5 Best Day Trips from Poznan to Explore Polish Cities & Towns

Besides being a slightly off-the-beaten Polish destination, Poznan makes a great base to explore some interesting landmarks and towns nearby. There are plenty of things to do in Poznan city to keep you busy, but if you want to expand your trip, here are some of the best day trips from Poznan to learn more about Polish history and visit even more underrated and less-known places that see fewer tourists. 

Poznań, located in the western part of the country, is somewhat remote to go to Krakow. However, there are still great options to add a day trip to your Poznan itinerary. 

When planning trips around Poznan, the most convenient option is to rent a car and be flexible with your Poznan day trips itinerary. Having a car has the advantage of combining some places to visit near Poznan. It especially comes in handy for longer journeys if you want to go from Poznań to Wrocław, for instance. 

However, for those not comfortable driving in a foreign country, this detailed post provides information on the best day trips from Poznan by train. That said, a few towns are better visited by bus or a rental car, which I explain below. 

Fantasic Day trips from Poznan

Gniezno – the first historical Polish capital 

If you are spending a weekend in Poznan and are up for a short trip somewhere nearby, consider the tranquil town of Gniezno. This first historical capital of Poland in the 10th and early 11th centuries is one of the oldest cities with a rich history, charming architecture, and quirky attractions. 

There are a handful of things to do in Gnizeno as a day trip from Poznan. If you love looking at old trains and steam locomotives, Gniezno has an old depot turned into a museum (only open over the weekends) and a small display of various trains near the depot. 

The highlight of the city’s attractions is following the Royal Route that leads to Gniezno Cathedral, where five coronations of the Polish kings took place. The Cathedral is also home to Gniezno Doors, one of the most remarkable pieces of medieval art. The doors adorned with 18 bas-relief scenes showcasing the life of St. Adalbert (Święty Wojciech) are among the few Romanesque bronze doors preserved in Europe. 

Muzeum Zabytków Kultury Technicznej houses vintage motorcycles and household equipment used during the communist times, somewhat similar to the Museum of Life in the Polish People’s Republic in Warsaw. 

And if Wroclaw is famous for its gnome statues, Gniezno has rabbits scattered across the city, making it a fun exploration game to see as many as possible. 

To end the day, you can also visit Dobry Browar microbrewery to try Polish craft beer, have lunch, or try Beeramisu – tiramisu made with beer. It might sound strange, but trust me, it’s very delicious! 

How to get from Poznan to Gniezno 

Gniezno is only around 63 km away from Poznan. Depending on the traffic, a car takes about 50 minutes, while a train will get you there in 25 minutes, based on which train type you’ll buy the ticket for.

We traveled from Poznań to Gniezno with a fast train and had more time to explore the city. Moreover, the train station is a few minutes walk from the locomotive depot mentioned above. Buy train tickets here or rent a car here. 

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Bydgoszcz – Poland’s “Little Venice” and “Little Berlin” 

Bydgoszcz (pronounced Bid-gosh-ch) was one of the best day trips from Poznan we took. This well-kept secret city is gorgeous and rich in history, architecture, and quirky things. 

Bydgoszcz was part of the Prussian Empire (current Germany) in the 18th century and was named Bromberg. Therefore, there are plenty of things to see and do here. 

When wandering the city’s streets and old town, you notice the German influence in its architecture, especially in the red brick Post Office, water tower, and timber framing granaries that are very similar to Gdansk (also part of Prussia from late 18th century named Danzig back then). 

This architectural influence led to its moniker “Little Berlin”, but the current city of Bydgoszcz is very tranquil and far from the bustling German capital. Moreover, the city has many stunning Art-Nouveau houses across the city. 

Why “Little Venice” moniker? The city was also part of the many trade lines connected via the Brda River to the Vistula River. This led to the city’s development along the river shores, which contributed to the tag of “Little Venice.”

Strolling down Mill Island to admire beautiful architecture along the river bend was one of my favorite activities here. The island is also home to a former factory producing flour that was transformed into a cultural center and is open to the public to walk around. 

And if this is not enough to convince you, Bydgoszcz has one of the quirkiest museums I’ve ever heard – the Museum of Soap and Dirt telling a story of human hygiene through a show that also includes a soap-making workshop. Booking an English or Polish language guided tour is required to visit. 

Those who love dark tourism consider visiting Exploseum, a former Nazi explosives factory turned into a museum around 9 km away from the city center. 

How to get from Poznan to Bydgoszcz 

The distance from Poznan to Bydgoszcz is 139 km, taking anywhere from 1:20 to 2:20 hours by car. 

Therefore, the fastest could be the train that runs several times daily. The shortest train ride is around 1:30 hours, while the longest is 2 hours. 

Tip: Whether you Rent a car or use the train, if you start early in the morning in both cases, you can combine a trip to Gniezno and Bydgoszcz as a day trip since they are in the same direction. 

Kornik – a small town with beautiful castle and scenery

What to see around Poznan? Located only 25 km away, a short visit to Kornik makes it one of the great day trips from Poznan for castle and history lovers. 

The castle, constructed in the Gothic Revival style, once belonged to the noble family of Górka and was later on owned by the Działyńscy, Czarnkowski, and Grudziński families. 

Działyńscy family lived here from the 17th century until 1923. The last house member donated it to the Polish state with the oldest arboretum (a botanical garden collection comprised exclusively of trees of various species) in the country and Europe. 

The most significant and historical figure of the Działyńscy family was Teofila Działyńska, also known as White Lady. She was a landowner and a magnate who brought Kornik and nearby Bnin town to prosperity by inviting German Protestant colonists, supporting the Jewish community, and building new roads, windmills, churches, and town halls. 

The significance of Lady Teofilla is evident while wandering the rooms of Kornik Castle, as her portrait is hung pretty much on every wall. The castle is full of family memorabilia, providing a perfect glimpse of that-time noble family lifestyle. 

Unfortunately, there are no English-language signs, making it quite hard to understand the family’s history or what the exhibits represent. 

However, it’s still lovely to venture out to a tranquil town near the lake offering spectacular views. The city has a few attractions, including the oldest botanical park behind the Kornik Castle, a beautiful church, a peaceful lake with a walking path, and interesting artsy installations. 

Our visit coincided with a rainy October day, and even though the gloomy weather added a mystical charm to the city, I can only imagine how wonderful it is during warm and sunny days. 

How to get from Poznan to Kornik 

This is one of those day trips from Poznan that is better done either with a car or a bus. 

While the train goes to Kornik, it doesn’t stop in the city. Instead, it drops you off around 1.5 km from it, where you need to walk on a slightly busy highway. Even though we’ve seen bus stops along the highway from the train station, the schedule was not quite reliable, so we walked.

Therefore, I advise going to the Rondo Rataje stop in Poznan and then taking bus number 501 or 560 going to Kornik. You can do the same on a return trip and wait for the bus at the stop near the church in the city center of Kornik.  

Note that these buses don’t run frequently either, even during the workdays. They depart every one or two hours, depending on the time of the day, making the trip somewhat time-consuming and challenging. Thus, renting a car could be ideal in this case. 

Wroclaw – the city of dwarfs

If you have one day in Poznan free and are looking for more places to visit in Poland, consider traveling to Wroclaw. 

Pronounced vroh-ts-wahf, Wrocław is another charming city in Poland that is under the radar for many. With many things to do in Wroclaw, I am sure your itinerary will be packed with the city’s interesting landmarks. 

The old town is gorgeous and worth spending a few hours walking around and admiring its stunning townhouses. Thus, my favorite activity was hunting down the small statues of dwarfs scattered all over the city. There are nearly 600 dwarf statues, can you imagine? And what makes them even more interesting is that they were initially placed as a symbol of resistance against the Soviet occupation. 

And in case your trip to Poland is in winter, Wroclaw has one of the most beautiful Christmas Markets we have visited in Poland. Make sure to try Polish food on the market, especially smoked cheese Osypek with cranberry jam. 

How to get from Poznan to Wroclaw

The distance from Poznan to Wroclaw is 183 km; without the traffic, you can cover it in about 2:20 hours. Thus, taking a train would be a better choice to maximize your time to discover Wroclaw attractions without the rush. 

You can find several trains daily with an average journey time of 1:35 to 1:45 hours. Buy train tickets here. 

Warsaw – the modern capital of Poland

Why am I including Poland’s capital on this list of day trips from Poznan? Isn’t it too far? While I recommend spending more than a day in Warsaw due to its enormous list of attractions and museums, considering the well-connected public transportation from Poznan to Warsaw, it is a great day trip option if you only have a little time to visit the capital. 

One of the things that makes Warsaw fascinating is that, after World War II, it had to be completely rebuilt from ground zero, much like the Baltic city of Gdansk. 

Hence, Warsaw lacks historical buildings besides the beautifully restored old town, but this should not discourage you from visiting. It offers a different perspective on rebuilt cities, and if you dive deep into the city, you’ll discover some quite interesting and quirky attractions and museums. 

If you like Soviet-era architecture, visiting the Palace of Culture and Science towering the skyline is a must. The Warsaw Uprising Museum tells the story of the resistance of Poles with its thought-provoking exhibits. The POLIN Museum of History of the Polish Jews showcases the timeline of the Jewish community in Poland with modern and interactive designs. 

My favorite small museum in Warsaw was the one dedicated to neon lights that once beautified the city’s grey buildings. And if you love visiting a palace, Wilanow should be on your Warsaw itinerary. 

How to get from Poznan to Warsaw

The distance from Poznan to Warsaw is over 300 km, taking anywhere from 2:50 to 5 hours, depending on the road you take and traffic. Thanks to the fast direct train between the cities, you can easily visit it on average in 2:40 hours. However, I advise taking the earliest train to maximize your time in Warsaw. 

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