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While most people know of the larger cities in Poland as places to visit — Krakow, Warsaw, and Gdansk being the most well-known — there are smaller towns that also offer an amazing experience. One such city is Szczecin, located in West Pomerania. An old city with a lot of history, it’s now a place many travelers want to visit. In this blog post, I’ve listed some of the best things to do in Szczecin and places to see if you ever find yourself there.
What started as an inside joke among friends, turned out to be one of the most pleasantly surprising trips we’ve had. Not to mention that I've started a great debate in my Polish Tik Tok community if Szczecin is worth visiting or not. My 20 seconds video was viewed 100k times and received 11k comments, as for me that's considered viral! But the comments section showed a great division if the city was beautiful or had enough attractions.
My favorite comment
watch the video below
The Pomeranian Duke's Castle
The castle belonged to the Griffin Dynasty, who were once the rulers of the Duchy of Pomerania, and made Szczecin their capital. It is the only castle in the world where you can find an opera house.
Built in 1346 within Szczecin's walls, this beautifully renovated castle hosts several activities all year round including live theatre plays, castle movie nights, art expositions, and concerts in the courtyard.
Check the website for the calendar of activities here https://zamek.szczecin.pl/en/
General entrance is free of charge. You can enter the large courtyard and walk freely but there are paid tours of the witches' prison and museum.
Szczecin Old Town
I was informed that the city doesn’t really have an old “Old Town” but the surrounding buildings in the square were renovated to give the appearance of old towns in other cities such as Wroclaw, Krakow, and Warsaw.
Just 400 meters away from the Pomeranian Duke’s castle, you can visit the Old Town City Hall, right there in the center. Stroll through the Castle Boroughs and Kuśnierska Street is perfect for taking pictures.
You’ll find many shops, restaurants, and cafes in the Old Town, as well as plenty of other attractions to keep you busy. You can visit the Church of St. Nicholas, for example. And if you look closely you’ll find a “Berliner”.
Szczecin Philharmonic
I was disappointed to find out that it is closed during the summer and reopens in September. The schedule is posted on the website, please check here: https://filharmonia.szczecin.pl/en
Although there were no concerts this summer, what was very loud, were the opinions and reviews of the residents, about the architecture of the philharmonic.
The ice-like shape of the philharmonic and its translucent ribbed-glass façade, which gives the building a white glow at night, has become a new icon of the city and has received numerous architectural awards such as First Prize in the prestigious Eurobuild Awards 2014 contest in the category of Architectural Design of the Year.
You might also be surprised to see how small it appears in reality, compared to its grandiose photos.
Solidarity Square
Located across from the Philharmonic is Solidarity square, where the angel of freedom stands in g tribute to those who were killed protesting in 1970 and importantly located in a square that is one of the icons of Szczecin. Currently, there is a temporary photography exhibition of the war in Ukraine.
The Harbour
Quick pop quiz! Question: Is Szczecin located by the sea?
Szczecin is currently one of the largest and fastest-growing maritime centers in this part of Europe. And yet, it is not located at the Baltic Seaside.
Szczecin is located on the river Oder, south of the Szczecin Lagoon and the Bay of Pomerania.
It was one of my favorite spots, strolling along the river there are many bars and bistros. You can rent a kayak, or motorboat or embark on a cruise between the islands of Międzyodrze. There’s also an option to take the water tram to Grodzka Island to see the view of the castle boroughs.
There are plenty of other places to visit near the Harbour, such as the Ethnographic Museum, the Zoological Museum, and the Maritime Park. The new Maritime Museum and Science Centre is scheduled to be opened soon.
Chrobry Embankment (Wały Chrobego)
See the beautiful panoramic view of the Oder river from this observation deck. Together with the National Museum, Ducal Castle, and Cathedral Basilica of St James the Apostle, it forms an urban and architectural plan.
Once your finished, walk along the street to the restaurants or cafes there. Or simply head back to the old town just 650m away.
Fountain Avenue
Fountain Avenue is a promenade street, appropriately named so, as there are three fountains installed in the center of the street.
From the side of Grunwaldzki Square, you can see the Statue of the Sailor, a work of Ryszard Chachulski, made of copper in 1980.
Fountain Avenue is an ideal place to have coffee or dine at one of the several restaurants along the main street.
Szczecin is known for Paprykarz, and I was lucky to try fresh Paprykarz on Fountain Avenue, at a restaurant of the same name, Paprykarz.
Szczecin is definitely worth the visit. The city has undergone recent development and has heavily invested in improving the infrastructure, including the improvement of green spaces.
You can see most of the city on foot. All of the attractions I visited were within walking distance. But you can easily get around Szczecin by public transportation or taxi, everything is within proximity.
See it for yourself, click the link below to book a walking tour of Szczecin
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