Wroclaw is IDEAL for a weekend getaway. It’s cheap and cheerful with great food, a colourful square and lots of history. And small enough to see a lot in a weekend.
So I’ve put together a nifty 48 hour itinerary with all the best things to do.
I realise I’ve already written a LOT about the food I ate in Poland with my Food Diaries and brunch post, so I haven’t said much about my restaurant selections. So make sure you go read those posts if you’re intrigued by the food on offer!
Also, if you’re visiting in the run up to Christmas, definitely make sure you save some time in the evenings to go to the awesome Wroclaw Christmas Market. It’s totally dreamy.
Wroclaw Weekender Itinerary
Saturday
Brunch at Folgujemy
Start the day with a hearty brunch at this chic cafe. I recommend the baked challah bread fo’ sho’.
Racławice Panorama
This isn’t for everyone but the Racławice Panorama is a 360 degree painting of the battle of Racławice, an important part of Polish history as they fought for their independence. You book a slot to see the painting and an English audio guide talks you through the story being depicted in the painting and the origin of the painting itself.
It’s pretty cool because they’ve used 3D props to bring it to life a little. A great stop for history buffs and art lovers in particular.
National Museum
The National Museum is right opposite the panorama.
It’s filled with art and sculptures and relics but to be honest a lot of it was a bit too religious for my taste (think giant sculptures of Jesus on the cross). But even if you don’t really fancy a museum visit, the building itself is gorgeous. I just missed the Autumn colours but take a look on PInterest because it’s crazy beautiful.
If you’re looking for a more contemporary museum whilst you’re in-town, try the Polish Poster Gallery instead.
Coffee and cake at Vinyl Cafe
Now that you’ve had your culture fix for the day, stop at the cosy The Vinyl Cafe for coffee and cake. Records + vintage furniture + fantastic coffee = a winner.
Main Square
Time to explore the colourful and charming main square of Wroclaw!
This is just a really nice place to take in the view, go for lunch in one of the restaurants in the square and take 4857 photos for Instagram, because LOOK HOW PRETTY. When it’s not Christmas, it also has a pretty flower market and street performers to take snaps of.
I spent most of the weekend coming back to this square so you’ll probably walk through it a few times!
Town Hall
Whilst you’re in the main square, make sure you visit Town Hall.
I realise the star of the show is the Christmas market in this shot but seriously, it’s easily one of the prettiest buildings in town. It even has Prague vibes with the astronomical clock.
St Elizabeth’s view
If you’re feeling brave, go up the view tower of the St Elizabeth’s church for insanely good views of the city.
I say brave because it involves walking up 300 steep steps and there’s not the one-way system you have at other European viewpoints, so you’re constantly manoeuvering around people going back down.
But hey, anything for a gorgeous view of a colourful city, am I right?
Dinner at Mango Mama
Okay so yeah, it’s not exactly traditional Polish food, but I fell for Mango Mama hard. And I think you should check it out for dinner.
It’s Asian fusion, is cheap as chips, and damn delicious. The Rainbow Jalfrezi is exceptional. Winning.
Drinks at Doctors Bar
After dinner, stroll across the road to Doctor’s Bar for some expertly made cocktails. And y’know, at a quarter of the price you’d pay in the UK.
I very much recommend the Whiskey Sours, they’re delightful.
Sunday
Brunch at Central Cafe
Another brunch place I’ve already done a shout-out to on here – Central Cafe in the Jewish quarter.
Start your day here with A+ bagels and coffee.
A Morning of Dwarf-Spotting
Wroclaw is famous for the hundreds of miniture dwarf statues scattered around the city, so spend the morning trying to spot them all!
It sounds like a really weird thing to do, but wandering around and trying to find them all starts to get addictive. They’re all in weird places and doing random things. It’s actually quite fun.
You can pick up a location map from the tourist information centre for 6 zloty, but where’s the fun in that?
Cake from the kiosks
If you’re feeling peckish, stop at one of kiosks around the city that sell fresh cakes and pastries. They’re served out of a window and the queues are there all day so they must be good!
Shopping / Japanese gardens
Ok, so I spent this Sunday afternoon doing a spot of Christmas shopping. But if you’re there in warmer climes, definitely check out the Japanese gardens , they look so pretty and definitely worth an explore!
Dinner at Kociolek
It’s a more traditional choice for dinner tonight, with Polish food at Kociolek.
The baby back ribs are superb, as are the Gliniak plates. And I cannot recommend the bacon and cheese potatoes enough as a starter. Bloody delish.
Drinks at Setka and Kontynuacja
For drinks, head to Setka for a cool after-work-drinks vibe and cheap beers.
Alternatively, check out Kontynuacja, which kind of feels like a late-night cafe place to enjoy a glass of red and chat with friends on a cosy sofa. Really nice spot.
There you have it, my recommendations for a weekend itinerary in Wroclaw, Poland!
Please do let me know what you think and whether you feel there’s anything I left out??
Let me know in the comments below, tweet me at @HeelsInBackpack or find me over on Insta at @Heels.In.My.Backpack!
