Wroclaw is undoubtedly one of the most attractive cities in Poland, because of its rich history, great architecture, friendly vibes and many attractions that you can definitely count on. Wroclaw is the perfect place to visit for a city break – in a few days you can see a lot, feel the atmosphere of the city, and fill your stomachs with delicious food. Wroclaw delights with its culinary possibilities.
We present our guide to Wroclaw, including the best attractions, as well as great places perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Agenda
Organizational info
Dojazd
Thanks to the extensive network of express roads leading to Wroclaw and the A4 motorway, the capital of Lower Silesia can be reached by car very quickly. For example, you can get here in about 4 hours from Warsaw, in just over 2 hours from Lodz, in about 4 hours from Szczecin and Kraków, in less than 5 hours from Gdansk and in less than 2 hours from Poznań!
Of course, you can also choose to travel by train, which will take you to Wroclaw Glowny, or even a flight from Warsaw and landing at Wroclaw Airport.
Nocleg
In Wrocław, as in other large Polish cities, there is no shortage of good hotels, but we always recommend Airbnb or booking.com. We managed to book the most beautiful apartment we have ever slept in. Its interior was very inspiring and I must admit that we took a whole lot of photos in it!
Located in an old tenement house, the Botanical Studio delights with the amount of light, design and equipment. It is nice that for guests, in addition to the basic equipment, also waiting for such things as coffee, a selection of teas, all kinds of spices, pasta, olive oil straight from Italy and many more. The interior is inspiring, but the location is also great! Do you you want a link? There you go!
Parkingi
In Wroclaw, you need to remember about a fairly extensive paid parking zone. The parking fee must be paid at one of the many parking meters (we can pay with Paypass and Paywave contactless payment cards, BLIK system and coins (from 10 groszy to 5 zlotys). The SkyCash mobile application is always a good alternative.
Źródło: www.wroclaw.pl
Sightseeing
Wroclaw is located on the Odra River, which definitely adds charm to the city. But more on that in a moment. If you plan to visit the city extensively, consider purchasing the Wroclaw Tourist Card. With this card, you can take advantage of many discounts for renting a car or ordering a taxi, and discounts in restaurants and cheaper accommodation. You can choose a card for 48 and 72 hours, and prices start from EUR 10 for a card for 48 hours.
Market Square in Wroclaw
Let’s start with the most iconic place in Wrocław – the Market Square. The market square, also known as the meeting place, delights with charming tenement houses and great vibes. Here you will find young couples at photo shoots, street artists, tourists taking photos of every tenement house or locals chilling after work.
The layout of today’s Market Square does not differ much from that at the time of its creation. Although the Market Square has retained its original size and shape, the effects of destruction, demolition and reconstruction are visible in the colorful tenement houses. Architecture, however, is definitely impressive. Each tenement house is different, but all of them are colorful and more or less decorated. Many of them house restaurants or cafes where it is pleasant to stop for an afternoon coffee and enjoy golden hour or sunset light.
In the heart of Wroclaw’s market square there is the Gothic Town Hall, which now serves as the seat of the City Museum. In the basement of the Town Hall there is the Świdnicka Cellar, the oldest beer house in the city.
Leaving the Market Square from the south-west, we enter Solny Square. Today there is a picturesque flower market here, but until 1815 salt stalls were located, hence its name.
In the corner of the square there is the Church of St. Elizabeth, which tower is one of the best viewpoints in Wroclaw. Entering it is a considerable effort and a challenge for people who are afraid of tight spaces – the stairs are very narrow and there are no passes. The admission fee is about EUR 1.
Ostrów Tumski
Let’s come back to the wonderful location of Wroclaw, i.e. the location on the Odra River. The history of Wrocław began in Ostrów Tumski. In Old Polish, the word “ostrów” meant “island”, while “tum” comes from the German word “home”, which can be translated as “church”. Around years 1000, the Ducal Castle of the Silesian Piast Dynasty and then the cathedral were built on an island on the river.
The cobbled streets of Ostrów Tumski are the perfect place for romantic walks. The main entrance to Ostrów Tumski is the Tumski Bridge, known as the “Lovers’ Bridge”. Here couples hang a padlock with their names on it, and throw the key into the Odra River. You can also admire the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, baroque chapels and a botanical garden.
The Panorama of the Battle of Racławice
The Panorama of the Battle of Racławice is, in our opinion, a key point on the tourist map of Wroclaw. The painting, 114 meters long and 15 meters high, shows the victorious battle of the Poles over the Russians at Racławice in April 1794. The technical methods used by the authors make the image comparable to modern 3D technology, and the panoramic perspective, lighting and scenery built in front of the canvas give the impression of its multidimensionality. Admission is EUR 6,50.
Muzeum Narodowe we Wrocławiu
The Panorama of the Battle of Racławice is a branch of the National Museum, so when you buy a ticket, you have the option of free admission to the museum for permanent exhibitions. On Saturdays, admission to the permanent exhibitions is free nevertheless. In the National Museum you will see, among others exhibitions of medieval art, Silesian art from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century, and Polish art until the nineteenth century. The most valuable works in the collection of the National Museum include, among others “Madonna with Jesus and St. Jan ” by Agnolo Bronzino, “Winter landscape with skates and a bird trap” by Pieter Brueghel the Younger and “Portrait of a boy” by Jean Chardin.
Szczynicki Park
Szczytnicki Park is a perfect place, if you want to take a walk in the natural surroundings. It gathers 350 trees and many animals. Part of the park is the Japanese Garden rich in plants and an interesting arrangement of space. Here, too, there is a local pond with giant carps and other species of fish. The garden is open from April 1 to October 31, and the admission is EUR 2!
Źródło: visitwroclaw.pl
Centennial Hall
Near the Japanese Garden is located the Centennial Hall – one of the greatest architectural works of the 20th century, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Centennial Hall complex is today a place of exhibitions, conferences and cultural events. Unfortunately, the hall is being renovated since January 2019.
Spire
Near the Centennial Hall, there is the Spire – a steel structure, one of the most characteristic architectural structures in Wrocław.
Neon Side Gallery
Neon Side Gallery is Instagram’s hit! You can take very cool photos here or chill with friends. In the yard at Ruska 46c street, there are almost 30 neon lights of various sizes and colors. It’s best to go here at dusk or at night to fully admire the neon lights.
Hydropolis
Hydropolis is a place that you must visit in Wrocław. It is a unique center of knowledge about water, and that knowledge is transmitted in a super modern and diverse way. Hydropolis is a great fun for everyone, regardless of age. You need to spend at least 2 hours here. The admission fee is EUR 6.
Wroclaw Dwarfs
Wroclaw can be visited in many ways – you can walk with a guide visiting the most important monuments, you can use your own intuition, you can also get to know the city by discovering its smallest inhabitants – the famous Wroclaw dwarfs. Now there are almost 200 of them, and in souvenir shops you can buy special maps of visiting the city on the trail of dwarfs.
Where to eat?
Vivere Italiano
Vivere Italiano is Italy in the center of Wroclaw. In the restaurant, the chef is, of course, Italian, and the ingredients are imported by the owners, who have also created a boutique shop with Italian products in their restaurant. Vivere Italiano is also the only Italian restaurant in Wroclaw that has received the Ospitalita Italiana certificate, award by the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to authentic Italian restaurants outside of Italy.
You can eat real Italian pizza here, Italian pasta, including brilliant linguine con vongole, main courses, and wash it all down with homemade limoncello. We highly recommend it!
Woo Thai Restaurant & Street Food
Do you fancy Asian cuisine? Go to the Woo Thai restaurant. Woo Thai is a very interesting concept. There is a restaurant on the first floor of the building, while on the ground floor you can eat Thai street food. Try pad thai, tom yum soup and dumplings!
Frytki+Sos
If you get hungry after visiting the Neon Gallery, drop in for a quick snack in Frytki+sos. There is no big philosophy here – you will eat fries with sauce. But these fries! Fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside and accompanied by cool sauces such as mango or chaioli. They’re also rather cheap!
Źródło: https://www.frytkiisos.com
Konspira
Traditional Polish cuisine in an atmospheric place. Konspira is a restaurant connected with the Historical Education Center, run by the Solidarity Walcząca association with Kornel Morawiecki at the forefront. The total operating income is allocated to social goals implemented by the Fighting Solidarity Association.
In addition to admiring the non-standard design, you can eat very well here. We would describe the portions as definitely honest. We especially recommend you pyra z gzikiem, Russian dumplings, soups and huge pork chops. Prices are decent, especially when you consider the huge portions!
W kontakcie
W kontakcie is a place where you could go for breakfast after booking a table in advance. The concept is based on your own breakfast composition – you can choose from pastes (e.g. made of green peas, tofu or lentils), eggs, farm cheese or silage. Everything with bread from Mr. Krajewski. You can also try shakshouka or their outstanding hummuses in many variations with pita. The prices are average and the added bonus is the plethora of drinks to choose from.
Petits Fours Café
When you feel like something sweet, we encourage you to go to Petits Fours Café.
They create delicious desserts and macaroons, serve great breakfasts all day long, including brilliant pancakes with mascarpone cream, raspberry sauce, white chocolate crumble and cream ice cream. It is a bit more expensive, but very tasty.
Let us know in the comments what attractions and restaurants you would add to our list. We are very curious!
Experience with us!
Brought to you by: Julia & Przemysław
Super artykuł! Własnie wybieramy się do Wrocławia na sesję, więc wiemy już czego szukać 😀 <3