Attractions in Wrocław: a Must-See List

So, as part of this year's european vacation, we are planning a couple of nights in Wroclaw. What would make your "Must See" list?

Any reasonably priced hotel recommendations for 4 adults and 2 kids? Best if it were near some of the best attractions!

Any offers of free beer? Or even a dutch treat?

Centennial Hall, Wroclaw Town Hall and Rynek, White Stork Synagogue and Old Jewish Cemetery, St. Elisabeth’s Church, Wroclaw Palace, Szczytnicki Park, National Museum, Raclawice Panorama Rotunda, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw Cathedral and Ostrow Tumski...

Wroclaw is very nice... but i've been there only once, so that's all i know... Panorama Raclawicka is a must!

Thx!!

I would add the Hala Ludowa

I am thinking of going to Wrocłąw this year, too. Never been there.

I would also add the zoo to the list, if anybody travels with kids.

I started collecting useful info on sightseeing opportunities. Why not share it here, everybody?

Battle at Racławice Panorama site in English: panoramaraclawicka.pl/en/when_to_visit.html

Tickets are not cheap but they allow you to visit two other interesting museums: National and Etnographic.

Centennial Hall

Hala Ludowa

Hala stulecia

These are all the same place.

That should save a bit of driving!

Yep, especially as you can now get a joint ticket for both the Zoo and the Aquapark - 99zl for the family.

It's definitely the best attraction in Wroclaw for kids, anyway.

What I'd actually do (if there in summer) would be to visit the zoo in the afternoon, then go for a picnic near the fountain at the back of Hala Ludowa - wait until night, then you can watch the multimedia fountain too :)

Wow, thanks.

parkwodny.wroc.pl/en/promotion/aquazoo1


Will it be interesting to children?

H.L Mencken on zoos:
"There remains, then, the only true utility of a zoo: it is a childish and pointless show for the unintelligent, in brief, for children, nursemaids, visiting yokels and the generality of the defective. Should the taxpayers be forced to sweat millions for such a purpose? I think not. The sort of man who likes to spend his time watching a cage of monkeys chase one another, or a lion gnaw its tail, or a lizard catch flies, is precisely the sort of man whose mental weakness should be combatted at the public expense, and not fostered. He is a public liability and a public menace, and society should seek to improve him. Instead of that, we spend a lot of money to feed his degrading appetite and further paralyze his mind. It is precisely as if the community provided free champagne for dipsomaniacs, or hired lecturers to convert the army to the doctrines of the Bolsheviki.

Of the abominable cruelties practised in zoos it is unnecessary to make mention. Even assuming that all the keepers are men of delicate natures and ardent zoophiles (which is about as safe as assuming that the keepers of a prison are all sentimentalists, and weep for the sorrows of their charges), it must be plain that the work they do involves an endless war upon the native instincts of the animals, and that they must thus inflict the most abominable tortures every day. What could be a sadder sight than a tiger in a cage, save it be a forest monkey climbing dispairingly up a barked stump, or an eagle chained to its roost? How can man be benefitted and made better by robbing the seal of its arctic ice, the hippopotamus of its soft wallow, the buffalo of its open range, the lion of its kingship, the birds of their air?"

in all honesty, Hala Ludowa isn't the most exciting place but it's worth a visit at night to see the fountains if you got kids. also, if you roam around there during the day, you can always go get yourself some grilled meat at the food spot there, they're always grilling up kielbasa and szaszlyk, beer is always flowing as well if you're into that.

the botanical gardens was always one of my favorites as well.

i guess if you got kids you wouldn't be interested in nightlife recommendations? actually, Abram's Tower might be cool for the kids to go to. small, really different looking restaurant inside an old little tower, eclectic/funky interior, no riff raff there, the owner is american so you can chat it up with him (I'm assuming you and your children are english speakers) and the food is very different than what you'll find in the rynek. also, he has a great wine selection if you're into that. just make sure you know how to get there, it's easy to walk right by the place.

Des, don`t be such a cliche fanatic of animal liberation movement. Zoos are also places where endangered species are bred and preserved.


Are they really worth seeing? When we tour major cities, we always visit botanical gardens.


I am afraid so.

I would also like to visit places which are somehow connected with the Siege of Breslau in 1945. Are there any ruined buildings which have been preserved till today, like the ruins of Bank Polski in Warsaw were preserved after Warsaw Uprising?

Going through Wrocław, we drove past the Red Army Cemetery, with two cannons guarding it. I would like to see it, too.

If you are looking for nothing fancy, try the Savoy Hotel or the Rezydent Hotel. From the Rezydent there is a direct tramline (#9) to the city centre. From the Savoy Hotel you can walk to Rynek in a couple of minutes.

I've slept a couple of times in Dwor Polski, but that's more upmarket. This hotel is right on Rynek, so not a lot of walking there.

I've also heard that the hostel Cinnamon is better than you might expect at first, but I dunno whether you'd want that. They have a 6 person room for 55 PLN per person ... but those are bunkbeds ... :D.

Tell us when you'll be in Wroclaw and we can go out for a beer.

That is truly their only redeeming activity. When you see the imprisoned eagle at the Worclaw Zoo remember that legendary eagle who defended her nestlings despite the dagger of the first Polish king piercing her and staining the bright white feathers of her chest with her hot red blood and remember that that king relented and let the eaglets remain free.

there are quite a few buildings with light damage. town houses for the most part.
the university had a good clean up a few years ago.
the (university) architecture building is being cleaned up at the moment.
you won't find bomb damage, only bullet holes.
all the damaged buildings are still in use.

i think it's tanks at the russian war memorial not canons. edit: it's both.

for anyone doing a war tour of wroclaw you really need a few hours and no kids.
for some reason i'm sure i've seen an italian war cemetery somewhere (maybe not)

Don`t worry. I have done war tours around Warsaw and Poznan, let alone Krakow, with kids. They complained but survived. :):):)

You're correct, Wroclaw ... it's near Cmentarz Grabiszynski. Fallen soldiers from WWI and a dozen or so POW's from WWII.

my opinion.

the botanical gardens on a sunny day: good
kids will find something of interest.

hala ludowa: for romantic summer walks.
connected to the japanese gardens, which have an entrance fee.
i've not seen the new fountain, so can't comment.
statue of chopin.

ostrow tumski: tumski bridge, the green bridge, a bridge for lovers. bring a padlock.
ostrow tumski has been cleaned up in recent years.
there is a little park/garden with a view of the national museum, but u have to find the path/road leading to it.
it is possible to take a lift to the top of one of the towers/ bottom of the spire.

panorama: most visited place in wroclaw. may have to book in advance. tour is in many languages.

zoo: oldest in Poland and in places it shows. has had money spent on it in recent years. a good faimily place.
across the road from hala ludowa

there are now properties in various locations with access to the river or marinas

rynek: garrison church. climb the steps to the top of the tower.

little people: these will keep the kids and photographers on a mission very busy.


not at the moment. the 9 and 17 routes are a little odd. repairs here and there.

i'd be happy to meet 'n' greet, if only to say hello.

Of course, you're saying that, not knowing anything about Wroclaw Zoo.

Perhaps you might want to ask Mago what he thinks about his enclosure these days.

i remember now, thanks. i stumbled across it long ago. it's very small and unless it's marked might be difficult to find.

there is also a tall monument on a hill down the road. near the tram terminus at oporow.

I'm ashamed to say that despite living in Wroclaw for 6 years I haven't see everything on your list. I'll have to catch up this September when I visit.

rybnik wrote:


geeze, I probably saw half of it.

I saw the inside of probably every bar though ;)

Anyone mention the Katyn memorial across the street from the museum?

Is there something really special about the zoo? Not a big fan unless they have something rare.... like Chinese Pandas or the Lemurs that were in Montreal a couple of years ago...


As usual Pawian, I find your posts interesting! keep up the tradition!


Absolutely a must!


Kids are 12/15. I am hoping to indoctrinate them with something a little more cultural / historic. I can splash them with a hose when I get home! ;-)


Sounds like a nice way to cap off an evening...


The reviews sound good, but the żona's brother / sis in law are smokers, so I am wondering if they could butt out for a meal.....


oh. taak.


OH TAAAK! :-)


The better half isn't sure about levels of accomodations. She mentioned in one breath that she would like to get a good night sleep the second night in PL, but then she found her way to websites for Hostels. I will have a better idea when she makes up my mind.


Looking like 30 and 31 of July... I will be sure to check back in later to see if anybody would like to gather (in the rynek?)


See, I'd love to do that, but the kids wouldn't likely be willing. Now if we let the wives and kiddies go one way and the wifes brother (golly how he loves history!), that might be an opportunity!


Any TSA regulations against bringing padlocks on the plane? That would be a surprise for the better half....


Are there any llamas in this zoo?
*ducks*


Wouldn't be Europe without a climb up some creaky tower!


I'd be happy to say hello back!


That, I'd like to see...

edit: thanks to all for all the great suggestions!

We will also check out public playgrounds in Wrocław. In Warsaw and Krakow there are nice ones, in Poznań pathetic.

Sure. (Llama in Wrocław Zoo).

Sheesh... 4 times since May this year in Wrocław and nobody there cared to have a drink with me :(

Yes there are some ducks.....

I did ... last year at least. To the music of Jean Michel Jarre and, in the same rhythm, the stinging of musquitos on all unprotected and/or uncovered parts of your body. I can't remember having so many bites in one go all my life ... :S.

So ... very nice but go there with a shirt with long sleeves but still use some insect repellent on your skin, cause the damn things sting right through your clothing.


Be sure to let me know.


Ehh ... you can go to a bike shop here and get yourself one for a couple of zloty ... no need to drag one over the pond.

It's the one I normally keep the Mrs. locked up with, I was planning to release her in her native Poland ;-)


If you are there, I'd have a beer with you! You seem ok for a Polish guy!!

or rent a city bike. They just started using it in Wroclaw.

Here is a map of stations: gfx.mmka.pl/newsph/335023/511487.3.jpg

Shawn, I took a quick look at the bike situation and the Cinnamon Hostel is renting them, so there is another option for you, unless you want to bring your own bikes.

Actually, Wroclaw suggested adding a padlock on the lovers bridge. I am too lumpy to ride a bike around Wroclaw. It is either walk (at a liesurely pace) or drive for me!