Visiting Poznan, Poland: Accommodation, Transport, Food & Attractions

Come with us and visit Poland. But not the biggest tourist magnets, like Krakow and Warsaw. We went looking for something a bit different.

Poznan is one of the oldest and largest cities in Poland, but if you live outside Europe there’s a good chance, like us, you may not have heard about it before. It has old world charm with cobblestone streets and colourful burgher houses. But it also filled with modern museums, classy restaurants and superb public transport.

Getting There

Getting to Poznan was not as tricky as getting to Greece. In fact Poznan has direct flights to lots of international airports. Berlin, Germany is only 2.5 hours away via train and a popular way to arrive. Or you also have the capital, Warsaw, which is about 3 hours via train.

We flew from Sofia, Bulgaria to Warsaw. With a 4-hour stopover, we decided to spend two hours in the city of Warsaw, then continued onto Poznan via a short 1-hour flight.

Transport (And How To Save Money)

The city has plenty of options to choose from. If you purchase a Poznan City Card, not only do you get discounts to restaurants and attractions, but you get FREE public transport for up to 3 days (depending on the card chosen).

Here’s a list of places where you can buy the card. This card is fantastic since trams are a convenient option for getting around, but currently finding a place to purchase a ticket can be difficult. The first time we went to the station near our hotel there was no ticket machines. We later learned you could get tickets possibly from the hotel or tiny ticket booths in the city centre.

This is being rectified, as newer trams have ticket machines on board and a smartcard-based ticket system is being rolled out soon.

Buses are also a handy way to get around and the trains, as mentioned above, can take you outside the city limits.

Taxis are fairly easy to flag down and not too expensive either. Compared to most other cities where we’ve use taxis, we found these to be cleaner and better maintained. The taxi drivers really took more pride in their appearance.

Accommodation

During our visit we stayed at the Novotel Poznan Malta. While not in the city centre, it was on the tram line and a number 8 tram transported us in and out in only 4 or 5 stops. It’s also on the beautiful Malta Lake (Jezioro Maltanskie), in front of the very cool indoor waterpark and a few stops from Galeria Malta shopping mall. 

The hotel is well suited for families. Kids both received a little toy when they arrived. In the reception area there was an Xbox and a corner set up with toys, books and beanbags, perfect for those moments you spend checking-in while the kids typically run amok.

At every chance she had, my daughter wanted to visit to the reception for a turn on the Xbox car racing game. 

We booked 2 interconnected rooms. The rooms were really spacious, each with their own couch and bathroom. Ours even came with views over the pool. My only complaint with our room would have to be the lack of an air conditioner. Our room quickly became stuffy in the summer heat and we had the window open 24/7. The rooms were equipped with tiny desk fans, but with the weather we had during our stay (not even Poznan’s hottest temperatures), I was very surprised that there was no air conditioner. 

The buffet breakfast was always fresh and delicious. Dishes were well seasoned and lovingly prepared. It would have been nice to have a little variety though, as the food didn’t change during our 7 days at the hotel.

You can purchase premium (faster) Wi-Fi, or use the basic (slower) speed for free. We received a new password to use every 24 hours, which was a right pain, considering it is free, but it worked well for us and we had no trouble using it in our rooms.

We loved the location and the kid-friendless of the Novotel and would gladly stay again. 

Polish Food

Eating Polish food is like walking into a friend’s house and being fed a lovingly prepared hearty home-cooked meal. It’s robust and delectable. Sausages with roast potatoes and sauerkraut can be purchased in the Old Town Square, as a typical takeaway meal. Polish dumplings, known as perogies, are a convenient option for eating on the run but can also be found in many restaurants. And a visit to Poznan isn’t complete without trying St Martin’s Croissant. 

On top of traditional Polish food, Poznan has an international heart so you can find a wide range of cuisines - Indonesian, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, and more.

We ate several incredible meals which you can read about in our food post. Or if you don't know much about Polish cuisine, check out this post.

What To Do

Honestly, what isn’t there to do? We wrote a helpful list of 10 things to do with kids, but even without them you are guaranteed to have a great time.

Museums, architecture, cooking demonstrations, water parks, bike riding, a very cool zoo, restaurants, clubs, shopping and much more. In fact, there are almost continuous festivals during the summer months. Josh attended a Damon Albarn concert which was part of the month-longMalta Festival. Whatever you enjoy doing, there’s a very good chance you’ll find it in Ponzan.

The Prussian and German influence in western Poland is evident in Poznan. There is an indescribable element of organisation, self-control and pride, which we greatly respected. This makes it a very safe place for families to visit, and easy to get around. We managed to fit a lot in just 1 week of staying here, but there was still so much to do. You can get a great perspective from Agata, a local who I met in Ireland and was happy to meet up with again in Poznan.

I’m confident you’ll love the city as much as we did, and like us, you’ll already be thinking about your next trip to Poznan before stepping on your flight home.

Why Poznan Could Quite Possibly Be Europe's Ultimate Family Destination

Have you heard of it?

Why aren’t the families flocking here?

Poznan is located in west-central Poland. Think Prague, without the millions of tourists and with a zillion more things to do. Poznan is one of the oldest and biggest cities in Poland. It has old world charm with its cobblestone streets, colourful burgher houses and an old town square. But it also is brimming with new possibilities and modern conveniences.

It’s the place in Europe you’ve been looking for. 

When we visited Poznan we had no expectations, maybe even a little complacency. But it was only moments into arriving that we knew Poznan was going to be an amazing destination.

1 in 4 residents in Poznan are students. The city pulsates with a youthful atmosphere and a friendly vibe. It has all the makings of the perfect family holiday spot. Here are 5 reasons we think you should visit for your next family vacation.

Clean & Tidy

After a month of cigarette smoke, dirty streets and littered allies throughout Sunny Beach in Bulgaria, Poznan was a dream. The streets were clean, smoking was prohibited in most restaurants and attractions, even trams and buses remained un-graffitied.

Family travel can often be met with fear, and children getting ill is certainly one of them. Poznan puts those fears at ease with its beautiful clean city. One of my favourite features was there was always a bin nearby to throw litter into, which makes for a very tidy town. You don’t realize how convenient it is until you’ve been somewhere where bins are scarce. 

Playgrounds

This might be an urban jungle, but there is still plenty of room for the natural type. Big parks, rivers and lakes provide oodles of space for children to run and play. Add to these playgrounds in zoos, parks, restaurants and you have a winning family vacation hot spot.

It’s In Europe

Americans, Australians, any one not in Europe believes Europe is exotic. Europe is ancient and historic. Poznan embodies everything that is beautiful about Europe. For Europeans, Poznan is in Europe. So it’s close and just a cheap flight or train away.

Forget those tourist hotspots rife with pickpockets, endless crowds and litter. Poznan has all the conveniences and infrastructure you’d expect in a developed country.

Tourist-Free Zone

Okay, so we might not be telling the truth on this one. Poznan holds so many festivals and draws in more and more tourists each year. But it’s not over-run. You will find it easy to move throughout the city, visit restaurants and bars, and not be stuck in a congregated mess. Perfect for families who don’t want to lose their kids in the crowd.

I have no doubt it will not remain Europe’s hidden treasure for much longer.

Transport

Hiring a car in an unknown city certainly seems easy for families, but then there is carting caseats around, looking for parking and all over plenty of stress that comes with it.

Poznan has an excellent public transportation system. Trams, buses and trains. There is something taking you everywhere. We didn’t find a spot we couldn’t take public transport to. And if you get a Poznan City Card, not only do you get discounts to restaurants and attractions, but you get FREE public transport too. Transport is also free for kids under 5. 

BONUS: Oodles To Do

The worst family holiday moments happen when the kids utter those 2 dreaded words, “I’m bored.”

No chance of that happening in Poznan. Check out our article on 10 things to do with kids in Poznan and we only scraped the tip of the iceberg. Snowless skiing, music concerts, interactive museums, giant parks and so much more.

I’m sure after reading this you can see how under-rated Poznan is. It’s a city waiting to be discovered by families. It’s sitting there. Waiting. So go.

10 Things To Do With Kids In Poznan, Poland

With a week to spend in what can only be described as a family hot spot, we never even had time to use our hotel pool. It was incredible how much there was to do.

But our favourite things to do in this rich and vibrant city were:

1. Hands On History @ Porta Poznania (Brama Poznania Ichot)

Brand new on the scene in Poznan is this history museum. It features a walk through the fascinating antiquity of Poznan in a stimulating and intriguing way.

Located on Cathedral Island, this museum makes learning so much fun for kids, they won’t realize how educational it is too. Each room is carefully designed for adults and kids alike to interact and learn.  There’s a chill-out zone on the roof with chairs, which is a perfect spot to catch your breath.

The museum also has additional activities available like headsets for hire so visitors can discover the city with interactive guides and games, perfect for families. Everything about this museum has been really well planned and designed.

Considering it has only been open 2 months (at the time of publishing), there may not be a lot of info on the web. But we gave it our big thumbs up.

2. Butting Goats @ Old Market Square

Every day at noon, people crowd around Poznan Town Hall (Ratusz) in Old Market Square, waiting for the two billy goats on the clock tower to march out and ceremoniously clunk their heads together.
Much like Prague’s astronomical clock tower, it’s a very touristy thing to do which is not overly exciting, but the atmospheric crowd which oohhh and ahhh certainly add a sense of delight to the whole event.

3. Croissant Demo @ Rogal’s Museum (Rogalowe Muzeum Poznania)

The kids were very excited to be making croissants and so there was a little bit of disappointment when we found the class was more of a demonstration than cooking class. Perhaps if we had prepared them differently they would have been a little more excited.

Not really a museum, but more of a cooking demonstration, this class will show you how the famous St Martin Rogal is made, a pastry very similar to the croissant, but with almond and poppy seed filling and sugar glazing.

The building is one of the oldest in Old Market Square and commands an unparalleled view of the Butting Goats if you can get into a midday class.

Kids get to dress up in an adorable apron and chef hat, and may get the opportunity to help for a few moments during the preparation. 

4. Riding The Rails @ Maltanka Park Railway

After a morning walking around the expansive grounds of the New Zoo, we decided to hitch a ride on the railway. There is a stop directly at the zoo and it carries passengers to the western end of Lake Malta. 

5. Tigers and Giraffes @ New Zoo (Ogród Zoologiczny)

There are 2 zoos in Poznan, an older 100-year-old facility, and a more recent 40-year-old one that we visited.

The expansive grounds covering 116.33 ha holds a broad array of creatures from seals to giraffes to tigers and elephants. The enclosures are some of the largest we’ve seen at any zoo around the world, which gives the animals plenty of space to roam. That also makes for a very long walk (allow at least 3-4 hours if walking around). So to make this easier, the entry ticket price includes free use of the tram which transports visitors all around the zoo. These run about every 15 minutes.

A mini ropes obstacle course is located on the property which the kids can play on for a small extra fee.

And near the entrance a child-friendly petting zoo allows kids to get up close to animals like ponies, goats, chickens and more.

6. Indoor Waterpark @ Termy Maltanskie

This place was a huge surprise. Inside is a plethora of slides and pools all heated to a pleasantly warm temperature. Even the hall is like a sauna. Outdoors are even more slides and pools, also all heated.

A musical interlude plays regularly announcing a change in features – a new slide open, water fountains turning on, a wave pool starting. Ever changing and lots of fun.

A café is on the premises for the munchies, there is also a spa and sauna.

The strangest thing about this thermal waterpark is the entrance. We thought for sure we had it wrong, but no, you do need to wander through the naked bodies showering in the men’s or women’s bathroom before entering the swimming pool area. Perhaps it is to encourage people to be clean in the communal areas, but it was a little confronting for the children and the husband.

Our unanimous decision had the green slide as the best ride of the day with it’s flashing lights, whirring sirens and break-neck speed. A really fun day out! 

7. Making Lollypops @ BonBon Café

Unlike the Rogal’s Museum, in this workshop you can actually tell the kids they are making something. We surprised our kids with this class and they were delighted. Set in a corner shop, this beautiful café has two floors. Upstairs is a fun play area for impatient kids, while downstairs is a café with a lolly preparation area.

The kids were walked through the different colours and asked to smell the different flavours while in the back kitchen the toffee was busy bubbling to the perfect temperature.

The kids decided on lemon and it was added to the sugar mixture. When it was brought out the kids watched impatiently as the cooks poured the mixture out on the table, added the colouring and proceeded to pull and stretch the very hot taffy.

Finally when it was sufficiently cooled and ready to be rolled, pieces were placed on  a small plastic table for the kids to roll, twist and make into a lollypop. You need to act fast though, because all too soon the taffy was hard and ready to be eaten.

We came away with ten lollypops beautifully wrapped with ribbons. Anybody want one?

8. Playgrounds & Jets @ Citadel Park

Citadel Park is a large family-friendly area. Exploring it is a wonder in itself, but add to it big jet planes from the Army Museum and playgrounds, it’s a kids paradise.

There is a lovely boutique café, Umberto, right next to one of the playgrounds, with lounge chairs nearby on the grass so parents can have a cuppa and an amazing slice of apple pie while the kids wear themselves out on the playground. 

9. Fun Filled Walk @ Malta Lake

This lake turned out to be a huge surprise. One sunny Sunday we took a walk around it on our way to Malta Ski, which was on the other side from where our hotel lay. As we enjoyed the leisurely stroll we stumbled upon a marathon that was about to begin.

There were stalls set up for free water, sausage tasting, kids colouring tables, and much more. We had a great time being part of the festivities, despite not being one of the very enthusiastic looking runners.

As we ventured on we realised the lake had all kinds of entertainment. There were rope climbing structures where kids could pay a small fee and spend time making their way through the obstacle course. There were playgrounds and jumping castles, restaurants, shops and so much more.

I recommend biking or taking a walk around the entire lake, one of the highlights was the cute baby ducks paddling around near the shore. 

10. Toboggan Ride @ Malta Ski

This place is fun. You can purchase individual tickets to go on several different rides. We choose a toboggan ride and then the kids also did some tubing. It was like being in the snow without the cold, ice and snow.
Located on the southern end of Malta Lake and very reasonably priced, we had a really fun time.

* BONUS *11. Play Time @ Galeria Malta Shopping Mall

We spent one evening at Galeria Malta and noticed the indoor playground located next to the cinema. We never made it back to take advantage of it, but we so wanted to. You pay per hour and can leave the children there while you go shopping or to the movies, or both. 

The forward-thinking folks at the City of Poznan have created a very comprehensive website for visitors which contains lots of useful info. My favourite feature is the trip planner. Simply answer a handful of questions, such as the and the timeframe of your visit, and it will provide you with suggestions on where to go. Then you just choose whatever recommended activities strikes your fancy. Next it compiles all the info into a proposed itinerary, complete with driving or walking directions, maps and attraction details. You can even share the itinerary with friends or print it. Wow, what a timesaver!

Poznan is a city full or surprises… in a good way. And if you have kids like us, you’re bound to fall in love with this family-friendly city. Narrowing down the list of fun things to do in Poznan with kids was a tough task, and there are so many other things that could fit on this list. What else would you add?