23 Wonderful Things to Do in Poznan, Poland

Poznan, the fifth-largest city in Poland, boasts a charming old town, colorful Renaissance-style buildings, and a town clock with mechanical goats that bump their heads at noon. Therefore, this ultimate guide to the top and fun things to do in Poznan features attractions for history, arts, and culture lovers.

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Is Poznan Poland worth visiting?  

Is Poznan worth visiting? Absolutely! There are many reasons why Poznan should be on your Polish itinerary. The main one is that it’s one of the underrated cities in Poland with fewer tourists. So you can wander the winding streets of Poznan’s old town peacefully, making it a great destination to escape crowds. 

While Poland, in general, is budget-friendly, Poznan is even cheaper than more popular cities, including Warsaw, Krakow, and Gdansk. Accommodation options are diverse and cater to every budget. For instance, an entire apartment in the city center can cost 30-50 USD per night. The same goes for food and entertainment. 

Architecture-wise, Poznan is truly a gem, with stunning, colorful buildings encircling the Old Town. And if you are into Art-Nouveau, there are separate neighborhoods in Poznan featuring breathtaking buildings of Renaissance, Baroque, and Art-Nouveau styles. 

And what is Poznan known for? It’s delicious, crispy, and stuffing-packed St. Martin’s Croissant! EU law even protects pastry and a particular recipe. The city has a dedicated Croissant Museum, too, where you can learn more about it and even participate in making one if you want. I talk more about this tasty treat below. 

If this is not enough, Poznan has plenty of green spaces to enjoy a pleasant walk, visit museums to learn more about the city, or even take day trips from Poznan to the neighboring villages and towns like Gniezno, Bydgoszcz, Torun, Lodz, and even Wroclaw.

Best time to visit Poznan

Poznan is an all-year-round destination; however, visiting it on warmer days allows you to experience and explore more as the days are longer. Late May or early June is the best time to visit Poznan. 

Summers bring more tourists to Poznan, which also raises the prices for food and accommodation. 

September is another best time to visit Poznan, with longer and warmer days. It starts to get colder in October. However, if you like seeing a city in fall colors, this might be the best time to visit Poznan for you. Our second visit to Poznan was the last week of October, and the city was gorgeous, covered in fall foliage. 

Winter in Poznan is also quite magical, with Christmas markets and lights. It’s a great time to see the city in festive vibes. If you aim for the Christmas holiday, plan it for the first two weeks in December.  

How many days to spend in Poznan

Poznan is a walkable city, and most sights are within walking distance of each other. The season and your itinerary determine how many days you spend in Poznan. 

For spring and summer, 2 or 3 full days are more than enough for city sightseeing, various activities, and day trips from Poznan. 

If you don’t have much time, you can even spend one full day in Poznan to see the highlights, enjoy traditional food, and even spend an evening at a local bar. 

I’d advise you to be more practical for autumn and winter visits. You have a few hours of daylight to see Poznań attractions that are best seen during the day. For instance, in winter, it gets dark at 4 p.m. 

How to get to Poznan

Even though Poznan is an underrated city, it is surprisingly well-connected to other European cities. There are daily flights, buses ((see schedules at Flixbus), and trains (see schedules at EuroRail) from various countries. 

Poznań–Ławica Henryk Wieniawski Airport serves international and domestic flights. You can find cheap flights from budget airlines such as Ryanair and Wizzair. LOT, a local Polish airline, flies directly from Warsaw to Poznan. You can even fly cheaper with Ryanair and Wizzair domestically, but the flights are not direct. Read how to get from Poznan Airport to the city center.

I typically use Skyscanner or WayAway to find my cheap flights to Poland or elsewhere. If you sign up for the WayAway Plus Membership, you can even get cashback on your bookings. Read my detailed review of the platform and what WayAway offers. 

If you are already traveling in Poland, Poznan has a good train connection to the rest of the country. Therefore, you can quickly get to Poznan by train from Warsaw, Gdansk, and Wroclaw. Krakow and Katowice are a bit far away but have direct train connections. 

There are buses too, but trains are my favorite means of transport when traveling to Poland as they are much faster with comfortable chairs and plenty of leg space. Alternatively, if you want to travel on your own by renting a car, I recommend doing so at Discover Cars.

Where to stay in Poznan

Our choice: Apartament URBAN JUNGLE! – is very spacious, with everything you might need for a comfortable stay, including a fully equipped kitchen, a dishwasher, and a microwave. This self-serviced apartment, where you can check in yourself, is incredibly close to the city center and a shopping mall, Stary Browar. And to top it off, a giant stunning mural is in the courtyard! (More below)

Our second choice: SERENITY by Friendly Apartments – Old Town is another excellent place to stay in Poznan if you want to be a 5-minute walk from the Main Square. Our aparthotel had a small kitchen to prepare light meals, a table, a kettle, a microwave, and a TV. In the building, there is a bigger shared kitchen, too.

Budget hotel: Hotel Traffic Poznań is within a few steps from Market Square, making it a great place to stay in Poznan if you want to be close to everything.

Mid-range apartment: Cocorico Apartments – this Poznan apartment is in the city’s heart, very close to St. Stanislaus Bishop Church. It features a restaurant, city views, and a garden to enjoy the evening after the exploration. The apartment is well-equipped with everything you need to cook your meals. 

Boutique hotel: City Solei Boutique Hotel – is a great choice to stay in Poznan if you want to be in the city center. This unique hotel features beautiful wallpaper and colorful furniture in its modern and sophisticated design. For instance, the room interiors are inspired by Kyoto, New York, or Havana.  

PURO Poznań Stare Miasto – with a restaurant and an open-air terrace garden, this hotel is very modern, offering a tablet to control lights, climate, and TV in the room. It also gives you free minutes for domestic and international phone calls if you need to make one. Rooms are stylish with underfloor heating.

→ None of them suit your needs? Check out other hotels in Poznan.

What to pack for Poznan

If you’re planning a trip to this adorable city, it’s essential to pack the right items to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable stay. Here are some things to consider packing for Poznan:

Backpack or suitcase? – We travel with backpacks as we find them more comfortable than suitcases. I have a 55 Liter Osprey Farpoint, and Oto has a Cobra 60 from The North Face. Both are spacious but small enough to be considered as a carry-on for many budget airlines. Read why I love Osprey Backpack.

Day pack or purse/bag – besides your main bag or suitcase, I recommend bringing a small bag to use when exploring cities. We have a bag explicitly made for city wanderings – CITYC 2 in 1 Backpack from Driibe (get 15% off with code: FEDORA15).

Weather-appropriate clothing: Poznan has a continental climate, which means it experiences hot summers and cold winters. Pack clothing appropriate for the season, including light and breathable clothing for the summer and warm, layered clothing for the winter. In the warm season, I usually wear dresses or long skirts.

Comfortable shoes: Poznan is a walking city, so pack comfortable shoes to wear in Poznan that can handle a lot of walking. In summer I always wear sandals or sneakers. In colder months, I pack my Timberland boots.

Camera or a smartphone: Poznan is a photographer’s dream, with stunning architecture, historic landmarks, and picturesque streets. Bring a camera or smartphone to capture all the beautiful sights you’ll see.

If you are in the market for a new camera, I have a Sony a6300. I also travel with my Google Pixel 7 Lemongrass for my social media posts. Don’t forget power chargers to never run out of phone battery.

Tripod: If you travel solo or with a partner but want to have cute and charming photos of you two, I recommend bringing a tripod. Depending on the destination, I either bring my big K&F tripod or this small Joby one to take my own pictures. I typically attach a phone mount from Ulanzi to take pictures with my tripods.

Adapters: If you’re traveling from outside Europe, bring the appropriate adapters and chargers for your electronic devices. Poland uses the European plug type, so you may need a converter if your devices are from a different region.

Travel-sized toiletries or zero-waste products: If you’re flying to Poznan, pack travel-sized toiletries to save space in your luggage. I follow a zero-waste lifestyle as much as I can, so I pack solid hygiene products, including tooth tablets, bamboo toothbrushes, solid shampoo and deodorants, to name a few. Check out my zero-waste travel products to get more inspiration.

Travel water bottle and collapsible cup: I always pack my Stojo collapsible water bottle to save money, be a responsible traveler, and always stay hydrated. I also throw in a collapsible cup and ask baristas to pour coffee into the cup.

Cash and credit cards: While many businesses in Poznan accept credit cards, having cash on hand for smaller purchases or in an emergency is always a good idea. I have WISE and their debit card for traveling.

23 wonderful things to do in Poznan

Poznan is a city of gorgeous architecture, a vibrant food scene, plenty of green spaces, and historical landmarks to entertain you during the day. There is something for anyone to enjoy here. 

Explore the Old Market Square (Stary Rynek)

Old Market Square is the heart of Poznan Old Town, spanning the area of the former walled medieval city. Therefore, one of the first things to do in Poznan is to come here and admire the architecture surrounding the square. 

When the city expanded in the early 19th century, authorities took down the old walls. However, its urban layout still closely resembles how it looked when protected by the wall. Some wall parts are preserved at Ludgardy, Shawna, and Masztalarska streets. 

Lined around the square, you’ll find colorful merchant houses dating from the 16th century. House number 17 displays a coat of arms of the merchant’s guild from which these houses are named. 

Other places to visit in Poznan Old Market Square: 

Weighing house: right behind the town hall, it was used to weigh goods and products back in the day. It was demolished at the end of the 19th century but rebuilt in its former style in the 1950s. Now, it’s used for weddings and other ceremonial events. 

Guardhouse (Odwach): rebuilt in Classical style, the venue is now home to a Greater Poland Uprising (1918–1919) Museum. 

The Wielkopolska Military Museum: a modern building built on the spot of a former cloth hall (sukiennice). 

Important: The main square is under reconstruction. It started in 2021 when we first visited the city, but in October 2023, the entire place was fenced off with limited access to the area. The works should be finished by the end of the year, but I advise you to contact the official tourism board for updates. 

Don’t miss the ‘goat fight’ on the Town Hall Clock at noon

The centerpiece of the Old Market Square is the Town Hall and its Clock Tower – the pride and glory of Poznan built in the mid-13th century. Come here at noon to see a small performance of mechanical goats that hit their heads to each other at the top of the clock daily.

Two goats are also a symbol of Poznan, so you’ll see a few statues or street art featuring them. 

Visit beautiful pink Fara Poznania 

When exploring the Old Town, one of the Poznan attractions that you should not miss is the charming Roman Catholic basilica hidden away from the Old Market Square. 

Done in Baroque architectural style, the basilica is dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Mary Magdalene, and Saint Stanislaus and is one of the most important Christian churches in the country.

The inside of the basilica is as impressive as the outside, adorned with enormous frescoes on its ceiling and towering Corinthian columns on the sides. 

The best view of the church is from Świętosławska Street, while it also has a pleasant courtyard accessible from Gołębia Street. When facing the church from Świętosławska, take your left, and you’ll find a gate to go inside a yard. The entrance is also marked on Google Maps as Wolny Dziedziniec Urzędu Miasta. 

Find a former synagogue turned into a swimming pool 

The new Synagogue on Wroniecka Street was designed by German architects in 1907. It was a lavish building accommodating 1,200 worshippers. 

Unfortunately, when World War II broke out, the building was seized by Nazis and remodeled into a swimming pool and a rehabilitation center for German armed forces in 1939. Everything resembling the synagogue was gone, including its dome and flooring. 

After the war, the synagogue continued to be a municipal pool, and many jokingly called it a ‘swimagogue’ until it was closed down due to its poor condition. 

Since its closure as a public pool, authorities returned the building to the Jewish community in 2002, and at some point, it was turned into a gallery hosting occasional exhibitions. Although there have been plans to turn it into a community center with kosher restaurants, prayer halls, and conference hall – this never came to be. 

According to my research, the building was sold to a hotel developer a few years ago, but the building stands empty even today. 

We didn’t want to trespass on the private property and haven’t looked inside. Instead, we admired the former synagogue from the outside, making it one of the unusual things to do in Poznan. 

You can still see the typical swimming pool glass windows and the sign marking in Polish Pływalnia Miejska (Municipal Pool). Now, there’s a small plaque notifying what it was before.

If you want to know more about Poznan’s Jewish history, join a private Jewish heritage tour.

Visit a former brewery turned into a shopping center

Stary Browar, or Old Brewery, is now a shopping and business center encompassing restaurants and 210 stores with an adjacent office complex, hotel, art gallery, and entertainment venues. Therefore, it’s pretty huge! 

On the spot of today’s shopping center, Huggerów Brewery produced beer from the 1850s till 1980 and mineral water until 1998. The mall’s interior and exterior resemble the industrial factory style and even won several awards. 

If you don’t plan on shopping in Poznan, it is still worth visiting for its astonishing design. 

Find a secret courtyard with a cafe

If you are looking for a hidden place in Poznan, come to 27/29 Mielżyńskiego Str. to find a charming secret courtyard with a cafe to enjoy a cup of coffee or lunch. It’s hidden behind a hallway and a glass door. It’s a public space with a theater and a library, so don’t be afraid to go inside; you won’t be trespassing. 

Walk around Cathedral Island

Ostrow Tumski, or Cathedral Island, is a small island inside the city center between two sides of the Warta River. Now part of Poznan’s New Town district, it actually is the oldest territory of the city where once rulers of the early Polish state had their palaces in the 10th century. 

During World War II, the island suffered considerable damage when the Soviets occupied the city from the Nazis. The Poznan Cathedral was destroyed and later rebuilt to its current state in the older Gothic style instead of the Neoclassical and Baroque styles, as it had been rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries.  

The cathedral is among the most essential Poznan sightseeing spots. Polish monarchs used it as a political center, making it one of the oldest churches in the country. 

Go on a hunt for beautiful street art

One of the best things to do in Poznan if you love art is to find some of its most beautiful murals dotted across the city. Like other Polish cities, Poznan also wanted to shake off the remaining gray and brutal communist architectural remnants and decided to beautify the town with giant murals. 

It started in 2011 with the first edition of Outer Spaces Festival to bring famous international muralists to spice up the facades of five carefully chosen buildings. After a successful year, the festival continued by adding more exciting murals to various neighborhoods of Poznan. 

Seeing the positive feedback from the locals, the city decided to initiate an artistic movement titled ‘Poznan Promotes street art, not vandalism,’ which gives artists an outlet and a canvas to express themselves. Specific zones for legal spay-painting include bridges, underpasses, walls, and building facades. However, there are also illegal murals across the city.

The city even permitted to decorate the prison yard on Młyńska Street, but you can’t see it unless you are an inmate. 

If you wish to go on a self-guided Poznan street art tour, ask the staff and Tourist Info Center for a street art map with all the locations. You can also download it from here. 

Here are some of the noteworthy places to see street art in Poznan 

• Śródka 3 – ‘A Śródka Tale’ Mural – a 3D mural of the neighborhood on Ostrow Tumski
• Nowowiejskiego 17 – ‘The Thin Wire’ Mural where a woman is sewing together the flag of Poland. 
• Ogrodowa 5 – a mural inspired by The Little Prince, located right next to an old church.
• Piekary 5 – a piece inspired by the legend of the two billy goats, the symbol of Poznan
• Marcinkowskiego 26 – done in watercolor painting style, the mural shows the city back in 1895
• Morka – a mosaic art piece
• Za Bramką 7 – a girl with flowers in the background – located in an enclosed private yard, but residents are happy to open when asked. We stayed in one of the apartments (Apartament URBAN JUNGLE!), so it was easy to see.

Admire beautiful Art-Nouveau architecture

If you are into architecture, Poznan is a great city to visit. The city has several neighborhoods of beautiful Art-Nouveau buildings that are easy to spot; look for floral or other nature motifs, wavy lines, and rounded corners. Some of those buildings also have the Latin word ‘salve’ written on the floor or above the entrance door. Salve stands for ‘Hello’ or ‘Welcome.’ 

Hunting down these buildings while wandering its winding streets was one of my favorite Poznan activities. 

Using floral elements in this architectural style was a creative response to 19th-century industrialization. It elegantly decorates fences and railings. These floral details are sometimes seen in stucco decorations, stained glass windows, or ceilings. 

If you’ve been to Prague or Barcelona, where Art-Nouveau architecture is at its finest, you’ll find that the buildings here are much more modest yet quite beautiful in their own way. 

The best areas for the Art-Nouveau hunt in Poznan walk through districts of Jezyce (Mickiewicza, Słowackiego, Zwierzyniecka, Dąbrowskiego, Kraszewskiego and Jackowskiego streets), or Lazarz (Matejki, Wyspiańskiego, Głogowska, Niegolewskich and Małeckiego streets). 

Pierce your eyes in Poznan Old Town and city center at Święty Marcin, Garbary, Szewska, Półwiejska, and Kwiatowa streets.

Stroll along the Lake Malta

Poznan has a handful of green spaces, but Lake Malta is a go-to destination for many locals and visitors in terms of scenery and entertainment, especially during the warm days. 

Woodlands and parks surround this artificial lake, making it a great place to spend a joyful day with friends or family. 

Formed in 1952 after damming the Cybina River, Lake Malta is an excellent escape from the city’s hustle, yet it is pretty close to the city center. It is also a perfect spot to relax after a long day of Poznan sightseeing. 

One thing that makes Lake Malta even more remarkable is the 600 mm narrow gauge railway that has operated seasonally since 1956. It was originally constructed as the “Children’s Railway”. It was a common attraction across the Soviet Union and Easter Bloc that aimed to prepare youngsters for careers in the railway industry. Tbilisi also had one in my childhood, and I absolutely loved riding it as a kid. 

The train, drawn by a Borsig steam locomotive 1925, departs every hour from the lakeside close to the Rondo Śródka tram station (the exact pin is on my Google Maps list provided above). 

The season starts in April and lasts either until the end of September or mid-October. In 2023, the last train departed on October 14. For the schedule updates, visit this page. It is in Polish, but you can use Google Translate to get the information. 

Foodie lover’s guide to things to do in Poznan

Try delicious St. Martin’s Croissant

Poznan’s traditional pastry—a croissant with poppy-seed filling—is baked for St. Martin’s Day on November 11. But don’t be sad—bakeries prepare it year-round, so trying this croissant is one of the things to do in Poznan, no matter the season. 

In Polish, it’s called rogale marcińskie or rogale świętomarcińskie, and the recipe is protected under EU law! This means that not everyone can make this croissant – you must follow the recipe and have legal rights to make and sell it. 

And just like any other protected item, this croissant has fake ones, too. To see if you are buying from a certified baker, look for a certificate or a sticker in yellow and blue colors that says Protected Geographical Indication. 

So what’s so special about this croissant that it’s protected? The tradition dates back to 1891, but other beliefs show that the pastry has been around much earlier. 

The story of its existence follows a warmhearted baker who took at heart the priest’s message to be charitable towards the poor and created a pastry to give out to those in need. 

Unlike French croissants, this horseshoe-shaped croissant has 81 layers! Between each fold, bakers wait for 30 minutes, and when it’s ready for the next fold, they use a paste-like mixture of nuts, poppy seeds, sugar, almonds, raisins, and butter. After glazing and springling sugar, the finished product must be anywhere from 150 to 250 grams. Therefore, almost no one complains about its generous size. It’s pretty big and super filling! 

Here are a few places that make legal St. Martin’s Croissant: Hanna Piskorska Cukiernia, right at the Old Market Square, Natura, and Fawor (they are all included on my Poznan Things to Do Map above) 

Learn how to make St. Martin Croissant

If you want to know more about this special croissant, one of the fun and unusual things to do in Poznan is to try making one yourself. 

Poznan Croissant Museum should be on everyone’s list for a delightful afternoon in the city. Despite its name, it is not a museum—it is a mixture of cooking demonstrations and storytelling, as there are no displays or exhibits like in typical museums. 

The museum hosts shows in Polish and English. During the high season, their English language shows are held daily, but they are only offered over the weekends during the mid or low season. Check the timetables here. 

On our second visit to Poznan, we managed to book the seats for the show. It exceeded my expectations, with our guide cracking jokes between the storytelling and presenting the history of Poznan and the croissant in the most fun way possible. 

It definitely is not a full-on cooking class experience; you can participate in bits of croissant preparation as the guide describes the ingredients and methods. 

It was one of the most memorable Poznan activities I truly enjoyed attending. 

Brunch at one of Weranda cafes

Weranda is a company that incorporates several cafes, restaurants, and accommodations in and outside Poznan. The most popular is Weranda Caffe, nestled near the Fara Poznania, followed by Zielona Weranda. 

A favorite brunch and breakfast place for locals and visitors, the company takes pride in its cafe designs. While the Weranda Caffe was closed during our visit, we decided to pop in at Zielona Weranda, tucked away in a building between Stary Rynek and Plac Wolności. 

The cafe has a tranquil and intimate atmosphere and feels like a little oasis with plenty of big and small plants and cute ceiling decorations on its red brick walls. Additionally, they have a garden that is only open in summer. 

Breakfast is served from 10 am to 12 pm, but if you can’t make it, their daily menu offers a wide choice of meals, including soups, starters, bowls, salads, main courses, and desserts. 

My salmon bowl was delicious. It came with kimchi, carrot, wakame, fresh cucumber, avocado, and rice. The soy sauce with wasabi came separately and was perfectly paired with the rest of the ingredients to create a flavorful meal. 

If you are vegetarian, they have plant and veggie-based meals too.

Have lunch at Soviet-era cafeterias

Milk Bar or Bar Mlezany is a local cafeteria from Soviet times. It started as a nationwide program to serve government-funded Polish meals at the lowest prices after World War II. 

Initially, the cafeteria focused on providing dairy products to the citizens, which is why it is called Milk Bars. However, the menu has changed over time, and now it offers a wide array of Polish dishes, from pierogies to pancakes. 

They also have a set lunch menu with the main meal, a side salad, soup, and a non-alcoholic drink. 

Pod Arkadami dates back to the 1970s and is one of the local favorites. 

Drink hot chocolate

One of the best things to do in Poznan is to devour a cup, or maybe two, of a delicious hot chocolate from the E. Wedel Company. 

The company has been a Polish confectionery manufacturer, making snacks, chocolates, and cakes since 1851. It is the national chocolate company with several cafes in almost every city in Poland. 

You can undoubtedly buy some of their products in the grocery stores; however, a must-do in Poznan is to try their cakes and hot chocolate at their cafe. 

They have three types of hot chocolate – bitter, milk, and white – costing 16 PLN for a small cup. It’s a bit expensive by Polish standards, but it’s worth every Zloty! 

Eat lots of Pierogis

What to eat in Poznan? Lots of Pierogies! In Poland, it’s easy to find a place serving delicious local dumplings called pierogi. They have different fillings and can be sweet or sour. 

The most traditional one is Ruskie, followed by pickled cabbage, mushroom, cheese, strawberries, meat, or plums, to name a few. 

Typically, when ordered at the restaurant, pierogi usually comes in 8-piece servings, making it hard to try all different types. So I was thrilled to discover the Pierożak chain, which sells pierogi by piece. You can dine inside or take away cooked or uncooked ones. 

And when you stop by Pierożak, make sure to order Poznanskie stuffed with duck and apple. While waiting for your order, you can admire ladies hand-wrapping pierogies right before you! 

For those who want to have a full experience of Polish meals, you can join an organized tour of traditional cuisine.

Try Polish doughnut 

When walking in the streets of any city in Poland, you notice the impressive amount of small or big bakeries. Most of them make Polish doughnuts called paczki. 

They are deep-fried doughnuts stuffed with fruit or cream fillings and then covered with glaze, icing, or sugar. 

The most traditional ones are wild rose and stewed plum jam paczki. Other varieties include salty caramel, strawberry, raspberry, and Nutella, to name a few. 

The best bakery to try paczki in Poland is Dobra Pączkarnia, although others sell it too. 

Dine at Micheline restaurant

Poznan has 11 Michelin-starred restaurants of various stars, offering a wide range of local and international cuisines. While some are expensive, others are affordable. 

When traveling, I eat as many local meals as possible. But since I’ve been to Poland three times now and know its cuisine well, we decided to treat ourselves to a dinner at one of Micheline Star restaurants in Poznan. 

Zen On is an affordable Poznan Micheline restaurant styled on a Japanese izakaya (an informal bar type in Japan that’s a casual place for after-work drinking; think of a pub or a Spanish tapas bar). 

The place gets bustling, and it’s hard to find a table. In the evening, we had to wait around 20 minutes without a reservation. Therefore, it’s better to have one. 

The main meal here is ramen, but the menu also offers dim sum, bao buns, and freshly made udon noodle meals, to name a few. The flavors are impeccable and transport you to Japan or South and East Asian countries. The portions are big, too, so we overordered and took some leftovers home. 

As a starter, we tried a veggie spring roll and dim sum dumplings, followed by Bao with roasted duck and Yakitori ramen.

What to do in Poznan when it rains 

During autumn and winter in Poland, rainy days are standard. Therefore, Having a few indoor activities ready allows you to maximize your time in the city. Of course, you can visit these sights despite the weather, but they are perfect for rainy days.

Go for a specialty coffee break at Stragan Kawiarnia

Poznan has a diverse coffee and cafe scene dotted all over the city. While there is no shortage of great coffee places, Stragan Kawiarnia strikes the most with its delicious specialty coffee. After all, they were pioneers in Poznan’s specialty coffee business. 

This highly prised and recommended place offers brewed coffee using drip-brewing, Chemex, Aeropress, and siphon methods. 

Their simple yet cozy cafe also serves cakes and sandwiches that go well with your coffee. And if you want to spice up your coffee-making game back home, they sell the equipment and coffee beans. 

Tour Poznan’s Royal and Imperial Castles  

While every European city with a monarchy or a king has a castle, Poznan has two – Royal and Imperial Castles. 

Royal Castle, nestled west of the Old Town, was commissioned in 1249 under the power of Przemysł I, a Duke of Greater Poland, who chose Poznan as his capital. Over the years and centuries, the castle underwent various alterations, expansions, and architectural styles. 

Like many vital landmarks in Poland, WWII greatly affected the castle as it was a Nazi stronghold and a front line during the Battle of Poznan in 1945. 

After the war, the castle was rebuilt and became home to the Applied Arts Museum. Today, besides being one of the most visited Poznan museums, it showcases the story of the castle and the city rulers on the ground floor. 

Come here for a 2000-piece ceramics, fabrics, glassware, weaponry, and clothing exhibition. 

• Opening hours: it opens at 10 am daily but has different closing times on weekdays, so refer to their official website. Closed on Mondays. 
• Entrance fee: regular ticket for adults – 20 PLN

On the other hand, Imperial Castle, known as Zamek among locals, was built under German rule in 1910, right before the First World War, for German Emperor William II. Since its construction, the building has been home to governmental offices, first in Germany and then in Poland. 

Today, it is a cultural center where a cinema occupies a former Throne Room. At the same time, art galleries, pubs, restaurants, a bookstore, a puppet theater, Poznan Uprising Museum 1959, and restaurants are spread in other apartments and rooms. The courtyard often hosts outdoor movie screenings or concerts during summer. 

You can visit and walk around the castle with a map or an audio guide for a small fee. 

• Opening hours: daily from 12 pm to 8 pm. More info
• Entrance fee: regular ticket for adults – 7 PLN; audio guide – 15 PLN. 

Learn more about Ostrow Tumski at Brama Poznania

Cathedral Island is also home to Brama Poznania, an interactive high-tech museum concentrating only on Cathedral Island. Here, you can learn how the island adopted Catholicism in the 10th century and know more about all the essential events that happened on the island, eventually shaping Poland as we know it today. 

Note that this differs from your typical Poznan museum with relics and artifacts. Instead, it tells the story through visual, audio, and multimedia elements, taking you on two individual journeys. 

It is one of the great places to visit in Poznan for those who are not huge fans of the museums and their information overload. 

See the towering plants at Poznań Palm House

The Poznań Palm House is one of the most beautiful and delightful Poznan attractions to enjoy at any time of the year. However, it is one of the best things to do in Poznan in winter when days are shorter and cold outside. The climate to keep these exotic plants in the greenhouse will keep you warm and cozy. 

While it doesn’t seem from the outside, the Palm House is quite massive, with ten different pavilions showcasing ecosystems and plants from tropical zones to deserts and rainforests. Home to 17,000 plants of 700 species subspecies, Palmiarnia Poznanska has become one of the most prominent organizations of its kind in Europe.

The venue also has a separate aquarium of more than 170 fish species, fish and turtle pods, and even lotus pools.

And if you want a break, there is the coziest cafe I’ve seen within its territory. The cafe, adorned with bamboo furniture, is literally hidden below lush greenery and towering plants. If I lived in Poznan, this would have been my getaway spot for peace, book reading, or inspiration.

Go on day trips from Poznan

The ideal location of Poznan enables you to explore nearby towns and even go to Berlin, Germany, if you are up for a more extended trip. While I have a dedicated post explaining each place you can go as a day trip from Poznan, here are two nearby towns worth checking out: 

Gniezno – a historic capital of the Polish State established in the 10th century has plenty of impressive landmarks, museums, an old locomotive turned into a museum, and quirky rabbit statues, much like Wroclaw’s dwarfs or Katowice’s beboks. Read my detailed Gniezno city guide. 

Bydgoszcz – one of the underrated towns. Bydgoszcz is simply fascinating with its gorgeous Art-Nouveau architecture, German timber houses that once were grain storage units, stunning red-brick post office, a factory turned into a cultural center, and its general layout along the river giving it a nickname of “Little Venice.” Read my detailed Bydgoszcz city guide.

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