8 of the Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Poland
Last Updated on July 3, 2023
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Poland is filled with fairy-tale places.
From the historic cities and sprawling towns to the beautiful villages in Poland, there are so many places to visit in Poland that seem like they could have come straight from a fantasy.
I was lucky enough to spend a couple of weeks touring around the country visiting some of the most beautiful cities and towns in Poland.
And there were no other words to describe it other than as a fairy-tale.
In every place I visited I was blown away by the architecture. As I studied interior design I was in love with all the historic buildings, town centres and all the details within the buildings’ façades.
There are so many stunning Polish places to visit, I knew I had to gather together a list of my favourites.
Here are the most beautiful places to visit Poland, most of which I visited in previous years and some I have added because I hope to visit them someday soon.
I have plenty of Poland vacation ideas, and hopefully you will too!
Table of Contents
The Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Poland
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1. Gdansk
There is no complete list of Polish places to visit without including Gdansk. Poland is beautiful, and Gdansk is a huge part of that.
This picturesque city is located right in the north of the country on the coast. When I arrived in Gdansk I was blown away as this was my first taste of the Polish Gothic architecture.
While I can say that Gdansk is one of the prettiest places to visit in Poland in winter, I can imagine it’s even more beautiful in the spring and summer. I feel like this city is beautiful all year round.
It’s a very cute place to start your travels among the Poland towns and cities.
I highly recommend getting lost in the quaint streets of the city centre and eating your weight in pierogis.
Nice places in Poland come with nice food, and fortunately there are many amazing restaurants around the town where you can get a taste of this delicious Polish dumpling.
There’s a lot of great things to do in Gdansk so I highly recommend you spend a couple of days exploring one of the most beautiful cities in Poland!
Gdansk was totally reconstructed after World War 2.
The colourful facades will leave you speechless – this is one of the most beautiful places in Poland and one of the most interesting places to stay in Poland too!
Gdansk is famous for its amber production so it’s a great excuse to splurge on a nice piece of jewellery with an amber stone.
Where to Stay in Gdansk?
Hostel: Grand Hostel – Modern, centrally located and close to some great bars and restaurants! To check the latest prices and availability, click here!
Hotel: Craft Beer Central Hotel – centrally located, beautiful and unique rooms available and reasonably priced! To check the latest prices and availability, click here!
2. Wroclaw
Wroclaw is one of the oldest cities and the largest city in western Poland.
You will be blessed with the colourful market square with beautiful buildings – what else do you expect from Poland places to visit?!
In the city itself, there are 12 islands and over 100 bridges. Wroclaw has a rich history which is why it should be on your list of cities to visit in Poland.
One of the best things to do in the city is to find all the small gnome figurines. There are over 350 of them scattered around the city.
You can pick up a map and locate them all or even download the mobile app. They are some of the most fun things to see in Poland.
The gnomes started appearing in 2005 as a link to an anti-communist movement that helped bring down the communist regime in the 1980’s.
Nowadays there are hundreds around and it’s one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city. Anyone wondering “is Poland beautiful” will know the answer after visiting Wroclaw.
Where to Stay in Wroclaw?
Hostel: Grampa’s Hostel – A fun hostel with really helpful staff. Only a 10-15 walk to the center. To check the latest prices and availability, click here!
Hotel: Akira Bed & Breakfast – luxury at affordable prices and buffet breakfast. To check the latest prices and availability, click here!
3. Warsaw
Many people, when they start to plan what city to visit in Poland, will immediately think of Warsaw, the nation’s capital. And they should, because it’s one of the best cities in Poland.
Strangely, when I first arrived in Warsaw I must admit I wasn’t really a fan of it. However, I’m so glad that I decided to stay a little longer and dive deeper into the history.
After I took one of the free walking tours around the city I quickly learned that there was so much more to Warsaw than just what you see.
Warsaw was completely destroyed during World War 2.
The city fought for their freedom again against the Nazis and in doing so the Nazis decided to destroy the entire city in return. This is why most of the buildings are new.
An amazing place to learn about the city’s past is to visit the uprising museum (known as the Warsaw Rising Museum). This is one of the top three museums I have ever visited.
It’s one of the amazing places in Poland and really gave me a sense of what it would have been like during those hard times and showed me what the city and its people have been through.
I highly recommend taking a free walking tour of the old town to learn more about the city. For me, Warsaw showed me what it means to be strong.
Where to Stay in Warsaw?
Hostel: Aparthostel – Modern and unique place to stay. Set in a great neighbourhood! To check the latest prices and availability, click here!
Hotel: Chopin Boutique B&B – Boutique bed and breakfast, close to the center, amazing buffet breakfast. To check the latest prices and availability, click here!
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4. Krakow
Krakow is the most popular city to visit in Poland for obvious reasons – it’s one of the most beautiful places to visit in Poland! There’s also a lot to do here.
You could easily spend a week just in Krakow exploring the different neighbourhoods, visiting the museum, taking walking tours and taking a trip to nearby Auschwitz.
Don’t forget to pick up some delicious chimney cake! Because Krakow is one of the best tourist places in Poland, there are kiosks selling it all over the city centre.
The old town of Krakow is beautiful; the main square is filled with restaurants, cathedrals and old buildings. Many people would tell you that Krakow is the most most beautiful city in Poland!
During World War 2 Krakow was occupied by the Germans so it was not destroyed like Warsaw was. Therefore, you can still see a lot of the original buildings here.
While you’re in Krakow I highly recommend you take a day trip to Auschwitz. It’s about a 45-minute bus ride, and I believe it is a must see in Poland, albeit for serious reasons.
Auschwitz was the largest concentration camp in Poland; nothing will prepare you for a visit here. It’s arguably the most chilling place in Poland; it’s heartbreaking, shocking and extremely sad.
But it is very important that you visit here though to learn about the history and to pay your respects to the victims.
Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it – George Santayana
Where to Stay in Krakow?
Hostel: Blueberry Hostel – Free breakfast, small and friendly hostel set in the best location. To check the latest prices and availability, click here!
Hotel: City Center rooms and apartments – Boutique accommodation set right in the old town, amazing apartments! To check the latest prices and availability, click here!
5. Lublin
Wondering where to go in Poland to escape the crowds? This small city in eastern Europe is worth a stop for a few days.
It’s not as visited as most people gravitate towards the more popular places in Poland like Krakow, Warsaw, and Gdansk, but in my opinion, if you have a few extra days you should come to Lublin.
It’s simply a quaint, beautiful city in Poland; I stayed in the centre of the old town in the middle of winter and it was magical.
The old town is more enclosed, unlike the other Polish cities. It’s also a lot smaller which make it even more magical.
If you got to Lublin, you must eat at Mandragora restaurant. It’s a Jewish restaurant which serves the most amazing Israeli breakfast – highly recommend!
Lublin is one of the most fairy-tale cities in Poland in my opinion.
Where to Stay in Lublin?
Hostel: Hostel Krolewska – Close to the Old Town, bicycle hire, and friendly staff. To check the latest prices and availability, click here!
Hotel: Boutique Residence Rynek 16 – absolutely beautiful apartments at an affordable price. They are located right in the centre of the Old Town! To check the latest prices and availability, click here!
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6. Kazimierz Dolny
What small towns in Poland lack in size they more than make up for in character and charm.
Kazimierz Dolny is one such small town, and it’s popular with creative people such as artists and musicians.
It’s known as the centre of folk music and in summer this small town holds a festival called Kapel I Piewakow Ludowych.
During the festival traditional bands gather from all over the country, making it one of the best places to go in Poland for music lovers.
Before the Second World War, the town was over 50% Jewish so there’s a rich Jewish history that lies here too. This is for sure one of the top fairy-tale towns in Poland.
It’s only an hour bus ride form Lublin so it’s perfect for those wondering what to see in Poland on a day trip or weekend getaway, and it’s one of the most beautiful towns in Poland.
Where to Stay in Kazimierz Dolny?
Airbnb: There are a number of great Airbnbs available to rent. Get your free $35 Airbnb credit here!
Hotel: Hotel Kazimierzówka – Free breakfast, sauna and spa plus close to the center. To check the latest prices and availability, click here!
7. Toruń
Toruń is a medieval town of Poland in the northern region and is classed as a UNESCO town.
This fairy-tale town in Poland is famous for its gingerbread! Make sure you take a visit to the gingerbread museum and try the gingerbread ice cream.
How beautiful is Poland that its snacks can be as flavourful as its history?!
Toruń is also famous for being the town where Nicolas Copernicus grew up – he was the Polish astronomer who discovered that the sun is at the centre of our universe. Thanks, Nicolas!
His findings have revolutionised what we know about the universe today.
This strong historical connection is one of the many reasons Toruń is one of the best towns to visit in Poland.
Where to Stay in Toruń?
Hostel: Orange Hostel – Located inside the old town and has amazing reviews! To check the latest prices and availability, click here!
Hotel: Gotyk Hotel – Small, cosy hotel located right in the center. To check the latest prices and availability, click here!
8. Poznan
The last on the list is Poznan, the city full of life! This polish town is a favourable one for the tourists who love a city with a creative flair.
Here you will find lots of buzzing bars, street art, and affordable food due to the large student population here. It’s one of the best places to see Poland come alive!
The colourful facades and great food are only a small part of the reasons you should visit here.
The overall vibe and energy of the city are amazing, and therefore it is one of the best places to visit in Poland.
Where to Stay in Poznan?
Hostel: Poco Loco Hostel – Fabulous location and free coffee and tea all day! To check the latest prices and availability, click here!
Hotel: Hotel Gaja – Unique hotel in a great location! To check the latest prices and availability, click here!
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Frequently Asked Questions
There are many reasons Poland is famous, from historical figures like Frederic Chopin and Marie Curie to the culturally important places to visit in Poland like Warsaw, Krakow and more.
In my opinion, 3 days will get you a basic understanding of the country, but to enjoy all of the great places to visit in Poland, more time is definitely better.
That’s entirely up to you! With so many historic and architecturally fascinating places to visit in Poland, you’ll have to travel to all the cities on this list (and more!) to make up your mind!
Let me know below if you have any other recommendation on places to visit in Poland that should make the list!
Other articles you will love:
- Incredible Things To Do In Zakopane, Poland
- Kamienica Muzykow: A Taste of Luxury Accommodation in Lublin
- Chopin B&B: Boutique Accommodation in Warsaw
- Delicious Must-Try Traditional Nonalcholic European Drinks
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The Comments
Kasia
Great choices!
Anita Hendrieka
> KasiaThanks for reading!
Liliana Ventura
Lovely post! I want to visit Poland for a long time. I must add it to my bucket list!
Anita Hendrieka
> Liliana VenturaYes, there’s so much to see so you could easily spend a long time exploring all the beautiful places there! Thanks for reading
Tina Twovelers
Thanks for sharing great places. I was also traveling around Poland and I really love Krakow and Poznan that I decided to write articles about it. But I found new travel ideas in your article, I will definitely check Wroclaw.
🙂