Poland: Poznan

Poznan is our last stop in Poland and it made for an excellent 3 day stopover.

Rebuilt after WWII, Poznan now has a buoyant economic and industrial tilt. So buoyant that the entire Renaissance Old Town square and surrounding streets have been dug up in a 135 million zloty deal that will see water, sewage, heating and telecommunications get a major overhaul. 

Commenced in 2021 and tipped to be completed for summer 2023, construction is well and truly behind schedule. When it’s finished though, the old town will definitely be revamped. Cafes, restaurants and shops are operating as normal, but much dust does linger in the air, so not many Old Town pics in this blog.

Poznan boasts some excellent sights and all are in walking distance of each other.

Pozman National Museum gets rave reviews, is extensive and has some beautiful galleries showcasing Polish and European artists.

We’ve certainly had our fair share of Polish cuisine during our time in Poland. Rich in meat, vegetables especially potatoes, mushrooms, pickled cucumbers and sauerkraut we never had a problem sourcing a good meal. Hollowed out sourdough bread filled to the brim with sausage and vegetable stew topped with a boiled egg, cabbage rolls, potato pancakes and the nation’s signature dish – pierogi – savoury and sweet were on all the menus.

There’s plenty of Italian and vegetarian restaurants here as well, so it’s easy to mix it up.

After a month in Poland, I can truthfully say this country is incredibly easy to tour. Transport like train and Flix bus is easy to book, punctual, clean and comfortable. booking.com works well. We opted mainly for apartments and found the process easy. Check in is contactless, owners’ communication is regular and apartments are well equipped and comfortable.

Polish food and drink are plentiful and the sights very interesting. The people? A bit serious, a bit wary. History weighs heavy.

Certainly they know a thing or two about suffering, resistance and resilience, and certainly sharing borders with Ukraine, Kaliningrad and Belarus is fraught with issues that are just not going to go away.

If you plan to travel here, know that the Australian government on its smarttraveller site gives Poland the highest safety rating of 1.

We now bid do widzenia to Poland and head over the border to Hamburg Germany which we’re very much looking forward to.