11 Best Things To Do In Wroclaw!
Are you looking for a unique European city break offering something new? Then consider visiting Wroclaw, one of Poland’s hidden gems. This stunning, riverside medieval town is teeming with things to do!
From sampling the local cuisine in its bustling marketplaces to admiring stunning art galleries or enjoying an alcoholic beverage in one of the many historic pubs and bars. With so much on offer, it can be hard to decide where to start!
To help make planning your perfect weekend away easier, we have put together this guide containing 11 fabulous things to do in Wroclaw! Whether you want some culture or just after somewhere lovely to relax and socialise, there’s sure to be something that tickles your fancy.
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Why Visit Wroclaw?
Wroclaw, also known as Breslau (It was a German city pre-1945), is Poland’s 4th largest city and is the historic capital of the Lower Silesian region. Wroclaw wasn’t on the tourist radar until it hosted the UEFA Euro 2012 championship and the European Capital of Culture in 2016. Since then, Wroclaw has grown its international profile, drawing in increasing numbers of tourists.
These visitors flock to see Wroclaw’s fabulous historic old town, picturesque bridges and scenic islands such as Ostrow Tumski, Wroclaw’s oldest area. During my five-night stay in early July 2019, I saw many of the city’s attractions and highlights.
Although the city is becoming more popular with tourists, it is less popular than the other main cities in Poland, such as Warsaw or Krakow. Even in July, one of the most popular months to travel in Europe, Wroclaw still felt undiscovered, with no sign of the usual stag and hen parties found in other popular European cities.
11 Fabulous Things To Do In Wroclaw:
1. Ostrow Tumski
Ostrow Tumski is the oldest part of Wroclaw and is also known as Cathedral Island. The area was built in the 10th century by the Piast Dynasty and was the city’s centre until it was destroyed by marauding Tartars. As the city was rebuilt, the centre shifted across the river where its development would be less restricted and Ostrow Tumski became a place of almost exclusively religious and royal significance.
A visit to Ostrow Tumski is a must when visiting Wroclaw, especially if, like me, you enjoy visiting churches and historic places. The area is accessed via an iron bridge built in 1890 and is now famous for the thousands of padlocks placed by newlyweds and lovers, hoping their love will last forever. You can even buy a padlock from a local vendor at the entrance to the bridge if you fancy attaching one yourself.
The area is a lovely place to explore and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. As the area is predominantly filled with churches and cathedrals, you won’t find many bars or restaurants, making it a peaceful place to take a stroll.
My favourite cathedral was The Cathedral of St John the Baptist. This is one of Wroclaw’s most iconic buildings, originally built in 1244; it was the first brick building in Poland. For 25 Zt (£5), you can even take a lift up one of its towers and take in the beautiful views from the top! You can also pay 15 Zt (£3) and visit the secret chapels at the back of the cathedral, which are beautiful with some fantastic details and artwork; they are definitely worth checking out!
Walking around Ostrow Tumski, you may notice that the buildings don’t look as old as expected. This is because the area was virtually destroyed during the 2nd World War; however, the area was rebuilt almost identically during the post-war reconstruction. As you walk across the bridge, you will notice a picture showing the extent of the damage, and like me, you’ll be amazed at how they rebuilt the cathedral after so much damage.
2. Market Square
The market square, still one of the largest in Europe, is an old medieval square located in the heart of Wroclaw’s old town and is the centre point of the pedestrianised zone. Again, much of the square and surrounding area was rebuilt after the siege of 1945. Surrounding the square, you will find numerous historic buildings ranging from the Gothic to Art Nouveau era, apart from one exception: the drab ten-storey office building in the corner leading towards the 24-hour flower market at Plac Solny.
3. Town Hall
You will find the magnificent Wroclaw Town Hall at the centre of Wroclaw Market Square. This beautifully crafted gothic structure no longer acts as a formal town hall but is now the Museum of Burgher Arts. Even if you are not interested in visiting the art exhibitions inside, you can still appreciate the details adorned throughout this beautiful building.
4. Hala Targowa, The Market Hall
The market hall was built between 1906 and 1908 and has around 190 shops and stalls. On the ground floor, local vendors sell various local produce, such as quality fruit and vegetables, and a wide selection of local cheese, salami and hams.
Upstairs, you will find a bewildering array of bric-a-brac, nylon underwear, plastic kitchen utensils, and surprisingly clean and modern public toilets. This place is popular with the locals and has become a tourist attraction too. It’s a lovely place to check out local life and try some fabulous local produce.
5. Centennial Hall & Multi-Media Fountain
Centennial Hall was built to celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of Napoleon’s defeat at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813 and to showcase the architectural muscle of German architecture. However, at the time, many people were averse to such a concrete monstrosity being built, with many opposing the building, stating it resembled a concrete hatbox.
Even with all this negative opposition, the building was built and became one of the most significant structures of its kind in the world, with an inner diameter of 65 metres, a height of 42 metres and a 10,000-person capacity. Although not the prettiest building, it was an engineering marvel! It was so revolutionary in design that the builders were reluctant to go inside once completed, fearing it would collapse.
Today, the building is known as the ‘Discovery Centre’. It houses an exhibition giving visitors an overview of Centennial Hall’s construction, history, and place in the pantheon of modern architecture.
In the summer, you will find local food vendors and pop-up bars with comfy seating areas and deck chairs within the square leading towards the entrance. At the back of the hall, you will find one of Europe’s biggest fountains, the Multi-Media Fountain. This fountain is surrounded by a beautiful floral gazebo stretching around, almost enclosing the fountain fully.
The fountain houses 300 different nozzles able to project water 40 metres high, alongside nearly 800 lights and lasers and a sound system that can produce a dazzling water display. You can watch for free from May to September, with hourly shows throughout the day starting at 10 am. The best shows are left till after dark when on Fri, Sat and Sunday the main shows produce a fantastic light show which often draws in up to 20,000 spectators.
Unfortunately, I was visiting midweek, so I never got to witness the main event, but I did get time to cool off at the fountain and watch some stunning water displays. It’s a lovely place to sit, relax, and maybe have a picnic. Whilst I was there, the temperatures were hitting nearly 40 degrees, and I was surprised how few people there were trying to cool off. Usually, these places are crowded in the summer heat, but this felt like a little oasis; I definitely recommend a visit, even if you are looking to escape the intense heat of summer!
6. Panorama Of The Battle Of Raclawice
I was unsure what to expect when I came across this museum whilst walking around Wroclaw as I’d never heard of it. However, I thought I’d go and check it out since I was here.
As it turned out, the building was purpose-made for this exhibition and houses the Panorama of the Battle of Racławice, a huge 19th-century painting. This huge painting is 15 meters tall and 114 meters long. It circles the inside of the exhibition space alongside additional artificial terrain and special lighting, making the observer feel inserted in the picture. Inside, you are given a headset that tells the history of the painting and depicts the story of a David and Goliath-type Polish victory against the Russians in 1794.
The painting itself is stunning and is highly detailed and, in places, even looks real. The artists, some of the best available at the time, painted in a way that we would now describe as having a 3D effect, which is astonishing to think in that era!
7. Hydropolis
Housed in a 19th-century disused underground water tank, Hydropolis is a museum not surprisingly about water. This unique facility is the only one of its kind in Poland and one of few worldwide.
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Inside, you will find various exhibitions, including modern multimedia stations that give you the history of where our water comes from, how we use it, and the importance of protecting our water supplies locally and worldwide. This informative museum has interesting exhibits and offers some peaceful relaxation areas, which are pretty cool.
8. Botanical Gardens
Located on Cathedral Island, Wroclaw Botanical Gardens is part of the University of Wroclaw and is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy some beautiful scenery. This beautifully manicured site houses various botanical exhibits, including a small lake and café. The site is pretty big, covering 7.5 hectares, and is thought to have over 11.5 thousand plants.
9. Szczytnicki Park & Japanese Garden
Just around the corner from Centennial Hall, you will find the beautiful Szczytniki Park and the Japanese garden. This is a lovely place to relax, read a book, walk around, and take in the stunning green spaces. The Japanese garden situated between the park and the centennial hall is lovely, and for a small fee, you can relax in a Japanese-inspired garden complete with a lake filled with massive coy carp.
This beautiful garden first appeared in 1913, made specifically for a global exhibition; however, afterwards, it was dismantled, although the lake remained. The garden was then reinstated with the help of Japanese gardeners back in the 90s. However, it was lost again due to severe flooding three years later. The site as it is now was re-opened in 1999 and has been flourishing ever since.
10. Go shopping At Wroclavia
If a bit of retail therapy is your thing whilst on holiday, then a trip to Wroclaw’s main shopping Mall is a must. Situated next to the main train and bus station, Wroclavia is a vast shopping mall with many stores catering for most people’s needs.
If, like me, you need a comfy pair of trainers for all the walking, this is the place to go! There is also a huge IMAX cinema, children’s amusement centre and a 24-hour gym. Just bear in mind that shops across Poland are not open on Sundays. However, you will still find restaurants, cafes and entertainment venues open.
Wroclavia is also a great place to hang out while waiting for a train or bus, as it has plenty of comfy seating areas that offer charging stations and free Wi-Fi.
11. Go Dwarf Hunting
Last but by no means least, my favourite thing to do whilst in Wroclaw is to go Dwarf or Gnome hunting! Although finding these little munchkins has become a bit of a tourist attraction, these krasnale, as they are called in Polish, represent a dark time in Poland whilst under communist rule.
The ‘Orange Movement’ was an underground protest movement based in Wroclaw that used absurdity and nonsense to stage peaceful, yet subversive protests; they used the gnome symbol to represent their organisation. After the fall of communism in Poland, these gnomes became a tribute to the orange movement, as well as city ambassadors in Wroclaw.
Nobody knows how many of these little creatures are to be found around Wroclaw, but it’s estimated at around 400, with more appearing each year. If you want to find all the dwarfs, you can get maps from most of the tourist offices around the city; however, just finding these as you walk around can be just as much fun. Be warned, you can get quite addicted to seeking these little fellas out, so much so that I missed finding them when I left the city for Krakow.
Where To Stay In Wroclaw:
Whatever your budget is, there are many hotels, guest houses, and hostels in Wroclaw.
For budget travellers, there are plenty of hostels to choose from; I would recommend the Chilli Hostel as it’s close to the city centre and all the major attractions. It has comfortable beds, clean bathrooms, a well-equipped kitchen, a cosy common room and very friendly staff!. Prices start around £14 a night for a dorm room or £35 for a private room, depending on the time of year.
If you have never stayed in a hostel before, check out my hostel guide for newbies for more information on whether hostel stays are for you. They’re not for everyone but I find the low cost gives me more money to spend on activities and attractions.
For booking accommodation, I recommend using Booking.com. This website offers the best-priced accommodation catering for all budgets and styles. Just pop in your requirements, and it will give you a list of available accommodations. Perfect for picking out the best hostels, B&B or even some luxury escapes.
Final Thoughts
Wroclaw is a beautiful destination to explore, with plenty of unique attractions. With its vibrant nightlife, stunning architecture, captivating history and rich culture, this city offers something for every type of traveller. Whether you’re an avid explorer or just looking for a change of scenery, there’s no doubt that Wroclaw will leave you feeling inspired. Now that you know what the city has to offer, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and prepare for a memorable trip to the incredible city of Wroclaw!
Thanks so much for stopping by; I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read and make it to the end! I have lots of exciting new content in the next few weeks, so make sure you pop back to catch up!
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Happy travels!
