Just 10 years back we would hardly hear about this south-western polish city. Now it has a booming tourist industry that brings millions of visitors every year to see its beautiful Gothic and Baroque style old town, one of the best preserved in the country. This year I decided to see by myself what the hype is all about and if its worth a visit.
In This Article...
A City Built on Bohemian, Austrian and Prussian Traditions
Now that I’ve been to all the biggest cities of Poland, I can finally compare them between each other and decide which is my favorite. And my favorite is without a doubt Wroclaw, not only for its beauty but also for its great livability. Contrary to Gdansk which is spread around 3 cities, Wroclaw is centred around its condensed old town which makes it easy and pleasant to roam around by foot. For the occasion, I found a nice little Airbnb on the edge of the old town and I was always a few minutes away from anything interesting in town: touristic sights, but also funky cafes and craft beer bars!
Wroclaw is also a center for Academics in Poland and has gained popularity for Erasmus exchanges which brings in every year thousands of foreign students which give it a lot of life and youth. There is even a little island in the middle of the river that has a special permission from the city that permits public drinking. Every night the island is packed with groups of students that enjoy drinking on the cheap and makes a nice place to bring your own and join the crowd.
Pin it for later
Another interesting thing about Wroclaw is the hundreds of little dwarfs that are hidden in every corner of the city! It was originally part of an uprising against communist occupation and has quickly grown in a one of a kind concept. It makes a great activity to walk around the streets in search of finding the most dwarfs possible and photograph them, a thing that one will see many tourists doing while in Wroclaw.
A few years back I was struggling to choose between Poznan or Wroclaw to spend a month to settle in Poland. I finally opted for Poznan and I enjoyed my stay. But afterthought I believe I should have chosen Wroclaw, which is much more interesting in my opinion and would make a great place to come back to in a near future.
Best 2 Days Itinerary in Wrocław
Start the tour in the beautiful Market Square, or Rynek Square. Being one of Europe’s largest square, it will certainly take some time to see all the building facades that it has to offer. In the middle of the square is the Wroclaw Town Hall with its beautiful structure, as well as the oldest restaurant still operating in Europe, the Piwnica Świdnicka. Continue walking around the Ostrów Tumski, which is known as the most beautiful part of the old town. After lunch at one of the cafes in town, make it across the bridge to the magnificent Cathedral of St John the Baptist which is one of the most important and historically valuable monuments of the city. After walking back to the old town along the Odra River, start paying attention to tiny sculptures on your way, the small bronze sculptures of different dwarves from fairy-tales. These sculptures are made of bronze and represent the anti-Communist and anti-authoritarianism movements called the Orange Alternative. There are a few hundreds of them hidden around the city and tourists take a pleasure to find them.
On the second day, pay a visit to the Wroclaw University Museum as well as the Wroclaw University Botanical Garden. In the evening, remember to try the famous Wroclaw Nightlife or one of its many craft beer multi-tap bars, a trend that I have seen grow everywhere in Poland but especially in Wroclaw. With its thousands of students, it has gathered a reputation for party, so don’t hesitate to join the festivities.
You can even join the students on the small Wyspa Mlynska islands, where it is officially the only place allowed to drink in public and is packed every night with students working hard on their assignments 😉
Amazing Rynok Square
Top 10 Things to do in Wrocław
- Rynek Square
- Old Town
- Wroclaw Town Hall
- Wroclaw’s Dwarfs
- Ostrow Tumski
- Odra River
- Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
- Anonymous Pedestrians
- Wroclaw University Botanical Garden
- Wroclaw University Museum
Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Wrocław
- Vinyl Cafe
- Cafe Targowa
- Gniazdo
- Przelam Lody
- Etno Cafe Okraglak
Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Wrocław
- Pizza Si
- Vaffanapoli
- Gniazdo
- Wilk Syty
- Frytki SOS
- Piec Na Swewskiej
- Yemsetu
- Di Cafe – Deli
- The Root
- Warsztat Food aand Garden
Wrocław In Pictures
By the River
Churches at Night
By The Bridge leading to the River
The University by Night
In the Old Town
Full Moon by the Islands
Pin to Pinterest
Enjoyed this guide? Help others find it too! Share the following Pinterest pin to your Pinterest account, by simply clicking on the top left corner. And Remember: Sharing is Caring 😉
Support Ian with a TIP or Donation
Like what I do? Tips and donations like yours are what keeps this site alive. Its simple and quick, and makes a big difference.Offer me a Coffee !
Why not take 30 seconds to offer me a coffee and show your appreciation. A small gesture that goes a long way!Crypto Donations
BTC: bc1qwjy4s7t399jztr7ypnzlwlkd5d4wamnsz3582d
ETH: 0x4C1Ad7546f8a8e17FDD667f3fc837632Dff5bA85
LTC: ltc1qw2gfkuegaun8u5gzv0ua070n5pu3zak9je3tul