Things to do in Wrocław

Wrocław sits where the Odra splits into channels and islands, with more than a hundred bridges between them. It was the German city of Breslau until 1945. Things to do in Wrocław start on the Market Square and the cathedral island.

The Market Square and what hangs off it

The square measures 213 by 178 metres. It is among the largest in Europe, and its Gothic Old Town Hall took some 250 years to finish.

• Dwarves. In the 1980s the Orange Alternative painted dwarfs over slogans the police had wiped off walls. The first bronze one, Papa Dwarf, went up on Świdnicka Street in 2001, and over 800 now stand about the city.
• Aula Leopoldina. The University's Baroque hall, built between 1728 and 1732.
• Racławice Panorama. A painting 114 metres long and 15 high, made in Lwów in 1893 and 1894 and shown here since 1985. Entry is by timed session.

The island and the districts beyond

Cathedral Island is the oldest quarter. A lamplighter lights its gas lamps by hand every evening.

• The cathedral. Its twin towers are nearly 98 metres high, with a lift to a terrace.
• Four Denominations District. A synagogue and Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant churches stand within a few hundred metres of each other. The White Stork Synagogue of 1829 escaped the Kristallnacht fires because other buildings crowded around it.
• Centennial Hall. Max Berg's concrete hall of 1913, a UNESCO site since 2006, with a Japanese garden beside it.
• The river. A boat trip of about 45 minutes goes under the bridges of the Old Town.

Lower Silesia and further

Guided tours in Wrocław are private. They run from three hours to ten, and the long ones go by car or, for Poznań, by train.

• Świdnica and Jawor. Two Churches of Peace, the largest timber-framed churches in Europe, 53 and 67 km out.
• Książ. A castle of about 400 rooms, 68 km southwest at Wałbrzych.
• Table Mountains. Szczeliniec Wielki rises to 919 metres, about 110 km and two hours away.
• Poznań. About an hour and a half by train.
• Warsaw. About 350 km, as a private transfer with two hours of sightseeing built in.

Practical

• Weather. Afternoons average 26C in July, 25C in August and 3C in January. July is the wettest month, with about 91 mm.
• Panorama. It closes on Mondays from November to March. The ticket also admits to three other museums within three months.
• On foot. The Market Square and Cathedral Island are about a kilometre apart. The centre is compact enough to walk.
• Airport. About 10 km out. Bus 106 takes 40 to 50 minutes to the main station.