15 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Poznan, Poland

I had never heard of Poznan before. I had heard of other cities in Poland (for example, Warsaw and Krakow) but to be honest….only discovered Poznan because my husband and I randomly decided to book a spontaneous winter weekend getaway and Ryanair HAPPENED to offer a cheap $13 round trip flight to Poznan. So, on a frosty December morning, my husband and I flew to Poznan and had the time of our lives feasting on pierogies and enjoying the local Christmas market. It’s truly an underrated city and I would highly recommend visiting if you can!

Poznan is the 5th largest city in Poland, but it’s one of the oldest cities in the country and was it’s capital back in the 13th century. It has one of the cutest market squares (also called Stary Rynek) featuring rows of colorfully detailed merchant houses and a stunning Renaissance town hall.

FUN FACT: At noon, people gather at one of the town hall towers to witness two billy goat statues butting their heads. Legend has it, these two head-butting billy goats are the result of a hilarious spectacle that happened when a celebratory feast was supposed to be held for the installation of a new clock tower. The kitchen hand had burnt the celebratory venison roast, and tried to drag two billy goats from a nearby field into the kitchen as a replacement. These two goats wrestled for their freedom, and fled to the tower, where they started head-butting each other in front of the whole town.

Because Poznan is ‘off-the-beaten-path’, there are very few tourists around. I loved the relaxed nature of our visit – we didn’t have to compete with tourist crowds and got to wander the city and get a glimpse into local life. The city is clean and filled with beautiful architecture.

We loved how affordable Poznan was. We were able to book a design boutique 4-star hotel for less than $100/night (unheard of in London!) and it was in the best location (just a short 5-minute walk from the town square). Plus, our stay included a free breakfast buffet which featured Polish delicacies and a wonderful variety of homemade jams.

TIP: If you get the chance to visit Poznan, I would highly recommend staying at our hotel, the City Soleil Boutique Hotel. We had a great experience there.

We enjoyed pierogies at a restaurant called “Dumplings – Dumplings Love“. It was there that we discovered that dessert pierogies existed, and our life was complete. These handmade dumplings were filled with a sweet cottage cheese, and were topped with whipped cream and dreamy chocolate flakes. SO GOOD. Another option for pierogies is the restaurant Na Winklu, which is famous for it’s traditional-style pierogies.

TIP: If you’re not feeling like eating pierogies, another great option is Ratuszova which is right in the heart of the market square. This restaurant specializes in traditional Polish cuisine. Order the sour cabbage soup…the name may not make it sound particularly appetizing but it’s delicious and comes out piping hot in a fluffy bread bowl.

While you’re there, visit Cathedral Island which is a short 15-minute walk from the town square. The Cathedral Island has one of the oldest churches in Poland, dating back to the 10th century. It’s not the most beautiful or most awe-inspiring church, but the area is known to be the ‘heart’ of Poznan and is oftentimes described as “where Poland began”. It’s a quiet place that seems to have been frozen in time.

Just across the bridge from Cathedral Island is a very quirky building called Rynek Srodecki. This building has been painted to be an illusion…the mural is a work-of-art because it actually feels like you’re looking at a series of buildings!

If you happen to be visiting Poznan during the months of November and December, be sure to check out the Christmas market located in the Old Town Square. It’s very festive and offers a variety of stalls selling grilled meat, pastries, mulled wine, and more! We were lucky to visit the Christmas market right when it started snowing, and it was absolutely magical.

Even though we were only in Poznan for a short weekend stay, the city really left a mark on our hearts. No, it doesn’t have the busy nightlife or tourist hot spots that other cities have. But it has intimate and cozy restaurants, offers a wonderful relaxing atmosphere, and is a charming place filled with history and art. I hope we get a chance to visit again and spend more time exploring the city.

Have questions or need help planning a trip to Poznan? Leave me a comment below!