Wrocław.
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Overview

Wrocław (pronounced v-ROTS-wahf; also known as Breslau, its German name, and English name until 1945) is the largest city in Lower Silesia in Poland. It is home to 674,000 people within the city limits (2022) and the metropolitan area has a population of 1.3 million making it the largest city in Western Poland.

Wrocław is the historic capital of Silesia and it has changed hands repeatedly over the centuries. At different points throughout history, Wrocław has been in the Kingdom of Poland, Bohemia, the Austrian Empire, Prussia and Germany. In 1945 the city became a part of Poland again as the borders of Poland were moved westwards in the immediate aftermath of World War II. The city came to international fame as it hosted a number of football matches during the Euro 2012 Championships and was one of the 2016 European Capitals of Culture. The World Games took place in Wrocław in 2017.

Understand

Like many cities in Central Europe, it is a city with a troubled past, having seen a lot of violence and devastation. Prior to the Second World War, Breslau was the capital of the German province of Prussian Lower Silesia. It became Polish territory when, after the War, the Soviets moved the German/Polish border westward to the Oder/Neisse Line and ethnically cleansed the area of its overwhelmingly German population through mass expulsion. Breslau was almost completely destroyed during the end of the War as the Red Army fought its way into Germany towards Berlin, being declared a "Fortress City" by Adolf Hitler. However, since the end of the Communist regime in 1989 it has been wonderfully restored and can now be counted among the highlights of Poland and of all Central Europe.

The official language is Polish. The city is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination, and serves as Poland's secondary financial services centre (after Warsaw). Thus, you should be able to find a sufficient number of English speakers to get by. German is probably much more widely spoken and understood here than in other regions of Poland.

There are two tourist information points on the main market square (Rynek). There is a tourist information in the main railway station.

Get in

Is served by: LOT - Warsaw KLM - Amsterdam Schiphol Lufthansa - Frankfurt Airport, Munich Airport Scandinavian Airlines - Copenhagen Airport Ryanair - Brussels-Charleroi, Cork, Dublin, Girona, Glasgow-Prestwick, Leeds-Bradford, Liverpool, London-Stansted, Malta, Nottingham/East Midlands, Rome-Ciampino, Shannon, Treviso, Sofia Wizz Air - Doncaster/Sheffield, Dortmund, Eindhoven, London-Luton, Birmingham

From the airport, bus 106 operates from the terminal building to central Wrocław during daytime roughly every twenty minutes. There is also a night bus 206. The night bus will take approximately one hour to get to the city centre. If you are not sure how to get to your final destination in Wrocław by public transport, it might be helpful to use the journey planner.

At night, some of the bus 206 services operate on the same route as bus 106.

Wrocław is a major hub on the Polish rail network, with several trains a day to all large Polish cities (route planner).

There are about ten daily arrivals from Warsaw. Travel time varies from 3½ hours by the new high speed trains, up to almost 7 hours with a TLK (cheap) train.

Several trains a day arrive from Kraków. There are quite a lot of trains from Poznań, which itself receives trains from Szczecin, Bydgoszcz, and Berlin.

You can by tickets at the Polish railways website at pkp.pl or for Czechia at cd.cz and for Germany at bahn.de.

All international and national buses stop at the PKS Centrum station which is located directly behind the main train station (timetable; click "Odjazdy autobusów z Dworca Centralnego PKS").

FlixBus has more or less the monopoly now and operates routes to many places and countries around. Another competitor (mainly to Czechia is RegioJet.

Get around

The centre of Wrocław is navigable on foot, but the city has an excellent public-transport system for access to the suburbs and outlying attractions, with 57 bus lines, 22 tram lines and 13 night bus lines. As well as that, taxis are readily available and quite affordable, even for those on a budget.

Details on how to travel around Wrocław and ticket types and prices. You can also use the journey planner. Google Maps and its peers do not work well for public transit in Wrocław as of 2025; instead, download the Jakdojade transit app.

These tickets are not time-based or route-based - you must pay each time you enter a different vehicle. Period tickets: 15-minutes for 3,20 zł, 30-minutes for 4 zł, 60-minutes for 5,20 zł, 90-minutes for 7 zł, 24-hours for 15 zł, 48-hours for 26 zł, 72-hours for 32 zł, 168-hours (7-days) 54 zł. Pupils of Polish schools under the age of 21 and seniors aged 65 and over ride for free. A proof of age or a school ID is needed.

A period ticket only needs to validated on the first vehicle that you board. After that, you just need to keep it on you for inspection.

Tickets are sold in lots of places. Look for "Ruch" kiosks, post offices. You should be able to buy them in most newsagents also. In the city centre you can find lots of ticket machines offering all types of tickets.

In every bus and tram there is a ticket machine installed too. Payment is only possible by credit or debit card (Visa/MasterCard/American Express). Maestro cards are not accepted. The ticket machine on the bus or tram does not print your ticket – the ticket is coded on your payment card. The validity of the ticket (this service is particularly useful in time tickets) can be checked in the ticket machine.

Transporting baggage and animals requires no additional ticket.

If you're planning to stay longer, check out the Urbancard offer.

Between April and November you can rent bicycles at about 70 locations throughout the city with the Wroclaw City Bike (Wrocławski Rower Miejski, WRM) system which is operated by Nextbike Polska on behalf of the city. You need to register once online and pay an initial fee of 10 zł. For the first 20 min you can then use the bicycles for free. A customer service office for questions or registration is on ul. Świętego Antoniego 8 (open Tu 06:00-16:00, Th 11:00-21:00).

See

Market Square. It is the architectural centre-point of Wroclaw, and its most obvious attraction. It is one of the biggest town squares in Europe, and is lined on all sides with photogenic and interesting buildings. Centre of tourist life, place where tourists drink beer.

Old Town Hall. It now serves as the Museum of Burgeois Art. Construction of the town hall began in the 13th century. It was one of the few major buildings in Wrocław to survive World War II. The interior features stunning Gothic interiors.

Salt Square. Formerly a salt market, now a flower market.

Cathedral Island. A group of islands on the Oder River with beautiful cathedrals and a few hundred year old buildings, for those who would have romantic evening, walking through mystery brick stoned streets it is a must. It is complete with hand-lit oil lamps lit nightly.

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Dating from the 13th century, featuring stunning architecture and the largest church organ in Poland. Has elevator to the top, so this is the one to go to if you can't climb. Good river views from the tower.

St. Elizabeth's Church. A large and imposing medieval building with a 90m high tower with spectacular views over the old town.

St. Maria Magdalena Church. The big church a block south of the Rynek, you can also climb this tower for 5 zł. Between the two towers, there is a small bridge known as the Pennants' Bridge, where you can walk along and enjoy the cityrama. Views are great, but if you can only do one, St Elizabeth is probably the one to do. However, the bridge makes a good story to tell people at home.

Synagogue "Under the White Stork". 19th-century synagogue.

Wrocław Dwarves. The first dwarf statue was installed in 2001 in Świdnicka Street to commemorate the Polish anti-communist underground movement Orange Alternative, whose symbol was a dwarf. Some years later smaller dwarf statues, each with their own theme, appeared and they can now be found all over the city.

Botanical Garden of the University of Wrocław.

Monument to the Anonymous Pedestrians. An impressive artwork by Jerzy Kalina, this sculpture which has two parts, each to one side of Świdnicka, shows people going underground or coming from underground (depending on the side of the street you are at). The artwork builds on Kalina's 1977 installation "Transition" and was inaugurated in 2005. It likely makes reference to the martial law period in Poland and symbolizes people coming back to the public after being underground. The sculpture led to discussions and has been recognized internationally.

Centennial Hall. A historic building, constructed according to the plans of architect Max Berg from 1911 to 1913, when the city was part of the German Empire. As an early landmark of reinforced concrete architecture, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.

Wrocław Fountain. A multimedia fountain located within the Pergola next to Centennial Hall in Wrocław. The one hectare fountain incorporates about 300 jets to create a screen of water for animation display. There are also 800 lights. When frozen in winter, the fountain is a 4700-square-meter ice skating rink.

Wroclaw Iglica. A distinctive object placed close to the Centennial Hall.

Park Szczytnicki. Very large, spanning over a few kilometres, it's a common place for walks. Becomes incredibly colorful in autumn and should not be missed if you travel there in late September or October.

Japanese Garden. A remainder from the 'World Expo' of 1913 held in Wrocław, this is a large landscaped garden restored post-flooding with the assistance of the Japanese government. A part of Park Szczytnicki.

Eastern Park. On the bank of Oława river is a masterpiece of design, but left forgotten for decades. After few years of restoration it's now a true gem especially worth visiting in April when wetland flowers are blooming or autumn when vegetation turns into picturesque blend of reds, yellows and gold. As it borders semi-wild forests and has plenty of water, you may even watch swans taking care of their nests just few meters from the walking path.

Zoo Wrocław. Oldest zoo in Poland, having been opened in 1865 as the Breslau Zoological Garden while the city was part of Prussia. It is also the largest (in terms of the number of animals) zoo in Poland.

Wrocław Water Tower. A 63-m-high water tower constructed between 1904-1905 with an observation deck at 42 m. Provided water supply until mid-1980. In 1995 it was restored and converted into a restaurant. The tower has not been open to the public since 2017.

Panorama Racławicka. Perhaps the most-visited tourist site in Wrocław, it consists of a large canvas painting wrapped around a viewing rotunda. It creates a 360-degree view of the Battle of Racławice (1794) between Russian troops and Polish insurrectionists. The battle was a victory for the Poles, however the Russians won the war. Visits are conducted in tour groups roughly every half-hour and foreign-language audio guides are available. The ticket also allows entry to the National Museum, Ethnographic Museum and Museum of Comptemporary Arts.

National Museum in Wrocław. Features a large collection of Polish art. The Gallery of Contemporary Art is in the attic.

Ethnographic Museum. Located in the former summer Palace of Wrocław Bishops. Collection concentrates on folk art.

Museum of Contemporary Art. The Four Domes Pavilion (Pawilon Czterech Kopuł) which is part of the historic Exhibition Grounds houses the collection of Polish contemporary art of the National Museum, which comprises works from 1945 until present.

City Museum of Wrocław has several subsidiaries, all of them have free admission on permanent exhibition and paid admission on temporary exhibitions at 15 zł (10 zł reduced), audioguides are available in English and paid additional 15 zł:

Museum of Archeology. Collection of mostly prehistoric artifacts.

Military Museum. Military exhibits from 19th and 20th century.

Historical Museum. Located in the Royal Palace of Hohenzollern dynasty of Prussia. Museum collection is named '1000 years of Wrocław' which hint at type of exhibits you can find here.

Museum of Cemetery Art. The Old Jewish Cemetery (Stary Cmentarz Żydowski).

Wrocław Contemporary Museum. Contemporary art, photography, also a club and a cafeteria with nice views.

Museum of Architecture. Museum is located in a 15th-century post-Bernardine Gothic buildings - St Bernardine of Sienna Church and a monastic quadrangle with a garden.

University of Wrocław Museum. The four halls are: Aula Leopoldina, Oratorium Marianum, Mathematical Tower (Wieża matematyczna) and Exposition (Wystawa). The first two are still used by the university for events (so they can be closed at times). Audio guides are available.

Museum of Natural History. The museum is part of Wrocław University and has its origin in 1814. The collections display many specimens of extinct and rare species including the skeleton of a Blue Whale, the largest animal that lived on the earth.

Do

Polski Theatre. Two additional stages are located at ul. Świdnicka 28 (Small Stage) and plac Orląt Lwowskich 20c (Świebodzki Train Station Stage).

Wrocław Philharmonic. Different kinds of concerts: symphonic, choral, early music, jazz, popular music.

Football: Śląsk Wrocław were promoted in 2026 and now play soccer in Ekstraklasa, the top tier. Their Tarczyński Arena (capacity 45,000) is 6 km northwest of city centre.

Wroclaw Food Tour. Wroclaw Food Tour is an easy and enjoyable way to discover traditional Polish food in authentic locales alongside with other food lovers from all over the world. It is not just about eating food, but also touching upon Polish culture by finding out about the many intriguing facts concerning Polish cuisine under the guidance of an English-speaking food expert.

New Horizons Cinema. The largest arthouse cinema in Poland.

Long Night of Museums. Annual event in May.

Festival of Good Beer. The largest beer festival in Poland and one of the largest in Europe. In June.

New Horizons. International Film Festival. Ten days of films, concerts and exhibitions. End of July.

Dialog Festival. International Theatre Festival. October.

International Festival Wratislavia Cantans. Oratorio and cantata music in Wroclaw's historical venues. September.

Mamut. Mammoth installation inside "Park Mamuta".

Zipwire. a zipline and big spiderweb rope construction.

Water playground. water sandbox with an Archimedes' screw, hand water pump, tiny gates and channels. Not far from water museum Hydropolis (which is paid).

Nivea playground. Playground with a big xylophone and a small scene.

Learn

Polish for foreigners is taught in several schools.

Work

Wrocław is dominated by service economy based on outsourcing, mostly in IT, accounting and finance with headquarters of several companies from the sector. Many of them are willing to employ foreigners and even deal with immigration permits.

Buy

Travellers' Bookshop. Maps, guidebooks, travel books.

Galeria Dominikańska. Large shopping mall, with a big supermarket in the basement floor. Free Wi-Fi.

Tajne Komplety. Bookshop/cafe with a good selection of English-language books and good coffee.

Market Hall. For fresh vegetables, fruits, pierogi, etc.

Eat

Cultural note: the "bars" listed below are in fact self-service canteens, known as milk bars (bar mleczny), offering inexpensive and traditional Polish meals. They are a gastronomic and cultural experience. They should be open even on national holidays. Expect short queues.

Bar Miś. Offers an ample and diversified menu, including meat-based dishes. Students, staff and professors of the University of Wrocław usually eat there, together with homeless people, elderly and pensioners. After entering go to the cash desk (at the left corner) and order your meal (Polish only). Turn right, go to the food counter and hand your receipt to the person serving the meals.

Przedwojenna. Restaurant inspired by prewar Warsaw. The atmosphere and decor of the place takes you to another dimension.

iBO falafel. Delicious vegan falafels, beautiful wraps and lovely service. The falafel is fresh, yummy, flavorful and filling. Small cosy place.

Pizzeria Piekielny Kupiec. Very big variety of pizzas including some rare yet delicious combinations. You can order some additional sauce to make it even tastier. Fast, attentive and kindly service.

Bar Pierożek Wrocław ul. Sądowa 7. According to many Wroclavians, the best pierogi in Wrocław. Try pierogi ruskie (with potatoes and cottage cheese) with kefir and barszcz (borscht) and "nalesniki" (crêpes) to experience what real Polish food ought to taste like. The place is small and basic, you may need to wait for a seat, but the food is top-notch.

Mid-range Pijalni Bistro ul. Michała Wrocławczyka 42. Easy Natural Wines and dishes served every evening. One of the best curated wine lists in Wroclaw. Good chef and interesting food popups sometimes.

Giselle. A French bakery/cafe with delicious breakfast dishes (served all day) and other food.

Amalfi. A place serving authentic thin-slice Italian pizza from a proper, scorching-hot wood oven. About 15 zł for a pizza for one person. Italian owners.

Oregano. Inexpensive restaurant with pizza and a variety of other dishes.

Piramida. Egyptian restaurant. Kitschy interior and big portions.

Gruzińskie Chaczapuri. A budding franchise originating from Kraków, serves Georgian food (khachapuri). Try lawasz z adżapsandałem (dough-filled with a tasty mix of tomatoes, bell peppers, aubergines, garlic and goat cheese) for about 15 zł.

Mexico Bar. As long as you are willing to eat a somewhat modified version of Mexican cuisine, you should enjoy the large, rich portions at Mexico Bar. You might want to order the "hot" (na ostro) version of your dish, as the regular dishes are surprisingly mild. This is a small, popular place, so you may have to wait for your seat at the bar. It is best to call ahead and make reservations especially on the weekends.

Masala Grill & Bar. An Indian restaurant. The restaurant is air conditioned, has a seating capacity of 110 and is child friendly. The cuisine is Indian keeping European tastes in mind. The Xpress Lunch combo is a favourite and very reasonably priced with a free soft drink. The main menu has a wide variety of dishes to choose from including soups, salads, starters, Tandoori Grill, special Indian curries, fragrant basmati rice and Indian bread (naan). The bar at the restaurant specializes in a wide variety of eye-catching cocktails and mocktails.

Le Bistrot Parisien. Small place, genuine French cuisine, good for dates.

Pod Papugami. Offers good meals and a good selection of salads.

Novocaina. Organic-based pizza and pasta dishes. Reservations are necessary, but can be made a day in advance through their website.

Drink

There are many different clubs and pubs in Wroclaw. Most of them are located in the centre of the old town, many good ones however, are situated a few crossings from the Town Square, not within its borders. The Town Square mostly contains some not very specific, quite expensive restaurants, although it is worth mentioning the Spiż Cellar, an interesting mini-brewery with a few tasty kinds of locally made beer and a unique interior design. There are also two discos that are popular among fans of house/techno music - Daytona and Związki. However, pub-wanderers, who want to meet interesting people and/or get involved in some discussions will probably enjoy places situated in some less obvious locations than right in the Town Square. Good examples of such places are:

Mleczarnia. A bit further from the Town Square but still not too far, near the main courthouse in a quiet street - quite a large pub occupying the basement and ground level of an old fin-de-siecle building. It has unique dark, cozy, wooden interiors and a specific atmosphere. Music played is quite specific and varied - among the styles played are: Jewish music, jazz, progressive rock, film music and others. There are often some cultural events, like discussion clubs or film projections taking place in the basement. They also have a hostel in that same building.

Bezseność. Concerts, film screenings. Popular place.

Setka. Supposedly Communist style, well - kitschy. But open 24/7 with cheap alcohol (4 zł for a glass of beer or shot of vodka) and good meals.

There are plenty of other clubs and pubs in Wroclaw. It's a great adventure to explore them because most have their own specific style and atmosphere.

Spiż Cellar. See how to brew beer and how delicious it tastes.

Browar Stu Mostów. A micro-brewery and pub that opened in 2014.

Targowa. Craft beer (including local ones) and food.

Sleep

Boogie Hostel. Cheap, comfortable accommodation in the centre of town. 19 and very spacious but cosy private rooms (for 1, 2, 3 or 4 people), and dorms (8 or 10).

Hostel Babel. Just around the corner from the train station. Sheets, lockers and Internet are provided. There is a media lounge where you can watch DVD movies and play video games.

Rynek 30 Hostel. Newly refurbished hostel located directly opposite the town hall. Both dorms and private rooms are available.

U Szermierzy. Treading the line between hostel and cheap hotel, "U Szermierzy" has 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-bed rooms, the more expensive ones equipped with en suites and televisions. Dilapidated but clean, and less than 1 km from the Old Town Market. Free parking available, enter via ul. Generała Romualda Traugutta, 150m east of the intersection with ul. Zygmunta Krasińskiego. Free Wi-Fi internet access.

Qubus Hotel Wrocław. Four-star hotel located in the heart of the city, near a beautiful Market Square. There is also a fitness centre with bodybuilding gym, sauna, Jacuzzi and swimming pool.

Hotel System. Is one of the newest hotels in Wroclaw, conveniently situated close to the city centre but at the same time not far from major roads, (E67 8 Wrocław - Warsaw, and E261 5 Wrocław - Poznań).

Scandic Wrocław. The first hotel in Poland managed by the most popular Scandinavian hotel chain, it is in the centre of Wrocław, close to the Old Town and to the railway station, easily accessible from the A4 highway.

Campanile Wroclaw Centrum Orbis Hotel Wroclaw Hotel im. Jana Pawła II HP Park Plaza Best Western Hotel Prima Wrocław Novotel Wrocław

Hotel Monopol. Room prices are generally around 250 zł for a single room and 400 zł for a double room. The hotel is next door to the restored opera house.

Sofitel Wrocław Old Town. 50 metres from the Rynek Główny.

Radisson Blu. A bit farther from the Old Town, but right in front of the Panorama of Racławice.

The Granary - La Suite Hotel Europeum Hotel Puro Hotel Mercure Wrocław Centrum