Poznan Old Town Tour PRIVATE (3h)

Poznan is the capital of Wielkopolska province, nowadays a major economic, commercial, scientific, cultural and tourism hub in Western Poland. It is famous for the country’s most important trade-fair complex and possibly the most spectacular Renaissance Town Hall you’ll ever see. Its picturesque Old Town amazes tourist all year round, even during winter time when Christmas markets and Ice Festival make it a perfect place to visit. In 2019 Poznań was voted 5th best city on the Best European Travel Destinations list. And it’s worth to mention that Best European Travel Destinations chose Poznan as one of the best Christmas markets destination for 2021. In Poznan you will find also origins of Polish state, Poland’s only painting by Claude Monet and the delicious regional sweet St. Martin croissants. Make no mistake, this 1,000-year-old city on the River Warta has much to be proud of – it even has its own local dialect.

The oldest part of the city is Cathedral Island called Ostrow Tumski, situated in the fork of the River Warta and its tributary, the Cybina. A powerful fortified town existed here from at least the 9th Century - some even say it’s the birthplace of Poland itself. The country’s oldest cathedral, the majestic cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, stands there to this day. There are remnants of tombs in its vaults – probably the resting place of Poland’s first rulers, Mieszko I and his son Boleslaus the Brave. Where better to learn about the ancient history of a city than in one of its most ultramodern buildings? The dramatic white Porta Posnania Interactive Heritage Centre, which you enter via a spectacular footbridge that crosses the river, has won several architectural competitions and is one of the key sites on the Royal-Imperial Route. This popular tourist route links Cathedral Island with the Old Town and the city centre and is a great way to experience the city.

Old Town is the centermost neighbourhood of the city covering the area of the once walled medieval city of Poznan. In its centre you will find the Old Market Square boasting of dozens of colourful, picturesque houses and a real gem of the city - the historic Town Hall. It represents the glory of Poznan, from its foundation in 1253 being an exquisite example of Renaissance architecture. One of Town Hall's towers hosts two small billy goats, which butt their heads together every day at noon. Strolling along charming streets you can discover the impressive baroque churches like Fara basilica, St Antony church and the Franciscan Church with a miniature model of medieval Poznan. At the western end of the Old Town is the Przemysl Hill on which the King's castle once stood. The medieval Royal Castle in Poznan has been recently reconstructed and now from its tower you can enjoy an almost unrivalled panorama of the Old Town. Just few steps further you will find the Freedom Square surrounded by 19th century historical buildings like: National Museum, Raczynski Library, Bazar Hotel and Arcadia.

The Poznan Town Hall - One of the most beautiful Renaissance secular buildings (not only) in Poland is the symbol of the city. Worth mentioning is the building’s façade’s three-storied arcade loggia. The Town Hall’s major attractions are the famous billy goats, striking at noon on the tower, as well as its rich interior and exterior decoration. The interior hosts Museum of the History of the City of Poznan. Its focal point is the Grand Hall, also known as the Revival Hall. It rests on two sandstone pillars, supporting the ceiling, which in turn is ornamented with polichromed sculptures. These range from crests, biblical symbols and mythological scenes to exotic animals and planets.

Parish Church (fara) - St Stanisław the Bishop’s Parish Church is a superior example of Baroque architecture. Initially the Jesuit temple, its construction proceeded in stages since 1651 till the middle of the 18th century and required the demolition of some selected fragments of city walls as well as fi lling the moat. The marvelous main altar and entrance portal was designed by Pompeo Ferrari. The building is a three-nave church with galleries over the lateral naves and massive columns in the main nave. The church strikes as monumental, pompous, literally saturated with all sorts of ornaments (e.g. sculptures, paintings, moulding) yet, all these elements instantiate an ideal example of artistic symbiosis. The nearly hypnotic play of light in the church gives the impression of its inside being slightly submerged in subtle fog.

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’re going to love the St. Martin croissants, that are listed by the European Commission as a Protected Geographical Indicator. Made from Danish pastry dough according to a very strict recipe, the main filling ingredient is white poppy seeds and they’re often topped with icing. To give you an idea of its importance, there actually exists an interactive Poznan Croissant Museum. Here you can learn the story of just how this baked goodie became the sweet symbol of the Wielkopolska province, by watching an animated cartoon version of the “croissant history of Poznan”, which is presented under the polychromed wooden ceiling of a Renaissance tenement in the Old Town Market Square. In this museum not only you can taste the famous croissants, but you can even take part in making them if you fancy it. Of course there are many other local dishes that you need to try, for example “pyra z gzikiem” a local dialect name for baked potato with cottage cheese dip, “czernina” black soup, or something a little fancier, like Poznan-style duck, which comes with delicious potato dumplings, baked apple and red cabbage.