork rinds and a pint of Deer Bear Let’s Cook lime and apricot gose craft beer at Piwna Stopa.
21. Eat Potatoes at Pyra Bar
And now it’s time for second supper. We tried sweet and savory potato pancakes washed down with Polish cider at Pyra Bar in Poznan.
This place was recommended by the Poznan-based flight attendant that we met en route and her recommendation was spot on. Delicious!
22. Eat a Rogal
Poznan is famous for the rogal, a glazed croissant covered in nuts. Also known as St. Martin’s croissant, you’ll find them all over Poznan during the Feast of Saint Martin in November.
Over the summer, they are harder to find. We found our rogal at a cafe and bakery in the tunnel under the train station (Poznań Główny). These dense confections will definitely keep you going during a long train ride.
23. Spend a Day in Bydgoszcz Poland
Bydgoszcz is a quirky city just 2 hours by train from Poznan.
Add on an overnight trip to Bydgoszcz when visiting Poznan for half-timbered architecture, the Museum of Soap and the History of Dirt, and a curious tightrope walker permanently suspended over the river.
Map of Things to Do in Poznan
Click on the image below to access an interactive Google Map of things to do in Poznan.
